Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-12-31

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of the Whole on the state of the Union which mo-
ton was agreed to, and,
The SPEAKER called Mr. BoYD to The chair.
REFERENCE OF THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
| The committee resumed the consideration of the
resolutions submitted yesterday by Mr.. Brodheau IN
relation to a reference of the Presidents Message.
| Mr. GENTRY addressed the COMM tee. He had
intended at some advanced period of the session.
when it presented itself in tangible shape to say
something on the question Of the Mexican war. But
the debate yesterday, well the denunciation OF
his, Mr.. G'sl party, had induced him to change his
purpose, and 10 speak now. 1t more to show |
that he not afraid to speak than from any other
object that he did speak then The President had de-
scended from his high position, and violated Its pro-
prieties by declaring in his message that they who
presumed to call in question his prudence and wisdom
In conducting the war; were, fact guilty OF treason
and the Presidents legemen seemed ready to volun
teer in the work of reterating that denuncation
against every American freeman who had the lnso-
ence to call in question the conduct of the Executive
Now he mr. Co. spoke In order to bring himself
within the range of these denunciatons He and his
friends put their mettle well as their pat
rotism. They were called to proclaim their indie
pendence freemen, TO truckle to Executive me-
mace. Therefore, he spoke. He did not intend an
elaborate discussion OF those constitutional questions
which had been introduced by learned gentlemen in
the Of the debate; but it to announce his
own opinions on the war, and assume their full re-
sponsibility. man, he held, might be loyal, and
vet opposed 10 the President. Attachment TO the Ex
ecutive necessary mark Of patriotism. The
mistakes of law and fact which had been made arose
| from the melancholy impression which appeared TO
prevail, that the President the government, and
possessed unlimited power. They seemed to be rapid
y advancing that maxim of monarchical allegiance,
that the king could do no wrong. Though a man
might vote supplies and fight on the battlefield, he
was, forsooh no patriot unless, spanieke, he knelt
at the feet of the Executive. That the spirit
which had characterized the debate. He protested
against it. Let those whose servility of soul quail
fed them for the mental task trucke to the Execu-
tive; but he and his friends had nobler destiny to
fulfil They stood for the defence of the constitution.
They had disposition to truckle to petty usurper,
who into power against the wishes of the great
men of his own party, and whose personal character
was unworthy the favor of the meanest minion that
shouted in his train. The American spirit yet lived
and would sustain the of the present acci-
dental President of the United States He held it as
general rule and would in ordinary circumstances,
gladly conform TO it, that in time of all should
unite and wait until its end then to call the public
officials to a strict account But they know not for
what object the war was waged-they had no assu-
rance that peace would be made. In view of all
these circumstances silence crime and 1t was
the duty of all representatives, of the people speak
freely about the objects, motives, and conduct of the
Executive. The President was the executive officer
! of the Union; and even as commander-in-chief he
was but lhe executor of the will of the nation, and
had no right whatsoever TO make for any objects
except such had been declared by the national leg
slature, He (Mr G) felt called on to join issue with
the President in point of veracity. He did not be-
eve the assertion of the President that the war had
not been waged for conquest. What had happened
with regard to the Oregon territory! They all re-
membered what the President said about their right
to that territory. They all remembered that it
common Just before the prget of the President
was submitted to the Senate that the Secretary of
State said to the Senator's who staked themselves On
fho rio fo all n he
right arm than sign such treaty. They all remem-
bered the famous anathema of a distinguished Sena-
ator Mr.. HANNEGAN] on that point. And yet that
pIet submitted to the Senate, and the President
thus shifted the responsibility by saying he could not
without advice Of his constitutional advisers, well
knowing what the advice would be- And what did
the American minister say in reply to invitation to
public dinner! Why, that he knew the views of
his government before he left and that in laborng for
settlement on the 49th parallel he carrying out
those views He (Mr. g. believed that conquest
: the object of the Proof of that abun-
dant and conclusive The people of the United States
would be at no loss TO find the proof; and If loyal to
their free institutions, there could be doubt
their action. He quoted from Secretary Marcy's let
Col. ]. d. Stevenson. Did that show that the
President was repelling invasion! These men were
to go to California to repe INVASION and procure in
: demnity from Mexico /! No. The object was too
manifest. All the sophistry of the message, 50 much
i eulogized, which nothing but bundle of low
demagoguical filings and perversions of truth, would
not gull the people. 1t was not known who James X.
Polk was, and he wished to let all the world know
who he was The President was not willing that
John Tyler should be conspicuous than James
X. Polk 1t not in spirit of noble rivalry either,
for he (Mr. G did not believe the President capable
of such a high emotion. The President IN trying to
make the people believe that Texas had conquered
and maintained her jurisdiction the territory of
the Rio Grande, had altogether failed. The honora-
BILE gentleman from Richmond Mr.. Seldom had him.
self denied that No fact had been presented to show
that Texas had ever established her jurisdiction over
that territory No man in his senses could be decev
ed by the sophstry of the President that points he
sought to make the people believe lie. 1t was true
that there was uston-house beyond the Nueces but
it most disingenuous in the President from that,
to pretend that therefore the United States had extern
ded its Jurisdiction that entire region He quo-
ted resolution offered by Mr.. BENTON, in support of
his position. Honesty ard truth were, after all, the
best policy. The long history of Mexican ourages
from the beginning the present time had been pre-
scented by the President, who then attempted to show
that these were the causes Of the war; Such ali ar
gument intended not for of sense, but only
for fools. He (Mr g. did not deny that at the time
of the collision between the United States troops
and the Mexican army, if the President had brought
forward array of these wrongs before Congress- he
i (Mr. G.) would have voted for But all that
had been extored. 1t was under the gag-rule that
the Congress of the United States, acting under
cessity which left no other course were obliged to
vote supplies. The President himself waged the war,
with reference to his objects, and without con-
suting the American will as uttered in the voice Of
Congress. No indication of the American will sus-
tanned the President. He himself had rushed madly
into the war, and guilty of usurpation-a posi-
tive violation of the constitutions which it moral
treason not to denounce. He (Mr. y held that the
territory between the Nueces and the Rio Grande was