The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-10
THE DAILY UNION

II
be paid for the treaty, the signing Of the eOnirae
by the bought e6ic1s Of Merieo the consideration To
be paid for California could he provided for by the
treaty. And II IL requires two millions Of dollars
to purchase The mere consent 10 efds what an enor-
| nous sum will be necessary to pay for California!
But the President might be baked in his attempt
to purchase California The repugnance Of the gov
eminent Of Mexico may be great 10 be proof
against money. The opposition of the people al
present may be so strong To overawe pliable men
| IN authority, Those who would make so lniquitous
a bargain might prove double traitors, by refusing
TO sign such treaty after taking the consideration
to do soi they might be oyerthrown and hurled from
their places by an exasperated people before they
could complete It. But, in the event Of failure,
from any and all Of these causes, Mr., Polk has an
alternative. He does not intend 10 be satisfied
with anything short Of California, II he can help it,
After getting Congress to endorse his position that
the main object Of this toa is California, II he is foied
IN bis policy OF obtaining by foul treaty, the
Is TO be prosecuted, persevered in, until Mexico is
,ohPped into its esssion The obstinacy, the enduring
tenaeity, the courageous constaney, which some
times illustrates the Spanish character, may not dc.
sert the Mexicans in this unequal conflict The
war may assume partisan and guerilla form, and
be carried on by the great mass Of the people. II
may drag along with prodigious cost and suffering
and with but little glory. What matters all this
to Mr.. Polk He has set his heart upon California
Congress has said to him that its acquisition is the
great end of the war-by treaty, If he can, by the
further prosecution of hostiities IL he must and as
negotiations have failed, any amount Of American
blood and treasure 10 to be spent in foreign land to
win il.
Mr. Chairman, commit myself to no such line
ofpoliey, be IL ase~ed os implied, open or covert.
| If Mr.. Polk will perseyere, as have no doubt he
will, for some time at least in continuing this
to signaze his administration by the conquest OF
California, he will do Il at least without the sanction
Of one member OF this House. Twill divide no such
| responsibility with him.
| But IL his purpose be what he has so much yaunt
ed il to be, 80 conquer from Mexico peace" and
| ifthe objects Of the var be what he avowed when
he commenced 1t, the satisfaction Of the claims OF
our citizens, and the establishment of the boundary
| line between Mexico and the State of Texas and
the money asked for be necessary to obtain those
objects, why did he not explicitly say so to Con-
gress' To be used within this limit, | do not be-
lieye the vote of single member Of this House
would be withheld from the appropriation now un-
der consideration. But il is for altogether differ
ent and much more culpabe use; and TO test the
truth Of this position, intend to submit amend
ment which hold in my hand, the effect OF which
il TO restrict the President in the application Of this
money, TO the necessary expenses of negotiating a
| treaty with Mexico TO terminate hostilities upon
the basis Of her satisfying the claims OF our citizens
and settling the boundary line between her and
Texas. II this amendment should prevail, will
vote for the appropriation, otherwise will not.
am wholly opposed TO whipping Mexico into the
cesslon Of California for our government to de-
spoil her in the spirit Of Tartar horde. am
wholly opposed to buying a peace from her at the
cost oftwo millions OF dollars or any other sum Of
money. am willing and anxious that the President
should take the initiative to form treaty with her
upon the moderate and just principles which | have
indicated. If Mexico to reject such u peace |
would then 90 for whipping her into it.. But my
word for it, she would be guilty Of that folly
And when we thus made an honorable and Just
' would nd fnrfhe ala
our national character in the world, would go for
an honest, old-fashioned purchase of California.
Mr.. ADAMS said, without offering himself an
amendment 10 this BILL he would request the &c nte-
man who proposed it, mir. McKAY,l to make an
| amendment declaring that this appropriation Of
money shall be made for the purpose of negotia-
ting peace with Mexico. He should vote for the
bill most heartily; and in this he differed from his
colleague Mr.. WIsrHRoPl with equal regret to
that with which he differed from him on the bill by
which war was declared. He should now vote for
the bill In any form, but he suggested to the gentle
man from North Carolina, Mr.. MCKAY, to amend
the bill so as to specify expressly that the money is
granted TO the President for the purpose for which he
has asked It in his essagethst is say, for nego-
tating peace with Mexico And, with that amend
ment, he would vote for it even without the adop-
ton Of the amendment of the gentleman from Penn
| syyania, Mr.. WmMoT,l the object Of which he
| approved with his whole heart, and he should like
| to see resolution Of the House added interdcting
the President Of the United States from acquiring
any territory which shall be the abode of slavery
| But in making peace with Mexico he did not see
how II was possible that there should be any acqu
| son on the part Of the United States Of territory
burdened with slavery-slavery having been abol
| ished many years throughout the whole of Mexico
| and Texas, and Texas having now been annexed to
the United States with the institution Of slavery con-
6rmed and sanctioned by the American nation it.
self. lf Texas was, Mexico claimed, a part of
that republic, slavery is abolished there and that ia
| one of the reasons why the war of Texas ia a war
| for the institution Of slavery--a war instituted by
Texas herself IT, then, in this negotiation between
the United States and Mexico, the disputed ground
should be finally decided to belong to Mexico as
she Claims slavery s abolished, and Texas, as well
every other part of Mexico, is rid of that insttu-
! ton.
| There are slaves in California-slavery is
abolished there; and if we to make peace and
in that peace to acquire California, there could be no
law of slavery established there unless it made
| an article of the treaty ITSELF This was a reason
sufficiently strong TO induce him vote for this bill
without adding to it what the gentleman from Penn
sylvania proposed, Of which he entirely APP
proved
Sir, (said Mr.. Az shall vote for the bill even
in the form in which it is proposed, because wish to
take it, land receive it as refreshing, the gentle
man from South Carolina Mr.. HoLMEs welcomed
and held that which was to me in no wise refresh
ing on the subject of the tariff that it is the desire Of
ly concur and would give 50 900 900, and two
millions added to that, and do not know how
much more, lift was necessary, for carrying into
effect his purpose Of making peace.
| do not find anything in the message OF the Pres
ident which should prevent me from voting for the
bill it stands, but that bill does not specify the
case. 1t has no reference at all to the peace
with Mexico. The message says il is for the
purpose of making peace with Mexico; the
form Of the bill is for negotiation with foreign
powers. Why, it may be, sir, with Eng
land, Spain, Cpba-it may be for God knows what.
! want, in voting for large appropriation Of the
money Of the people to be expended by the Execu-
tive full excuse and apology for so doing; and the
object Of negotiation Of peace with Mexico is full
and sufficient object for that purpose. am willing
to vote the of the nation for that object.
| Sir, it is suggested by gentleman near that
it Is not necessary should make appropriation
of two millions Of dollars for peace with Mexico
The gentleman who made that observation seems
DESTROYS Of whipping Mexico more than we have
whipped her. Sir, we have whipped her already
more than tho most cruel task-mester ever whipped
a slave, without cause and without necessity | see