The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-19

ton upon Mexico TO carry II into effect Mr.. D.
referred 10 Vattel, and said this was one OF the
cases in which he said moral obligation was Gre
ated. Mexico had derived the benefit from IT. her
President was rescued by It, who had forfeited has
life and if he had been hanged, and every soldier
under him, the act would have been Justlhed Dy All
Chrlstendom. Mexico, 1t was true, had repudlaled
and refused sanction it, But If she did not choose
raufy it, she was morally bound 10 render sa'iS-
faction In some way or other for the benefit she
received II she has not formally ratified this trea-
", she has substantially done 50 10y her acquires
cence in II. Though she sets up vague claim TO the
country between the Rio Grande and the Nueces,
and to all Texas, yet what effort had she made TO
reclaim IL Her acquiescence IN II, after the lapse
of so many years, was substantial rauhca'loh OF
that treaty.
Mr. D. replied to some other objections. The
fact which had been urged as proof that Texas
had never extended her boundary to the Rio
Grande-that she had never chosen to make war
upon certain peaceful Spanish towns TINS SIDE OF
the Rio Grande-he conceded did not at all InVall-
date her ute In the same manner, alter the close OF
the war with Great Britain, certain towns had been
left for the time IN the possession Of certain peacetul
British subjects; but that was never held to lnyali-
date our title.
IL was not ull some few months afer this ar
| rangement with Santa Ana that Texas declared her
boundaries She had acted on them since; she had
embraced them in the operation Of her laws and her
jurisdiction; and they had participated IN the cleo
ton of members of her convention and her egisa-
ture There was no other boundary than the Rio
Grande until Mexico should agree by peaceful ne
| collation. to settle some other boundary, and that
treaty shall be approved by the Senate. To con-
tend for any other boundary, would be to confer
| the Presldent-as the gentleman from Kentucky
this morning had argued-the mOnstrous power OF
| settling boundaries. The President, then, would
have been derelict TO his duty, If he had main
| tanned the country thus claimed and acted on by
Texas, until the proper authorities in this govern
| ment should alter il.
But II was said that the President ought to have
given Congress information that he had marched
| the army into the disputed territory. He had given
this information. Mr.. d. read from his message at
| the commencement of the session the extract rea-
tive to the sending army into the territory be-
tween the Nueces and the Rio Grande. If he had
gone into that country, or ordered our army to 90
there, did not change the point what particular
part he chose to occupy. Where, when this mes
/ cage received, and since that time had been the
patriotic vigilance Of these gentlemen No muir
muir against this movement Of the President had been
| heard.
| ooh but we committed an act Of war by point.
| ing our guns into MatamOas!" Mr. D. denied
this; he denied that 1t analogous to the case to
| which 1t had been lkened viz: that Of a person
pointing pistol at ones breast The Mexcans
had threatened usj we prepared ourselves, and told
them If they attacked US, we should defend our
selves, anu not Decn UFtu unit the NleNl-
can army crossed the Rio Grande and attacked ours
| The fact of the Americas army being prepared did
not constitute assault, but only preparation
| against an assault
| Thus he thought it had been shown that up to
the time when our army was attacked by the Mexi-
| can forces, there was no act Of war That there
act Of war, even admitting that the territory
belonged to Mexico; and il the territory is in dis.
pute is clear, under the laws Of nations that
| may have gone into il without committing any Of
| fence There war, then, until the MexIcans
| themselves commenced it; and the preamble Of the
bill, Of which 30 much complaint had been made
was right therefore, stated the fact whatever gen.
tlemen may say to the contrary.
| Here he wished to be permitted to remark upon
| the conduct of gentlemen who had complained SC
loudly OF this bill Some Of them voted for IL under
protest. That protest was mere verbal one; their
vote would live long after their protest had been for
gotten. He envied not that the position which
| he occupied who votes for bill and immediatey
says il contains an Infamous lie--who votes for
bill and protests against his own act 1t was a new
occurrence in parliamentary history. He had heard
Of minorities protesting against the acts Of major
| tiles, but never before Of gentlemen protesting
against their own acts.
| The war thus existed, and it should be prosecu
ted vigorously. 1t true we had received cheer
ing intelligence last evening; he would not stop
however to rejoice at il or TO make any conjecture
as to the result of any battle that may have beer
| subsequently fought. Now, having been drawn
isto this war by the act of Mexico, we had RICH
| to aude to the reasons that might induce tc
| prosecute it. We have a right now to EN-
brace in the account all those complaints W,
/ have against Mexico, and which would have JUST
fed us in going to war with her-her violation o
her treaty, her refusal TO comply with its stpula
lions, and to pay the amount awarded to ntividua
claimant under that treaty-her insulting fusa Il
receive our minister after having expressly agree
to receive our plenpotentlary-he refusal to settle
the disputed boundary line, &c Under the law O
nations boundary being disputed, and the other ma
ton refusing to settle it, have right to compe
her to it. Sec Vatte, page $50.
But another cause which ought to be considered
and would support not only in seeking redres
for grievances, but perhaps for proceedings some
what in spirit of revenge, the Infamous procIa
nation of General Ampuda.
| Mr.. d. here caused to be read the proclamation
ofGen. Ampu dia, inviting to the standard of Mex
leo the English, Irish Germans, &c &c.
Mr.. ASHMUN. Was that communicated Il
Congress by the PRESIDENT
| Mr.. DROMGO0LE. Not that know Of
Mr.. d. proceeded to read upon this point from
Vattel, showing, that under the law Of nations, tn
Withdrawing aliens, called plagid, man-stealing
worked forfeiture Of life &c. He srid when Am
pudia was caught, the only thing to be done was
, institute inquiry whether he was the author {
tn proclamation; if So his life was forfeited undo
The law of nations, and he hoped the penalty woul
+ be visited upon him.
He would not recount other causes Of grievanc
against Mexico. He laid down that she had con
menced the war, and provoked it and now as she ha
commenced it, might prosecute il to the final Sc
Element of all accounts. All professed Willingness
{ vote supplies. How should the war be prosecuted
With all he military force, with all the wealth
and all the moral influence of our citizens
, This was the duty Of all. But had nc
g some, while they protested a willingness to vo
t supplies of men and money by their course with
c held that which also the country has the right t
! demand-that moral force, that moral power, tha
would impress the conviction that the nation
5 united in heart and sentiment, and would proven
the impression that supplies codly, reluctantly
3 WORTHWHILE the Executive, who is to have com
mand Of the army, is denounced, and the war is de
0 nounced, as unholy and UNJUST Yes; not only wa
I the denounced by those who were voting sur
plies, (thereby taking away more than onehalf tn
merit of their action,) but descriptions
e the climate were made 1t was stated that the cl
U mate would be more horrible than even the Mex
can army ITSELF and such representations Of III
| malaras and diseases that would fall upon the a.