Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-06-23
CONGRESSIONAL.
,.,xs OF Mr. LEAKEOF VIRGINIA,

b. uikNo OF ,R. Lea M Ot plkGlNla,
h, H,nse T Representatives,, June ION, 1876;
K ,yy, Ike Inais.,. ipp'op iGtsoa BIZ.
!. lssne said since he hao had the honor OIL
nj, Il ,or, and iron his earliest recoilec-
-. has. met with many things existing in
.r,y ,salions of the people OF this country
cited MS surprise, al least lie had been
40 ,,.t ID Believe that The mass of The people OF
'' .',r,,ry both Fedei alisis and Democrats
,,,,s> ana tepnoiIcans, were equally pa'lionc'
-, mere was NO. party, either here or be-
-" .. i" I,ui.s oil this Capitol that would select
-. alenl angle OF altack on the adminiSlra-
rb,cn now controls the destiny OF The coun-
!. ~. p,sese point OF time when the patriot is
,o,us every nerve 10 bring ont all our national
:. noes IN repeliing The invasion OF foreign
Sat tom close observation OF The course
\. Wing Parry, he had learned that this was
ne MS, lime when they had been arrayed
,.,n> Inc honor and Interests OF The country.
.s,s therefore, with some qualification OF his
...,r,>e that he had observed The course OF gen.
.T,n On this floor. What were the grave
.,re,s preferred by gentlemen on the other side
:. n. House aaainS, The administration, on &C
.sn; ei lhe conduc, 10 relation 10 The Mexican
xa.1 Ii vas charged bythe gen leman from hen,
,csy. (Nr u. Davis) al former period, and
,,oinsr gentlemen, and had been Today re,era-
IS the eloquent gentleman from Georgia (Mf'
S,-,ncnsN Thai this war was commenced BY the
pf-.u:.ni nat The Constitution OF the country
H., fe-n ram2isd under lot in The most fearful
r,ae. that apperains 10 is sovereignty, by NO
- a urison than the President OF the United
| >tait.: tnal IN ordering The advance oil General
| / vlur n9on the Rio Grante, he conmited not
aay an .nva,ion upon Mexican soil, bit iaI
.r-a,ef, Tar higher ofrnce-onc against the
t>utllion of his country. Without stopping 10
ssue thi, question, he might appeal 10 his friend
iom Georgia and 10 every gentleman oil ms
r.ny, TO know why slumbeIed their eloqnence
ghen this outrage was FIRST conmilledi VAST
rot notorious before The commencement of hosti'
ries, that The American army was there station
cd, And all that time no opposition was heard
"a II from the opponents OF the administration.
Mr. Stephens (Mr. L. yielding) said that no Of
f-lal information had been given from The Execu-
,,.e ina, the army had been ordered there. A lew
i'm. before tie first battle, the gentleman from
,sn.icky mir. Davis had attempted TO introduce
r.,,,ui ui inquiry on this subject, and the
majority cl The House did not permit ii.
II. leake said h cared not whether cDaetal In
rrna,ion had been received or not the fact was
| mai. known through the ordinary channels Ohm
l.tmailon 10 The country and ii was the duty Ola
ya.c,.ul sentinel Oh The waich-tower OF Liberty 10
,uut he alarm, whether cticiai information had
eeen received or not.
Sir Stephens. The attempt was made TO bring
%. The fact by resolution Of inquiry, and il was
yJied Gown by the majority of this House.
81. Leake This. | am informed (for was
NJ; here al that time,) was only on The Saturday
.rio,e The information was received. The con.
f,t was then known to be inevitable. And This
va The point 10 which Twas coming. rccapiu-
.iet momen, only 10 fasien on the Wings, as a
paw, The odium ina! Justly attaches 10 them
Nf. L. repeated that ,ney submitted, quietly and
.amely. 10 Tins ,niracuon Of the Constitution, as
they claim il 10 be, whou, raising their voices
ayains, it, and no, until American blood was shed
On American soil, no, until an injury had been
committed higher even Than one upon the Consli-
alion and when an enemy was exerting all their
forces 10 crush the American arms and PROSTATE
American power, il was lha. these gentlemen
h.hnughl that there was an outrage on the
& nsauion II was not until their voices could
end some aid 10 the enemies OF their coun.
nv that they raised their voices. II might be, as
Hr Samuel Weller would say an "hexiraordi
lry' coincidence, but twas an unfortunate one.
/. al rsmar kable that il was not until the con-
A. ;..s place-nniil n thrill oi Indignation ran
nr.,gn III. cnuniFy-thai al Tie Pr-ei-> lone
amer, ih- arm OF This nation was s'rechsd 'u'
,ysus me lnsnlls and Injuries commilied up
IL ~ mat t.at arm was ate IMPLIED 10 De piraiyHeo
~ crdaln al our own cl'Z-hs ~ "o0 Nv -
IN. Amsrieau eagle (ii he might he pardoncd
!, ~ a,u.ion 10 this noble bird) was abuni
,s.p,os 10 revenge, that he found himself pa
rayz \ and brought down 10 The dust by an arrow
!. Ia-red from his own wing And tins was
American patriotism! This was the attempt 10
~ dun on the Democratic President and Ad-
in..i,teatlon Mr. l.. referred 10 the anecdote s'
"a in " IRIS Life OF Henry, OF man VINO nae
ri, cauc seized upon 10 supply the starving
l;3oas II liz cuuntry in that region, waose n"aise
.r,tis.oaaat voice in demand ior pecuhiafY Sd
.,acnon was heard amid The general acciaiha
a,a> I'D r-iocing~ al the success OF our atu's'
rag .b-ei, bcei!" And now, he saii, wheh
~ vao,e nation was rejoicing over The oriliiah
-,e.o,ips of The Rio Grand the hoarse ant dis
San; voice Of he whole Wing party was Beard,
-yino nut "yiolatel Constitution, violated Consil'
,;.lon," They ought 10 have commenced Inc cry
erh.r sooner or laler-sooneI, before the oaule
commenced or later, 10 have waited I'LL IL was
brought 10 close, and victory crowned our ei-
fons
How had The Presiden, violated The constitu-
,aa1 How was the onus OF the war thrown
aaon him by ordering the American troops 10 al
rance upon the Rio Grande} That was me Oh
:; 70 no commencement OF hostiities, acccF-
6,n, 70 ne gentleman from Georgia. lake lhe
occasion 10 state that the President was compel
81 ~ The nature oi ihings 10 select some aoun
3srv 5,yond which he would mol 60 and within
ve,cb he would no; allow the Mexicans 10 come.
rhc question is, where is that point
Nr. Stephens Gn,erposins) stated that II was
n, where the Secretary Of War. in his commu-
nica,ion OF The 30,h July, Qfom which ne feao, }
,'a;ed when he gave directions 70 occupy Inc yer
-iory OF Texas 10 the extent II was occupied oy
Inc people OF Texas. 49,.
Mr. Leake Exactly tina, point. Now 'nere
6 hotu hp Dp0ple Ot
~. Uni,ed States and The Government OF Mexr
:, M indeed, there may be said TO be any 10
y-rnmen ,herel on this very point. Mr.. l..
" MD no, have been surprised had the gentle
man ,r,m Georgia read Mexican authority L"
how where the line was. II We were TO listen
t,.e,n il would he The Sabine; for II was not a
erra, while ago hat The Mexican Pienipo'eniiaty
d.rltea that the annexation Of Texas would c
~, cause OF war On the contrary, Texas &C.
Glazed the Rio Grande to be her boundary w
ls36. in her organic law; the Next an General,
W,il. recognized it as the boundary, oy Gecidi-
inc all found within three miles ofthe RIO Grands
- be considered as enemies 10 Mexico; ana We
s,,hin the present session declared u 10 De Inc
hnndarv bv extending our revenue laws over 1t.
Here, then, is Inc precise case: Inc president,
qnt,r the direction OF Congress, in discharge oil
as constitutional duty, felt bound 10 protect Tex
a. as far as Texas had extended her boundaries.
How was he to determine that question? Was
he tolisen 10 The Nexicans or TO select that me
which Texas had declared, and Mexico, as well
as this body, had recognised Mr.. l.. held that
he acted wisely, rish'lnlly, in gong as far as ne
did Would the gentleman fscm Georgia tell
him what he meant when he said that his Mr..
S.ephen,l opinion was tha! The boundary ought
10 have been The Rio Graude,. and no doubt ii
could have been obtained peacefully BY neso'ia.
uon2 How had the gentleman arrived al The
Conclusion that the boundary ought TO have been
a, the Rio Grandel
Mr. Stephens replied, that he had stated the
baundary oueh, TO be at the Rio Grande, because
L ~as the natural boundary.
Mr. Leake cough, ii to be-" wronsfully
Iii was Mexican soil, i, ought not TO be.
air Stephens. Then we ought never to have
90; Florida or Louisiana, because they once be-
longed 10 Spain or France. say we ought te
have col Florida long before we did; and we
ought peacefully 10 have obtained the boundary
Of The Rio Graude.
Mr. Leake Continuing said he thought, when
me gentleman announced that the boundary
oo,b, 10 h,v hoen or IN he ihp Qio Granle