Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-12-25
Gcnnrcs5.

luton of Mr. Davis of Kentucky, calling on
the President for copies of his instructions to
kEARNEY. STOCKTON and other practical An
nexationists who have been extending the area
of freedom" SO widely in Upper Mexico and
California, elected an interesting debate, and
was finally adopted on Tuesday of last week
notwithstanding the opposition Of the fTc"""
friends of the President.-1n the course OF tne
debate Mr.. WiyrnoRr of Mass. spoke AS fol-
lows -
Mr. WINTHROP promised not to dctan the House
long in what he had now to say 1t was not his pres
ent purpose enter into elaborate discussion OF the
topics of the Presidents message, of the resolution
Immediately unde consideration. When the reqni-
site information should have been obtained he lnlgW
take opportunity of expressing has views. Mc0n-
while he could not refrain from giving uerance 70 the
heartfelt satisfaction it gave him to see TINT dcOnte
on one of the topics connected with this h1d sprung
up at the very first moment OF the ses-
sion IL regarded this, he hailed it, as practical as
serion oihe free Ion OF debate on that floor as an m
tlmaon to all that that House meant TO maintain ITS
right to free and uutrammccd discussion OF all the
measures of Government. in spite of the menacrs the
extraorlinary and offensive nenaces, contained IN
the Executive messAgc, llc must shy that It did APP
rcor In him that rross ettn the freedom OF de-
1bate in the two Houses had never been made Inc
President. in his message, spld;
"rThc war has been repres mt as unjust and nnne-
weak and Injured enemy Such erroneous views, tho
entertained BY but few have been widely a1l "Xten-
sively circulated not only at home but nave bcen
spread throu ghout Mexico and the whole world. y
more eectull means conld not have been devised to
encourage the enemy and protrac the VA" than to ad-
and adhere to their cause, and mus give 'eh
aid and comiort
Wh,, did this meant Itimputed nothing short Of
treason to any man who should dare 10 question th1
proprety and Justice Of the manner in which the 1;N
ccutive had originated and carried on ms war NE
~
rhe constitutional definition of treason. with e ev'-
dent intention Of ntimang that no man could q1es-
tion or in the rcmotes manner express DOUBT OF tiI
proprety OF the war, ior the manner III wnlch IL '""
been wared without proving himself traitor 10 MS
own country. nnl disposed to 'aid and comfort us en-
emes. Mr. w. rcoiced on this ground th9t tie pres
en debate had sprung up todny--at the earliest prac-
cable moment 1t wns he repeated it, practical proof,
that the members that House intended, now and al
ways, to speak thier minds freely and iuy on al mat
ters of public concern without regard TO XcculV' u
flenee or Executive intimidation. That was true ~
erty where ec-born having to advise the pubic
could speak cey their opinion OF all hat was uoh py
The Government; and there no liberty where they
could not AZ TO aiding and comforting the enemy,
such suggestion came with bad grace from those
who were Obliged TO confess that they iad connlVed
the return of Santa Anna to Mexico II any thng had
given the enemy more aid and comfort" than this, 1t
was vet TO be pointed out
But he had been led aside from the question imme-
diatey before tn, House Mr.. w agreed with gen.
tlemen who had spoken to the Importance OF the
subjec, into which it proposed TO inquire AMI he
agreed on one point at least, 10 the principles OF
n1tlonai law, laid down by the gentleman from South
CaroIin, or RhetN Whatever doubts might be en-
tcrtaincd as 10 the right of conqnerer to establish
government over conquered province, the national
Jaw was explicit the point that the conqneror mad,
bv his military rssion OF conquered country, no
nigh, 10 establish there any government permanent IN
lis character: and this was TAR more important qies,
lion th,u whether the government established was civ
or military in its nature 1twls clear TINT the conquer
ornca,irei by his co1qreSi mere u,1luctu1ry and
tossassory right over the coaqrerci territory res'ryme
,he final and abs ,ue property an dominion oycrt 10
be determined by treaty OF peace, or that which wa;
enuiyalent to such n treaty.
BIT VIVA, did we finl in II" proclamation Issued by
m. of orr naval commuters We found form o
government established with terms of Oil 'or hos
Who were to administer it OF for g.1rS; Co., !as lon.
ms that Of the very highest off Ger known t. The Con
>uution WelpnN1 every Ming looking t' d,m'
on- sy,tion TO the Union. C1nt1m Stockton hnl pro
c',.med that California w1sn Territory Of TIE tnlte
s,7tes, 10 b, knows the Tarritory Of California
,,rs creanr territory md christening II at nTeaih
NV there were members oil that liouse VINO desire
u ,,know--'anI this tn" point. for Mr. w ana nc
D r,.s,on the p7,rioc intentions of Com Storkon Il
n IL h. desired II speak with nothing but ndmritlo
ir the vaor an g1lllntry Of orr army and h!'yi M
y,lunte,rs)--wnrlrr the President had authorized tn
establishment o! snth government. or m sa"c''O'
ed the act OF his officer in thus establishing II
And thi; enquiry became ten times moe import1r
from the Language OF certnn portions OF h' fNecnt,V
message jn3 received, Mr. w. might have rcgarde
IN. whole matter as comparatively OF little npoanc
had he not looked with some care into the terms
. this very extraordinary communication. 1t CONNER
ced with concentrating Congress on the vlSt eNel
sion Of our territorial limits" What did ths mean
THE Pres lent in a former message II would be reco
lectei hal cong atuate Congress on t." ACOUSTIC
Of Texas No one couli forget the van11g terms
~ which that extension was snoken oi; as having been
4 hlooie,s achievement" What did he NOW mean
conUr3,natlr us on the vast extension OF tHrri
rial limits Mt this moment, unless II implied that u
territories brought by conquest INTO our temporary pc
.1 TeTf rfny a'f Yoise @oSa5 o %
Orego he thought, was ours before nay, we had HI
twice much OF it before os we had nov; surely
Aid not con ra,nlae us on extension Of our limits thn
after ceiling away one half Of it. a langh.I WI
did the resident mean! lie said that
"Dy the laws oil nations a conquered territory
eubjec, be governed by the conqueror during his II
l,ary p,sesson, and until there IS ether treaty
p old cEi government being necessarily superseded
N-r;ht and duty Of the conqueror to secure
conqu, and to provide Tor the mhntenan nee oil 81
bas bee xerciscd, and this duty p'rorne by our
ii,ary az naval commanders, by the establishment
tempory governments in some OF inc conqnsrgn
vince Mexico asaiInilatug them ms Tar ms practu
etc free Institutions OF our own country. ~
provir Of New Mexico and Of the Calitornins' II
II any ler resistance is apprehended rom .ne ~
eltsnt he temporary governments when nave III
honl t4 necessity OF the case and according to
hws Our, been established
p6ry s,v Mr. w thanked him for that
j. wed his acknowledgment Tne fresid
80 say:
A1tAy be proper 10 provide for the security
rant conluests by making an adequate
for The purpose OF erecting tnrthl'ati
IeEing the expenses necessarily lncldeht 10
see of our possession and authority O
hayas the position which had nstonshed
Vii seemed to hun very important the TT
dDAt s. be called on to explain what was MS me
ing language In the time OF war an al
THGh snrse erect forts out oil any nppTopria'
NEE Congress- for carrying on the war,
o
president proposed 'hat oohs'ess sa'
t-al separate, independent appFopr'at
gLti6caton the possession oil the cong
ts And not a wOr1--not an ldsa
at-,hat these conquered provinces "
.9,long 10 the United States, wlth II
l''1ut n treaty The army, As thilg1 So
do W ,rqt was necessary for the mlltary gee
territories we had taken possession OF W ha
,r,ioorv hing would il not be, should the J
M % on TO fortily the CALIFORNIA; and the o
uereI provinces as permanent par VI
!, Cor'I this be done under any OF the pTo's
co,., ,u,ion or indeed under the sanction oil
,ple Of he law OF nations, or o! any pseceuehl
ottba Eranch Government during the Widest
Of its revolutionary power ,,.au -,
these parts of the message thele "us 81
lob 10 cali for the serious attention OF we pop
Ined States. They had rI2nt 10 kllo o;
r. he intentions OF the President III catiy ~
var Ii the Executive was alrad 10 -. H. ~
&c the nation, let him make the comm u,',', 81
cosad doors but surely II was the Iighi OF
senia,,vcs of the people to known souethir
nIicv intended 10 be pursued under the eAis
mosi extraordinary state OF things ~
M " did not mean to imply that inc TIeslu
-, IL III have beeu longer. Ii was long emo