Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-10-14

Mexico on the north, and issued the proc
amatlon sent to him from Washington, San
Ia Annals agents were possessed of his plan
OF pronunciamento, to the same effect, con-
tanning the same ideas, and expressed in the
same language. Thereupon, Salas, who
commanded the troops in Mexico, deposed
Parades about the LIST of August, 1916, and
he was well understood to be acting as the
agent of Santa Anna.
Now, sir, in the elaborate commentary on
these transactions, in the Executive Mes
sage of last year, the President of the Uni
ted States acknowledges, and he could not
deny, that his object was to overthrow the
Government of Parades that is to say, that
he sought by war, to revolutloniZe the gov
eminent of another country. This is OPEN
| ly avowed. He says, indeed, that he saw
no other way of getting rid Of our difficulty
with Mexico, than by bringing about rev.
olution in Mexico. | confess, sir, that wher
first read that message, | was struck with
equal modification and establishment. We,
of the United States, citizens living togeth
or under this Constitution, and twenty mil
lions of us, while we have a Just cause {
war against Mexico, cannot get rid of tn, !,
difficulty, without attempting to subvert thu, ,
temporary existing Government of that mis- :.
cradle nation, and play off one contemplate
military chleitaln against another We To-
ment instruction; we foment rebellion
we promise succor and support to those who
shall rebel against the existing Government
of their country. Can any thing less be-
come us than this Aside from the want of
dignity-whch, it seems to me, almost COW
cred the Government with disgrace, in TO-
menting revolution in aneighboring coun-
try-it certainly appears to me that it was
extremely weak, ll-judged, and inexpedent.
Well, sir, Santa Anna got to Mexico I'M
der the permission of the President of the
United States General Taylor distributed
the proclamation with which he had been
furnished by his government The Presi-
dent admits, in his message of December
last, that he then hoped for counsels more
favorable to the United States from the au-
thority of Santa Anna, than from the au-
thority of Parades. These more favorable
counsels, respected, Of course, the acquies-
ence of Mexico in the annexation of Texas
to the United States. How far he has been
disappointed in this hope, the event has
shown. To what extent our own President
and the Mexican military chieftain entered
into a precise agreement, of course | can
not say; but that there was general I'M
derstanding between them, is evident from
all the circumstances of the case. Whether
Santa Anna was unable or unwilling to car
ry out that understanding, or whether he
found the sentiment of the nation too strong
for him, leave you to Judge; but the fact
is, we find him, soon after, at the head of
the army, and in direGul and bloody conflict
with the army of the United States. He
had come to Mexico either at the suggestion,
or at least, by the permission Of the Presi-
dent of the United States. He had put HIM
self at the head of the Mexican armies
but, instead of moving towards peace, he
moved only towards var, and conflict, ,uh
battle. And, sir, whatever else may be said
T of the circumstances, ordinary or eXtraordi-
nary, that have waited upon the fortunes of
the President of the United States, it must
be admitted that in one respect at least, his
case is somewhat singular. He has made
war, he has seen great armies fighting nu-
, merous battles, and it has so happened that
he has had the selection of the commanders
| on both sides
The precise object of this war is proved
5 by facts and circumstances, sufficient,
think, to satisfy any reasonable man. That
= object was to establish a Government in
= Mexico, by the restoration of Santa Anna,
e which should yield the question of Texan
r annexation, and give us no more trouble on
e that account How grievously that calcu-
e lation has been disappointed, let subsequent
f events show. This then is the real ground
e and origin of the war, and all the rest, so
4 far as appears to me, is mere preteXt and
h hope those whose business it is to spread in
,,nOn thaSa ip,nortnnt cuhiacts no
G fore the people, will look at that proclama-
a ton of the 9th of June, will compare what
r the Government of the United States there
e in says, with what the President said in the
r message of the llth of May, and what Con-
j. gress enacted in conformity with that mes
sage, the hypothesis that war arose from in
If vasion by the Mexican forces, of our soil
= and the murder of our citizens.
e Sir, / have before alluded to the declare
l. ton of Mr.. Calhoun, that if there had bee /
1t no annexation of Texas, there would have
Il been no war. Now choose to say that
IS concur in your own declaration sir, so for
lie chilly expressed by you, in your place in the
h House of Representatives, that the dlrec
consequence of this act of iniquity, is the
Y, present war" | have endeavored to show
that it was to remove, to pacity, the opposl
n ton in Mexico to this plan, that our owl
c. Government entered on these operations
C Mr.. Calhoun is right. 1t is too plain tina
lie annexation was the primary cause of thu
I'd war. Does any body suppose we shoul'
to have gone into the war, have undertaken t.
of depopulate Mexico, merely because she di'
a. not pay her debt, or had refused to receiv
it Mr.. Slidelll No, sir, no one SO supposes
of Would Congress have declared war on an
r. such pretextl think not; | believe not
v, Then the war grew out of annexation; ant
I'd 1t was, | do not say necessary, but Ger
tainly not unnatural consequence of tina
"A. step. But, what is remarkable, the griev
ne ance is on the part of Mexico, and we make
I'd the war. She suffers the wrong, as she es
H. teens it, and we give the first blow. w
of make the war because she complains of in
ed Jury, and will not give up complaint.
n, Now, it cannot be of much consequence
os except to myself, what the acts of so hum
10 BILE an individual on this subject, may hav
h been. But it is one consolation to me T.
as me, to know that always, from the begin
be ming, have opposed the scheme of Texal
Al ,nnav ntinn with the entire of nv abilitV,-