Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-06-11
SPEECH
Of Mr.. Charles Hudson Of Mass
ON tue
SURIICT OR THE WAR WITH NEylrO.
SPEECH


May IL 1876.
The House being in Committee o.
lhe Whole on the Array Appropriation
Bill,Ms. HUpsaS, of Mass achuseils, hay,
ing obtained the hoor, eGid
Mr.. CHAIRMAN ;---uoder ordinary
circumstance | should not have oblrud,
ded myself upon the attention Of the
committee. But we are now at war with
sister Republic; we are engaged in
a contest commenced by the Executive
without Just cause, and direct violation
Of the fundamental principles Of our
Constitution, Believing this to be the
case, | feel il my duty to bear testimony
against this procedure and | am the
more inclined to do this, because
was one ol,he few (or as gentlemen on
the other side Of the house have, sneer-
ing, said one of the ignoJie tourteen,) who
had the independence TO follow their
own sense OF duty, and TO vote accord
ing to the dictates Of their own consci-
Iences. bring no accusation against
others. The subject was presented by
the majority OF the House in the most
embarrassing form, and gentlemen, Of
honesty of purpose, might differ upon
the final vote. As ] claim sincerity
for myself, do not question the SINGER
ity Of my friends, whose minds were
brought TO different result.
But the gentleman from Illinois Mr.,
Douglass) in reply to my friend from
Ohio, (Mr, Deiano,) has told the com
mittee that it is treason to the country
to denounce the war now il is declared
He seems to admit that the remarks Of
the member from Ohio would have been
unobjectionable, if they had been made
before the war bill had become n law
But, sir, recognise no such distinction,
under the circumstances OF the case
We know the manner in which that bill
was passed, the hot haste with which it
was pressed through this House, and
intend that it shal! he known elsewhere.
So fur as my feeble powers extend, in-
tend the country shall know with what
rashness and indecent haste all the evils
of war have been brought upon the
country. A message was received from
the President Of the United States, with
reference to our relations with Mexico.
This message was accompanied with
voluminous correspondence which pass
ed between our Government and Mexi-
co, and also between the Executive and
Gen Taylor. The House resolved it.
self into Committee OF the Whole to
consider the subject. The debate, by a
vote Of the dominant party, was limited
to tho short space Of two hours. One
hour and d half of that time was con-
sumed in reading the correspondence
and even then one half of the papers
were not read The chairman Of the
Committee on Military Affairs called up
a bill, which had been. for some time up
on our tables, which simply author
lied the President TO accept the SER
vices of volunteers, should they be
necessary to defend our own soil, or re-
pei invasion from our territory. This
bill was under debate for some thirty
but no Wing was able to OBJ
tain the floor. Then, for the first time,
n declaration of war was mentioned, aud
sundry amendments to that effect were
offered. When the time for discussion
expired, the committee passed upon the
amendments, and the bill was lmmedIr
ately reported to the House, and pass
ed under the previous question. Thus,
sir, was war declared after debate ol
some thirty minutes only, and that con-
fined entirely to few brief remarks by
four members Of the Democratic party.
Not an individual Of the minority was
permitted to say word upon the great
and absorbing question of peace and
war The HOUSE knows, and the coun-
try shall know, the hasty and incons'd-
crate manner in which they have been
involved in all the horrors OF war. A
grosser instance Of precipilancy apd
rashness cannot be found in ihe history
Of any assembly calling itself deliber-
alive body.
Thus, sir, were the Wing party TO-
the House compelled, by a tyrann!c
majority, to pass upon this great ques-.
ton without a single word OF debate on.
their part, and without having one.hall
of the documents which were submitted
by the President read! And now we.
ore told, by the members OF the sane.
dominant party, that 1t is reasonable to
speak against a measure thus hastily
and tyrannicaly forced through the
House, without debate, amid scenes oi
excitement and confusion. Opposition
10 this measure, we are told, would have
been proper before it bad passed but
now being at war, all opposition to the
measure shows n wgn, Of patrIoilsp', and
A disposition 10 take sides with the enc
nv. Sir, | admit no such principle ]
will submit to no such non rule. And
has il come to this, that all debate ~ iol
be suppressed in this Jiall---thai free
dom of speech IL 10 be denied 10 the
of free pa0plc A
doctrine more despoiic was meyer I'D.
vanoed. According TO ,his doctrine, II
The President, Bed on by ySin ambition,
or by o iTrasonablc Grsise to raise him
self to . throne np the ruins of our free
has ihc wickedncss 10 tram
pie upon the prerogativcs Of Congress,
and commence an unjust war with n
foreign power, we are tn submit IN ST.
A h,.,,l,.,,s hayn alrandk