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

tending In That direction.
Mr.. STANTON then supposed that the gentleman
could scarcely have correct idea of the English Ian
guage, to put such construction on his MIR. Ssh
remarks
MIR. GENTRY replied, that very probably that was
true. But he was willing to submit his colleagues
remarks to the learned, in order to see whether their
Of the genteinan's language was not
correct.
MIR. STANTON had stated distinctly that he did not
desire to inch of Mexican territory acquired
uniustly. But he said that the tendency of events
was to that result What! Not the Wrestling I'M
justly of Mexican territory but to procure the annex
alton of large portion of that territory.
Mr.. GENTRY proceeded In his Remuneration of
the President. He had been guilty of repeated
violation of the constitution. The people should
come to the rescue. Were they to have slave
ry in that vast territory! Would the north submit
TO that Would they have Gordon of free States
there the borders of Texasi Let them look to all
that That question had already shook the Union to
its centre. Only by patriotism, which he feared no
longer existed had that threatened calamity been
averted then. He believed that there were bad men
who wished dissolution of the Union. He called
on the patriotism of the other side of the House, to
unite in putting down the usurper in the White House
He was against the annexation of any territory by
conquest. Was it not declared in the constitution,
that all men were created eeand equal and the only
source of legitimate power was In the consent of the
people! How conquer and subugate any people, and
impose on them any form of government without vio
lation of that principle of the constitution Where
did Commodore Stockton get authority to appoint CIV
il officers in California! The President was involved
in the dilemma either of admitting that his position
that the territory in the limits of Texas not
true, that he had transcribed his Legitimate author
ity. 1t vas revoietionary Texas which was In that
discussion. Her boundaries to be settled by the
law of conquest by which, in rebellionand here the
hammer fell.
H. n
the Committee. He desired 10 know whether the
gentleman who had Just sat down wished to be regard
ed as of those who extended aid and comfort {"
to the enemies of his country 1t was only such
persons who came under the denunciatlons of the
President of the United States; and he (BIr K
understood the gentleman to declare his desire to
within the range of those denunciations. If such
were indeed the object of the gentleman, he had an
amount of nerve which entitled him to much credit
Mr.. GENTRY. Does the gentleman attribute such a
position to me!
Mr.. KENNEDY. l understood the gentleman to ex-
press desire bring himself under the range of the
Presidents denunciations.
Mr.. GENTRY. Yes; for the purpose of showing
;hat despised and scorned them
Mr.. KENNEDY. am willing to give the gentleman
the benefit of his explanation. Although the gentle
man has shown great deal of earnestness in the ad
vocacy of the enemy's cause on this floor certainly
he has manifested great want of tact. The Mexican
government may have men this floor of more abli-
ty than those they had in tie field but after ALL they
want tact. If
Mr.. GENTRY. The gentleman
The CHAIRMAN. Does the gentleman yield the
floor
Mr. KENNEDY. Oh certainly, for the purpose of
explanation.
Mr.. GENTRY. suppose the gentleman has right
to arrive at his conclusions but when he
that am giving aid and comfort" to the enemy he
jumps TO conclusions which have foundation in fact.
And
Mr.. KENNEDY. l assume nothing
Mr.. CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Tennessee
has the floor for explanation.
Mr.. GENTRY. Ii he means that giving 4" aid and
comfort to the enemy is to express the belief that in
certain circumstances our liberties are more endan-
gered by usurpng President, than by thousand
well-apponted invading armies, / giving 50 aid
and comfort" ] am unfolding the constitution of
my country by refusing to yield it up to usurper
and his servile aduators. If assumed any other
position at this time, should be preparing the way
to make my country degraded, base, and infamous
as is Mexico.
Mr.. KENNEDY. Was all that philippe added
to the gentlemans hour or was it to be subtracted
from his Mr. KsD If the latter to be the case,
he must say 1t was hardly fair. The gentleman had
denounced the friends of the administration in the
most vehement manner. He (Nr. K.) would not
characterize his manPuvreS and gestures, by which
he indicated that the friends of the administration
were in the habit of crawling to and fawning pub
lie power. Those gestures not, to say the least
of them, remarkably classical-they were not alto
gether very well fitted for American representative
hall. But he (Mr. K.) would like to know whethe
the gentleman felt himself capable of wormng and
twisting and fawning for executive favor! If not,
how came he to suspect any body else! He (Mr.
held himself above either being guilty of the act
admitting himself to be capable of it by charging
it upon any other The President had right to
speak to the American people and he Mr. T. felt fur
bob bod rfrxht
duty to denounce to the American people these en-
gagged in an unlawful effort to bak and thwart their
country when engaged in war and although he was
willing to accord to the gentleman the fullest liberty
of speech; he was willing to allow him if he chose
to denounce the American President on the floor of
the American Congress as liar; yet he would ask
if those who believed that the President was right had
not equal liberty of speech! He desired to know
if the liberty of speech and IF the press in this
try secured only to those who wished to libel and
defame this government! Were those who felt called
on to sustain the government and maintaa it, TO have
their mouths closed by denuncatons of "usurpation,"
and disposition to infringe upon the freedom of
speech and of the press He (Mr. K.) did not SO
read the rights and privileges of American citizens or
American Representatives 1t said that they
a great people; and that was surely very great
Congress A laugh What were they doing
Here, in the second week of the second session of
that Congress-after having at the first session voted
declaration of war against foreign enemy-here
they engaged in criticsing and catechisng the
American government for having carried out that de-
claration of war That was great business and
that in the face of the enemy The old-fashioned
way-and it was said there nothing under
the sun-the od-fashioned way of doing the business
that, when it supposed that the government
was wrong in going to war; vote against the declara
ton the proper way of opposing it, following out
that procedure with denunciations and opposition all
through to the end. That was the course which was
adonted and pursued during the last war And the