Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-12-24


Missouri, delivered in the Senate OF the United
States on the 18th Of June, 1874, in reply to MIR,
MoDufie OF s. C. on the annexation of Texas.
The points in issue, The Erecutiue orders, and orr
Mexican relations, were then preclsely as ho"'
with the exception that hostlities had not been ac-
tually commenced. 1t is conceded by all that on
questions of history and international law, Colonel
Benton has not his superior in America ana MS
loug intimate political associations with the admin
stration and Southern politicians give to his state
ments and opinions, weight and Importance ngh
above any and all other men. AN OBSERVER.
Erirdcis from The Speech of M. Benton Of Missouri,
in rcpty TO Mr.. lhDgGc, delivered IN The Senate
oCMe United States, Saturday, June 10, 1914.
"Risinp as Mr.. McDuile concluded, and taking
up the last words of his speech, Mr.. BENTON
exclomed--but with this great difference this
great difference that my bill refers the question of
war with Mexico to Congress! where all questions
of war belong and the negotlators of tins treaty
made war thcmsevesl They the President and
his Secretary of State made the war themselves
and made it unconstitutionully, peridlousiy, clan
destinely and practically. The secret orders to our
army and navy were piratical, for they were with
out law and to waylay and attack friendly pow
or, with whom we have treaty Of aInity: and as
member of Court Martial, would sentence TO be
shot, any officer of the army or navy, who should
dare to attack Mexican troops, or ships, or cities
under that order. Officers to obey lawful Or
dcrs, and no others and they arc not to make war
by virtue Of any Presidential orders, until Congress
has declared Il! But how
stands the case with President and Secretary
who have literally done what Patrick Henry never
conceived for his famous expression applied to the
federal Constitution ITSELF and not to its mere adj
m1istrators) when these two iunctionarles, by
secret compact with a foreign power, employ the
purse and the sword upon a peaceful neighbour
with whom we have treaties OF amlty, commerce,
navigation and limits; and that without the knowl-
p1u of !
Officers, since the rejection Of the Treaty, may get
out o. their position without the guilt OF pirotlca
war; but what is the guilt of the men who sent
them out to commit it-who concealed their illegal
orders from Congress gave contradictory reasons
for them to the Senate for them, when detected
and whose folly might make war even after their
absurd reason for it had ceasod:"
"What is due to the guilt of men who have order
ed such crimes these, although the Senate may
prevent their preparation"
My bill is constitutional for it refers the
question of war to Congress. And
whenever Congress comes to decide the question
OF war with Mexico, as a means Of getting Texas
year or so sooner, then they Will have serious
question on hand and one to DO vowod under ma
nv aspects. The Justice Of such a may claim 4
thought from the conscences of some, not haung
as tce certainly hare not, any cause of war with
Mexico. Its policy might claim consideration with
others, who might deem it impotc for the republic
of the United States to commence war with the
republic Of Mexico, with the certainty OF eXasper-
atng against us all the republics of South America
Its profit might arrest the attention of Others who
might see in the loss Of Mexican trade more niu
ry to individual and national wealth, than the diff
ference of few years in the acquisition of Texas
could balance or repair. All this Congress, rep
resentlng the people, might consider and count the
cost Of, before they engage in a war with neigh
Dor with Whom we have trade and treaties, and
which is at the head of the Gordon of Southern re-
publics. Congress would consider these things
our administration did not.
"They rushed in
Where angels fear 10 troad.'
"Thc Senator undertakes to answer my speech
nat ne AVOIDS All t,e ilard places He says nothing
OF THE TWO THOUSAND MILES OF
MEXICAN TERRITORY, lover and above Tex
as, and to which TeXian soldier ever went, ex-
cept to be killed or captured) He
says nothing about this open assumption of the
purse and the sword; nothing about the
loss of Mexican commerce, and the alienation of
all the South American States from cause 81
nothing about the breach of the armistice, and
breach of treaties with friendly power VI
The great objections to the treaty its encroach
ments upon New Mexico, Chihuahua, Coahuila,
and Tamaulipas in its adoption of the Texan
war--in its adoption of that unconStutondly
in its destruction Of our trade with MeXico-in
our.brcach Of treaties-in the alienation of Mexico
and OF all the South American States from us-our
permanent loss Of trade and friendship with those
our Union) so carefully and so thickly planted in
it."
"Polk and Texas are strong, and can carry
great deal, but not every thing. The oriental sto-
ny informs that it was the last ounce that broke
the cames back what if a mountain had beefput
first on the poor animals back Notification is
n mountain! Dsunion is a mountain! and what
could Polk and Texas do with two mountains up
on their backs? And here, Mr. President speak
out! The time has come for those to speak out
who neither fear nor count consequences, when
their country is in danger. The country is in
danger! Modification and DiSunon are reuiUed
and revived under circumstances which menace
more dangerthan ever, since coupled with popu-.
lar question which gives to the plotters the honest
sympathies Of the patriotic millions. | have often
intimated it before, but now proclaim it. DlSUN-
ION is al the bottom Of This long concealed TeraS
machindton. Intrigue and speculation cooperate {;
but disunon is at the bottom; and | donounce it
to the American people. Under the pretext of
getting Texas into the Union the scheme is to get
the South out of it. SEPARATE CONFED-
ERACY, STRETCHING FROM THE AT
LANTIC TO CALIFORNIA, land hence the Sc
cret of the Rio del Norte Gonticr0 as The cherished
piston Of disappointed ambition; and for this con-
summation every circumstance has been carefully
and artiully conrived. A secret and intriguing
negotiation, concealed from Congress and the peo-
pie: an abolition quarrel picked with Great Britain
to father an abolition quarrel at home: a slavery
correspondence to outrage the North: war with
MeXico the clandestine concentration of troops
and ships in the Southwest; the secret compact
with the President OF Texas the fla
grant seizure of the purse and the sword the con-
Trajectory and preposterous reasons on which the
detected military and naval movement was de-
tended; all these announce the prepared catastro-
Phe; and the inside view Of the treaty betrays its
design The whole annexed country is to be ad
mitted as territory with treaty promise to be ad-
mitted as States; the whole 10 he
slave states, land with the boundary to The Rio
Gran n5 there nay be great mOny,) and the cor
shows the design of its trainers, wholly directed 70
THE EXTENSION OF SLAVERY AND THE
EXASPERATION OF THE NORTH, What
else could be done to get up Missouri controversies