The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-11

Amer ma or TWO further remarks by Messrs. Sc
NIER sRd CALHOUN
Mr., HOUSTON arose and observed that he had no
sh 10 protract the discussion; but he had one or
Two remarks TO make, 10 when ne asAen the a'Sen
too of the Senate. He thought the question before
[h.m was one of the first importance, and that inc
Eocurasats which accompanied the message had moi
Essn disposed Of IN the right dlrecti0n, ana sohue
EOsn had not yet had the opportunity Of scquahhhs
themselves with the state OF facts no reasons S
Igere given in the message for placing oege,"
H. on the left bank Of the Rio Grande ana 10 'a"s
L." ihat position, he (Mr. ii. had no doubt IL
Iond be admitted on all hands as the necessary
- and that suggested by the emergencies Oh INC
o',n,ry. He did not intend entering then into
Lscnsson, because he did not wish TO produce De,
Ey-because he thought the state OF things
II,omoi aetion--nOt discussion Every indication
ISish h.d bsen given, went to show the consequent
,.onId have been the same, whether the army
.iSd position on the Rio Grande or at Corpus
LcSrsti. A declaration Of war had been made by
H. President--or, rather, the usurper OF Mexleoj
H. generals reiterated IL, and told General Taylor
Lh.t war should be begun II he did not remove from
oosI,,on. lie would not blame the administration
H. no, being responsible for Gen Tayler, but he was
Uonyipced the government was responsible Tor what
la been done--the Executive was responslole-and
/ n assuming that position he could justify It. The
kmsrican people will do it; the national honor re-
Toured il. that was not an occasion oil ordinary
I'M u
words not discussion in advance OF Information,
isnd IN anticipation OF what may or may not
H.. the question. Whether that war was coun-
l,rfsi,ed or actual, he thought when American
Troops on American soil, recognised before the an
Isxaton OF Texas as Texan territory, and, by adoP-
hon, now American territory, Americans would
hot fail TO yindcale their honor and repel aggression
american blood had been shed on it, That soil had
beeo conseerated before to them, and their rights
Inust be defended. He hoped the question would
be put.
Mr. cRrTTENDEN wished to know whether
the documents communicated contained letter from
The Mexican Secretary Of last October, agreeing to
receive minister or commissioner from the United
States.
Mr.. SEWER. There is a letter from our con-
Isul.
Mr. CRITTENDEN From our consul, then,
THAI is all. | induced 10 maxi the inquiry from
seeing in the correspondence with minister there
la denial of the fact
Mr.. SEWER understood that the American con-
lsul at the intimaton Of his government, asked the
Government of Mexico whether it would accept u
minister from our government The answer was,
I'yes" and he communicated the fact to the govern
Iment.
/ MIR. CRITTENDEN. There is but one ques-
lion more wish to ask; that is, whether those docu
Imsnts contain any order for the removal OF our
Troops from Corpus Christi to the Rio Grande
Mr. ALLEN suggested that the best way would
Ibe To read the index OF the documents.
The clerk having read the index,
| Mr. CASS presented the letter Of the Mexican
minister Of foreign affairs, expressing the willing
mess Of his government to receive minister from
1.-The United States.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN observed that so far he
lcouId not discover that there in the list of pa
liners alluded 10 any thing which showed on what
Iorder General Taylor acted; and he thought 1t was
fright that the whole matter should be laid before the
American people.
| Mr.. CASS said his authority was found in the
Iorders of the War Department.
The clerk here read an order addressed to General
Taylor from the War Department, dated January
I3O, 1916.
| Mr. CRTTTENDEN was glad OF last to see what
he all along spprehended, that General Taylor
acted under the authority Of this government in TAX
Il ing up his post. He an officer Of great dIscre.
uon, with full authority fer what he had done. He
thought they might regret the events communicated
by he Presidents message. In his opinion nelli
g.nce that ought to be more distressing to US had
| seldom been communicated by any President TO
that body-very seldom. He (Mr. c. did not
look upon il az trifng news. He was willing to
give the people every opportunity of Judging, by
hat old line of policy that had received the sane
ton Of Presidents gone before us. From the first
struggle for liberty in South America and Mexico,
was the cherished policy Of this country to extend
| 20 them sympathy, comfort, and friendship. This
country had regarded their rising as an imitation OF
| our exampe-as new creation Of republics, united
| BY strong affinity, and warm sympathy. They were
regarded portion Of that great system Of repub
lies which were to stand forth in proud contras,
with the governments Of the Old World That was
| the kind and generous view taken. Our policy was
10 cheer and cherish them, and lead them in the
/ way 10 that liberty we had established, and OF
which we had set the example Now we
found ourselves the first to enter into state of war
with one of those republics-the greatest of them,
and our nearest neighbor We offered war when
| il our interest TO cherish them, and cultivate
their friendship. We, that should naturally be
looked up to as the protector of all these republics
exercising dominion over them, but constituting
as it were great protectorate over the
whole. These generous dispositions were all
vanished and brought to an end and war and
bloodshed had taken their place. twas not in the
amount of precious blood that had been shed that
| consisted the importance of that event. No; 1t was
| the great political consequences--the bad example
The evil consequences to liberty and republicanism in
every place. The hand of one republic stretched out
in hostility against another! And he deprecated it
| the more when he reflected that one feeble and
l mpotent, that anarchy and revolution had consul
med her strength, and requiring The force of our ex
ample and aid to sustain her and prevent her falling
back again. in her trouble into the hands of despos,
l and that monarchical system from which we saw
her, with pleasure, arise. These the first i'm
pressions made upon him by the announcement of
| that message But however all that to be de-
Precated the country was in state of hostility, and
there was but course pursue. Its defence was
aduty about which they were not TO hesitate or
pause. But when that was done, it also their du
~ to scrutinize that extraordinary state of things
the acts of the Executive--and the whole course OF
events thot have led to these dsasters-so that we
may find out who is in fault. He would be very
glad if his friend, the senator from Arkansas, Mr.
SEWER, should be able 10 work out a satisfactory
defence all that had been done. He hoped to find
his country in the right However, he would stand
by her, right or wrong. The course that had been
pursued not that generous and forbearing pol.
ICY that ought TO be exercised by powerful and
great republic. That was what he thought. HI
saw no reason for pushing the army up to the
banks Of the Rio Grande, and establishing and for
urying the camp in peaceful country. But that is
not war; 1t was on own soil Let them, foi
moment extend the principle. Let then, for &
moment consider what our course would be under
like circumstances. Suppose British army wer,
marched right up to our boundary while angry ne
EQUATIONS were going on, and cannons were pointed
into one of our cities. Was there, he would ask q
man IN this nation who would not consider it ma
nonal insult and not expect it to produce war in al
its horrors But he would not proong his remarks
Fnanlh hR aftl IL