Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-01-15

that pojn, On The 23i uli. Monterey 100, unoe
command Of Col. Garland, is CONSIDERABLY re
in,orced The Two Indiana Regiments, The Ken
lucky Mounted Cavalry, and about wv Oh lIe ie
Gently enlisted regulars were on lneir way
Monterey. Col Morgan Of the ~ Resimen' o
Ohio volunteers )who has command oil lamar
go, is engaged in terrifying The place.
General Woods column had feachea Po'"
within nine mile of General WORMS DIVISION
Satillo
General Taylor, with all Of his d''Posaole
force, lett Monterey on Inc $50 Decenioe' 'o'
Victoria.
Victoria is TO be the point Tor the concentration
Of all the forces of our army
General Scott. we learn from source enht'eo
to all credit was TO proceed TO Victoria or wnef
ever General TAYLOR could be found, TO GOMEZ
with him as 10 the best plan Of conducting Inc
campaign.
We occupy much of our space this morning
with the eloquen, and patriotic remarks oil MT
Bedinger, in vindication OF the Mexican war
His rebuke of the fac,ious and mischievous
course OF those politicians who decry their OWE
country, and denounce just and righteous war
which has been forced upon US, will be read Win
interest, and cannot but exert sound influence
upon the moral tone OF the community. Mr.. b
speaks the sentiments Of Virginia, and OF the
country.
MIR. Bedinger rose and said: He was not one
of those who had expressed regret al The coniinu-
alton OF this debate or at the course il had taken,
nor was he one OF those who had voted this morn
ing against going into committee OF The whole
and he hoped that al least for day or TWO The
debate might be continued, and that 1t might have
a wide latitude For, although he was well
aware that their time was limited there, and that
much business yet remained 10 be done, yet OF
so much consequence did he regard thorough
investigation of the causes which led to The pre-
sent war, and The conduct oil The administration
in conducting the same, that he should be willing
almost 10 torego everything else. al least Tor a
short time. He reioiced Al the continuation OF tie
debate because OF the zeal which had been Mani
fesled on The part OF the Democratic members Of
the House in defending their country's honor and
their coun,ry's cause against the reckessness Of
the opposition and he rejoiced, moreover, be-
cause II afforded TO their friends so admirable an
opportunity Of prociaimng 10 The world the prin-
ciples and opinions which they entertain concern
ing the present struggle OF their country with
foreign power He would lay no great claim 10
a knowledge of the mysterious study OF human
knowledge Of the American people: but he knew
enough II both. 10 feel prieclly satisfied that the
efforts made by the opposition there, were unfound-
ei attacks upon The administration. The course
which they had chosen TO pursue would ultimate
" recoil with len-old violence upon their own
heads. In fact, those sentiments were blows aim
ed at the very vitals Of The party whose advo-
Gates had so unwisely promulgated them. In
This great crisis, when the country was wa2ing
lust war with merciess and lreacherous people
when The eyes of the world were upon them,
and foreign nations were ready TO find fault with
Them. he thanked Heaven that there was too
much OF The leayen OF patriotism in The great
mass OF the American people TO suffer gentle
men To promulgate there or elsewhere, arguments
-or assertions ralher-going directly 10 sus
tain The course and justify the cause of their
enemies, and against that OF their common coun-
try. Aud although gentlemen might disguise this
matter as they pleased-althoush they might
pretend that they were willing to see The war vi
gorously prosecuted, while al The same time Ikey
choose 10 hold the Executive responsible as The
author OF the war-ahough they might assert
that Wills, with all the skill, ability, ingenuity
and learning they possessed, they were striving
day alter day To prove 10 The country and the
world that their country was engaged in an I'M
lust war-a war begun wrongfuly and without
cause-,hat The Executive, TO bring il about, was
compelled to usurp powers which did not belong
10 him; and that they (Americans) were the only
miscreanls, and that Mexico was the injured par
ty-he said, while acting thus, they might, with
the same breath, assert their patriotism, and de-
clare that they we're anxious TO see this unjust
war vigorously prosecuted yet lei them mara
their condition! The American people would
moi be satisfied with such special pleading, such
nice distinctions, such raltry preexls; but they
would hold those who endea yored to paralyze the
strong arm Of the country, by striving TO prove
TO the world that il had been raised in an unjos,
cause, as recreant 10 The high trust which han
been conided 10 them there, and worthy OF the in
dignaton which would inevitably be visited Up
on such conduct. The reasons which he had
heard had satisfied him that such a course, in
stead Of weakening The hands Of the Admnistra-
lion, would have The effect TO strengthen them,
and 10 lend encouragement 10 the Democratic
party, and TO convince The people over the whole
land Of the justice ofiheir counlrys cause, and oil
the purity Of the man whom they had called to
the Executive chair. At The same lime he was
perfectly willing TO lisen 10 The opposition
There was not one reason offered by Them 10
which he did not listen with attention and inter-
est if not qualification and pleasure; al the same
time he thought their course most harmless The
sophisry with which they had attempted 10 blind
the eyes OF The people, had been exposed over
and over again, and their unfounded aIgu-
men, fully met and relued. This had been
ably done by gentlemen who had preceded him
in debate, and his own poor effort was,
perhaps, supelAuou>; bat he could not teel
that he was doing his duty 10 the people which
he had the honor so repesent-he could not con-
slider that he was doing what was demanded OF
l. ~, n he rapnaino1 lnno
silent on such an occasion as this. While those
constituents we're sending men into The field TO
fight the battles Of their country he could net re-
main silent, and hear the prelence urged that his
country was sending them there to fight in an
unjust war; He had risen, therefore, 10 add his
poor mite in favor Of The cause in which The
country was engaged He presumed that while
portion OF The Wing party upon that floor de-
clared that they were perfectly willing 10 prose.
cute this war; and while another party refused 10
say whether they esteemed this war unjust or not;
and while another party declared that it was III
terly unjust We, were in favor OF its vigorous pro-
secutiun, he presumed there could be no mistake
abon one thing, al least: that was The position Ia
ken some days ago by the gentleman from Ohio,
7 MIR Giddings one Of those who voted against the
war al the last session. He distinctly, clearly
and unequivccally declared that the war was I'M
necessary and unjust. And, having made this
misunderstanding made This open avowal Of
his conviction, in very lew moments afterwards
with all the courage he could summon, and, in
The most unmeasured terms. he attacked the Pre-
sident for inlimating that there we're amongst
them certain persons whose conduct was calcu.
lated 10 lend laid and comfort" 10 the country 3
enemies. He (Mr. B. was glad to hear ,ha,
that gentleman-one of those fourteen who voted
agains, the war-had the candnr 10 stand up and
avow the sentiments which his vote then indi.
Gated These fourteen were destined TO be ia
nous 10 story. Their names were destined &c
descend to pos.erily in connection, he feared, with
those ilustrious worthless who SO galanlly
opposed their country in its last great struggle
with Great Britain. But The gentlemen avowed
the war 10 be unjust. lie, them look al that mat
Ter for moment 1t was openly declared there
that The unied States were engaged in prosecul
ing an unjus, war. They know This fact, that
"Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just"
That was no fiction OF The poets brain-nt
idle expression flung forth TO ali up The verse o.
round the peIiod-it was the solemn snnunciatiol
of the fact which he, who knew human nalur,
almost as we'll as if he made it, had given a.
the result OF his experience. lfthis was the fac;
that the man "who had his quarrel jus.n couIe
ci nd hefore the world and eontend ihat he W.