Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-05-21
MIR. DAVIS called for reading of the documents

UNDERSTOOD
volumnous, and the reading would occupy two or
three hours They would be printed with all possible
expedition; and he mir. S. moved that extra
| number Of copic>-twenty thousand-be printed.
Mr.. DAVIS did not press his call.
Mr. CALHOUN then rose, and said: The question
now submitted to is OF the gravest character,
and the importance of the consequences which may
result from it cannot now determine. do hope
that this body will give to il that high, full and dis
passionate consideration which worthy Of the charac
of the body and the high constitutional functions
which il is called on to exercise trust that will
weigh every thing calmly and deliberately ard do all
that the constitution interests, and honor of the coun
try NAV require hope that in the present state OF
| the question nothing further will be done than is
usua-that is to print the document for the use OF
the Senate, and after have had the subject under
consideration, it will be time enough TO determine the
number Of copies TO be printed. say this because no
man make up his opinion from the mere reading
of the message. II is eminenty proper that In this
case the deliberate of the body should be ex
pressed 1t is always understood that printing large
number of documents is endorsement. At all
events, think it would be undignfed in the Senate
to print on this occasion than the usual number
Mr.. SPEIGHT said, rise to respond to every sentence
every word-which has been uttered by the honora
able senator from South Carolina. My motive in
moving TO print extra number of copies of the mes
sage and accompanying documents the suggestion
of senator's around me- had supposed that the coun
try would be anxious to read those documents, and
why the printing of it should be necessarily
considered as an endorsement of that message. But
take occasion TO state here in my place that en-
dorse every word of that message. | approve of it.
The President has recommended what am prepared
to carry 1t is useless conceal the fact that he
has recommended no declaration of war. He only
asks Congress place at his disposal sufficient mill
tary force to repe any invasion of the territory of the
United States. apprehend that there is not single
senator who will not cordially respond that portion
- 4Io IL and,
seem to have approached important crisis, and
agree with the that should meet it firmly,
calmly, and with elaboration. For my part, am
prepared so to meet the crisis.
| Mr. ALLEN said: 1t is usual, believe, when very
| important communication is made to the two Houses
of Congress by the Executive if ii and the accompany
ing documents be volumnous not to find admission
to the public newspapers of the country for the Con-
gress of the United States meet the natural demand
of the country to print extra number of such
muncation with the ACCOMPANYING documents No
will question for instant the transcendent i'm
portance ofhe case communicated the Senate to-day
| No man will doubt that that matter, as contained in
the papers the table, IS too volumnous obtain
publication in the newspaper press of the country.
No doubt the right of the American people
| TO indulge that wholesome curiosity which induces
them to look for the publication of such documents
These are facts about which there be dispute;
and If ever there case in which it becomes i'm
portan to give an extended circulation great pub
lie fact this is that case. What is it The honora-
bic senator has told that the President recommends
no declaration of war; but he did not tell what the
President has told US, which is the far more impor-
tant fact, that actually exists and he asked the
Congress of the United States TO acknowledge that
fact by such public shall nationaze the troops
and put the United States in that relation the
tions of the world which she has right to growing
out of state of war; Sir, 1t has been said that time
for delberaton is necessary but the time of delbera-
ton should be measured by the crisis presented BY the
state of facts upon which that delieration is to be
had; and what is the crisis herei The crisis is ex-
listing war. The deberation can tend to point, if
it have useful object, except the great point of the
defence Of the country against invasion And as for
the suggestion thrown that the arm of the govern
ment should be limited to Its own soIl-that should
be required to fight over one square of the board,
while Mexico fights the whole board-seems to
me to involve most suicidal policy. How can this
war be brought to a successful issue how can any
permanent peace be expected to result at all from this
conflict with Mexico unless she is given distinctly TO
understand that when she makes upon the United
States she incurs all the penalties which the condition
of war infiics upon nations But am sensible that
this is aggressive. desire that these documents NAV
be printed in large numbers, for the that
have given and for the sake of testing the sense of
| the Senate, ask the yeas and nays.
/ Mr.. SEWER | understand that the motion to refer
the message, and print, has been carried!
| The PRESIDENT. The motion has not yet been put.
/ Mr.. SEWER moved that the motion be first put.
H Mr.. NJ CLAYTON then rose and said hope the
message will be referred to the Committee OIL
Foreign Relations, but the appropriate committee
that on Military Affairs The very object Of the
message is to procure munitions of 1t seems,
therefore, eminenty proper that the subject should go
to the military committee. and not TO the Committee
on Foreign Relations cannot perceive any pro-
priety in the reference TO the latter committee
Mr.. CALHOUN. have effected my object in part
the object which had in view in offering few OBJ
servations which addressed TO the Senate. My OBJ
iect was to show that there should be no haste on this
subject and that it should be inferred from the
printing of large number of the message, that there
was any special endorsement of it the part Of the
Senate | am informed that that intended and
therefore am perfectly Indifferent to what DISPOSE
ton may be made of the motion to print extra
Der of copies. Whilst | am up, take occasion 10
saw that | agree with the senator from Ohio, Mr.
ALLEN that the President has announced that there
is war but according to my Interpretation there is
no war according to the sense of our constitution
distinguish between hostilities and war, and God
forbid that acting under the constitution, should
ever confound one with the other. There may be in
vasion without war, and the President authorized
to repel invasion without war; But it is sacred
duty to make war, and it is for to determine
whether war shall be declared or not. If we have de-
\ cared war, a state of exists, and not till them
II was in this aspect of the question that regarded
it as one of great magnitude and deprecated any pre-
cipitate action the part of the Senate. There is
certain decorum which belongs to and which should
4 always characterize conduct. There is certain
forbearance, dignity, and camness which will make
war not the less effective If it should be fate to be
involved in war. / hope that shall indicate
on my part the earnestness with which &C into any
measure by a precipitate course of action. pre-
pared to do all that the constitution and patriotism
and the honor of my csuntry may require. But