Democratic banner., 1847-02-15

as the most lDerai construction of national
law tolerated.
Now he proposed to take a brief review
OF the acts of our commanders, and test
them by the closest application of these
principles, and see If any blame could be
laid to their charge. In doing this, he in
tended to scrutinize their acts, and their
acts only-acts to be consummated-and
not descend to a censorious criticism of
their p~roclanations. He cared but little
about proclamations; they were harmless
missiles at best, while their acts did honor
to the head and the heart. A little bonn
.bast in the proclamation of a ~conquering
general, announcing the glorious tidings Of
victory, if fault at all, is a very pardonable
one. 1t demonstrates that the heart was in
the right place. 1t is at most but the out
Pourings of overweight feelings of patri-
otism, in proclaiming the glad tidings of
victory to our arms; and he submitted to
gentlemen whether it was altogether fai,
to shut their eyes to their glorious deeds,
and exhaust themselves in criticisms upon
paper missiles
say of maintaining their charge a.
gaInst the President, of some great scheme
Of territorial aggrandizement, they n
stantly recur to the proclamations of COM
manders, announcing the annexation of ter
rItory, when all knew that it is a mere
harmless boast, and that no commander can
annex territory. Gentlemen, when they
make their attacks, well know, that the on
ly idea intended to be conveyed is, that
they have overrun and conquered territory.
and hold it in the name and at the DISPOSAL
Of the Confederacy. If the fortune of war
leaves it in possession of our troops, this
Government, in her highest sovereign ca
Pacity, will decide upon its disposition. 1t
will be for he- to say what shall and what
shall not be annexed. This is an act which,
neither the President nor his commanders
can perform, and one that must be decided
here BY the representatives of the people.
And now as to the acts of Gen. Kearny.
whom he knew well. He was from his
W section of the country, and was a SOL
dier-ay: every inch a soldier. And he1
could tell gentlemen a little more: that
when they were humping away npon Gen.
hearny, they were dealing blows upon nna
Of their own staunchest Wing friends. And
he here undertook to say, that General
Kearny had done no act that was consum-
mated, or likely to be consummated, inI
New Mexico, that was contrary to law
Upon the breaking out of the war, in obe-
dience to orders from his Government, he
advanced upon New Mexico, made a blood
less conquest of her, and established tenn
Porary civil government over the people.
he did nothing more-what could he do
less in his position? Every principle Of
his new government is characterized by
great humanity to the vanquished. He
has aot subjected them to arbitrary militia
ry power, and made the court-martial the
arbitrament Of their rights of person and
property, as he could have done; but, on
the contrary, has extended to them civil,
jurisdictions, and the blessing of our free
institutions. But, say gentlemen, he hasIE
the election of a delegate to Con-
,ress, and that shows the design to be to
pe~. -manent, instead of temporary,
government. II this be true, it is an error, s
nut an error that can ii,iure no one, as no
gentleman even harbors a suspicion that
UGH a thing can ever be consun,uated.-s
The Presidents d~isapproval will give It its
long before the time arrives for itt,l'
0 be executed. And Mr.. B. would submits 6
the General was a soldier, and not al,
william. And if he did not, in every in- :
lance, avoid error, was that error to be :;
harged upon the President? n
Gentlemen next cited the conquest of Sc
'alifornia as a conclusive illustration of the d,
pirit of territorial aggrandizement, which 81
ley SO literally charge upon the President. T.
What was the fact there? Colonel Free nj
Iont, with a corps Of civil engineers, and SC
citizens as companions in the %enter- a