The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-09


90 Tux cosGnrsOsAl RersR will be furnished them on The
terms
to me- the country could ask for. They have perfect
right to arragn the Executive for pecpitating the
Try into war, If that doneor not properly conduct
ing the since il has been been begun, if that has
been the In party IN opposition at once recog
Mise their rghta perfect highland they ought to
else It, their duty TO recognise IT, and 1t 10 Tor their
advantage that ii should be exercised upon u.s. They
have perfect right to censureo condemn the conduct
If they condemn the conduct of the war. And SO
long as they give the Executive the means that
ne asked IN money and IN men for the purpose
posing that we. have the least right to complain
Suffer say, however that while think no ration
al bengno human being delight in war, provoke
the lips OF the honorable gentleman from Massachusetts
Mr.. WINTHROP that all war is unmitgated evil No
man can name the evil moral, POLITICAL civil, or OF any
gave this country than thirty years Of profound
and unexampled progress and have doubt at
all that when this war endsand have abiding
acknowledgement that its benefits far outweigh its evils
War TO be sure is an evil So is government evilsO
is taxation an ev-bni all are necessary evils. Any
evil that not waged for the purposes of peace
But IN country like this, whose local rem0eness from
the rest of the world and its peculiar structure of gov
eminent renders war always an occurrence so the
peculiar circumstances of this country occasional war
an EVIL that has occurred and must rarely to be
hardly evil call the attention of this committee to
apoos for WAR s The na HeS from a Whc
we are descended has been involved in too many wars
| hope it will not be our fate to have so many But
nation OF twenty millions of people went round the
whole globe to subugate, and soon did subjugae
ton OF two hundred and fifty millions of people Why
a nation, too, every man OF whom it is said
read-a nation far advanced in all the arts and en-
oymcnts OF peace but nation, unfortunately entirely
IMMERSED IN the necessary arts of refer to Eng
land and China. should be sorry the day when the
spirit OF this country shall be far debasedso far UNI
strung by the very enoyments OF peace be unable
when necessary, to vindicate itself in war For be-
eve that in this world of the nation individual
that cannot do so is apt to be subject at least to extreme
Inconvenience, and very often to suffering degradation
AS far as my official intercourse and may say perhaps
my personal intercourse with the executive, enables
TO give an opinion. say that believe it TO be the
determination OF the executive, so long as Congress
gives the means IN money and IN TO this
war ought to be waged, by striking the hardest blows
that can be struck short of nhumanity, those de-
cared to be our enemies by the solemn declaration of
the constituted authorities of this country And have
no doubt at all that that the best, the only by far
the speediest way to such peace will alone satisfy
either country II has been charged that all vigorous
hostites are Inconsistent; that the three millions is to
with asked for and intended to be used the nego-
taon for peace, whenever proposed by Mexico but not
till then, which believe is not far off, My own impress
sion is strong that there will be such negotiation be-
fore the 4th oJuly next provided in the mean time this
war be waged, as venture to believe il will be waged,
by the armies and navies now in arms. making every
those gallant leaders-Scon Jesup Taylor and others
who broke the charm in Canada Of British invncbill
t in 1si3the ment they make it felt in the republic
OF Mexico, that is to no purpose to wage with this
country, shall at have peace honorable, per-
manent, and which will prevent all future conflicts be.
tween the two countries and at the time just gen
erous, magnanmous in all its provisions towards thai
country 1t is for that purpose that these three millions
are desired may De permitted to say that before the
war was declaredmtwo months before WAS declared
doubtful whether it would ever occhrem arrangement
was made. of which was officially Of the parties
by the Executive, for the purpose Of obtaining two mil
lions of dollars instead of three millions as now for the
purpose OF negotiating peace The honorable chairman
Of the Committee of Ways and Means, will recolec that
with the chairman of the Committee Finance, and the
chairman Of the Committee of Foreign Affairs in the other
House, on the subject The arrangements all made,
and the proposition would have been submitted to this
House at early day. when there occurred those dsas
rous crcumsances-the capture of Thornton, the death
Of Cross and SO forh. which deemed invasion of
our country by MeXcans-which excited the declaration
OF war, and postponed Tor some time this proposition
BY what have read in the newspapers of the speech
Of one distinguished gentleman in the other part Of the
building and what have heard myself day or two since
from another it is strongly argued that these three mil
lions OF dollars are to be given for the purpose Of buying
a peace It has nothing to do with buying peace |
will endeavor to state what be done with it. ques
lion of boundary-territorial questions have been ne
collation. between the republic of Mexico and the repub
ycars-eyer since the administration of Mr. Adams began
hem; and these questions yet unsettled except by
he iorclbe occupation Of parts Of that country Now
whilst have had confidential communications with the
Executive on this subject, do not, of course know
what are the entire sentiments of the Executive on the
subject 1t would not be proper that should be inform
I'd OF them am no party to these negotiations II is
not necessary to apprze me of anything more than is
needed to enable me to explain the matter to the commit
ZEE But believe and have doubt, that it is the wise
opinion OF those who will have to negotiate peace, when
ever peace is proered by Mexico, that will never be
igain ntmated from this captalabove all, from
he headquarters of the army, until il from them
u.s. and never from us to them. believe that is the
shortest way to obtain it. would have objection TO
1fer it, il by doing thought it possible to gain it,
But think that that course would be to postpone it.
Whenever peace is offered to by them, think it
The Intention-it ought to be the intention-of the
Executive to say: There have long been ques-
lions of boundary between us. We ask you
your province of Texaswha not State OF Tex
rs in 1S23-when secretary, Mr. Clay, addressed
letter to that amount to minister in Nexlc0and in
he 1885 again asked You to sell part of Up
California, particularly for the benefit of the naviga-
ing interests of this country on the Pacific ocean, You
nication then made by minister Mr. Butler of
nuncation from Secretary Of State Mr. Forsyth, BY
he direction of Gen Jackson at that time President of the
United States We have Texas already-we think we
have. We have California aready-bu we wish before
he world to make peace upon such terms as Perhaps
generosity We wish to enable you to say that we have
bought tat-that have paid something-that this is
affair OF conquest you may YOU choose.
say that have bought the territory And further
more, you knowor, at least, merchants say, that
you owe them millions for unjust spoations We will
pay them all. We viii pay our own citizens We will
not ask YOU for cent But those territories, hardly held
by youhardly inhabited by you--hardly governed BY
you-from which you have never derived anything but
roube-lhcse territories BY may be inhabited cultvs
ed and developed in such way TO be infinitely val
liable TO u.s. and infinitely profitable you than ever
70 L hat hia mas he said