The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-28

Mo Grande utterly failed,
n. went on TO argue that Mexico had never, al
.ov time, promised The boundary Of the Rio Del
Sorts to Texas. He read the conditions of the
,,,a,v of peace and independence between Mexico
snd Texas, submitted by the ministers Of France
and England to Mexico, and stated that they dis
moi fix any boundary, but left the question OF limits
"a future arbitration. But Texas did not listen 70
hose propositions, and no pretext could be raised
nnon those in favor Of the claim Of Texas.
n was IDLE TO say that the country in dispute was
o,cupied by American citizens, whom II was our
S,v 10 protect No citizens Of that region had ever
Lid upon us for protection, and General Taylor
vas an invader Of Mexican territory. IL was not
Al. fsrdt for he was acting under orders, and II
"s, The more credable to him 10 gain victories I'M
I,r such circumstances.
Mr.. A. d. SIMS made a point of order which
was oyerruled by the chair
M, SEVERANCE passed TO the consideration
fine proclamation OF General Vol, and contended
that General Vol did not admit that the Rio
Crande was the boundary. Santa Fe and other
towns were always in the peaeeable possession OF
Mexico. They were so now, unless General lay
lar had got up 80 far, which was not probable.
The records of the diplomacy Of the United States
h.d been examined 10 show that We claimed Texas
nror 10 1919, as a part of Louisiana, with the Rio
Gunde as the western boundary. But the treaty
Of 1919 settled that question. The 54o 4V men
ought certainly to stand by that treaty, because II
the whole Of Oregon.
There had been no treaties with Mexico, and
none with Spain, which gave US any right TO the
Rio Grande as the boundary. But after all the
,ction of this government on this subject, gentle.
nan here still claimed that our territory extende,
n the Rio Grande, as a part Of Louisiana. He
rad speech Of an honorable senator from Mis-
souri, mfr BEsrosl upon the subject Of this bound
ary TO show that tho reel Texas never approached
tho Rio Grande, except in the vicinity OF It's
mouth
speech some extracts from which were read.
fCnes Of Tread on; lot US have the whole
book"
Mr. s. said the speech was impartial, and the
whole of il was worthy Of reading; but he did not
propose to read any more now. He wished to
show that this war was an unjust and Infamous
war and that we were committing gross outrages
on Mexico IL was idle TO deceive ourselves; to
,hrstour heads into the sand and suppose that the
world did not know what we were doing. The
opinion Of the world would not sustain our course Of
action on this subject
Mr. BARCLAY MARTIN rose and said he had
not troubled the House with his remarks except on
one occasion during the session; but he was now
ANXIOUS TO consume some twenty minutes Of the
time Of the House, and he would not longer detaln
them.
He wished to ask the Chat one question: whether
the gentleman from Maine, who had just spoken,
held seat here by any authority Of the people Of
Maine, or delegate of the government Of Mexico'
He would ask the gentleman himself, who had dis
PLAYED here such anti-American feelings whether he
r.presented Maine OF Mexico on this hoor'
Mr. GlODlNGS here rose to a question Of order,
The gentleman from Tennessee was addressing
language Of personal and offensive kind to mem.
Der.
The CHAIR did not sustain the objection.
Mr. MARTIN. The Chair does not hold the
remarks 10 be personal disorderly. The gentle
man from Tennessee would be mortified to be called
10 order the second time that he ever attempted to
mise his voice here, if the call had been made by
any one except the member from Ohio. The gen.
,Ieman from Tennessee would conhne his remarks
10 the question before the committee.
The question was, whether we should give a vote
Of thanks to the general in command Of the gallant
army Of occupation, and TO the noble and generous
spirits that composed his army. The gentleman
from Tennessee wished to conhne his remarks to
that question, but he had been induced to leave it,
and follow the gentleman from Maine in his extra
ordinary remarks. He must persist in asking
the gentleman from Maine to show his authority
for holding a seat on this floor, and to state
whether it was derived from Maine, or
from a foreign government. Under the constitu-
ton, the gentleman could not represent a foreign
power and an enemy in this House; as a delegate
from Mexico he had no right to seat here. He
would ask, what had been the arguments of the gen.
tleman from Maine' Had he not, instead of de-
Tending our bold and chivarous army on the Rio
Grande, defended the enemy This was the spirit
Of the geDtleman's remarks, and he had listened
with astonishment to them. He would now ask on
which side the gentleman was to be found in this
contest On which side will the gentleman stand
Mr.. SEVERANCE. | stand on the side Of my
oountry-of my country's honor-on the side OF
Justice and right. / believe that the country will
sustain me-that the world will sustain me and
prevent the shedding of blood. But am in favor
Of the vote Of thanks to the army.
Mr.. MARTIN. The question is answered. The
gentleman says he is in favor Of the vote Of thanks
II the gentleman would show him the newspaper
the Union-from which he was just now reading
he would prove that the gentleman had not always
been of that mind. That not the ground taken
by the gentleman heretofore, and in his published
address. The gentleman had declared that Mexico
deserved the thanks of the civilized world for hav-
ing resisted the encroachmens of the United States
and for having defended herself against them.
Mr.. SEVERANCE. said nothing about the
civilized world.
Of political incident that occurred in the par,
Of the country where | reside. A question
arose, pending the election of delegates to the
legislature, as to certain mill dam in the cleo
ton district. The people above the dam were
opposed to it, considering its effects unheal-
thy; and the people below the dam were in favor
oft. very ardent candidate for the sutfrages OF
the people Of the district made speech to the peo-
pe but said nothing about the great question of the
dam. At the close of his speech, the people cried
out, "You have not told US what are your senti,
mens on the subject Of the DAM" "Fellow-citi-
zens," replied the candidate, al am an independent
man." "But do te,' said the citizens, "whether
you are for the dam or against it." "Then," re-
piled the candidate, 81 say boldly as an independ-
ent man, that neither for nor against the mill.
DAM" The gentleman from Maine is in favor of a
vote Of thanks to our army, and also vote OF
thanks to the Mexican army and the Mexican gov
eminent. The gentleman had volunteered to defend
Mexican rights, and had said that Mexico deserved
the thanks of the world for having defended herself
against our aggressons. Mexico needed help in
this contest, and she had got it from the gentleman
from Maine. The gentleman's name would live
long in the memory Of Mexicans.
He had one remark more to make. The
gentleman had denounced this war infa-
nous and criminal Would not this crime and
this infamy prevent the gentleman from cordially
and seriously giving his thanks to the American
army
Mr. SEVERANCE explained. He had not used