The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1847-02-18

ues OF the people of the United States as now II
" ny, sir, Il any would sit down free from the
eAcltement, free from the bases consequent upon
cous'ant lhtermlngling with those busted in
pubic affairs, and in those calm and seouestered
solltudes where thoughtful men ndulge then-
serves IN reflections upon passing events. and
look over the history even of the last wear and
then Judging from all the examples of former
umes-according to that wisdom which history
teaches and which history alone can teach-ot
what must be the inevitable and unavoidable re-
suit OF what has happened, it appears TO me that
ne would say that this Republic, Boosting thatits
liberties are secured and the various functions OF
its Government bound up in the chains of writ
ten Constitution, has torn that Constitution To
tatters, scattered it to the breeze and resolved
itself into-that old and much abused Consti
tuition OF England, mere omnipotence of Par
lament?
No! He would rather find in the events OF
the last ten months or the last year. that no pow
er OF this government which was evidently in
tended to be the controlling power-it there NAV
De said to be any controlling power belonging to
constitution which so divided out and parceed
out its powers with reference to the supremacy
OF each in its own sphere-had given itself I'D
voluntary slave to that alone which, by the fra
mers OF the Constitution, was intended to be the
mere Executor and Ministerial officer to the will
OF the other. Let any one consider the history
it convened last year to this hour, say whether
ne can recognize in that body a component part
OF the Congress of the United States Would not
any man on being informed that there exists
war with a neghboring Republic war which
has taxed all the fiscal energies and patriotism of
the country, to carry forward for the last ten
months, without making the natural enquiry-
Where in the Journals of Congress shall find
the causes OF this war-to what record OF this
body shall go to ascertain what it is that has
driven this peaceful, this happy people from the
great pursuits OF civil life to rush into all the mis-
cries OF war Let me see these causes, for I
read in the Constitution OF this Government that
Congress-composed Of the Senate and House of
represent atives- alone, Congress alone, and no
other power under heaven can ever bring upon
this country that direst worst and fatalest curse
of humanity-wAR! 1t is by their will alone
that that can be inflicted | shall find,
then, somewhere on the Journals OF Congress
statement OF the causes and reasons of the war
II such an inquirer, Mr.. President. should look
into the archives of this Senate or into the ar
chives OF the House of Representatives, he would
be obliged to go away and tell the story to the
world, thatitw altogether mistake-that there
could be no such Constitution as that, for in the
Journals OF neither House could he find an act of
the Legislature which avowed the reasons of the
war-no such resolution solemnly debated and
soemnly decided, assigning to the worId-to the
tribunal of Christendom - the reasons which
lmpeiled us to invoke this last and lataest wea-
pom OF an injured people for the redress of its
wrongs.
He will find it nowhere. And sltbonsh this
has been the condition Of the country for about
ten months, il is fact undeniable, and history
must so record it, that up to about five DAYS ago
there has not been afforded to the Senate of the
United States one hours discussion of the reasons
OF this war, SO that the Senator from South Caro-
lima was Obliged to say that up to this hour he
was compelled to guess and imagine those rea
sons How has this war come upon US? How
is it that we have so disappointed the hopes OF
these great and good men that prescribed to us
the path of our duty in this, one of the most i'm
portant acts, which government can be called
upon to perform? When they came to ascertain
and FIX the limits and boundaries of the various
functions of the government which thew intended
should be eternal and immortal in writing down
in that instrument, that Congress alone should
have the power to declare war, they but consult
ed IN that instance, as in every other the gather
ed wisdom Of the past.
Whether they looked to the level despotsms of
the ancient Asiatic word-whether thew looked
TO those teudal institutions which followed upon
the destruction of the Roman Empire, where
this power to make war was parceled out in a va
riety OF hands-or whether they looked to the
stern tyrannies OF modern Europe, in any and ey-
cry one of these instances they would have found
that the war-making power, being in the hand OF
one mantle war making power, being IN the
hands OF the monarch, the despot, the eudal lord,
aud the limited monarch had been found in hos
ulty to the rights, and destroying the lives of
millions OF their subjugaed people, in all the ages
OF the world. They determined, therefore, that
the power to make war should never be vested
in the hands of any one man. They d, clared
that 1t should be with the sovereign States and
their Representatives alone to say whether TIE
nation should seek this last appeal for the redress
OF any injury OF which it might have reason to
complain. They provided, however, that the
President OF the United States for the time be-
ing, should be the commander in chief of the
armies of the United States
They took very good care that the army
should be exceedingly small, and they who had
the most fearful approximations Of investing in one
man even the power to command this army, al
ways inculcated upon the minds of every one the
necessity OF keeping that army within limits Just
as small as the necessity OF the external relations
OF the country would possibly admit. 1t has hap.
pened, Mr. President that when little disturb
ance on your Indian frontier took place. Con.
gress was invoked for an increase of your militia.
ry force. Gentlemen came here who had some
partial service in the armies of the United States
They tell you that the militia Of the country is
not to be relied upon--that it is only in the repu
lar army oil the United States that you are to find
the men competent to fight the battles of the
country, and from time to time when that neces-