Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-06-10

by the sword, he called Congress around
him. composed of his own adherents and
followers, and had himself formally pro.
claimed dictator Of the republic of Mexico,
and, as such, clothed with all the powers of
government, civil and military. In this
capacity, he marched his armies into
Texas, for the purpose Of reducing those
people into subsection to the despotism which
he had established, and exterminating the
last vestige of freedom which remained in
all his dominions. While engaged in this
work of desolation with fire and sword,
committing butcheries and barbarities un-
known to civilized warfare, he fell into the
hands of the heroic Houston and his gallant
little army; a captive to those whom he was
striving to reduce to captivity. Then it
was that the tyrant became the suppliant-
suppliant for his life and liberty-at the
hands of those he had designed as his vic
tins. There the dictator bent the knee in
prayer for mercy, offering to recognise the
independence of Texas, with the Rio del
Norte. Subsequently the treaty was en-
tered into in due form, as l have already
stated, and the Mexicans evacuated Texas
in pursuance of its provisions, retiring to
the west side of the Rio del Norte. This
treaty was entered into by the government
of Mexico de facto, Santa Ana combining
in his own person at the time all the pow
ers of the government, and as such was
binding on the Mexican nation.
Mr.. JOHN @. ADAMS. | desire to in
quire of the gentleman from Illinois if San
ia Ana was not prisoner of war at the
time, and in duress, when he executed that
treaty?
!, Mr.. DOUGLASS, in reply. Santa Ana
was prisoner of war at the time, and sc
t was the entire government Of Mexico, he
being the government de facto, and clothed
f with all the powers of government, civi
f and military. The government was {
i prisoner at the time, and in duress. Bu
e will it be contended that that circumstance
o rendered its obligation the less obligatory
3 We are now at war with Mexico. Oul
: armies will soon march into the heart ot
, that country. trust they will penetrate
r as far as the capital, and capture the army
r people, and government-make them al
f prisoners Of war, and keep them in dures.
r until they shall conclude treaty o
peace and boundary with us, by which the,
o shall not only recognize the Rio del N orte
d but such other line as we shall choose t,
: dictate or accept Will the gentleman
= from Massachusetts contend that treat,
g made with us under those circumstances
= would not be binding, because, forsooth, til,
e government was prisoner at the time
d How is conquered nation ever to max,
d peace, if the gentleman's doctrine is to pre-
= vail? They refuse to make peace befor,
j. they are conquered, because they hope 70
l. victory. They are incompetent 10 do s
E. afterwards, because they are in duress!-
10 Surely an unfortunate and defeated bellie
n erent would be in most lamentable con
g dition. Too imbecile to resist, disarmed
e conquered, still incompetent to make ,
1t treaty Of peace, and adjust the matter ir
o dispute OIL such fair and equitable terms as
: magnanimous foe shall propose, because
# the war of aggression which they com
S menced has resulted disastrously, and made
: them captives! fear that if this doctrine
, shall prevail, these gentlemen will soor
/ find their Mexican friends in most pitia
BILE condition. Perhaps, ifthat government
: should be reduced to captivity, these gen
s tlemen would require that our armies
3 should retire within our own territory, ant
set the government al liberty, before nego
, tiations for peace could be opened. Thi.
e may be their view of the subject, but
doubt whether it is the view which the A.
= merican government or the American peo
g pie will deem it their duty to act upon. Oul
f crude notions of things may teach us tina
9 the city of Mexico would be the most suit
: able place to form treaty of peace.
: Mr.. ADAMS. Has not that treaty witt
: Santa Ana been discarded by the Mexican
d government sincel
g Mr.. DOUGLASS. presume it has, for
n am not aware of any treaty or compac
If which that government ever entered into
70 that has not either been violated or repudia
t. ted by them afterwards. And our treat,
], stipulations with them furnish ample groun,
d for this presumption. have not deeme
h it necessary to inquire, therefore, what par
IS ticular acts of disavowal have been sine
e adopted by the Mexican government. |
., is sufficient for my purpose that the treat
!, was entered into and sanctioned by the gov
70 ernment de facto for the time being
}. The acts OF a government de facto ar
,, binding on the nation as against foreig
l. nations, without reference to the mode
a which that government was establishes
ID whether by revolution, usurpation, or righ
III ful and constitutional means.
IN Mr.. ADAMS. l deny it deny Il
e. proposition.
ia Mr.. DOUGLASS. | do not intend to ent,
e. into discussion ofthe law Of nations wi
le the learned gentlemen from Massachusett
y. ! Will only say that / understand all WI
n tiers on the law Of nations to lay down IL
'y principle as have stated. Certainly il
Of practice and usuage of all civilized natiol
81 sanction it, ofwhich history furnishes inn
te, merable examples. Mexico herself W
'a- nothing but government de facto in Il
strict legal sense Of the term at the time
of the Texan revolution. She had revolt