Sketches of the campaign in northern Mexico : in eighteen hundred forty-six and seven / by an officer of the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers.

ANNEXATION. 95
at the proper time; yet a voluntary proposition, on her part,
for a peaceful amalgamation of the two republics, would per-:laps be but coldly embraced, if not rejected by some of our
ardent annexationists, who rejoice in more violent delights.
To their palates, stolen fruits are always the sweetest. In
whichever manner the Mexican States may come into our
Union, it is more to be hoped than expected that they would
be at once relieved of the incubus which has so long oppressed
them; or that the people, long tantalized by the miryage of
liberty, would be able to appreciate its living waters when
offered to them in all their freshness and purity. Nor is it
certain that the connection would be very beneficial to us for
sometime at least, especially if the whole of Mexico should
be swallowed at one gutlp-as is sometimes mildly proposed
by our annexationists. In that event, it is likely that-be she
ever so well " licked' before deglutition-we should find her
one of those morsels which, " though sweet in taste, prove in
digestion sour."'
*it will be seen by the following extract from a recent speech delivered by the
Nestor of the Democratic party, (Gen. Cass) that the venerable Senator is of the
opinion that the gastric juice of the body politic has not been in the least reduced
by the digestion of a brace of Mexican states. But considering the fact that those
were very thinly populated, it might be advisable to swallow the remaining nineteen or twenty at many, and perhaps smaller meals. This would enable us to
manage an island or two by way of desert. Meantime the South American states
may consider themselves as in a pen, fattening for our capacious maws. In good
time they will doubtless furnish Brother Jonathan with excellent thanksgiving
dinners.
In a speech upon Mr. Mason's resolution (in Senate, December 23, 1852,) calling
for the correspondence concerning the proposed tripartite treaty with England and
France, for the safeguard to Spain of the island of Cuba, General Cass took occasion to say, inter alia —" As to the general subject of annexation, I have no new
views to disclose. It is pretty well known that I have a capacious swallow ior
territory, though I am free to confess that I can wait awhile patiently, if necessary,
and spend the time in digesting our last acquisitions. They sit lightly on the