Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-02-26
Extract from COrwin'S Speech.

pun ~ te iIlouHe VI lHe spttSH hO'huS
Corwin of Ohio, made in the U. S. Senate
on the llth inst. on the "Three Million
Bill"
Not a man in North America who has a
regard for the rights Of nations,-l say more,
no man who regards truth and honor, does
believe that the marching Of your army was
into a neighboring Republic but will agree
there is only one course left. You must call
your army back [, You must unless you are
willing TO be thought a robher-ln invader
of your neighbor>-you must recall that ar
my! Retrace your si%eps--anJ if your Pres
ident asks Of me men and money TO prosecute
the war. with Gods assistance and my own
poor faculties, he shall have neither men nor
money TO prosecute any such purpose.
How is it Am | mistaken in thisl IF
| am, | shall consider him the cleverest friend
that | may own mall the relations that should
happen to me, or can happen to me in this
life ! will consider him the hest friend who
shall satisfy me that | am mistaken in regard
to this very question Of fact which | have
been examining. Gladly will ! retrace my
steps. Convince me that that army Of Gen.
Taylor was on American soil--satisrv me
that American blood was shed by a hostile
army on American soil, and the last dollar
that can be drained from all the resources of
the Countrywide last man that can raise an
arm in hattle--ihese will ! grant TO defend
that soil and 10 protect the rights of citizen ms
there. But until | an satisfied Of that / do
confess that ! must have a right to have an
opinion on this subject.
While the American President can COM
mand the army, thank God ! can command
the purse. While the President. under the
penalty Of death, can command your officers
to proceed, | tan tell them to come back for
supplies. as he may. He shall have no funds
from the in the prosecute Of such a war.--
That ! conceive 10 be the duty Of ii Senator.
| am moi mistaken in that. II it is my duty
to grant whatever the President demands. for
What am | here? Have | no will upon the
subject? Is it not placed at my discretion,
understanding. judgmentl Have an Amer
lean Sc ate ard House of Representatives
nothing to do hut obey the bidding of the
President, as the mercenary army he COM
mands is compelled to obey under penalty of
death No! your Senate and House of
Representatives were never elected for such
purposes as that.
They have been modelled on the good old
plan OF English liberty, and are intended to
represent the English House of Commons
who curbed the proud power Of the King in
olden time, by Withholding supplies, if they
did not approve of the war. 1t was in that
way that English liberty was preserved at
one of the most critical periods in the histo-
ry of that wonderful people. How was it
that Charles the LIST came to have at last his
head upon the block by the judgment of the
Ronndheads and P%uritans OF England lie
had granted them everything they asked
Iin had enrrnnInrnl oil tla l,l,
tlves save one, and what was that! The
command of that army raised for the purpose
Of 1uelling the rebellion in ireland. The in
famous Wentworth (Strafford) had counsel
led him all along whatever he yielded up Il
stick 10 the command of the army.
The Parliament men had required Of him
that they should appoint The Generals TO com
mand, and this was all the remaining differ
ence between them. On that depended thu
head of him who represented AN hundred
kings, reigning by divine right. "Give us
the command of this army" they said. What
WAS the reply of this doomed and faied rep,
resentative Of the house Of Stuart! "Nnt
for one hour, by Cd" Why did he stitch
to the command Of the army? 1t had no.
then become the hlbIt of the House Of Com.
mons to make specific appropriations Of mo.
ney. The supplies were given to the King
and he could distribute them as he pleased
Such men as Hale. and Somers and Others
had not yet learned the true art of managing
the iyrdnts OF England. While Charles
could command the army, he might contro
the Paliament, and because he would no
give up that command, our Puritan ancestor.
laid his head upon the block. How did it
fare with the others
1t was on this very proposition of control
ling the Executive power of England by with
holding the money supplies that The House o
Orange came in, and by their accession to tn
throne commenced a new epoch in the histo
ry of England, distinguishing it from the oil
reign of the Tudors and Planiagenets an,
those who preceded it. Then it was tina
> Parliament specified The purpose Of appropria
l lion, and since 1858 it has been impossible
for "A king of England TO involve the peoPl
Of England in a war, which your Presiden
under your republican institutions and wit
= your republican Constitution has yet mana
; ged Ia do. Here you stand powerless. IL
commands this army~end you must not with
hold their supplies. He involves your coun
! try in a waslelul and exterminating wa
against a nation with whom we have n
cause Of complaint, but Congress may sa
nothing!
O'' ''N' ''hh NoiINo ~ pass Wv VI
American Senate-when the American Hous
of Representatives stoop to that submissio
10 the behests of the President who is for IN
time being commander of the army, grantin
him supplies because he had got you int
war, then let some Cromwell come in an
say-"rhe Lord has no need for you. Yo
are a barren fg-tree. You do not bring fort
fruit, and the fate of the barren fg-,ree
yours. Christ cursed it for its barrennes
and it wilhered." Believing that this is
war Of aggression, as the Senator from Mi
souri, had denominated it long ago before III
r same 70 be a question of war Of agg ~ressio
I on your part, | cannot support it. ! have n
t way left but to withhold the means TO carr
on that war. That way | have selected an
4 in that ! shall continue until ! shall be sati:
3 fed that have mistaken my ground on tn
: first grand proposition, and then ! shall be q
ready as any one to retrace my steps.