The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-22

! ciples of national law. Now, what function an ~
President Of the United States exercise IN regulating h
ecutyely military power; and IN passing, he (Alr D.
would state that the law 10 be applied not 10 h
military commander who gained the victory, but to Ii,
SOY ereign power Of the state by which the war Wa,
waged But he would return TO the questions preyouy
raised For what purpose was the present with Mexico
commenced, and who began ~ Now, he eontendel Tia,
the United States had along list OF grievances treasured M
against Mexico; so that If Mexico possessed setts5
government which would make her responsible for he,
conduct as other nations usually were, he believed thai
those grievances would have been sufficient 10 Justify
Congress IN declaring war against her long ago Bi
was the President OF that opinion II he was he hal
the power AZ the last session OF Congress the President
OF the United States expressly stated that he had semi
mission TO Mexico 10 treat with that nation on the snS
lect OF peace, he rerained from recommending declaa
ton OF war against Mexico would have done under
different circumstances. Now here the admission Of
the President himself that the wrongs which he now moi
only enumerated but exaggerated, sufficient at the las
session to authorize him 10 recommend declaration Of
war against Mexico. II they suifcient-and he
seemed 10 think they abundantly sucent-and he
then omitted TO recommend war, he guilty OF tere6c
ton in duty. But as he did not recommend declaration
OF war at that tme his judgment solemRy announ.
ced to Congress and TO the nation that he did not consider
that there sufficient OF war Now how then
did the war begin This, he repeated, was a question
by Congress. On the 9th Of May last Congress declaej
that state OF war then existing They then did not
commence IT. But what did the President say this sub
lect! lie read from his message as follows:
But Mexico herself has Pao ed the which she
has wugsd upon the ground that our army oecuPi ed the
intermediate territory between the Nurces and ia, Rio
Grande Her refucd pretsnsion that Texas was not in
fact an independent State, bur cbclous province was
obstinaely perseverod in; and her avowed purpose in
commencing "A with hc United States was 70 recon.
quer Texas and Mexican authority the who
trrory-not the NueceS only, hut to the sabine In
view Of the proclaimed menaces Of Mexico this eject
deemed II my duty, as measure of pccautOn and de-.
fence, to order our army 10 occupy position from
tier military post from which troops could best re.
sist and cPcl any attempted invasion which Mexico might
make"
HaI IN n \ "a IL IL. n
declaration. He questioned it at the last session His
constituents questioned it, And when the President Of
the United States held such language in his official
communications TO Congress, what right had he or his
friends 10 come here and ask members Of Congress 10
preserve courteous relations towards him ! He would
examine the matter for momept The President du
ring the last year endeayored TO negotiate treaty with
the government OF Mexico under Paedes who was then
in power, and recognised the responsible agent OF the
government by the people OF Mexico Now, at tn time
that the President OF the United Staeshe succe or Of
that godlke who filled the presidential chair Of
these United Sateswas protesting amty and friendship
with the people OF Mexico, and enleavorng TO negotiate
treaty OF peace, was II true that he holding conf.
dental relations with consprator tho was endeayorng
TO overthrow his government II he protested against
permitting the President thus to prostitute the fair fame
OF these United States When had a President OF the
United States ever done the like OF this Must they be-
eve that the President OF the United States when under
professions OF amy and friendship he endeavonng
by all manner OF persuasion and coercion TO enter into
treaty OF peace with MeXco-must they believe that he
was at this same time in league with conspirator who
attempting TO overthrow the government with which
he (the Presidency was endeavoring to negotiate What
sort OF person was he engaged with With Santa Anna
one OF the bloodest and most perfdious OF the
age-the author OF dark catalogue of wrongs. The
President entered into solemn league with such being
for the purpose Of oyerthrowlng friendly government
and then comes forward and confesses TO Congress that
these were the relations existing between himself and
Santa Anna Yes, at the time he holding out the
olive branch TO Paroles, and endeavorng TO treat with
him, he had his dark emssares lowering around Hava
stealthy comforting with Santa Anna and coneoct
Inn trans with tho ofh
country and yet after this concession the part OF the
President he comes forward and asks Congress to pros
Ss 5s O yoi supplies to enable nm
constitution OF the United States defining the question Of
treason, and urged that the President by giving to Santa
Anna a free and unimpeded transit to Mexico, had
committed treason He had done So because he thereby
afforded advantage to the enemy Had Commodore Con-
ner or any other military commander given the same lib
erty to an enemy he would have been denounced as
traitor to his country; and what immunity, he ask ed had
James K Polk from the charge of treason than any
other military commander! There way by which
the President could clear himself from the charge unless
he chose stuty himself and say that he did compre
bend the matter. But he (Mr d. would not charge the
President of the United States with hewith fasehood
but he would say that in his message there It's
sue OF misrepresentation such as he had never before
seen in the whole course of his life. If the President
had not Misrepresentation and falsehoodn view in draw
ing up that paper he disclosed ignorance which utter
ly disqualified him for the Office which he filled Mr.
DAVIS now proceeded to read several extracts from the
Presidents message and from sundry documents belong
unable to obtain. In commenting upon these extracts,
he reviewed the course which had been pursued by
the administration in endeavoring effect honorable
treaty with Mexico, and appealed to history the Tex
an boundary question He insisted that the Nueces was
the boundary ine and said that the position had
been assumed that Texas comPrehended portion what
ever OF New Mexico. He believed that no candid man
could assert after the statements which had been made
that Texas extended to the Rio Grande Yet the Presi-
dent had informed them in his message that the Texas
which was annexed to the United States extended along
the Rio Grande from Its mouth to its He would
not pronounce the statement false but he would that
considering the President had possession of all the official
enghtening his mind the subject-he would say that
he displayed a most astonishing ignorance Mr. ID. here
read extract from document which he said OBJ
tanned from the Department of State, concedng that the
territory between the Nueces and the Rio Gande was
disputed territory, and stating that Corpus Christi was the
thought the documents from which he read concu.
sve and yet it seemed that Mr. Polk asserted that Mexi
co had made the While Mr. d. endeavoring to
elucldate this point his hour expired and
MIR. GORDON, of New York, obtaining the floor,
moved that the committee rise; which motion was
adopted.
The committee accordingly rose and reported
IA message in writing received from the Pres.
dent OF the United States
CIVIL GOVERNMENTS IN MEXICO.
The SPEAKER laid before the House MESSAGE from
the President OF the United States
[Cres of read read.l
The Clerk proceeded to read the message (which, with
the most important OF the accompanying documents, will
be found on the first page of to- nights paper
Mr. C. j. INGERSOLL moved that the message and
accompanying documents be printed
Mr. DAVIS suggested that the message be made the
special order for day next week hui finally moved
that 1t be referred TO the Committee Of the Whole on the