Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-06-23

NuW, when the gentleman though, We could have
obtained The Rio Giande by negotiation, he ar
CUES against the nature aud all the manifestations
OF ;hat people.
ner, he maintained, amply justified The admins
traon in the course they had taken in regard 10
thi question.
lie would not stop to caril as 10 the expendi.
lures OF this war. According 10 the received
theory OF the gentleman from Georgia, and the
party With whom he acted the greater the e1pen-
ses the better I, they all come oul OF foreign 60
vernments; We gel all our revenue from abroad,
according 10 their theory, and not one cent Of it
comes from the pockets OF the constituents oil the
gentleman from Georgia or Of my constituents;
and the greater The amount Of taxation, The great
er the protection to the interests OF the county,
He did no, believe that this war YVES going TO be
SO expensive. lie believed with the spirit, The
fire lha, had ron from one end of the country to
the other, il was destined 10 speedy and glori-
Gus termination, maugIe The eliois OF the Wing
party 10 paralyZe The ann Of The administration.
Mr.. McClelnand said that his motive for par
ticipating in the debate had originated in con-
sidera;ions connected with the speech delivered
BY the gentleman from New York, Mr. Culver
on yesterday But Today the range debate had
been so widely extended that he felt himsefcalled
upon to give more rein 10 his remarks Than he
had originally intended. II was but justice 10
himself, however, 10 say that he did mol Use TO
deliver any formal speech; he was nnprepared TO
10 So Such observations as he shoaid make,
would be those which the occasion might call
forth.
Upon the subject Of The war with MeIico-iis
causes and lis objecis-l!,e gentleman from Viz
sinia (Mr. Leake, had proceeded in course OF
reasoning, and strain If eloquence, which ne
(Mr. Nice could ro hope 10 equal. Heaward-
ed that ENTHUSIASTICALLY estimatle in social
as he is exemplary in public relations
his grateful thanks Tor the victorious service
he has rendered today in behalf OF his coun-
try Upon the question of facts be has tri!m'
phantly vindicaled the conduct of the Executive.
MIR. McC. proposed to inquire briefly into The
question Of authority. The gentleman from
cutiye upon The charge Of having provoked the
war upon deliberate design, without cause, and
for having prosecuted il, under these circumstan-
ces, in violation Of the constitution. Upon The
first proposition il is enough 10 say, that The i'm
puaion which il carries is 50 improbable and
nons,rous, that none scarcely will believe II.
Upon The latter, he begged 10 be heard IN few
words. II is based upon The idea that, as Con-
gress is the war.making power, ihallhereiora tits
not competent for the President 10 employ the
military force OF the country, even for The purpo-
ses of its defence, or 10 repel invasion. Con
gress may provide for calling forth The militia TO
execute The laws of the Union, suppress insurrec.
tons, and repel invasions." And, in the absence
Of delegation OF authority unde! this clause,
the President might not have, or exercise, this
power But The wisdom Of our predecessors, in
jus, appreciation CT The uncertainty Of human
affairs, and the ot;iecunlng casualties contribu-
ling TO ensender strife and war between nations,
have long since delegated this necessary power
under certain limitations 10 the President. As
early as 1895 law for this purpose was passed,
and il now stands in full force. Ii is under the
authority OF this law, without which, in The re-
cess Of Congress- the country might be exposed
10 The utmost danger, that the President fnds his
justification for all that he has done in regard 10
Mexico l, is probable that the gentleman from
Georgia had forgotten the existence OF this law,
or he would not have veniured upon SO unienao!e
and serious charge upon the President.
He says, however, in another aspect OF The
question, that there was no necessity Tor war as
there was no invasion of our territory. How
su7 The Pic Graude was the southern boundary
of Texas, SO established by her constitution IL
self. We annexed Texas as she was organized
and offered herself; atd hence the invasion oi The
i.-rTi,,Iy OF s, Rio fsrandc---,.. "a, q si.-'
in the constitutional sense Of LIE term Bul me
gentleman SAYS that the line Vi The Nneces, u ne
yas understood Alright is The true boundary U!
Texas on The south. This IS a ioregone ques-
,ion. IL has been agi,a,ed, debated, and settled
Otherwise before; and il would be vain and suPe-
rerooatory 10 reopen il now. Again: ne says
tha, the terms OF annexation recognized the e4ls-
fence of a question of boundary, and PROVIDED
fur lis adjustment BY negotiation, and that nego-
tia,ion should have been resored TO for the pur-
nose In answer il may DC said that peaceaoie
anil friendly negotiation was tried. and IN VAN.
We have sent no less than TWO ministers 10 seuie
!, has but with DO other effect than the rejection
If bolh. and the insult Of the nation.
80 other alternative has been lei! us than war,
or Inc surrender Of The whole, or part oil lexas,
a. Mexican moderation might choose 10 demand;
Which of these alternatives would the internal
enemies of Ibis war e,ect? Would they Pcrmh
Nerico 10 fix the }imitssof her own rapacity -
Wonld they surrender Texas, even IT. they could
do so, to the experience OF anolhet Alamo anI
Goliad, after solenfn!y pledging The iaHh ana
strength of the nation 10 preserve ana project hei
Or would they war, if it became necessary, as IL
ha. to iulal this solemn obligations Zen. lay
lor and his gallant band enca mped upon Inc oanhs
If The Rio Grande, 10 fulfil this obligation, anu
here he was attacked Ii he had halted at the
Nueces. The same result, mos! likely, would nave
,ak.n nlacc: and so also il he had halted on me
Wes,ern baak q. the Sabine, if The enemy coulu
have reached that point As there was 10 iiinit
10 The Mexican claim short oi the liiii''s u
T,xas we have reason 10 believe, from her an
nuncia,ions and conduct, there would nave 9ee ).
no peace if her authority had been contested IN
any part.