The records of history, as well as daily observation, teach us, that patriotism is as rarely the virtue of politi- cians as it is of soldiers. " To the victors belong the spoils," now the avowed maxim of American parties, reveals the true object of multitudes who are vociferous in their professions of devotion to the public interest. An active poHtician, who is not the possessor or the * Life of Reed, I. 240.
expectant of oflQce, is a personage rarely to be found in our Republic. To pursue measures supposed to be popular, affords a ver}' uncertain indication of virtuous motives.
It seems impossible that any candid person acquainted with the origin and causes of the Mexican war, should in- sist that its necessity and justice were so palpable as to exclude all doubt : or that the assertion that the Mexicans commenced the war by invading the United States, and sheddinoAmerican blood upon American soil, is sup- ported by such irrefragable testimony, that no well-in- formed man can honestly deny its truth. Many of the democratic members of Congress, in their reproaches of the Vv'higs for voting for a war which they denounced as unjust, declared such a war to be the greatest of crimes, and those who prosecuted it, guilty of murderJ Even Mr. Polk's orffan thus abused the Whiors for votingr thanks to victorious Generals :—" None but the Whigs would think of rewarding men volunteering to fight in a war un- constitutionally commenced by one man, and prosecuted in contempt of national honor." Yet this same ready tool had been lavish of his charo^es of treason aorainst all who opposed the war, whatever might be then* conscien- tious opinion of its character. But if an unjust war be indeed a crime, involving its authors and abettors in the guilt of murder, it is most