It envisioned the needs of the greatness of
America. It had fought the war against England and Mexico. It had
created the American domain. And now these old defeated and crooked
monarchists who had stood in the way of America's progress were seizing
upon a moral issue, upon slavery, with which to befool a democratic
electorate naturally responsive to the arguments of liberty. They had
opposed the Mexican War; they had brought up the slavery question at
every important juncture to confound counsels and perplex otherwise easy
solutions. But what one of them would give back Texas, New Mexico,
California, to Mexico? Would Webster? Would Hale? No, not one of them
would do this.
The campaign of 1848! What would the Whigs do? They would use this
Democratic Mexican War to get into power. They would appeal to the war
spirit which they had dishonored; they would use a national gratitude
for service in the despised war to get the offices and control the
administration. Would Clay win the Whig nomination? Not at all. It would
be Zachary Taylor, the hero of the Mexican War, the slave owner of
Louisiana. This party was over virtuous on the slavery matter, lending
an unofficial ear to Garrison and other agitators, but it had been
careful not to take a party stand on the question. It would continue to
play with the subject.
Pages:
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260