The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-05-23
Matters and Things at WASH
In ington.- lr..--t.
C0rrespOndenoe of INC Tribune.

Inc Dill Tor raising Nolunteers and supplies
has become the law of the land, having re-
ceiyed the necessary signatures, Mr. Cal
houn labors under the greatest apprehensions
of the results that may grow out of the meas.
ure which has been adopted by Congress He
considers it ns offering sufficient cause for
the interference Of foreign powers, and in such
event cannot see how the United States are
TO avoid collision. have never known him
to be so much weighed down with desponden-
cy and gloomy forebodings; he considers this
surrender TO Executive power as among the
most dangerous precedcnts that ever was set,
and as calculated to impair if not vitality to af-
feet the force of the Constitution, as between
the Executive and Legislative department.
No practical man can doubt the view taken
by Mr. Calhoun was the right one, and l will
give an illustration, not the suggestion, in the
debates of yesterday, which distinguished
Senator to whom named it last evening,
thought irresistible. The Preamble of the
bill which has been adopted is in these words,
Whereas, by the act of the Republic of Mex
leo a state of War exists between that Govern
mcnt and the United Statcs" Now what
constitutes the Government of Mexico'-
Surely the sovereign authorities, And what
Is War? The act of the Supreme Power-the
en,anation of the sovereign will During the
last three years Mexico has been ruled by the
successful General of the hour-he who
could command the largest influence in the
Army. II is well known there is no particu-
lar affection between Arista the General in
command, and President Paredes
Now suppose Arista-- the clamor of a war
against the United States having been the step
ping stone to power had taken these means to
satisfy hisambition- -Parades and his Govern
ment aolemnly disclaim the act of invasion-
l put it to every man of candor and intelli-
gence TO say whether that is war, according to
the code recoguizcd by civtti4rd uutiuns; ftt
is not war, and this suggestion of facts should
turn out to be true, in what predicament do
the U. States stand before the civilized world.
This is no refnement---i dcspise small dis
0uisition MS much nearly as abhor largo e.
normities The vote of the supplies and men
would have insured protection and expelled
from our soil an invader and perhaps an usurp-
er, while little wise delberation would have
given time to have ascertainod the important
n truth of the political question whether Mexico
a had been, and is actually conniving at and
carving on war under false professions, but
ii the mischief is done and cannot be recalled.
n From the Washington Correspondent of the
II New York Herald--a locofoco paper.
"a "Why, or wherefore, were the troops of
IN Gen. Taylor pushed forward to the eastern
branch of the Rio del Norte, is question fire.
W qucntly asked, but rarely answered satisfac-
# torily. will now give you the true solution
N Of the question. By the terms of annexation
M with Texas, that State held In its own hands
@ its public lands, inorder to cover its floating
N debt On investigation, it was found that in
ISL Texas proper, the whole public domain had
' been squandered away by the government of
s the Republic, and Consequently the holders of
the great amount of lexas scrip, lost ali hope
.ofbeing paid from thu source H..
l% 1t then became nee sary to plumber Mexi-
co ola large portion oithe three states of New
# Mexico, Coahuila and chihuahua, and of all
l# New Mexico which lies between the Bravo
del Norte and the rive Neuces, West of
N which stream the Repubc ofTexas never had
n either civil or military jusdicton, nor even
NJ the shadow of claim otht than that arising
M from an act Of its Legislatre, which declared
Nj the Bravo to BIO the Westei boundary of the
" republic; .. YETI if at the cost + so much blood,
treasure and .national konofthe United Suites
will plunder Mexico of the 'ast territory ly-
N ing between the Nueces and3rayo; the State
.'# of Texas will claim the whoh territory. and
N N then be able, TO pay her nation debt. Who
can tell what amount of Texascrip is held
M by the members of the present Cabinet, who
" have projected this species of plader and rob
bery?'
S Mr. Severance, of Maine, has Ttten let.
v ter, published in the National 4ellgeneer
n showing hissreasons for voting Nainst the
n IA war bill. rec commended by Mr. Pol In the
NJ course of his remarks he thus dispas of the
4 VI grounds for claiming the Rio Grandbounda-
n " ry, as claimed by Mr. Polk: q aure
"'rhe people on that river, who a, nearly
n all Mexican, never submitted to Ten au-
n thority, civil or military. i know it iAll in
N cluded on paperin the western CongHional
district Of Texas, but it is actually renent-
ed in the .MezicaR Congress. -0nr r&nue
collection laws too, as the President sd in
his Message Of yesterday, are eKtendingver
it, Ifso, there Is q strange confusion inSur
laws; for we haye also in force law alloA q
N drawback of duty Oh goods imported from \
rope or elsewhere, and carried oyer land, y
st. Louis, to Santa Fe, (Which is on O. SIN
river emptying into this side the Rio Grand
N This act is a positive acknowledgement Il
Santa Fe is not in the United States--a law,
mistake not, signed by President Polk hi
MUWself Moraayar tho Gantn ! Fp Traders ha