'Tain't your eppyletts an' feathers Make the thing a grain more right; 'Tain't a follerin' your bell-wethers Will excuse ye in his sight; Ef you take a sword and draw it, An' go stick a feller thru, Guv'ment ain't to answer for it, God'll send the bill to you. Massachusetts, God forgive her, She's a kneelin' with the rest, She, that ought to hav' clung forever In her grand old eagle-nest. * * * * * Let our dear old Bay State proudly Put the trumpet to her mouth, Let her ring this messidge loudly In the ears of all the South: "I'll return ye good fer evil Much ez we frail mortals can, But I won't go help the Devil Makin' man the cus o' man; Call me coward, call me traitor, Jest ez suits your mean idees, Here I stand a tyrant-hater, An' the friend o' God and Peace." CHAPTER IX HOW DEAL WITH THE TERRITORIES? Meanwhile, the American army,--accepting as its sole part to obey orders, not questioning why,--though such officers as Grant and Lee had no liking for the task set them,--and reinforced by volunteer regiments from the Southwest,--was steadily fighting its way to the Mexican capital; Taylor's force advancing from Texas, while Scott moved from Vera Cruz. The Mexicans resisted bravely, but were beaten again and again, and upon the capture of the city of Mexico they gave up the contest. Spite of the _eclat_ of victories, the war had been so little popular in the North that the congressional election of 1846 displaced the administration majority in the House and gave the Whigs a preponderance. But, with the excitement of the complete victory over Mexico in the next year, came a fresh wave of the aggressive temper. It was freely advocated that Mexico should be annexed bodily. Against this madness Henry Clay spoke out with his old-time power. Clearly the country would tolerate no such extreme, and the annexationists contented themselves with mulcting Mexico, upon the payment of $6,000,000, of the vast territory known as California.