Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-03-04

done a great wrong to the country, whose
honor aud whose interest he was required 10
protect. know, Mr.. President, the denun-
citation which await even so humble an md.
vIdnal as myself, when he shall dare to put
himself in opposition 10 that high power
that IDOL god-whlch the people OF this coun'
try bsve made 10 themselves aud called q
President.
But it is my very humility which makes me
bold. know, sir, that he who was told IN
olden time how 10 govern turbulent people
was advised TO cut off the tallest heads. Mine
will escape Still, holding n seat here, Mr..
President, and finding il written in the constl-
tuition OF my country that had the power to
grant to the President, at his bidding or not,
as pleased, men and money, | did conceive
that 1t became my duty to ascertain whether
the Presidents request was a reasonable one
whether the President wanted these men and
this money for proper and laudable purpose
or not and with these old-fashioned ideas
quite unpopular, | say, on this side OF the
chamber as we find them to be on the other
1 set myself to this painful investigation, and
| found not quite enough along with me To
have saved that city in olden time. "a laugh }
There was not i've ofus, but only three
! "a laugh) | looked around, and as Illusion
was made by the Senator from Michigan yes
manner, that we read of in the Old Testament,
by name, Job, in my desolation finding myself
only with two other men on this important
question, did 90 to that book to see if could
not find some consolation in my despair and
when these votes was called and ! was com
pelled to separate myself from all around me,
| could have cried as did the man of Uz IN hls
afilicton in the oldcn time-"What time my
friends waA warm, they vanish :" "a laugh)
"Whlc it is hot, they are consumed out OF
their places :" (Renewed laughter)
Well, could not leave the position in which
| il had pleased the state of Ohio To place me,
and returned again and again to the original
and primary and important inquiry-lIow is II
that my country is involved in this war
looked to the Presidents account Of It, and he
tells me it was war for the defence Of the
territory of the United States. ! found II writ.
ten in that message, Mr.. President, that this
war was not sought nor forced upon Mexico
Iby the people of the United States. | shall
make no question of history or the truth o.
history with my master, the commander-n-
Chief, upon that particular proposition. On
the contrary, could verify every word that
he thus utters. Sir, know that the people OF
the United States neither sought nor forced
Mexico into this war and yet know that the
President of the United States with the COM
mand of your standing army, did seek this
war, and that he forced war upon Mexico. /
am not about to afflict the Senate with a detail
of testimony on that point j will simply state
facts which not n man in America will deny.
! One of these facts, Mr.. President, is this
That in the year of grace, 1896, the battle of
San Jacinto was fought. Does anybody deny
that No one here will doubt that fact. The
result OF that battle was, that certain district
of country, calling itself Texas, declared Itself
free and independent Republic. l hope the
Senate will pardon me for uttering thought
or two which strikes me ust now, while ! see
the Senator from Texas-the leader OF the
men who achieved the victory-before me, !
wish to say a word OF two about the great glo-
ry-the historical rcnown that is to come to
the people of the United States by the victories
which she shall obtain over the arms and for
ccs of the Republic Of Mexico. | suppose, MIR.
President, like all other boys, in my early
youth, when had an opportunity of looking
at book called history, those which spoke of
bloody battles and desolating wars, were most
likely to attract my attention; and with very
limited means of ascertaining that portion ot
! the history of the human race, It nevertheless
has impressed itself very vvIdly upon my
mind that there has been great wars, and, as
the old maxim has it, very many brave men,
even before Agamemnon. \ laugh)
| There have been Generals before the Sena-
tor from Texas, who fought well. "a laugh)
Men have done valiantly on the battle-felds
before Taylor went to Monterey; few--one
or two | rccollect-not particular friends OF
mine, Mr. President, although they were
friends of my family, descended, some Of them,
from the same English ancestry-at all events
from Noah, to whom we an claim very close
and kindred relation. But | confess | am
some what surprised that men acquainted with
the history of mankind-mcn who know that
war had been the trade of barbarous and c'v'l-
izcd men Tor six thousand years, prompted by
those noble instincts which the Senator from
! Michipan speaks about-who know that the
first man born was hero of the very hrst
magnitude, he killed his brother, "a laugh he
beat out his brains with a club; IT was IN a
dispute, Mr.. President, about the DIVISION oi
power and patronage between them. am
surprised, sir, that with all this history oi man
kind. grave Senators, ray-hcadcd men, free
from the ardor and the natural aspirations of
youth and young men, all unite in one great
Ihalelujah ant sympathy of praise to the great
and illustrous deeds Of war that have occur
red, and that have shed such Impcrishnbc re-
Inown upon the banner and the prowess OF thus
republic ofours, in this conflict with what one
would suppose from all this, must be power
L lfuI and almost uncon0ucred and unconquera-
BILE rle. MIR President, twenty millions OF the
| Anglo Saxon racc--that indomitable race, that
have zone about the world robbing It where
lever they have scttled-now set themselves mp
as gaining a very great reputation IN history
for doinr-what? For gaining three victories
! lin three battles with the Republic of Mexico
who, in the year 1896, was conquered and
lbcreil of territory as large as the whole
lcmpire of France by seven hundred men, un
der the command of the honorable Senator
from Texas, coming from about ten thousand
people gathered from all quarters Of the Union
! who had few months before set themselves
down in the Republic of Texas expect this
will be- a very glorious chapter IN your history
ll-wont it, a laugh) After the Senator
| from Texas had met this foe in deadly conflict
II had warcd war with them-in stricken bat
ltle had conquered the whole nation-and cap
lturcd thc,r President and Commander of thcrT
larmy, losing three men on the field Of battle
land two others who died of their wounds
that's the history of that war After such q
conflict as tina, with the Republic OF MeS"', J
do think il becomes the martial aspirations oi
this great Republic Of the United States Ia
wish 10 measure arms with this unconquerablo
Republic in Mexico
Why, sir, must not this melancholy aha'i
excite the ridlcne, nay, II must excite th,
contempt of every man acquainted with IN,
h;s,o,y nc the wars of the world do not DENY