Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-12-31
SPEECH OF MR.. BAKER, OF ILLINOIS,
On the Mexican War,
In fhe House of Reprcseataiirss Deceub,r %

eeiNed by meony tribute to the rallantry of those
with whom 1t has been my good fortune TO be associated
Sir, feel humbled and abashcd when reflect nm IN how
little has been my fortune do deserve such kind
ness whether bestowed upon personally or the ep
resentauNe OF my brethren In Sir, wish that in
stead OF myself II were the gallant Davis who rcsi,nnR
MS seat on this hoor has brayely fought the battles
nus country, that now addressed you. Ii had been hi.
fortune 10 stand here aud the and
praise which he has nobly earned, You would have
more hitting object whom TO bestow your kindness
r as i0r myself can pretend to merit. II has been
my eV' tof'enc To be LETT IN the cf the war; and
now venture 10 few words for those with whom
am assoeisted-wheher those who ralanty sustained tbs
fortunes OF their country in the bloody streets Of Monterey
% Tse who eneonnierins still stetnet fate. have been
forced to die on the banks of the Rio Grandc-I beg TIN.
House to believe that while il is indeed pleasant task 10
enHcavoT TO aid them in this House. il is on the other
painful TO stand here, do after six month. service de-
serving no credit and desiring veto receive no reward
eoniess' Mt. Chairman, that is with little aston
lSneh' hat nave Listened 10 portion OF this debate
am sure that this il not Imagined bv vopr
'ah No unieor army that IN this the week of the
son. tue Congress OF the United States engaged in
grave and important discussion as TO mobS in Ohio and
the nature ct the vote by which representatives in the
Congress nave been elected! Tho men who fought NJ
Monterey; the who entitled 10 all honor nd the
highest reward, do not suppose that such state of things
can exist mere The who have survived the fierce az
sans OF disease on The RIO Grando-ihe men who have
endured every PrivaIun that the OF paw clothing and
every CO n'or-by whose fault. whether by the
any ono they did sayhe who amid all these suf-
engs wee eagerly looking 20 the front for the foe aud
hAonsy awaiting succor ium their friends AZ homc-these
men certainly did anticipate a state OF things as
that OF which must inform the existing here. have
been somcum sled to believe arrivalin Washing.
ton that the CoggtcSs 81 the United S'as perfectly
Informed - TO the condition o., things Mexico
whether that be no' shE do myself the honor TO
make few statements OF feet. do desire engage
iot moment N any partisan controversy thu floor
Where my sympaacs now, and where they have BEEN
well known Whco they have been, they still are; and
there through good evil fortune, they will forever.
But al the present moment cannot understand that whig
81 democrat has anything do with the question which
now Is or ought be, before the House; and design if
hn NJ fk,st ma...- - r.
urge upon the members Of this House immediately
-ofieeuay-at oace-Uow-ior this gallant army labor
ing, 'oiing, bleeding suffering IN foreign land
In the hrst place, then take this opportunity % say
that the army II Mexico needs more and money!
and they need It now have been informed that the for.
ces now operating in Mexico, including Wooa column
TayUI's column. and Buffers snd PaeTsons divisions cid
not exceed l5VO effective tghn. men; excluding poss-
bly,, and yet not certainly, Gates artillery battalion and
two regiments, called the Oregon regiments recruiting
and some OF the companies OF which have perhaps al
ready arrived T.; Tampieo With that army there is an
area 10 De covered whchI hardly attempt to de-
scribe The gallant and honorable speaker here briefly
skecHed Ihe present occupied by the United
States rcss Mexico and also described tho numcrou,
places that re to be garisoned and the heavy demands
"hch must be met % sequence Of the great extent Of
nrs , communication 10 be kept up.l All GaIs te pro-
eecdoi,) cannon be done vi an ct II 0OO-I2 OOO-
IL 900 men, d.ubsyetl express this opinion with great
adeHct-I doubt whether 1t be possible with the best
troops Ameuel ever sent forth accomplish all tha and
am sure AneTici uCyer did seed forth an army more
skiul, gallant uufinchiug than that IN Mexico to-day
but ecolect that this army of 011 men is 10 be scat
tered over an area extending from west five hun
died miles, aud Tour hu0dIed miles fGom north 10 south
| where the modes Of comm .ncaon are doubtful and
the 'puiauon hostile When all this is remembered,
ask how IS 10 be expcc,edhow is il possible that the
advance can continue be- thas been marked with
sC!y aud huro5l have heard it said sir not often
but yet decidedly that there il in reinforcing
10 any great eS cut army in Mexico; because even If
YOU advance 10 the city Of Mexico ITSELF you will be
30 neae7 peace than you II that be true they
should have though, before they declared the war and
certainly b'ioto 'hsy adopted the plan Of Invasion am
one oI those, who, withou atsngn. discuss at this
moment "helheI We were TEat wrong the
"a which war was brought acted tho belief that Mex
co had commenced the attack upon what Claimed as
American soor territory To which the gallant o,ic,n
army had been not willing 10 Weld the
e.a'm was not willing then. and willing
bu even II the war we've JUST admitted all hands. it
does not follow necessarily that be war OF nva-
SION As war OF defence. has been beyond all dcscrp-
ton glorious TO the American The OF invasion
esl spHng was not ssaIIly incumbent upon n; but
the almost unanimous consent, this house could
act, with scarcely dissenting voice. IS understood
amongst those who expressed that opinion the subject
All parties and classes said # we must have let be
bret aud s.dien Weii obtained three great battles
In GONG 50 we have advanced 1t true three hun
ded miles into the Mexican territory; yet we have scarce
y TO any fe'cepube extent, crippled their resources
weakened their power On the contrary, has been very
much doubtsd-aut am one who dlubtl-whciher Mex
leo - not stronger than national zed con-
cent'ated IN public opinion looking with undivided
glance towards single head-and, | about 70 say
more herui;-yes will say, heroic than ever-lor
they are always heroic who rush defend their country
more caPabe u sustaining the desperate and prolonged
| conflict
nPprehend that from this state Of facs-in which am
sure every gentleman will ugteo with methat ough,
10 Geye new consciousness Of the duty dcyoying upon
US towa Is the And 1t that point only that de.
sire especially 10 be heard and tor that purp Sc ouy do
open my lips at all will notundertako the task of pre-
dicng az tins moment whether in power compel
peace even We were 10 nemptto ctloits the
city Of Mexico itself But Of thing | am very GER
| ain-ihai nothing which we have yet done in this war
Is sufficient 10 convince the Me4car8 that able
1 flHHu I'nFu anl ..s F.. IL IL
tie territory which we have Ovcrrun, the towns which
We have conquered the cities which have siprmed.
orm no impOfan part Of beiI territory, and IN no
wise the scst Of their power. With the exception Of
tue biockadf- more earnestly talked about. under
stand, thln faithfully kept-wo have as yet done en-
phuuc1lY n1,hing-in speaking the war UPON a large
scaie-w Gu be said have crippled the resources
| OF MEXICO. BY cspiiuat!on which regarded
Just and wise, ths Me1caus retire. from Monterey with
| almost GIL their arms and munitions Of Tire
niuons Of var which remained IN that place, being
those OF which Mexico had least need and which she
Is able to furnish most readily. repeat ilHs for the
purpose Of urging upon the House the fact that yet
"e nave done comparatively nothing conquer peace.
/ All yet rcmoHs TO be done and advance 10 the
question, bow understand, that the President Of the
Unet States has called nine ten additional reRi-
menis. Am eorect1 A voice :" Yes."l under. tlnd
that one regiment hes been ordered from louisiana aHoher
from North Carolina another from Virginia another from
Massachusetts, and that they yet formed. North
Carolina s scafctyye awnko. Massachusetts and Louis
lana and he other States yet ready but suppose
Ihoy all I'll. Up and oil and supposing, again, their
are often II volunteer regiments will DO sbout
| thousand additional men. When will they get there -
And when Ga get there, how many will they be able
10 concentrate and advance towards the CITY OF MeHic,
desuae whether you 60 by Vera Cruz tho SOUTH
or BY san Luis PJi0si the north. understand from
reliable adgicss that SAINTS Anna has nearly twenty
hya thousand men In stale OF high discipline an military
pfcpa atom. They are the clergy, the andhodcss the
men OF The old revelation. Even tho Mexican women
arc kindinR into zeal, and burn With desire fcpe the
law.es invaders Of their territory Sir, there is another
thing 90 be considered. Whenever the advance BE-
% ~ o. DO made this wnicr and Tor wh,h
DO Obvious TO csery membOr Of ibis House Lesl OK
months $50 you sent into tho field some twcntysr req.
men hcd with high hope ready 10 peril wealth and
puilu5n, md life, not IN defensive but In invasive
wsT not Jf their homes and their hcafths
Tor toe honor Of tho American name, and the glory u the
| Amui@n arms. Alas, how many Of those who noysf
! saw bauc-who never cast glance upon any
iocman 30 The h'd-how many Of these 6leopng their
LAST sleep tho banks II the Rio Graudo-ihoir ms
heayod With high hoporh their measured foosteps
! when ihoy vent 60 soek tho foe. But
| "Th.y Cd toi n Iil Eager sus
| Upon well '9Igit 6rd.
| 10 {. "a "a, Ya. tfraItf tf.