Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-03-06

we claimed. A most vigorous war could
do no more than this, and if we could
reach the city Of Mexico this very cam.
paign, would it be worth whilel 1t would
take 10000 men and forty millions of
dollars, and what then should we gain by
compelling Mexico to make peace in her
own homel 1t would cost $4,000 men,
and all this money, and all to make Mexico
acknowledge that to be ours which we
already held to be ours.
Mr.. c. appealed to the humanity of men
if such a sacrifice could be made. But
this only touched the shell of the case.
There was no certainty that we could
reach the city of Mexico, and going there
the presumption was that we meant to de.
spoil the country, or a portion of it, larger
than all the land between the Alleghenies
and the Rocky Mountains. And could we
hold this country in an offensive war? 1t
would take still more men and q still
greater sacrifice of life.
Mr.. G. said the natural obstacles were
many. There was the hot country very
extended, and eight months and not unfre.
quently ten months were most unhealthy.
March was a doubtful month. April an
unhealthy month. Had we now force
enough TO march to Mexico, encountering
the uomito? If we could not, Mexico would
be encouraged; and if we got to Mexico,
who had we to deal WITH A proud and
obstinate people-full of delay, renowned
for their disposition to hold out.
Mr.. c. said if we failed there would be
a third campaign, and, if we had third
campaign. could we raise the men and mo-
ney! and if we went on we should have
al hot tot, Il
lgeria-between Russia and the Caucas-
sus. The spirit of volunteering was now
gone-men were returning sickly and dis
eased. Ii would be necessary to recruit
10000 men. Could we raise them, and if
we could whence would come the money
TO pay them!
Many of the States were oppressed with
onerous debts, and could not bear addi-
tional taxation. And if the taxes could
be raised, was there anything like zeal and
unanimity in carrying on the war! There
were many who believed the war could
have been avoided, and ought to be avoided.
Many believed it unconstitutional and I'm.
just. Many believed it ought to be ended
and not to be prosecuted further. He
would like to give his opinion on all these
TOPICS but could not consistently now.
But there was another tremendous ques-
ton remaining, to whom should this ter
ritory belong if we obtained il? The
North had come to the conclusion that
there should be no slavery there. If this
was feeling in the free States, with how
much force did it come home TO the people
of the slave States! Sternnoss would be met
with sternness, and he could assure gentle
men of that But he would not 60 into
this subject further.
Mr. G. said he only alluded to it to show
that there could be no unanimity in such
war, and if the South should see the
subject in this light, there would not be
one man here in favor of vigorous pros
ccution of the war. There had been six
teen campaigns in Africa, many in Rus.
sa--but the war continued with us, and
would be with US if we were not wise.
Mr.. c. asked how many campaigns
should we be compelled to have with a
powerful priesthood in Mexico and great
natural obstacles? All our efforts would be
to carry on war 10 get that which we
now hold. Go on, and if you will sacri-
fee hundred thousand valuable lives and
spend three hundred millions of money.
Free trade would also be destroyed. Nor
could the people Of Mexico be annexed
10 US. They were not homogeneous. They
were unlike US, and would hereafter regret
it to the longest day of their lives.
WASHINGTON, Feb. H.
After the disposal of some other busi-
ness, the three million bill was again taken
up.
Mr.. CoRwIN addressed the Senate in a
speech of great length, which was listened
TO by the Senate and by crowded au.
dience in the galleries, with marked atten.
ton, and which excited the deepest inter-
est. 1t was speech that will be more
read and more commented upon than any
speech ever made in the Senate. He took
the bold ground that the war was an unjust
war-that the soil upon which the first
blood was spilled is Mexican and not
American soil--and SO help him God, as
long as he had the power to vote against
giving men or money TO prosecute this war;
he would not vote for single man or
single dollar, until it could be shown that
the soil between the Nueces and the Rio
Grande was American soil.
He reviewed the whole course of events
which led to the war, and he pu, it to the |
people of the United States-he put it to
the mothers of the country--whether they
would sanction the pouring out of the lfe's |
blood Of their sons upon the sands of Mex.
leo, or the pling up of their graves two
thousand high upon the banks of its riv.
ers-victims of dsease-merely because an
individual was not content to be STYLED |