The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1847-02-16
CONGRESSIONAL,
SENATE.
Tuesday. February 10. lS47
THE THREE MII.IIoN BI,L

THE THREE MILLION BILL.
On motion by MIR. SEWER. the Senate then pro-
ceeded to the special order and resumed the con
sidera'Ion. as in committee If the whue Of the
h'l making further appropriation 10 hrny the ex
listing war with Mexico To a speedy and honorable
CONCLUSION.
Mr. Calhoun then rose. and thus addressed the
Senate Never. Mr. President. since ha We heen
on this stage ct action. has our country heen placed
! In more cr''ical condition than at present. We
are not only IN the midst of war very difficult
and very expensive. hut we are involved in a
domestic question of The most Irritating and dan.
perous character. They both claim an earnest
and deliberate consideration. and do trust that
before this session cluse late as il is that they
Will both receive full discussion II is due to
our constituents that the actual state Of things in
reference to both should he fully unders,md-
FOR 'he present. l propose To consider The qnes-
Ton which is more immediately pressing-how
shall the war be best conducted tn bring il most
advaniageonsy To successful termination Or,
l" express 1t little more fny.-how shall il he
conducted 10 enable MS most advantageonsly to
effect all the objects for which it was made q
For 1t is only by effecing this that the war can
properly he said To be successful. There are Two
ways IN which the war may be conducted The
"ne Is, To push On offensive operations until Mex
leo Is compelled Ia yield To our terms The
"'her rs, tn take defensive position and to main
tain and secure the country already i'm our militia
~ occupation and the question which | propose
10 consider is which OF these two plans of opera
ton ought to be selected. 1t is. Mr.. President, a
grave question in my "pnun. next in importance
only I" The war itself have given it my de-
llberi'e consideration, and the result to which |
have come is. that we ought to choose defensive
position shall now proceed to state the reasons
npon which that opini"n is founded.
L believe, Mr.. President, il is the policy best
Calculated To bring the war advan,ageously to
successful termination. or. to express it mure fully
and expllcitly--and wish to he fully compre.
hended on this important queson-to bring il TO
certain and successful lprmina ton and that with
the least sacrifice of men and mnney. and with
the least hazard of disastrous consequences and
loss oi standing and reputation tn the country If
rightly understand the object for hich The war
was declared. ] feel deep conviction that by as
sumlng this defensive attitude all this NAV be
effected say if | rightly understand FIR.
strange as II may seem. TO the object for which
this war has hecn declared is even at This late
day. Jeff 10 inference. | have examined the
Presidents message--unessages rather-and the
act OF This body making the war, and the result
of that examination has been this-that The object
nr which this war has been declared are three
told : hrst, to repel invasion next, 10 establish
the Rio del Nurte as the western boundary of
Texas and thirdly. to obtain indemnity for the
claims of our citizens against Mexico The two
hrst appear to me to he the primary objects of the
war. and the last To be the secondary object of
the war. The President in his message To Con
gress on the subject of the war, does not recon-
mend Congress 10 declare war. No. He az
snmes that war already tn exist and calls upon
this body 10 recognise it He assumed il to exist,
because he affirmed that the country had been in
yaded. aud American blood been spilled IN Ameri-
can SOU That assumption he predicted upon the
ground that The Rio del Norte was the western
boundary of Texas. for he affirmed that Mexico
had crossed that boundary-had come to the op.
posI'e side of the river, which in his opinion,
constituted the territorial limits of the country
But after having been entered into, he recon-.
mends subsequently that the war be prosecuted
with reference to the claims of our citizens The
act of Congress-, Mr.. President making war. or
| rather recognising war. for war had not vet been
declared-that act of Congress reiterated the
declaration of the President that war existed by
the act OF the republic Of Mexico and that the
Rio del Norte was the western boundary of Texas.
and that the crossing of that river constituted in
Vaslon Hence consider both the Executive and
the legislative branch of this government are com
| mltted to the fact that the Rio del Norte is the
western boundary of Texas, and that the crossing
and spllllog of blood on our side is an invasion
These. then, are the primary objects Of tile war
| But having got into war, the President recom
nended II to he prosecuted for the object have
northumberland is To say, indemnify for our citi.
zehs-a recommendation, in my opinion, proper of
iiselt Tor while we engaged in war all the
differences between the two countries ought, If
possible. To he settled. These appear To me to
he the objects of The war. Conquest is expressly
dIsav0wed, and constitutes none Of the objects Of
| the war The President, in addition, recon
'nends that we shall also prosecute the war in
order tn obtain indemnity for the expense of the
\ utnr hpt hat
object ut that war. IL is neither more nor less
than mere question Of policy for it would be
absurd IN the extreme to suppose that nation
! "onid enter int" var tor the purpose Of indemn-
! Tying Itself tor the expenses of that war | hold
| that snch being the objects of thai war. that all
the objects for which it was declared can he ac
comPsheJ by taking a defensive posiiinn. Two
| OF them have been already entirely effected The
enemy has been rPpelled by two brilliant vicio-
ries. The Rio del None is held from the month
| 10 us extreme source on the eastern side by our
selves. Not Mexican soldier is tn ne E,nnd nm
the eastern side Of it. As To the remaining in
demniy to our citizens, such has been the success
OF our arms that we have not only acquired enough
for that. but vastly more, even to comprehend.
great as they already have been, the expenses Of
the war. IT it should be judged that it were wise.
Souho' ana just policy on our part to defray
mem. Here, Mr.. President. arises the question:
'"d'' We ""'" "e 'ihe we now occupy. and which
we cover by our military forces. comprehpndino
two thirds Of the whole of Mexico. as is estimat
ed. comprising the valley of the Del Norte on
both SIDES, quite mp ON the western side to the
oIeTfa madre. and comprising on the southern
side OF our lne-l mean Orpgon--down Ia tie
southern exlremlties of the CALIFORNIA; and New
Mexico Shall We hold to that; or. shall we
select some other position more suited to the on
jecis we have in view? ] am not prepared to
discuss and decide that question fully have
not 'he requisite Information, and if had it wonId
not he necessary or the object which have in
view What propose to consider IN the present
stage Nj the case--in the ahsence ~ s,rh infr,na