The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-01-07

from Mexico No. The object was too man
fest All the sophistry of the message, 81
much eulogized, was nothing but bundle o
low, demagoguical filings and perversions O
truth, would not gull the people. 1t was no
known who James X Polk was, and he wish
ed to let all the world know who he was
The President was not willing that John Ty.
Ter should be more conspicuous than James
X. Polk. 1t was not in a spirit of noble II
valry either, for he Mr. G did not believe
the President capable of such high emotion
The President in trying to make the people
believe that Texas had conquered and main
tanned her jurisdiction over the territory Of
the Rio Grande, had altogether failed. The
honorable gentleman from Richmond MIR.
Seldom had denied that. No fact had been
presented to show that Texas had ever estab-
liShed her Jurisdiction over that territory
No man in his senses could be deceived by
the sophistry of the President on that point Z;
he sought to make the people believe lie
1t was true that there was custom-house be-
yond the Nueces, but it was disingenuous in
the President from that, to pretend that there
fore the United States had extended its juris-
diction over that entire region. lie quoted
resolution offered by MIR. Benton, in sup
port of his position. Honesty and truth were,
after all, the best policy. The long history Of
Mexican outrages from the beginning to the
present time, had been presented by the
President, who then attempted to show that
these we're the causes of the war. Such an
argument was intended not for men Of sense,
but only for fools. He Mr.. G. did not de-
ny that at the time of the collision between
the United States troops and the Mexican ar
my, if the President had brought forward an
array of these wrongs before Congress, he
Mr.. G. would have voted for the war
But all that had been extorted. 1t was under
the gag-rule that the Congress Of the United
States, acting under q necessity which left no
other course, we're obliged to vote supplies
The President himself waged the war, with
reference to his own objects, and without con-
sultng the American will as uttered in the
voice of Congress. No indication Of the
American will sustained the President.
He himself had rushed madly into the war,
and was guilty of usurpation-a positive vio-
lation of the constitution, which it were NOR
al treason not to denounce. He Mr.. G,
held that the territory between the Nueces
and the Rio Grande was subject of dispute,
and its occupancy by the American troops
was declaration of war-it was an act tend
ing to war-which did produce war-and
was, therefore, practical violation OF the
constitution, which vests in Congress alone
the power of making war. 1t was usurpa-
ton Of power not delegated by law to the ex-
ecutive. He distinctly assumed the position
that all that part ofthe territory, except what
he had alluded to between the Nueces and
the Rio Grande, was subject to dispute
He quoted from Mr.. Calhoun's communication
to sustain this position. He would like to
know the instructions to Mr.. Slidell Why
the Simultaneous movements OF the army and
navy at that time? When that information
was submitted, Congress and the people
would known the object Of the war, and
could tell whether its object was conquest or
not. The war was evidently protracted in
an improper manner. Why were the forces
sent to Santa Fe and California? The only
object was conquest. The gentleman and
learned jurist from Illinois, Mr.. Douglass,
who was the accredited exponent of his party
had said that the conquest gave them right to
the territory and they could establish govern |
ment there. Ne doubt that was the grand
scheme of conquest. They could never car
ry il out Even democracy could not stand !
it. The ancient commonwealth of Virginia |
and South Carolina never would sustain it
He quoted the remarks of the Tennessee gen
tleman, Mr.. Stanton, that the great fea
ture of the age was the acquisition Of the ter
ritory of Mexico"
Mr. Stanton wished to know if the gentle
man understood him as saying that the I'M
Just acquisition of Mexican territory was to
be the feature of the age?
Mr. Gentry supposed him to say that events |
were tending to that direction.
Mr. Stanton then supposed that the gen.
tleman could scarcely have a correct idea Of
the English language to put such construc-
ton on his (Mr. S,'s) remarks.
Mr. Gentry replied, that very probably |
that was true But he was willing to submit |
his colleagues remarks to the learned in Or
der to see whether their Interpretation of the |
genteman's language was not correct.
Mr. Stanton had stated distinctly that he
did not desire to see an inch of Mexican ter
ritory acquired unjustly, But he said that
the tendency of events was to that result
What? Not the Wrestling unjustly Of Next
can territory, but to procure the annexation
of large portion Of that territory.
Mr. Gentry proceeded in his denunciation
of the President lie had been guilty of re-
peated violations of the constitution The
people should come to the rescue. Were they
to have slavery in that vast territory? Would |
the north submit to that? Would they have
a Gordon of free states there on the borders of
Texas? Let them look to all that. That
question had already shook the Union to its
centre. Only by patriotism, which he feared
no longer existed, had that threatened calan-
ity been averted then. He believed that
there were bad men who wished dissolution
of the Union. He called on the patriotism of
the other side of the House, to unite in put
ting down the usurpcr in the White House
lie was against the annexation of any terri
tory byconquest. Was it not declared in the
that all men were created free
and equal, and the only source of legitimate
power was in the consent of the people p
How conquer and subjugate any people, and
impose on them any form Of government with
out violation of that principle of the constitu-