Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-03-17
a9enn9ynR Rns s. Sc Nc, aa49>

4 adopted the only course which, accor
ding TO my opinion, [ could with proprielS
+ 10 take no active or leading part 10 ref
erence measures intended for carrying oil
the war, bat 10; give quiet and silen
], vote in favor of all which did mol seem e
me decidedly Objectionable; but in The
mean time, 10 look out for The first favora
BILE opportunity Of presenting my view:
how the war should be conducted to bring
| il most advantageously to successful
termination. faccordingly embraced the
opportunity on the discussion Of the three
million bill now before The Senate 10
20 present my views, not in the spirit oi
! opposilion, but. Of kindness, TO The admin
islralion, reserving to myself the express
sion Of my opinion as 10 the causes of The
war for some suitable occasion. II seems.
however, that the friends of those in pow.
er were not satisfied with this .eeurse; on
my part; it became an object OF ASSAULT
both in this chamber and without it's walls.
The senator from Tennessee Immediately
on my right Mr.. Turney] commenced
the attack here by directly charging me
with being the author of the war, and it
has silce been followed by The senator from
Missouri on this occasion. have thus
been forced, in seE.delence, to depart from
the line which had prescribed formyself
and to enter into The question. Who IL
the author oflhe cause Of the war? :? The
responsibility is not on me, but on those
who have compelled me to make the de-
parture. Thus far have limited what |
have said strictly to self f-defsnce, as shall
also do on The present OCCASION.
In looking to the causes which led to
the war, 20 one step further back than
the senator from Maine, MIR. Evans, who
discussed the subject 10 this aspect with
great accuracy aud ability. He began
with Mr.. Slidoll's mission and negotiation.
60 step further back, to the manage
ment Of the negotiation prior 10 that peri
cd. When. this administration came iuto
power there were Two great questions Oh
hand connected With our foreign relations
--the Oregon and The Mexican. As dif-
ferent as they were in their character, and
4 as remote as The two powers were from
each other, there was intimate coonexiop
between them which could not be over
Hook in conducting the negotiation, witli-,,
out falling into great aud dangerous
error. Such at leastis my opinion. l
'swisi,1 1ossay golhius 70 W0und The feelings
5Yiittnal who bad
char of Tile bat ii ssesasao
me That hsifell i1to a. great error in coass
sequence Of overlooking the connexion
Lbetween The Two subjects. Tony mind
1 il is one Of the clearsst ofpropositious, that
4 there, csald te no well founded hope OF
adjusting ourditficullies with Mexico until
ile Oregon question was. finally settled.
Why so |? The reason is obvious. Mex
leo knew that shad heavy claims against
her which she was little able to pay.
Debtors without means are usually shy of
their creditors. She could u0l but see
that there was change of escaping our
demands against her provided conflict
should ensuc between us aud Enslan1 in
reference 10 Oregon. She could not bul
see more-thal ii might possibly afford her
an opportunity of recovering either a part
/ or The whole of Texas by an alliance with
England. and avaiIing herself Of the aid
Of British strength and resources in wa
eina war against US. Al all events, she
would look with confidence 10 her being pro
lecled as an ally of England idtie treaty
by which the war should be terminated.
Whatever objection may be made TO Eng
land, she never deserts an alJ in war. IL
seemed TO me, under these circumstances,
that il was great error 70 suppose That
The differences with Mexico could be al
.ius,ed while those with England were
pending. Our true policy, Then according
10 nv opinion, was to suspend all attempts
at opening negotiation with Mexico until
that question was finally seuled. When
that was effected, and Mexico could DO
longer look to the support Of England in
her controversy with US, she would see
the folly Of declining 10 aJjust5'he dliie.
renee between US, and enter into CONFLICT
With power every way SO vastly her sa-
perior. ~,
There would, then be another advan-
tage; which would greatly favor settle
men, OF our difficulties with Mexico. Ihe
eloquent ena,or from Louisiana has truly
\ said That MexlcO, u ledsl So idi q" -"
is concerued, was British colony. Ihe
immense interest which England has IN
the country, would have enlisted her on
The side of peace. and the whole OF heII
vas, influence would have been exerted
10 induce Mexico to enter into a;satlsfac-
tory arrangement With US. | cannot doub!
that under the influence of these powerful
causes, with little forbearance and prn-
dence on our part, all the causes Iei ditie'
renee between the TWO countries wouio'
ere this, have been settled by treaty sat
isfactory to both.
| An opposite course was however un-
fortunately taken; both negotiations were
). pushed al The same time; and that with
Mexico, with a, least as much zeal, and as
strong pressure as that with England.
( The then President Of the republic oi
Mexico (Herrera) was friendly 10 the
United States, and auxiously disposed, on
that account, as we'll as others TO settle
the differences with US. Acting undel
these feelings, he acceded to the Troposi,
!. \. ,,l,o