81
PAPERS OF 1\IIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
something very nearly like it.- Goel damn you, get out of the line. How dare you to cross a Centinel- The Col. replied in a mild tone that he might have performed his duty in a more moderate way; whereupon the soldier renewed his oaths and continued cursing the Col. until he was out of hearing. This is not told for the purpose of any injury to the Centinel; it is given only in testimony of the fact, that even a meritorious & imperative duty may be wrongfully per- formeu; and when so, there is no redress to the insulted or to the in- jured except thro' the medium of the press- Backed a~cl sustained by two thousand bayonets, a ruthless soldier can enforce a wrong as easily as he can offer an insult. The man who hopes for justice where the sword is triumphant, is a fool; he knows nothing of human nature, nor anything of the history of the world. A miser will not cling to his gold with more tenacity, than a despot to his power; and an aug- mentation is sought by both with equal avidity, not for the ability which it confers of doing good but for love of the thing itse}t. Lib- erality does not belong to the miser; nor forbearance to military man. When did the one ever unlock his stores for the public good;- or when clicl a [sic] other ever sheathe his sword for the benefit of civil rights?- We kuow very well that there is nothing of the tyrant in the disposition of Genl. Taylor-he is a patriot as well as the sol- dier-but a thousand little petty tyrannies may be committed-by sub- alterns, without his knowledge or approval; and it is for the correc- tion of this evil that we· now pen this hasty article- A few clays ago two Volunteers were made to sweep the streets of :Matamoras, under the coercion of the American bayonet- What more clicl the :Mexicans exact when Texans were their prisoners- The American Flag is now flying on the walls of Matamoras; but what are its triumphs? It brings security to the Mexican population and insult oppression to the Americans- We do not ·wish to be misunderstood in this matter. We are the friends of the army-friends to the noble cause in which it is engaged, and no less the friends of order and subordination. All that we contend for is, that some respect should be paid to civil as well as to military rights. At present the sword is predominant in Mata- moras; it has the power to enforce its will; and we must bow to its dictation. We only ask, that its power may not be exerted merely for the purpose of exhibiting its omnipotence. In the name of those very principles for which the war is prosecuted- We demand the personal security and a full exercise of the privileges and immunities which are secured to Americans by the Constitution of their Country. There is no necessity for trampling them under foot; the times and the occa- sion do not require or justify it. In carrying liberty to Mexico, let us not walk over the liberties of our own Countrymen. "0, it is ex- cellent to have a giant's strength; but it is tyranous to use it like a giant."- [Endorsed:] Mexican War The abuses of the regular Army No. 2305. "INSTRUCTIONS"· BY JACOB AND P. DECORDOVA [Broadside] [About 1846 ?l At the time of the passage of the various acts by the Congress of the late Republic of Texas, granting Donation, Headright and Bounty
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