The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-11


triumph over another field OF glory, doubt not to hear
that unfadng laures have crowned the brows OF many
Of the gallant sons Of my native State ia' never IN heI
with minds more fired TO noble deeds, and souls more
full Of lofty daring, tha that regiment which is to have
the honor OF bearing her proud banner against the shock
| OF the foe, up the 'mminent deadly breach
| While such is the composition of our armies IN
the ileld Is It not sirangSe-passlng s'range-tnaI
incentives to present them Why the larger number OF
them know the peace of their homes and the safety OF
their families to be wound up with the institution Of do
feeling and interest to favor whatever measures main
tam and conserve Ito dscountenance End oppose to the
uermos whatever may assa prejudice the stability
Of his rights Of property When to them, in their far
of camps, struggling with wasting disease, on the eve
Of bloody conflict shall come the intelligence o the prop
oscp here gravey entertained to wrest from them and
theirs the least participation in whatever may be acquired
by trsuerng their blood when they shall know that
their xonduests hut TO be the signal Of nsdious as
sau and the array of all the potential influence OF the
federal government against the institutions OF their fathers
and themselves, and that this is done under the petence
Of what is due to them how bitterly must they feel that
perpetraed against them Sir, the position which the
blk carried out the gentleman proposes, would place
the gallant of the SOUTH whether in your army or
navy would be positively cruel 1t would be utterly i'm
possible they could fight with ardor and ZEAL II at all In
the very face of the foe their hearts would be benumb.
cd, their para yzed, and their Indignation diverted
from their enemies the field to their betrayers in the
councils Of their country. They would know the out
pouring of their blood to be but wasteu sacrifice that
their to their States and their homes
less dangerous than disaster that conquests achieved by
their vaor and purchased perhaps with their lives, could
never pertain to them or theirs, but would only constr
tue the direct OF attack the rights OF their
ton the peace of their homes, and the security OF their
families and friends. In this view, as well as Others,
how strange and nopPorune the time selected by the gen
teman from New York. his nsgaors and supporters for
their reckless agitation Much discussion has been
wasted here in determining whether any party in the
country is lending aid and comfort 10 the public
| my he nj r.iSe is nHt n m
mpue moral treason to any but if doubt existed before,
the problem is now solved if reckless agtationif i'll
advised propositions here of direct tendency to
courage enemies and depess our friends constitute
moral treason and give aid and comfort to Mexico, why
then, truly in my opinions has the guilt been incurred BY
the gentleman from New York and his supporters. He
ought to have known-the least inquiry would have sat-
isfied hmthat the south never could and never would
prosecute conquesis which were to be made the nstru-
of direct attack her lnsttuOnsthat she never
would acquesce in the acquisition OF territory from
which her with Their property, were to be wholly
excluded We must believe HIM sincere when ne nam
tns that other terms than such exclusion will the
north prosecute the war, or make acquisitions why,
this be the true state of things would have been,
in time of profound peace, humiliaing enough to have
almost crushed an American heart to have made mani
fest to the country and the world the morfng TACT that
this great republic the only nation on the globe that
neither peace war, could make acquisition OF ter
rtoryhat such the jealousy of the north towards
the SOUTH and the unfraterna and nvdious hostility OF
the people of the free States to the domestic institutions
of the slave States that the former would acquire no ter
nory without excluding the latter, with their property
from equal participation in it and that the latter had
both the strength and resolution not to permit such MUS
tce But, sir, it not folly in its prime to develop
such latent Weakness it, indeed it exists in our fedora
tive system in the midst of with perverse and in
acabe enemy whose main reliance must be in the pro-
traction Of the contest, and the distacting struggles
among parties and sections it seems to many, al
most the sole possessed by us OF coercIng our
stubborn foe 10 honorable peace the seizure of
her territories and the apprehensions might excite of
her permanent dismembement' This, sir is the very
uncture the gentleman selects as peculiarly appropriate
Hnp hat
need be apprehended of the final retention OF her
provinces, and the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of her empire, be-
cause forsooh however many may be wrested from her
by war; the north will not retain them without excluding
the southern people and the south will not consent TO
that. What could more, than discussions on such
questions, bring councils ''the repue OF fool
ishness' in the estimate of the civilized world' How
could hope be surely infused in the councils,
and animation be impaired to the courage OF the Nlex
can nation The Street tendency must be not less to
inspr the Mexican soldery than, have heretofore
shown, depess and almost dsm, the larger portion
of armies; thus rendering the war OF intermina
Bile duration, if not OF ultimate disaster and defeat II
such reckless agitation be not giving ad and comfort to
the enemy" then certainly this floor, not even
the gentleman from Ohio be Justly charged with it.
only trust in God it may not prove, and to our bit
ter cost In this connection, Mr.. Chairmain, wish to
address observations to that portion OF the northern
representatives on this floor, who avow their purpose to
sustain the odous bill of the gentleman from New York
and induced thereto in part BY their repugnance to
the for southern acquisition, and their hope
that through the disgust which the bill will inspire IN
that quarter the war may be terminated and our forces
be Withdrawn My course at the last session has shown
that, personally, was anxious to avoid rather than to
induce much less precpitae, this war-when, after
hoscs had commenced on the Rio Grande, and we were
informed Of the perous straits in which gallant ar
my, surrounded by double its number OF active foes, was
placed was, indeed most soctous to give the prompt
est and most efficient relief but then still chung
to the hope of pacific settlement of all differences
with Mexico and the bill for the relief of the army
voted against the amendment which recognised and de-
clared war. When, however, that amendment prevailed
BY decisive majority alternative remained but either
to deny all 70 endangered army 10 vote for
the war | then did not hesitate to for it. did sc
the more readily, because honestly believed that fol
years before, and until magnanmity likely to
be mistaken for timdity, we had endured grievous
we had been subjected to repetition of insult and injury
from her; and, although personally would have pre-
feed have forborne, yet awhile did not doubt that
national honor and the law of nations at least authorized
on part, declaration OF war. Against myself
therefore, and inconsderabe number of south
ern democrats who voted with me that occasion,
the charge frequently made here that this was
nsgaed and preciptated from lust OF acquisition and
with view to the extension of slavery and the aggran
dzement of the south, falls hurtless and poiness Fur
Their than may result from the rghtfu settlement OF the
boundaries OF Texas individual, have strong
desire for the acquisition of territory in the present war
have been inclined however, to think that in the set
Element of an honorable peace, indemnites would have
rghtully and of necessity to be accorded and have
not how else they could be rendered except by the
cession of territory the part of Mexico have like
wise been disposed to believe that the extensive vacant
territories between us and the settled parts of Mexico
must ultimately, in despite of the most honest efforts on
the part OF government to avert IT. attract and be oc
cupied by pioneering population OF the west and
south. feared therefore, these vacant territories would
hereafter, prove the Of ntermnable difficulties
and wranples between us and Mexico They are at the
for nrat mi nj