The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-18
The gates of mercy shall be all S

Incir Hesl ldlf Virgins, anu HoWeTHlS iHiaii's.
Such may be the consequences, unless Congress put
some limitation upon it. And if the proceeds even
to these sad and awful lengths, the blood will be our
hands and not those OF the President You have voted
for the war, and the and money to carry it and
the attempt to shift the responsibility from your own
shoulders to those of the President will be vain and futile
IF You believe that the war is unjust, there Is no
apology which you make to your consclences or to
the world for having voted for It, or Tor voting supplies to
sustain it.
Then, when gentlemen ask the question, How long
and for what purpose this to continue " the answer
easy and obvious until Congress shall put stop to It,
The true inquiry, then, for gentlemen to make is Show
long and for what purpose will Congress continue to or
go on, then am for pushing it with the utmost vgor
But how is the var to be terminated This is question
of great and obvious Importance There but three
ways out Of which to choose
LIST, To abandon Mexico, and withdraw our forces
from it.
I'd To decide how much of her conquered territory
mean to hold, and fortify the boundary.
3D. To adopt another line of invasion, and to go on
ward 10 the palaces of the Monezumas and there dictate
Which of these shall we adopt? The President, in
Letting must be bound by the instructions received from
Congress.
Mexico is brought to terms, look upon that as entirely
out of the question. would be utterly opposed to any
ermination Of the which did not secure to c
the payment OF their just claims against Mexico, and
give us indemnity for the cost OF the war; hold the war
perfectly just and am in wise disposed to abandon it
until we have secured an honorable peace.
Then have to choose between OF the two other
alternatives One of these is to invade the country
by the way of Vera Cruz and march TO the palaces OF
Congress that this course shall be adopted prepared
to support the by voting the requisite amount OF
men and money, and carry 1t fully out But | presume
that nobody in his senses expects that we do with
handful of men. Can ten regiments OF regulars and
nine regiments OF volunteers effect enterprise like this
Let no atter himself with such expectation. The
people of Mexico resolved to stand for the defence of
their country; we have friends among them. They
believe themselves to be in the right, whatever may be
opinion the subiect they feel that they are fight
ing for their homes their liberty and their religion Can
any man be so infatuated to expect conquer eight
millions of people, penetrated and united by such con-
vlcton, with regular army OF ten thousand men and
We may attempt it we may srew our line OF march, we
may pave the road from Vera Cruz to Mexico with the
bones of brave warriors sacrificed to an impractical
BILE enterprise and dropping under the lnfcton OF the
diseases incident to sicky climate; may perform
prolges of vaor and scatter desoaon and death from
the proudest halls in the palaces OF the Monezum to
the humblest the empire OF Mexico but we can
not conquer the nation. Eight millions OF people Tight
ng for all they hold dear, to be conquered Drive
them from the plains and they will take to the mountains,
and battling from height 10 height, they will defend
themselves to the last.
What, sir, is the object of this war For what pur-
I It f e 70 ba ne uvaed
defensive war in repeng an unjust invasion on the
part of Mexico Secondly, to force Mexico to indemnify
against that government for the spoliaon of their prop
ery and the ouages their persons as far as this can
be done by money, which Mexico has unjusly refused
or neglected pay And thirdly, to indemnify ourselves
for the expenses of the war So far defence is
concerned, that end is accomplished We have driven
her discounted armies from our borders-we have pur
sued them far into their country; no Mexican sol
dcr places his foot within hundred miles OF our bor-
ders further aggression is threatened by them or
apprehended or anticipated by Our enemy has been
humbed and Frustrated and but for her own civil dis
sensons, and msapprehenson OF Intentions would
yield themselves conquered They have felt the force OF
our power, and have been brought to sense OF their
own weakness. They have met with nothing out hui
initiating and defeats. Their citizens by hun
deds have been slaughtered State after State and pro-
after province, have been lost by them and won by
the valor Of our soldiers; and the American flag now
floats triumphant conquess more extensive than the
original extent of our republic So far then, as self
defence is concerned the object of the is fully ac-
complished. What else remains Indemnity for the
claims of citizens and for the expenses of the war,
so unjustly brought on us by Mexico. Are we
likely, by further invasion of her territory, to
| force these indemnes TO be paid in money !
| think cannot do this; for the money she has
none Are we in this way to get peace We cannot 40
that either; for there is party in Mexico which would
dare TO make peace with under existing circumstances
The simple remedy left is to hold her territory until
she shall make peace and indemnify us Surely we have
already enough of her territory for the purposes OF IN
identification. We have possession OF California, New
Mexico, Chihuahua, Coahula, New Leon and Iaman-
lipas This is Certainly territory ample and abundant for
indemnification. Why not then stand where we are
occupy these provinces, or much of them may
deem advisable for ndemnifcation-extend revenue
laws over her ports-fortfy position, and spare the