Buy this book on-line

Parker, Theodore : A Sermon of the Mexican War: Preached at the Melodeon, on Sunday, June 25th, 1848

Coolidge and Wiley, Boston, MA, 1848

Original publisher's beige paper wrappers bound with string placed about center near spine. Text printed in black ink. 5 3/4" x 9." Fifty-six pages, complete. Pages are very clean and intact except for a few small chips in lower corners of fore-edge of first few pages, two small closed tears on fore-edge of first page, slight darkening on front and back, and light age toning throughout. A Very Good copy. A sermon by Theodore Parker (1810-1860), an American Transcendentalist, Unitarian minister, abolitionist, and social reformer. Parker speaks pointedly about the Mexican-American War, which, at the time this sermon was given, had recently ended on February, 2, 1848. He denounces the means by which this war was waged by the United States and the war itself. Parker begins by stating that the Mexican-American War both began and ended illegally. The U.S. had annexed Texas from Mexico and instigated the war by marching across the contested Texas-Mexico border. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo had also been secured through questionable means. Nicholas P. Trist had been dismissed by President James K. Polk as a diplomat to Mexico, but he disobeyed Polk's orders and went ahead to successfully negotiate the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo which ended the war. Parker further defends his stance against the Mexican-American War by noting the war's cost in dollars, men, and loss of life. Parker also argues that money used toward manufacturing weapons and other military supplies and absence of men in the workforce through enlistment were detrimental to the economy. Parker proceeds to vehemently denounce wars in general and this war in particular by noting the iniquities committed by American soldiers in Tabasco and Vera Cruz. He describes the hypocrisies surrounding the war and blames both political parties of the time, the Whigs and Democrats, for their support of the war. Parker laments that the acquisition of Texas would only deepen the fissure between the contemporary debate over free and slave states because Texas was to become another slave state. Parker summarizes, "The Americans were fighting Mexico to dismember her territory, to plunder her soil, and plant thereon the institution of Slavery, 'the necessary background of Freedom.'". Book. Book Condition: Very Good. Binding: Soft cover

1st Edition

Bibliophile Bookbase for antiquarian books, maps and prints.