Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-11-26
Webster against the War.

1t viii surprise who remembers Webster's
opposition to the last WITH the British that he
should oppose the present war with Mexico and IL
seems to that nothing could give greater certainty
tna' our country is in the right than the fact that
Webster, and his federal CONDUCTORS are ON the
side, where they always were and always mean to
be-, to use his words on a certain occasion To
this end and to stimulate whig zeal the the
late election in Massachusetts, Webster delivered
himself of a speech, the principal subject of which
was the existing war As the Union" observes,
the speech Is distinguished neither by its great elo-
quence, nor statesmanlike views, powerful argu-
ments Its great objects to create prejudice
against the and the revenue tariff and through
them principally to aim stab at the administration
and the republican party and to the people of
the north from their brethren of the SOUTH Every
where, we are sorry to see, it is Webseran in the
bodneSs of its assertions, and the insdious dexery
of Its thruss. 1t is scarcely consistent with ITSELF
One position contradicts another For instance, he
first says:
II IS as clear anything can be that those per-
who voted the third party ticket in 1914 suffered
Mr.. Polk to be elected and Texas to be annexed and
therefore, so far their permission extended they
suffered what we call the Mexican war to be sprung
upon us. The Mexican war! 1t proclaimed on
the housetops by the opposition that the annexation
OF TEXAS could inUolre cih Merico and denied
6y the other side And yet those who protested TO be
the most jealous for peaceabe annexation did Just
what they could to bring about war;"
Here the orator certainly meant be understood as
saying, that the annexation must necessarily bring on
war, because Mexico would not yield her claims, and
therefore she would have war. Now, what does he
say in another part of his speech Why, that Mr.
Polk brought on the war-that is to say, unless Mr.
Polk willing to yield the rights of our country
which clearly extended to the Rio Grande we could
not avoid war with Mexico Now though as Mr..
Webster contended BEFORE annexation necessarily in
yolyed war, yet be now contends that Mr.. Polk
brought it on rhen nobody expected it. 1t is well to
read the following passage and to compare the
with himself:
l' Here some in the gallery cried out, who
voted for il! After moments pause, in which the
audience remained silent, under the sudden Interrupt
ton, Mr. Webster replied: Ii was not voted for by
anybody the President made it without any vote at
ALL Tremendous applause
''And that leads say that this war; in its ORR
gin, Is presidential war But the constitution de-
clares that Congress alone shall have the power of
declaring war and beg to know where, when, and
how they declared it. The first hear of it in
Congress is from the Presidents communication
ciarlng that war does exist"
And again. a more remarkable and still more con-
Trajectory passage:
"The second surprise rds The Merican wdr. Who
expected with Mexico, right off, without the
authority of Congress But upon the 11t, of May
the war did exist, according to the Presidents dec
laration'
First then, we told that annexation was certain
to bring on a war; and next that when il came, no.
body expected it. 1t was surprise upon the people
Commenting on the same speech, the Philadelphia
Ledger says:
Mr.. Webster repeats the exaggerated statement,
somewhat modified, which lie made In Congress last
session, of the expenses of the Instead of being
half million day. it is now according to his cacu-
4ation. only sixty millions year or double the
amount of the annual receipts. We showed conclu-
svey few days ago, by reference to facts that with
forty thousand in the field instead of the present
number, twenty thousand men, the expenses viii not
reach one third that amount during the first year,
which in all probability will be the most expensive.