The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-23


Pediency OF allowing an additional bounty OF one years
halfpay 70 each noeommssioned officer, musician, aud
enlistment who has volunteered for twelve months aud
served for that period and who has received honorable
discharge, who shall within month after such discharge
again enlist or volunteer 70 for and during the exist
ing waI--one-hah Of said bounty be paid tbs time
into service and the other hall when such enlisted soldier
volunteer shall receive honorable discharge also
into the expedency Of making further provision, by law
for the granting Of pensions such officers noncomm
stoned officers musicians and privates both regulars and
the families Of those who have died or been killed
The expedienoy of limiting the expenditure Of all APP
Preparations 70 be hereafter made in support of the ex-
republic, and the defending and holding the possession Of
the towns, cities, and provinces thereof now in the posses
the eSpedency OF providing by law for the armed occupa
ZION and settlement by citizens Of the United States Of the
OF forces and extending the the iws OF the
United States, unless the authorities of the of
tor peace, ON or before the LIST August 1871.
Mr.. HOPKINS rose to point OF order, The House
were then IN Committee OF the Whole and could not re-
Ter subject TO any other committee.
Mr. TlBBATTS observed that he would not contest the
point OF order them because he did desire consume
the time OF the gentleman from New York, MIR. HUNrl
The resolutions accordingly were not passed
THE WAR WITH MEXICO.
Mr.. WASHINGTON HUNT addressed the committee.
His opening sentences altogether inaudble at the
reporters desk The doctrine that had been advanced
alent to treason, was the most despoc ever promuged
IL was altogether alien 10 the spirit Of the government,
and Of the people what Nv was the proper duty Of Con:
Tor Congress TO declare war; and to vote the supplies
The representatives of the people alone had the right II
the war had been thus declared il were defensive
war-there would be but voice and one will Their
counsels would be united In that there might be
reason in not discussing the merits of the
But this a in which their standards carried
into the heart OF an enemys country II was an aggres
sye Those Jealous for the honor Of the country should
not put forward such proposition that free discussion
would extend aid and comfort to the enemy. But he did
not intend to discuss the of the war The public
judgment made up to the reasons advanced for the
necessity OF the In many portions OF the country
the public sentiment had been pronounced and il was
the opinion OF a great majority OF the people that the
war could have been honorably avoided. In the mes
sage he had nothing not well known to the coun-
try months ago. and but for the bearing OF the message
on the future course OF the Executive he would con
slider it idle TO discuss II at all lie not that
any gentleman that floor had yet asserted that the war
might not have been honorably avoided Ii the ordering
OF the army to the Rio Grande had been submitted TO
Congress, would any say majority IN either House
would have voted for it, No He was convinced it
would have been almost unanimously voted down. But
the past could not be ecaed-fortunatey the future was
in in their hands He turned from the past
and proposed TO discuss briefly the duties now
deyolyng upon Congress. There was nothing agree
able in the retrospective view OF events, What
was the object OF the war! That was the ques-
ton which had been put most emphaticaly by the
people They felt more anxiety with regard to the
future than the past They desired know the purposes
OF the administration. What to be the results OF
the war; could not be disguised that large share OF
the popular repugnance TO the from the belief
that was war of conquest They were told by the
President that that not the object OF the war In
the message oil May, the President declared that the OBJ
ject was TO conquer peace. But Notwithstanding that
language other facts which they could close their
eyes, showed that under some preteN the war was for
the acquisition OF territory 1t had been said there that
although the not waged for conquest yet they
would be compelled to take territory indemnity.
And in the organ OF the executive il stated from day
TO day, that territorial indemnify TO be obtained for all
the expenses of the Although il not to be
war of conquest by name and in ambiguous language
they poessed that that not the purpose OF the war;
yet to the eyes OF common sense was clear that the OBJ
procure territory by force OF arms He believed
the great body of the people opposed charging
their boundaries either by conquest or purchase Could
be said that by war they would be obliged to take what
they would not otherwise receiver Those who supposed
the people willing to wage of conquest had
entirely Inexperienced the character and sentiments Of
the people. Such men must have despsed the lessons
OF experience When was proposed to receive Texas
the result of voluntary act of the people, had they
forgotten the character of that contest Had they for
gotten that nearly oneha Of the representatives, of the
people were opposed to that annexation even volun
tary act But blended with other questions made
party question, and the result was the annexation
With such strong popular sentiment however, as was
then manifested IT was obvious that the impression
entirely erroneous, that the people could willingly wage
a war of conquest There were many grounds on
which he opposed to of territorial acquisition,
and he believed that the opposition existed amongst
the people Certainly the people of his State New York;
had no disposition TO prosecute the war for the purpose
of obtaining territory from Mexico. There great
mistake than suppose that the American people
graspng people, and so eager for more territory that
they would seize upon it in despite of justice and right
No such spirit animated the people The question
occupied the popular m nd very general right had
they TO take by force OF any portion of Mexican ter
ritory? There was deep repugnance IN the people to
do anything unjust and he hoped that characteristic
would long distinguish them. But the placed the
United States in false position before the world The
impression had gone abroad that this war for ter
ritoral aggrandizement Their national honor was den
flied with justice-not rapacity. Those who were 50
Jealous of national honor ought rather to consider what
temptation there is under the temptation of rapacty TO
take that which not THEIRS and thus forever tarnsh
the national honor. But a of conquest nimca
to the genius of the constitutional war with that vital
rests upon the free and voluntary consent of
the governed And even if they succeeded in con-
quering and retaining the Mexican provinces it would be
blow at the constitution itself, from which he
feared it would never In that connexion he
would call attention to the design of the founders of the
presided their deliberations II declared in let
tiers of living light the face of the constitution Was it
conquest Was it splendid dominion Was to found
vast and overshadowing dynasty' The of all
that set before the fathers of the constitution That
familiar to all Yet he would call their attention to
the purposes of the constitution which would appear to
be lost SIGHT Of Conquest opposed to all the great
ends proposed in that nstruU emit Perect union and
acquisition of foreign territory inimcal. So far
from establishing JUSTICE it the greatest injustice
to for territory. Would domestic tranquil
lily" Who did not know it would be fruitful source
to allude, there to the justice of slavery. But
perfectly well known that the present measures of
the administration were calculated to present that
prolific theme of discord They all recollected the