The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1847-01-02

, 40, II was both his RI ghi and his duty 10 de-
nounce those who were engaged in an IN
holy eifor! 10 baIk and 10 lhwsrI lhe efforts
of their country when engaged in war,
Gentlemen denounced The President on this
I floor in the manner the House had witness,
ed. II he denounced their ccnduc, in turn,
fair issue was made up between the parties
of which the world would Judge for them
selves. If gentlemen had a righ, TO chargt
Improper and unworthy motives upon the
Administration, surely the Administration
had the same righ, on iIs part. Why
should the power of speech and of the press
belong only to those VINO lbeIed their own
Governmenl He had no, understood tn
rights and duties Of American representatives.
in that light
II was sometimes said we were a gtea
people, and great Congress; but what
were we doing' Here was The second week
Of the second session, and after we, the f re
session OF this snme Congress, passed. vote
declsring the war, here we were criticisine
md denouncing our own Presiden, for car
Tying out lhs! declaration; and all this in lhe
face Of our enemy. The oldfashioned way
| Of proceeding wac, when men thought war
was wrong. TO vote boldly and openly g.
gains! it, and TO continue 10 denounce il all
through, as was done by some in our las
var. True, they had had their epi,aph
written by the finger of public scorn ys,
they were al least entitled to the praise Of
honesty and consistency. How did ;hey
stand in comparison with men who Grsl vo-
ed for war, and then denounced i, as un.
|hoIy? man might be honest, and still
vote sgains. a war in which his country
was engaged; but he man who first voted
for war, and then denounced all who car
red il on, was a knave. What, were vt
'ecome 50 thoroughly degraded that VT
we're afraid TO take The responsibility OF ool
'wn actsf Were gentlemen willing first le
sneak into wa, and then TO sneak out II
In
Bnl the gentleman had said that Congress
rad been constrained 10 vote lie. or IL
'acriGre Taylor and his brave lille army.
Dh not the gentleman, when he gave lhs'
vote, know perfectly that before that Tint
General Taylor had either exricaled him
self, or was beyond the reach Of what ,ha
vote would do for hint Certainly he did:
and therefore, AIR, X sat down all he saiu
ou that subject as what western people call.
sd chShmaclavsr.
Did gen.lemen, when they voted TO give
he President ten millions Of dollars and
IGfly thousand mef, expect ihel was to lib
rate Taylor flom his danger! No, no, a
ii. Ne, il was The old leaven that was a
work. Gentlemen were against lher na-
nanon's war, but they had before 'heii
Ieyes he dread Of the denunciations Of a
srluous people, and therefore they dared
not vote against it, but now they wanted lc
lcrawl out from under the weight OF lheII
lown vote declaring the war and providing
for it, aud Icy all the blame upon he PresI
Ident.
This might be all very fair and very hon
orabe, buI how would gentlemen Iook,sup'
Il posing they could succeed in convincing
mahklnd Mat our country was engaged il
y all unjust wsr' Did they want to dlsgrac,
heir counlryI Did they want what the,
said believed abroad No; he did not lhinl
Ihey we're as unpsrioliG as they affected II
be. They dad not. in ther hears, belev
. this war 10 be wrong, They knew IN
war bad been forced upon us They wet
=, knew Ihstf England had pursued such
, course toward Us, or anything like II. W
should have declared wal long, long ago
n Blu, Mexico was our neghbuI, and her gov
G ernmen1 aPproxlmaIed al least 10 a repubh
and she had much of our symps,hies as ha,
n ing once resis ed the tyranny Of hs moIhe
n country. But Mexico had taken sdvan,ag
Q Of this feeling on our part, and had made a
81 onslaught. upon our people. They ha
70 driven ua to The wall; they had driven Us
n tho necessity OF vindica,iOg our nation
to dignity. But Mr X. would IelI them VII
n was lhe true secret OF ali their complaint
ng though they believed their Government w.
ia bound 10 make war, they haIed lhe head