Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-12-23
foR TUX VIM.
Origin OF the Wharf.-The Message RE-
yleWed.

eonsu'ehoaal sense In which We understand that term.
by the Consultation, he 10 required 4" to give 10 Congros,
information OF the state OF the Union, aud commend L
their consideration such measures As he shall iudse neees
saIy snd eSPediont: - but whether it was ever cOntcmpla.
ted, that, IN giving Information OF tho state of the Union
and recommending measures necessary and o~xpcdient, he
was TO hold forth IN a deliberate set speeeh of dsfeae, o.
what he had done, and for what no had been oyerwheIm.
inRiy condemned in all those States where the opportunit,
had been presented, Of expressing an opinion-a speech
which was Tar more BETTING one OF his partizans on tn,
door, or one OF his counsel in his defence under an im,
parchment, than the dignity OF a Chief Magistrate. con
seious OF a faithful discharge OF his public duty-is a cues.
ton about which there might be some difference of OPT.
mon, and concerning which | am not disposed TO handy
words. | will only say that. 10 my mind. il behaved tho
workings OF a guilty conscience, aud the conviction OF a
desperate cause.
But in other respects, 1t must strike all considera,e and
weU-iniormed men, as a most remarkable production.
will not deny that It is written with a reasonable degree OF
ability and ingenuity bu, to say that It lie hollow hearted,
deceptive, hyPocriucai aud false, Is, in my Judgment, but
ieeby expressing ats true character. IL deserves To b.
placed, aud will sooner or later find its level along side OF
II. predecessor Of 81 40" clear and objectionable
uue'' " the whole or none" document. that, Just twelve
months ago, was ushc'ed to the world. with about as many
h'Htishes Q, the pen, from the democratic prcss, as has
accompanied this miserable. aboruve progeny.
Mr.. folN evidently feels that a great issue has been made
between himself and the country, upon which, as | before
said, ne has been sgnaliy condemned; and 1t appears to
me that the whole tenor aud drift OF his lato annual COM
munieanon 10 the people. through Congress, has been to
mysuly and mislead the judgment OF those not well in
formed upon that particular subject, and to present new is
sues, and OF | may use the expression sometimes INDUCED
IN rely upon false facts.
In the first place he lakes occasion to say. that Mexico
forced this war upon US, by her own act, (Which is repeated
some twenty times, IN different iofms) that she had inva-
ded our territory, attacked our forces, and shed the blood
Of American eiuzens, on our own soil. whilst all honora.
be means were rosotted To by him to avoid war. We shall
see IN the sequel whether ths be true or false. And vet.
strange as It may be, instead OF undertaking TO show why
It was that Mexico, the weaker power Of the two. inRu-
eneed by no hope OF conquest, with no reasonable cxpec.
ialon OF success, torn 10 pieces by her civil connections
crippled IN her resources, destitute OF credit and the means
OF carrying on the war, with everything TO lose and nothing
to gam, Instead, say, OF showing why Mexico thus madly
and bhudy forced US into a war, by invading the territory
Of the Unltcd States, (Which If Mr.. Polk knows anything.
he knows was not 80. as | will presently show.O aud at
lacking our forces, launches forth into 4 most extrayagant
eNaFgcrauon OF the many insults, wrongs ana deptedations
our country had sustained and submitted TO, for years and
years past, and reflects upon the character OF our govern
men', and his predecessors. for not having long ago forced
usrieo INTO a Har, ~ an iHrGaon Of her territory and
an attack upon her forces.
Let us see what all this (Which l will undertake to show.
from Mr.. Pok's own pen, is unbound ID has 10 do with
the war-now existing, and made by ar. Polk and not by
heNico-tor which he should be held to a proper accoun.
liability, and about which no man who il free, or deserves
10 be tree, will have his mouth muZzled by the clap-uap
words of aiding aud comforting the cncmy"i am no
Mexican, and akin 10 no Mexican / AN no Texan or Me1.
lean land-holirr OF stockjobber; but an American citizen.
devoted 20 my country, my c~ountymcn and the consutu-
ton Truth Is truth, and right is right; and when | know
{, | will speak II out, fearless Of the denunciauon of n hire.
ling press. lsay then, what has all this to do with the OK
isung war; suppose Mexico TO have commenced i'll
Does Mr.. Polk mean 10 say that Mexico undertook 10 make
war upon US because she mad committed depred,uons on
our commerce, Qor which she had already agreed to pay
an equtValent) or that she wanted to fight US, because we
would neither whip her, nor make her paw for it2 II NOT
thea this had no influence with Mexico in making war If
she did make It, and : not therefore seraqne to the matter.
Or suppose VII. Polk made the war! Does he mean 10 saw
that, he marched the United States Amy TO the Ri,
Grandc, not even then m difpHfc between the two govern
mems, but IN the absolute and u~ndisputed possession OF the
Mexican authorities, 10 to;ce tho payment OF the indemni-
ties agreed 10 be paid by Mexico, for the wrongs and in.
lures he has - p!teously related or to punish her for her
former uansgfessions, for which she had already been held
4 rpsnmuEHhP and fr Nufnh sha au-N.d O., r.l. ii
las will be shown Ii so, then | ask by what authority
he undertook, at the point OF the sword, with Congress
sitting at ms own door, to make a war for any such pur-
pose And, II It was not tor this purpose that he ordered
Gen. Taylor to march his army from Corpus Christi 10 the
Rio Grande, then / ash, why II is introduced in this COM
municauon, except to mIslead and eniangie, to hoodvink
and bIEd, TO mys'ify and deceive You yourselves.
Messrs. Editors, have already too clearly shown hs well
as many otners0 the ialacy OF Mr.. Folks pretensions 70
our clear and unqgesronable title to this territory, on the
last bank Of the RIu Grande, 10 require any confirmation.
But will here ask the question Suppose il had properly
belonged ~ the United Sutes, as a part of Texas: Con-
gress, by its Joint resolution, admitting Texas, had done so
upon the express condition, that the State should b,
formed, subject 10 the Adjustment By this government. Of
all questions Of boundary that may arse ruth other eor-
eTRmeH:s" And now ! ask, by what authority, from wBat
source, or irom whom derived, did Mr.. Polk undertake,
(and Congress IN session 1907 10 settle his unsettled boun.
Diary question, lo. open By Congress Tor adjustment by this
gOrsrHmeR:, and not seizure by the PreEideat; by taking
military possession and pointing bis guns upon a Mexican
town On the opposite bank-irom which this wicked, unne-
cessary, uucaled for, unchrisuan. unconstitutional. ex-
| ptNelNe ~ lUltuQN war mas GusuEu Z lie has not under
taken 10 show any such authority, which was his first duty,
aud until he does, he should be held 10 a Iust aud strict
Accountability for all the money that shall be eX-
pended, and all the American blood that has been, or may
be spilled, upon the plains Of Mexico. J. II not munstrous
to see thus government OF ours, borrowing money, issuing
treasury notes, straining It's credit, creating a great national
debt, enllsung soldiers, asking for volunteers, sacrificing
our people, degrading itself IN the eyes Of a civilized world;
our people sending of from time to time ommittec- 10 bring
nome the i'eless body Of their most cherished citizen or IA.
yoIio solder, that his bones may not whiten. as his blood
| has mgfztCUEu the Uu rs .f MsWlFNs nm fnuHs DID,
ana children %urphlusi oil az the bidding Of one man. whose
folly OF knaysry has plunged ne into this disgraccful wa.
aud he go unwhipt OF justice Give aid and comfort .y
the enemy iofsooth! That Is TO be the slang Of the day, Is
1t Give men and money 10 any amount, say |, to get the
country %hOnOrnb.y out Of the dficuiues with which II is
surrounded but at the same lime. and in the came breath.
Toilet c0IsiilIonal punishment upon whomsoeyer shall,
10y his recSiessncss and presumption, have made il neccs.
say 10 vote these supplies, 80 freely bestowed.
Give aid and comiurt 10 the enemy, en- Well! when
toe party upon whom ~ has chiefly devoiyed to fight these
battles o! hT. Polk, -hsll give 4" aid and comfort 10 the en-
envy by giving safe conduct into the county Of the abl,s 81
| generals aud statesmen, to be found al the head of tbei,
armies and councils, they may be charged with giving aid
and comfort to the enemy butin the mean lime that shall
not prevent an exposure Of the kniyory and rickery that
have attended this whole business, especially so far rs that
AnnYery and inckefy can be established from circumstau-
uai evidence aud public documents coming from under tho
hands Of the President himself. Muzzles wero made for
dogs, snd dogs only wear them.
think ih,u II must be conceded, that these Mexican
Outrages, long since alleged 10 have been pcrpetrnted. did
not induce Mexico TO undertake the punishment Of the u
oAuA'at Ii Wy "ut ~ u tnurgcu 10 have made. aud |
think II will be difficult to show that Mr.. Polk had nnv
authority 10 order tho army Of tho u. 5. into whit wa. in
d%Isputaby at that time Mexican territory, IN their poa.ez-
sion, and NEVER vat claimed by the q. States tioyorn.
ment, who alone hid the power aud the night 10 settle the
question OF BOUNDARY for tits idle 10 pretend that our re-
venue laws had been extended, or were intended {, be e2-
tended over that part OF the territory between the Neuces
and the Rio Grande, where Mexican custom houses were
established aud rom which they were then deriving row
enuc.
Now al this / sny was known TO Mr.. Polk; and III do
| not convict him Of the KNOWLEDGE and qrkuoyfgJg.u...
that this territory now claimed as q part Of Tex,s. and adj
miticd into our Union, was greatly beyond tho "gTsrrEy
LIMITS or TEXAS" and recognized by him as Mexican Ter
ntofy, unul ho had involved the country in war In resent.
ment Of a point Of e%uquetai say 4 I do not convict Mr.
James n PoIk OF tbs knowledge and recognition by Mr.
James h.Pok himself, then am willing 10 stand charyeJ
with giving "aid aud comfort 10 the enemy but n do.
then let ue Representatives Of tho people hold him &, the
responsibility no has assumed, md punish him az the Or
game law Of the land demands. Either Ici thcmd do thIs. or
declare az ousc that oil constitutional government be- AZ an
endi or that Whatever constitutional restrictions may be- i'm.
posed on Tho power Of The people, through their roprcscnta-
tive, 10 incorporate q Bank, protect labor. encourage in
1 AALHML