Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1846-05-15
TWENTI-NINTh CONnRESS.
Correspondence u ne Bahtnors Ap,sricua.
WAsEtSGroE. MAY Ia.
SEN AIE

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,-sions OF the senate. unj that they he print
Mr Davis called ios the r,ading OF the doe
mcuts.
Nj Speighi moved to print 20 900 extra cop
MIR. Calhoun said that we were placed i'm a
position calling too solemn consideration and .
NhiCh u might ukc yeaTs 10 terminate. He I
iopcd that the senate would act with that /
-alm dclbentiou which became so important !
a subject, and meet thc crisis firmly and i'm a
proper spirit lie hoped ihe printing would
be confined To the usual number aud the
Committee OF Foreign Relations could then
determine upon the propriciy OF printing all
extra number. lie was opposed 10 amy prccip-
uaiion.
Mr. Spcighi said he submitted his motion
to PRINT at the suggestion of Senators around
hlm. lie approved OF the views ot the Sena-
tor from South Carolina, but as the documents
would De- spread before the public In the news
papers, lac could see no impTopriety IN print
ing an extra number. He approved oi the
Mcssage, which did not call Tor a declaration
oi war, but merely Tor the means OF repclling
invasion.
Mr.. Allen advocated the printing of an OK
ira number of copies. The Scma tor from Mis-
sissippi had stated tina, the President asked
Tor no declaration OF war bat he forgot 10
mention the important fact which the Prcsi-
dent communicated. that irar already crisis
Mr.. A. asked Tor The ayes and noes on the mo-
ton TO print an extra number.
Mr.. Sevies inquired whether his motion to
refer tho Message and documents To- the Com
mittcc on Foreign Relations had been adopted
The President repii.d that the question had
not yet been put.
Mr.. SEWER asked that it should bc put be
fore the question was taken on the motion to
print an extra number.
MIR. Calhoun pointed on, the distinction be
tween state cot war and state Of hos,ilitics
According TO the Constitution, war could not
exist without action on the part of Congress.
The President may rcpcl invasion, but cannot
make war without the advice OF Congress
MIR. e. said his objection to the motion TO
prut was made with view go prevent any
prcCipitate action, or by the printing of a
large number ot copies to give the endorse
ulcut OF the Senate TO tho sentiments of the
Message before the whole subject had been
thoroughly examined.
Mr.. J. NJ. Clayton moved 10 refer 20 the
Committee on Military Affairs War exist.
! Cd, and the Message called upon us FOR troops
and money. The Military Committee was
/ therefore the proper Committee to refer 20.
! Mi Moehesd regretted tina, he could not
concur M the motion OF reference made by the
.
mittee Of Foreign Relations was the proper
committee to which the subject ought TO BE-
referred. lie agreed with the Senator from
South Carolina that there was distinction
between state of war aud state ol bostii-
ties, and that war could not exist. according
10 the Constitution, without the action oil Con
gress.
Mr.. J. NJ. Clayton said the Military Com
miitce was, m his opinion the proper one 20
rrier the subject 10. The President had in
formed Us that war existed, and Ire was not
going TO stop 10 inquire whether NC were Ell
war according 10 the Constitution or not, hut
10 vote for .supplies OF men and moneys once
, and BY so doing he did not indicate any ap-
prevail OF the course OF the President IN bring
ing about such state of things. Our FIRST
care should be to adopt measures TO defend the
honor fihe country oud TO inquire into causes
afterwards
Mr. Archer opposed the reference TO the
Military Committee. lie was surprised that
his friend from Delaware he'd not discovered
the distinction be ween state oi wdT and OF
hosilities pointed ont by the Senator from
South Carolina lie did not understand tho
Message as saying that war sctnally existed.
II could not exist legally and Constitulionally.
II we recognized the existence OF war, we
placed IL IN the power of our Military Com
mdnders upon the frontier toinvolvc the couu-
try in q war al their pleasure. He would re-
mind the Senate that an American vessel was
destroyed few years since in our own waters
/ by an armed force OF Great Britain. Did that
constitute state of war between this country
and Great Britain2 Certainly not, aud Meth
CT did the attack of thesNiexican troops.
/ MIR. Benton said that two distinct ques-
I 'ious were presented in the Message. One
B involving the voting OF supplies and rccogni-
Ilng tine call made Tor volunteers, aud the other
IN reference TO the political relations between
the two countries. lie moved To Tetcr so
much OF tie message as related 20 the former
subject to tho Military committee and 50 much
as related TO the latter TO the committee on
! Foreign Relations.
/ MI Sewer accepted the modification.
Mr.. Cass said he approved highly Of tic
sentiments expressed by the Senator from
Delaware They were sentiments which did
honor 20 him as a man and - Senator. ln
reference 10 state of war. he said that 1t took
bat one county to make war, although II
took two 20 make peace. There were recent
occurrences IN the East which showed that
waT could exist without formal declaration
or either side
/ After some further remarks from Mr.. Allen
aud Mr.. Calhoun,
Mr.. MoIchesd expressed li. surprise that
The Senator from Michigan should have made
we sthuHl,ht tApienSfd ~ me N'idtoT from
Delaware the subject oi special Congrstuduou.
The sentiments were highly honorable in
thcmselyes, and were wei expressed, but
they were sentiments hc would venture 20
say, common 20 cveTy Senator upon chr POOR
a. ~ being 80 state of war, Nj VI sid that
u wc were az war IN The proper sense OF the
term then thc President had thc power Of
Bringing about a sistc oi war without the a..
ii5n OF Cougrss.
Nj Case aid he ccriamly could not have
teen misunderstood. IN congrsiuisti-1 'i.
8, BdtOT from Delawsre ..-.' wv Fi'al 'l Oh
b., ,c,,f,,,,. -,.as Intending tu cast en- impu.
~ uPon any other senator. We fcpudid
ted 1ny such des AMI that h. was well ss.
.urfd that there was not senator upon that
"a, Of fhe Chamber who would not e. as fsr
a, lit (Mf Ca1J would in fuHins he lionIf
oil his country
a.. IL - t.-tf