Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-03-28


Mr. McILVAINE and commenced to speak TO an tier
sppopating $500 900 for transportation OF troops and mill
ay supplies, the purchase Of horses and military equipments
and various other expenses attending the transportation of tn
army to Texas, and supplying its necessities after arrival
Texas.
Mr.. McILvAINE remarked that the appropriation which
he had moved to strike the expense of thu
mltary occupation Of Texas" lie opposed to it be-
cause the expense incurred without the authority of law
It was the unauthorized act of the President Texas
State OF the Union at the time this expense incurred by
the marching Of troops into her territory He referred
valedctoy address Of President Jones and the inaugural ad
dress Of Governor Henderson, delivered Austin the 18th
February last to show that that day Texas passed from
Republic to State of the Union Previous to that time
Texas was recognised by the American Government
dependent State her laws full force and the
commercial relations Of the with other
independent Governments The President had no more right
said Mr. Mel to send army into Texas before became
State OF the Union than he had into Canada Cuba or0ny
other friendly country He knew that as colnmandern in
chief Of the army he had the right to dispose Of il he
deemed the safety and interests Of the country should require
but in the exercise Of this power he limited in time Of
peace at least TO the bounds of the Union.
But Continued Mr.. Mel suppose Texas had been State
OF the Union, there could have been necessity for military
protection to her. According TO the arguments Of the friends
OF annexation of the strong objections urged against
nexaon was, that by bringing Texas into the Union,
should adopt her wars How il met That she had
that the Mexican upon Texas but paper
war, and had so been for the last seven years.
Mr. Mel read from the Presidents message to show that
the Union had been peacefully extended"
II had been said that Texas would add strength to the
counry that necessary for the protection Of the
Southwestern frontier" This argument was advanced he
believed by General Jackson and had been reiterated
this floor and elsewhere and yet the first act of your Gov
enmen. after the process Of annexation had commenced
was to fory Texas with the whole disposabe military and
naval force of the country The whole Northern Western
and Southwestern frontier literally stripped of its de-
fences to afford protection to Texas that that which
70 give strength 10 the country required the entire strength Of
the country to defend 1t.
Mr. Mel here referred the remark Of the President in
his message that annexation the deliberate homage Of
each people to the great principles Of Fsdeave Union
that the jurisdiction Of the United States had been peacefully
extended the Del Nos Deliberate homage of each peo-
pie What the facts large part of the province of
New Mexico with its capital Santa Fe, lies east Of the Del
Nore and embraces portion Of the very people who
codng to the President paying deliberate homage" to
great principles Of Union And yet these very people
are now represented in the Merican Congress.
Mr. Mel denied that there had been Texan settler
the Del Nore, and referred the report of the Secretary
of War to show that the settlements that river Mer
and not Ieda, and acknowledged by Govern
ment He referred TO the existence of Mexican laws Santa
Fe and the collection of dses upon merchandise imported
from the United States collected by Mexican officers under
Mexican laws He also quoted letter written by citizen
Of Texas New Orleans in July last which the writer
says The old boundary the Nueces and its line is
within thirty miles OF San Antonio the distance thence to
the Del Norte varies from 200 to 300 miles," - "We
thought better for Texas occupy that position before
nexation" Texas thought it better plumber Mexico of
part Of her territory before annexation, and ask only to
protect her in the possession Of her plundercd property
Mr. Mel repeated that Texas did extend the Del Nore
and the President in ordering the army its banks
Mrco. And if the country shall be plunged war; with
TEXANS themselves The letter to which he bad
ALREADY referred contained these words Unless occupy
81 Tver (sne Def roue) fAes % - iocufify ~ sss e
t0fe Colorado Here we have the express admission that
| IL ID to sustain slavery and slave labor
Mr. Mel said he had opposed the annexation Of Texas
only because he believed be unconstitutional in substance
and in form, but because il avowedy and degnedy to
support and extend slavery. He denied that there any
in the Government the people of the free States
for its support The South could enjoy it If they chose
their hearts content the North would depccae the evil but
would not could interfere but il would consent
to be taxed for its support
We have been told (said Mr.. McI.) that Texas would
bring wealth TO the North" What is the prospect More
than half the public bills which have been passed during the
present session have been in relation Texas all Of which
require expenditure Of money Immediately pospectivey.
One Of these post route bill il but skeleton, and
would have ultimately be extended the whole country
What has experience shown in relation TO this matter BY
report Of the Postmaster General made in the year 1885, it
appears that the Of transporting the mail in the slave States
and above hei amount paid by them into the Treasury
for postage during that year amounted to 5 $780, whilst the
free States paid into the Treasury for the time
S245 Az BY another report Of that officer made for the
year there appears deficiency the South in like
amounting to S603, $685. and in the North Of
S343 1884, showing deficiency for the slave States Of about
5000 900 year. which has be paid the Treasury OF
the people, half Of which paid by the people of the free
States ia postage. Why this so Is there any thing in
the geography OF the country Any thing in the climate
In peponderance of old States North and of States
South Neither, neither II is the blight Of srery hang
ing your land, and asked to submit to fur
ter taxation for its support for will pretend to say
that the State Of Texas will be better customer than her
old sisters.
Mr. Mel then referred to the public lands and said that he
had the documents before him show the fact but had
been stated upon that floor and in tho public prints and he be-
eved had been denied, that while the Northern States
had paid into the Treasury expenditures OF
about forty millions of dollars the South showed deficiency
of an equal amount If them this statement be true as he
believed was the whole public domain far it had been
disposed Of had been absorbed by the South
He had undertaken TO show, former occasion, that
there were public lands in Texas proper, and that If any
be obtained they be either wongfuy wrested from Mex
leo finally yielded up.
How long, asked Mr. Mel, is this expense to continue
Indian titles are yet exnguished the Indians themselves
vet be removed from the State Mexcans to be d
the SOIL probably the of a Southern plant
be protected in the occupation Of the valley Of the
Rio del Noe and all this TO sustain slavery and slave labor
But Continued Mr. Mel you may be told by the honorable
chairman Of the Committee Of Ways and Means that the
ney Is already expended that "he faith of the Government
is pledged" as in the Of tho Indian BILL
Sir said Mr.. Mel, the Constitution has placed the purse
strings Of the country in the hands Of the representatives of
the people. Ono money shall be drawn from the treasury
but in consequence Of appropriations made by law" What
docs this mean Does imply discretionary power in Con-
gress Judge OF the merits Of appropriations which il is cali
ed upon make, positive obligation to meet all expendi
made in advance by the President Does not the latter
place the Of tho nation the unlimited control Of the
President Does il not cmphatcally unite the purse with
tho sword
Where the trusty scntnes who watch with
much jealousy the accumulation of power in the Executive
head Where the strict consruconsts who find
power in tbs Constitution to improve harbors clear rivers
/ ~ - IL ~ an