The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-22

OF each, IN defiance OF the VIII OF the majority OF the
State of Massachusetts AT the present day, among
those on the stage of active life Mr. Webster ke Mr..
Calhoun is OF the representative men OF the age In
the pride OF the spirit OF opposition, Massachusetts may
perhaps say
'sAnd true JOY Marcelus exed feels,
Than Caesar with The senate al his heels"
But why should Marcellus be exled Why should
Caesar have the senate at his heels Is it not however,
the extreme secnonalism sateism speak, of Mas
sachusetts, qualified by circumstances, mod
flied By events, never expanded the breadth of the ma
ton that renders impossible for her statesmen to have
continued authority in the federal government For il
he the favore of Massachusetts, pre- eminent in all
the qualities OF statesman, do but expand his PIN
ions for moment towards those empyrea heights of
greatness whittier the native instincts of genius rrepres
sbly bear him, he is dragged down again by the dead
weight OF that extreme sectiOnallsm OF opinion OF this
State, which is of the earth earthly and which aims TO
found national party upon the exclusive opinions of a
single community, with the same wisdom that an artist
would exhibit, who should undertake, in erecting that
monument OF our fathers glory on the neighboring
heights to place it the point of its apex instead
of its broad and stable base.
Mr. c. said it was possible that some gentlemen might
regard the question OF their vote on this resolve in refer
ence to its supposed effect on personal popularity He
would not affirm that they had not right so to do 1t
proper for legislator to look to and respect popular
opinion. He verify believed that if this question could be
directly presented to the people of Massachusetts, and
fairly debated before them law is argued to an
impartial jury that great majority OF them would be IN
favor of the passage of the resolve He entreaied gentle
men TO consider Of this dspassonatey and they doubt
urely what will be the popular award not OF this mo-
ment but Of the next year and OF all time i thus egisa,
Of proceeding Which was by
the State in regard to the with Great Britain What
has been the public Judgment upon the extreme party OPP
position of Massachusetts during the last war; what the
effect OF that upon the interests of the State and what,
above ALL its effect upon the party itself and the leading
politicians of that party in Massachusetts
Mr.. c. said the conflict to which he had referred be-
tween federal and State rights, and which had been
pushed to such in Massachusetts, pervaded many
of the public questions of the day. in all the States and
tbput ,fltnnc
present Congress- the measures adopted for the pros
ecuton of the war, especially the question OF what
description Of troops should be raised The States are
jealous of large federal armies, giving patronage and
power to the federal Executive. To accommodate this
feeling Congress decided to raise volunteers organized
and Differed by the States rather than regulars organized
and differed BY the President
Accordingly act passed, authorizing the Presl-
dent to request and accept the services OF $1,000 voun-
OF the law, the President called the governor of the
Commonwealth to furnish her contingent of one regl-
ment and in compliance with this request the governor
of this Commonwealth issued his proclamation COVER
nor calling the citizens OF the State to enrol them
selves in terms of patriotism worthy himself and his
dignity and as commandment chief issued his general
orders authorizing the formation OF regiment In behalf
of the State.
Mr.. c. said it did not belong to him, perhaps, to as
sumo to condemn or applaud Governor Briggs but he
should reproach himself he suppressed the expression
of his respect for the present chief Of the State
when, especially, the circumstances demanded at his
hands lie had known Governor Briggs long, in other
speaking Of him at all times and in all places
hearted and loyal friend, and as wise and good man.
And he rejoiced that this occasion he had not been
wanting either to his character or to the honor OF
the Commonwealth over which he presided ;,
Those f any who condemned these acts of the COVER
nor, Mr. C. saidhe would ask to consider what altena-
tive he had. In this, as in all other cases, he who
censures the acts of the executive is bound IN honor
is duty officially speaking, not to be content with idle
and pontless faulttnding. but to designate what better
should have been done. The governor might have re-
fused all compliance with the request OF the President
ho,n
cation 1t behoove1 him (Alr. CD to use the specihc
word which alone designated the thing NO service was
done to the house by seeking any circumocutlon OF
Briggs did would have been notification, IN that most
odous OF all OCCASIONS to wit when the whole strength
of the Union is demanded by the exgences of war.
But the governor had legal acts to perform, officially
and under his responsibility to the Commonwealth He
found that he had power to raise organize and COM
State called of that select corps of 1000 men, which
by the laws Of the State, TO be always prepared tor
duty in of war; nvasion or nsurrecton and WHICH
is paid by the State for 50 DOING and that in no other
way had he the legal power to comply with the request
of the President. Such, point by point had been the
course pursued in raising the regiment
Mr. c. repeated that the regiment was at this hour a
regiment of Massachusetts militia, and nothing else.
They were not mere volunteers. They occupied their
place in the eadre of our active militia, Whether IN the
mountain plains by the tropical shores Of Mexico,
fighting the battles of their country or at Their homes IN
Massachusetts, they still integral part OF the de,
fined, specific limited corps of the volunteer militia OF
the Bay State SO says the Adutant General expressly
But he did not say It, proved by the series OF facts
that the calls for them under the law; that the
Adjutant General issues their rolls that he presdes al
the election of their officers that they receive their com
missions, such, from the governor, all the forms OF
the law and that the oath they take as officers is an oath
of allegiance to the State OF Massachusetts,.
Congress deferred to the Staerights pride and preI-
dice of the States, in ts call for these volunteers Gov
ernor Briggs acted in the of respect to the
rights of the State organizing them according to its
laws If they not State militia Mr. c. called gen.
temen say what they were, and by what law organ
ized Ors TO be commended that they have been organ
lied and differed by the governor without law. and if so
Mr. c. understood the governor to be the creature of the
constitution the annually elected executive minister OF
the sovereign people of the State doing nothing without
law, and mpeachable if doing anything against law
gentlemen denied these volunteers TO be State militia,
Mr. c. called on them to define their legal condition. to
show what law the governor acted under. The act OF
Congress affords help for it pescribes the law of the
ma. They constrained to admit the volunteers to be
militia, organized as such under the only law applicable
to the else that the has, under color OF
his Office, committed paplbe violation OF the laws OF
the State long series of acts, running through pc
ROD OF nearly six months, and affecting the lives and lib
critics OF hundreds of citizens of the Commonwealth.
Mr. c. contenel that the governor hal done his duty
IN this matter, and more; that he hal acted strict
accordance with law az well as in conformity with the
dictates of patriotism; and that this regiment legal
y and truly part OF the Massachusetts, active militia.
1T remained to inquire what was, then, the duty of
Massachusetts, towards these her militia, about TO take
the held in foreign land there to fight the battles of
e country as the Massachusetts, regiment of the forces
o the United States Mr. c. referred to the report of the
select committee for the details of the extra expenses
CURED by the officers and men in raising these troops
and OF the deficiencies I'm the continent Of men fIe