Weekly national intelligencer., 1846-05-16
TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
MONDAY, MAY IL, ls46.
IN SENATE.

message was received from the President Of the United
States on Mexican affairs which will be found in the preced
ing columns.
The message having been read
Mr. SEWER moved that the message and documents be
referred to the Committee Foreign Affairs and printed
Mr. DAVIS desired that the documents accompanying the
message be read
Mr. SPEIGHT observed that those documents were very
volunous and the reading would consequently occupy
considerable tme lie suggested that a. they were to be
printed the reading might be dispensed with at present de
moved that twenty thousand additional copies OF the message
and accompanying documents be printed
Mr. CALHOUN said they had now very great question
presented TO hema question which, in view OF oil its con-
sequences, would take many years terminate and he
hoped that the Senate would this occason manifest that
quiet dignity and give the subject that dspassonaie con-
sderaon which worthy the character Of grave and de-
Lucrative body He trusted that they would, laying ssde
every minor consideration proceed TO the adoption Of
such rendered necessary in the present
emergency such the Constitution demanded Of them, and
such the honor and the interests the country might
quire But he hoped that in this of the nothing
than usual would be done in regard printing do
for the of the Senate after they had had the
under consideration it would be time enough to deter
what number should be published II had always been
understood that the printing Of number of any set of
documents endorsement of their contents He would
offer opinion upon the documents before hem but he
thought would be at least undgned on the part OF the
Senate to print unusual number.
Mr. SPEIGHT said he responded heartily to every word
which had fallen from the Senator fom South Carolina as to
the proper action of the Senate upon this occasion his mo
position suggested by his friends around him, as that
supposed the people throughout the country would be
desrous reading the documents He could not whe
he the printing might be considered endorsement OF them
by the Senate but this he would say that far he
concerned he for endorsed every word they contained
He entirely approved of the message and was prepared WITH
out hesitation to carry out what the President had
ed He had recommended declaration of war he had
only recommended the placing at his disposal sufficient mill
tary force repel invasion He believed there was no
American who would respond to that message he woud
do the Senator from South Carolina the to say nat ne
believed he would respond to it.
II he thought the of the Senate that no more
than the number of copies should be printed he would
withdraw his motion but he would repeat that ne believed
there would be desire throughout the country read these
documents, and he why they should mol DC
printed and circulated extensively This message was
highly important document they had reached an
crisis and he agreed with the Senator from South Carolina
that they should meet il firmly and with due and proper deli
beraon. For his part he was prepared 70 meet IT,
Mr. ALLEN said he believed it usual whenever an
important communication made to Congress- that COM
municaon and the documents which accompanied were to
vouinous find admission in the public newspapers Of the
country for the Senate Of the United States 10 supply the de-
mand of the country by printing an extra number q such
communcation with the accompanying documents No
would question for instant the anscendan importance OF
the matter communicated to the Senate and no man
doubt that the matter contained IN those papers was too
youmnous to find publication in the Newspaper OF the
country No man could doubt the right which the American
people had indulge that wholesome curiosity winch would
induce them to look for the publication Of tse docusenss
These were which there could be doubt and
there ever was where became important TO
extended circulation great public fact this was that case
They told by the Senator from Mississippi that the Pre-
sdent had not recommended declaration of but the
Senator had overlooked the important fact that the Pre-
sdent told them that actually exists and be had asked
Congress of the United Sates to acknowledge that fact
by such public should natonalze it. and put the Uni
ted States that relation to the nations of the world which
she had right occupy in consequence of state of
Il had been said that time for deberaon necessary but
the time for deberon should be measured by the crisis
aoff rs,uu1rr
were to be had What the crisis here The crisis
existing Debeon, then, could tend to benefit AS
for the suggestion which had been thrown out that the
on Of the army Of this Government ought to be limited to its
own soil that we should be required to fight only
square Of the board while Mexico fights the whole board
seemed him involve the most suicidal policy How
could the war be brought to successful sermmauon now
could peace which should have any duration be expected
result from conflict conducted in that manner unless Mex
CO given distinctly understand that when she makes war
upon the United States she ncus all the consequences which
state of war inicts But he would go further in this
matter this he desired that the documents should be
printed and extensively circulated for which he had
already given And for the purpose Of testing the sense Of
the Senate upon the question Of printing an extra NUMBER ne
asked the yeas and nays.
The and ordered
Mr. SEWER / understand the motion to refer the
sage the Committee Foreign Relations has been carried
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question has not yet
been put
Mr. SEWER said he hoped that question would be put
first #Nt
j.. vi.
ence would be the Committee Military Affairs. The
President asks Congress for aid and assance to carry on
military operations; it appeared to him that the matter should
that committee, and not to the Committee on Foreign
Relations.
Mr. CALHOUN said he had in part, effected the object
had in by ecng the observations which had been
by the Senator from Ohio His object that the
Senate should precpaiey order the printing OF
NUMBER thereby causing be inferred that there was
absolute endorsement of the documents the part OF the
Senate He would admit the President had announced that
there war; but according to his interpretation, was not
such the Constitution designated BY the term war
For his part he inclined distinguish between hos
ities and God forbid that they should be found
under the Constitution Of this Government conoundng the
one with other. There might be invasion without
and they might find themselves forced to opel invasion, and
yet such strictly entitled to be so de-
nominated Il for Congress TO determine whether
should be declared or not And under that aspect Of
the question that he unadvbe that there should
any the part Of the Senate tending sanction the
idea that there There a certain calmness, Dig
ny decorum and orbearance expected he exercised by
the Of the United States which should never be lost
sight Of He hoped that body would suffer itself 20 oe
carried away by mpesuosty hurried into precpsafe ac1on
country required. He wished to be prepared al an Pn,
but he wished that this should be performed IN manner
worthy Of the Senate Of the United States
Mr.. SEWER said It was his purpose 70 Pson0
discussion upon this matter. He had moved mu h,a
the COMMITTEES 70 which il seemed him properly 70 oe'ong
He merely following the usual coulso -
breach Of decorum and want OF dignity "a "ss n
Mr. CALHOUN said he had not the sngntes' iee'enco
to the Senator from Arkansas in any ming ne nau su
Mr. SEVER. NV motion was 70 reict he niesssso ~ 49,
(or,n. an Foreign Relations, where messages OF that sort
,baS euatnr mOT