The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-05-23
TWENTY~NINTH CONGRESS-

| ices of50000 volunteers and appropriating
| Sl0,000,000 TO carry on The war with Mexico,
which passed the House on Monday, came
up, when the bill WINS read twice Mr. Allen,
of Ohio, moved that the previous business be
postponed until tomorrow, aud that the Bill
| from the House be considered.
Mr. Mangum was willing 10 vote ten mil
| lions in money and $4,000 of men, and TO do
this in thirty minutes, but he could not con-
sent that Bill should pass declaring war, as
was done in the Bill before the Senate. Why,
he asked, should Senators be embarrassed
| by such a question as this? Why declare
war in voting men and money? The supplies
could be voted in half an hour, and there
were no objections 10 any provision of the
! Bill except that which declared war; in sub
stance If not in reality.
Mr. j. NJ. Clayton pressed the same cOnsid-
erations upon the majority, and exhorted IL
nanimity of action, which was easily accom-
plished. There were no objections 10 the
! bill, except in one or two particulars. If
! there was any desire TO obtain unaninity Of
action, il would be obtained: and upon a SOL
emn question like this he regarded unanimi-
" as most desirable.
Mr. Calhoun said lac had no feeling whatev-
err upon this subject. The rule ofhis life had
been to act promptly and 10 act conscientious
! ~, and with due regard 10 the duty he owed
To his own sense ofright aud Justice. He de-
sired time, and he desired that there should
be hearty concurrence in all that was done.
IL was as much impossible for him to vote for
the bill before the Senate AS il would be for
him TO plunge dagger into his own bosom,
and much more so. will not agree tn make
war upon the Constitution by making war up
on Mexico shall neither vote for tire bill
or against the bill. desire time TO examine it,
| Mr. Clayton moved TO strike out the words
for ''the prosecution ola war" and 10 insert
''repel INVASION
/ MIR Calhoun defended the amendment, and
Mr. Houston opposed 1.-THE former declar-
ing that war did not exist consiitutioually and
the latter asserting that il did exist Cen
Houston regarded the war as a continuation
of that which had been going on between
Mexico and Texas, for ten years. War, in
his Judgment, actually existed.
Mr. Critenden said he was in favor of eX-
peditious action. He beliyed that the next
| news from the frontier would find the MeXi-
cans driven from the Rio del Norte, aud Mat
anoras in possession of the American Army
But il was necessary to act without any de
lay, aud he was ready to vote for all necessa-
nv means for the prosecution ofhostiliiies a.
! gainst the Mexican Government. lie was
for carrying the sword in one hnnd,and send
ing the minister ofpence along with il, and
for marching right on into Mexico, proffering
peace all the time, and holding out desire
/ To settle the question amcably. Mr. Crit
tenden said he could not do anything which
would embarrnss the administration, but he
could not defend what the Government had
done--wby had we gone on To occupy dis
| puted country-to place an army in hostile
arTay?-pointing gun to gun, and thus plac-
| ing two hostile armies of two guarrclsome
countries in close collision. Collision must
! no. and e L..
MIR Calhoun II am an,azed--I am in
wonder--I am in deep alarm nj the precipi-
fancy ofaction upon a question like this. One
| day only was asked to read the documents,
and il was refused, and that too, when the
supplies would he voted without this disguis-
ed and undiguified manner of declaring war
| The Senate then were brought TO a vote up
on striking out the words 'fcr the purpose Of
prosecuting a war" The SENATE rejected the
motion by II vote of25 to 20.
MIR Crittenden then moved 10 insert the
words prosecuting hostilites." Rejected by
vote of26 to 20.
Mr. Huntington renewed his motion to
strike out the preamble.
Mr. II. Johnson would not consent to vote
for AN amendment which, by implication ev-
en-, admitted that war had been brought about
otherwise than by that of Mexico. When we
took Texas we obliged ourselves TO maintain
her boundaries.
Mr. Morehead asked ifthe resolutions of
anne xaiion did not submit all questions of
boundary to the u. :.
The vote on striking out was, ayes ~, noes
%.
The amendments were all agreed 10.
The bill was read u third time.
AT this point question was raised, wheth-
err the vote could not be taken first on the bill,
and then on the preamble; and this matter
was argued with much feeling by some who
were anxious to vote for supplies, but not
willing to vote a declaration Of war. These
considerations, however, were all disregard
ed by the majority, and the bill was put on its
passage in the entire form; and it was passed,
yeas 40, nays 2, (Messrs Davis and L. s. Clay
ton.) Messrs Berrien, Calhoun, Evans and
Huntington declining TO vote at all, and Mes
srs. Mangum, J. M. Clayton, Dayton, Upham
and Crittenden voting undera protest against
the preamble.
HOUSE. Mr. Petit preferred request to
be excused from serving on the Committee
to investigate the charges against Mr. Webster
as he did not feel willing to do the duties of a
clerk. The request was granted. tits I'M
derstood that thus far, this Committee has
found nothing to sustain Mr. IngersolPs ac-
Cusations.
The bill to authorize the President to pros
ecute the war against Mexico, was received
from the Senate and the various amendments
concurred WHITAKER which, the House ad-
1iourned
II SENATE. WEDNESDAY, May ID. A
message was received from the House of
Representatives, announcing that the House
had concurred in the amendments Of the
Senate to the bill providing for the prosecu-
ton of the existing war with Mexico.
\ Mr. Lewis moved to suspend the previous
Il Al e C - -.