The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-28

knows that he Is ready to die Tor MS country On'
der the influence Of this admiration, excited by such
aoble sentiments, hailed with delight the express
sion Of lofty patriotism which fell from the gentle
man from Kentucky, Mr.. DAVIS. He informed
the House that he had an only son, and that II the
exigeDcies of the country required II, ne would
cheerfuy surrender him, to fall, IL necessary, In
its defence: more that the father of that son, with
still greater cheerfulness which we all readily
understand, would yield himself sacrifice in the
same These are the expressions OF noble pa
triotism.
But il was matter Of deep regret to me, that whilst
such LOFTY sentiments found ready utterance from
the distinguished gentleman, he should have allowed
himself 20 indulge in train Of remarks so directly
in conflict with them; that, whilst he avowed him
self willing TO sustain the country-to grant all aids
and supplies that might be neeessary--he should
have thrown himself like mighty incubus on the
interests Of that country by the remarks which he
made In relation TO the causes OF the war. Ia the
course Of his inquiries he came TO the conclusion
that the war was brought about not by the action
Of Mexico, but by the improper and unconsttuton-
al action of our own government and that this
House, in the manner and under the circumstances
in which il recognised the existence of the war,
coupled with the assertion that il had been brought
on by Mexico, was guilty OF indecorum and false
hood. Ii is in vain and idle for those who voted
the recognition of a state Of war produced by the
action Of Mexico shut their eyes and pretend not
10 see the full scope and effect of the gentleman's
argument The majority in this House, no less
than the Executive government, are charged sub
stantially with fasehood and unconstitutional &C
tion. To US who belong to that majority, there is
no option. The gauntlet which the gentleman has
thrown down we may not refuse take up. The
issue made must be met; and the honor of the
try and the government Of the country INDICATED.
These then are the questions did Mexico begin
the war; And had this House evidence of that fact,
when Il asserted so much
II is not necessary TO stop now TO review the
If Of fhi
time to time has received from Mexico; TO call TO
mind the maltreatment of our citizens in violation of
treaty stipuations both in person and property; to
call 10 mind her refusal or neglect to make indem-
nifty, according to her treaties for such injuries;
is il necessary, on the other hand, to enlarge upon
the forbeamnce which our government for years has
manifested towards that distracted and factlous
country From the administration Of Gen. Jack
son till now, sufficient causes for declaration Of
war on our part against her have existed All this
we pass over, and come at once to the more imme-
diate circumstances and causes Of the war.
The committee will remember that soon
the Joint resolutions by which Texas became an
integral part of this Union were adopted the Mex-
| can minister at Washington was recalled, and that
our minister ct Mexico, at the instance Of the Mex
| lean government, was ordered home. Thus all reg
ular diplomatic intercourse between the two govern
| ments ceased. Subsequenuy-during last fall-this
intercourse was sought 10 be renewed and the mat
tsrs in dispute between the two countries to be
| brought into friendly negotiation. This, however,
| as all know was rejected-if not perhdiously, at
| least captiously-by the Mexican government. I'm
der these circumstances all diplomatic intercourse
having ceased the only channel OF official commun-
cation was through the officers Of the respective
mics which were brought, by the orders Of each
| government, into proximity. Anpudla and Arlsta
| were the only agents of the Mexican government by
whom we could be officially informed Of the acts
| and purposes of Mexico. They ordered the Amer
! lean general to retire from his position opposite
Matanioras in given space OF time, and noahed
| him that if he refused to do would be COM
menced. Our general, not feeling disposed au-
thorized to obey this naughty demand the Mexi-
| cans passed the Rio Grande, and commenced hos
tiIities on the first detachment of American soldiers
with which they met. More: they threw them
selves into position to cut off our army from it's
supplies at Point Isabel and in all respects assumed
| and maintained belligerent attitude. ! say moth
ing of the murder Of Colonel Cross, than which a
more hostile act, calling for deeper retaia-
tion, could not have been perpetrated but refer
only to open and undisguised war, Of which notice
| had been previously given. If our army was right
fully the banks of the Rio Grande, no fact can be
better established than that exists with Mexico,
and by her own Congress had notice of all this
before the act recognising the existence Of the war
was passed. When the highest military commander
of the Mexican forces announced that unless GER
tain condition should be complied with by the
| American general war would be commenced and
afterwards the condition being disregarded, HOSTILE
ties followed, we were bound TO regard the annun-
citation and subsequent acts as the authorized action
of his government, and that officer as the herald OF
Mexco-as much SO, under the circumstances, as
il he had acted under the Fecial law OF the Ro-
mans.
But il has been said that our army mpru-
IDENTIFY and unconsttutionally ordered to its position
on the Rio Grande, and that thus war was, by the
act of our Executive, forced upon Mexico. To
maintain this assumption, one or the other OF two
propositions have been urged upon the consldera-
ton of the committee
1t has been contended that the territory lying be-
tween the Nueces and the Rio del Norte belonged to
Mexico; that it is no part of Texas and that tte to
no part of is in the United States. If that propo
| sltion cannot be maintained, it is, in the second
place, commended that this disputed territory,
the title to which was not well ascertaned that the
United States, having succeeded to the rights and
duties of Texas, claimed it as part of Texas
WHILE at the same time and with equal show of JUS
dce it was claimed by Mexico. ltis therefore con-
tended, that if the title be properly in Mexiso, oil
properly disputabe in point of fact, the Executive
branch of government had no right or authority
TO march forces through the entire latitude Of that
REGION and to take post on the most distant frontier
and that in doing so, he has unconstitutionaly pro-
voked war. This understand to be the true and To-
gitimate scope of the argument.
1t can be well demonstrated, according to princi
pies of international law, that the right to the terrific
nv between the Nueces and the Rio Grande is prop
fail in that proposition, las think shall not,) still
admitting the country TO be disputed territory, tho
Executive government had right consiitutionaly
and was in fact bound, under the high obligations o.
duty, to do everything which it has done
Twill not weary the committee by rehearsing the
ancient boundary of Texas, nor by going over the
conflicting evidence as drawn from deneations on
different maps choose rather to stand upon trans
actions, in the nature Of negotiation and treaty
which took place after the battle of San .Jacinto
The Mexican government had ceased to be admin
stered under the constitution at the time of the Tex
an revolt Santa Ana had been clothed with the
mowers of a military dictator, and all the executive
functions If not in FORM were in fact vested in him
He had ample authority to make treaties lie sc
REPRESENTED himself after the battle of San Jacinto
and did make treaty with President Bnrnet &C
cordingly. In the treaty, not only was the inde
pendence of Texas recognised, but the limits wer
defined. The Rio Grande was Acknowledged as thu
boundary between Mexico and Texas and the au
thorities of Texas stipulated for the release Of thu
Mexican prisoners, with their arms and clothing.
j + - A.