The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1847-01-19
Position of the Whigs.

Oo4I4OA VI GI1C v u1So'
On the presentation to the Senate of a
memorial from the State of Delaware,
praying Congress to use steady and eff
cient means for terminating the war and
securing an honorable peace,
MI. Clayton remarked, that the memo
rial was numerously signed by men OF
both political parties. These petitioners
were not men who have any eOnscien-
tious scruples about engaging i'll war,
when war became necessary; but they
spoke merely as patriots-as men having
the interests Of all American citizens at
heart, and prayed that all proper measures
might be taken for the purpose of bring
ing about a speedy and honorable peace.
But in the position in which he stood as
one of the Senators of the United States,
he felt bound to say that he did not see a.
ny efficient means of procuring an hon.
orable peace, except by fairly fighting out
the war. He should therefore, without a
nv hesitation or reluctance whatever, give
his support to all measures which might
be proposed by those who ought best to
know what was Indispensable Tor carry
ing on vigorously, and to a successful ter
mlnation, the existing war. He said no.
thing now about furnishing the means for
purchasing foreign territory, or in any
other way aggrandising the country; he
spoke simply of the supplies which were
necessary for carrying On the war; and.
in this respect, he should not be d whit
behind his colleagues in supporting the
efforts of the Executive. He had heard
1t stated, and had seen ii stated in many
of the public prints, that there exists in
parts OF the country, factions devoted to
party interests and hostile to the true in
terests Of the nation, and ready to take
part with Mexico III the existing war
He did not believe a syllable of 1t. He
did not believe there existed any such
party. He did not mean to say that
there might not be some individuals who
entertain such feelinfs; but if there were
any, he had no doubt they were very few.
That there was any such feeling in the
great party which was opposed to him IN
political opinions, or that there were por-
tons Of that party prepared to take part
with the enemies Of the country, he did
not believe !; and he rejected the suppo-
sition even as degrading to American
character. Leasto of all did he believe that
the great wing party of the country was
ready to espouse the cause of any foreign
power at war with this country. He
held, and he firmly believed, that although
there was a majority of their political OPP
ponents at this time taking part IN the
councils of the nation, vet that the wing
party were, and did, constitute at this mo-
ment a majority of the people of the
country; and that they wsre capable OF
lending themselves in aid of a foreign
power was impossible. But the charge
had been made that such a party existed,
and it might be true that those who made
the charge desired to bring about that very
result; it might be hat the wish was the
father to be thought; but no such accusa-
tion-no such raillery or calumny would
ever drive the wing party of the nation
into hostility with the government oil the
country in prosecution of a war with
a foreign nation. With regard to the
means to be employed in the prosecution
of the war, those who understood the
subject better thon he did might devise
the means of bringing about a speedy and
honorable peace with Mexico; he was not
prepared to speak or this subject at pre-
sent, but would only say generally that
he was ready 10 cooperate with all who
could produce measures aiming and cal
culated, in the view of responsible men,
TO effect an honorable peace. But IN his
humble opinion, at present It appeared
to be their duty to strengthen the arm oil
the government by every fair and honor
able means in prosecuting the war so far
as in their power.