The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-11

transferred TO this country in spite OF themselves, II
consequence OF this pouring OF gifts INTO the hands o
their tyrants
Now. sir, there is such proposition, as understand
it, nor anything likeit The object of the President ha
ney ready and i satisfactory treaty is signed and raft
fed, then to make payment into the treasury OF Aley
co, which will be disposed OF By the government of tina
country agreeably to its own laws The propositions hot
at the last session of Congress andhs, identical
The difference in the phraseoogy of the appropriation
has been satisfactorily explained BY the chairman of ht
very little consequence Be that may, il is not sub
ject which produce OF itself any practical difficulty
For if there any member of the Senate who is willing te
vote for the appropriation, In the form in which was
presented last year, and unwilling to vote for it in this
the Committee on Foreign Relations will cheerfuly as
sent TO the substitution of the latter for the former 1he
Maryland But IN my view, the principle OF this appro
prahon and OF the other appropriation is precisely the
same And yet, the honorable senator from Maryland
voted for the former while he reprobates the present
and number OF other senators that side of the cham
Der voted the last session in the manner. IL the
proposition was bribery or unprncped then, it seems to
me il must be now. Expectancy may change with
time, but right and wrong undergo no change.
As to the idea that such an arrangement is something
like bribery II seems TO me it will not bear the slight
est investigation. A strange kind of bribery this The
appropriation called for preceded by message
from the President to the Senate in secret session.
then received in both houses, and the doors thrown
was finally lost by the lapse of time. In secret session
80 senators voted for It. II again takes prominent
place in the Presidents message at the commencement OF
the present session of Congress- II has been before
between two and three months, and has been borne
upon the wings OF the wind TO the reotest portions OF
our country. 1t entered Mexico long ago, and has
been proclaimed upon every house top in town and
country 1t is known TO every citizen OF that republic,
who knows anything of political affairs, whether the
blood in his veins is Casan, or Moorish, or Aztec. Il
has passed to Europe and received the COMBINATIONS OF
many OF its journals. Had it been approved there,
should doubt its policy its justice And for ought
know it is travelling along the canals OF the Celestial
E,,x,r rtra ,,l hr,bn ",
is offence which does its work in secret This is
proposition made by nation TO another in the face OF
the world II is not TO enable Mexico to carry the
war, honorable senator TO suppose for it is
not to be pIid till the war is over.
! Mr.. MOREHEAD inquired if the honorable senator
considered the present proposition as connng the Pres
dent in the disbursement OF the money to the purposes
TO be specified in the treaty. as the resolution OF the last
session did
Mr. CASS said that his understanding Of the PROPOSE
ton was that the money not TO be paid until treaty
was agreed upon The payment was not to precede the
treaty, but TO follow it.
Mr.. WEBSTER, (rising) VIII the honorable senator
| Mr. CASS. will hear you with pleasure, but I can
not answer any more questions. have said that nc
money is to be paid until treaty is ratified
! Mr.. WEBSTER was merely going TO remark thai
that is the very turning point
/ Mr.. CASS will sit down and hear the honorable
senator, but he must not ask any questions 1t he does
shall not answer them till have concluded my remarks
| Mr.. WEBSTER resumed his seat.
! The whole proposition results from the peculiar cond.
1 ton of Mexico. Her government is ephemeral Its
members are born in the morning and die IN the even
| ing. Administrations succeed another like the
scenes OF a theatre rather than the events of life
and still less of events in the life of nation. The
rulers do not dare to do justice IN such case AS his
might cost them their places, 10 which they hold
! enacously though their tenure secure one
There is strong excitement in that country against
Nothing shows this distinctly than the which
lately passed there when their President that
the nation would never yield inch of its territory,
make peace with the invader till his foot off It's soil
dangerous resolution to be thus publicly proclaimed,
and one more easily proclaimed than kept. The sublime
and the ridiculous may so easily touch, that nations
should be chay in such exhibitions which may belong 10
the domain OF the of the other subsequent crcum
stances stamp their character Whatever Judgment how
history may pronounce upon this ceremony Mexico
it is significant enough of the disposition OF the people
wards us. Hence the difficulty of the government is in
creased, and hence the necessity OF their Strengthening
themselves Theirevenues drying up They arealways
IN debt IN all their departments civil and military. By
prompt payment into their treasury upon the ratification
OF treaty. the will be enabled TO satisfy the
most pressing demands and thus to do act Of Justice
at home to couneract any i'll effects OF act of justice
abroad And this is the very point OF the whole matter.
We may thus tempt them to do right, while many other
strong circumstances tempt them 10 do wrong As to
the application OF this money, after reaches the treas
uy OF Mexico i is no question OF ours, any more than
was the application OF the consideration money paid TO
France and Spain for the purchase OF Louisiana and OF
Florida We cannot follow it, and il must take its fate
with the other resources OF the country has ad
vantage, however, and that is It's publicity II the silver
or gold were carried by wagons to the palace OF the
eminent, the transaction could have no more publicity
than has And ibis throws upon the authorities
much gaver responsibility than do the ordinary pay
men and one less likely 10 be abused. If all this is
bribery am fully prepared TO take my share of it. If it
Is bribery let the honest governments of Europe make
the most OF it,
As to the comparison Instituted BY the honorable sena-
tor from Maryland between this and attempt of the
Mexican government TO bride General TAYLOR certainly
gives very little trouble We have nothing to do with
Santa Anna as the general of army. We deal with
the government OF Mexico The very authority that
makes the treaty is the authority to which the payment
10 be made. II General Taylor the American gov
eminent, and had power TO cede away portion of the
il exists but in fancy And this obvious consid-
Grafton answers all the objection presented by the senator
when he expresses such apprehension that the
would slip from fingers before secured consider
alton. Not Collar TO be paid till the treaty is ratified
and the country thus made
TO the before us, would observe that there
but three plans OF operation by which we can escape
from the difficulties OF our position.
The first, is abandonment OF the war. and inglo
nous return 10 country.
The second, is the establishment OF line over such a
portion ct the enemys territory, think proper, and
holding the country this side of 1t without any further
military operations
The third, vigorous prosecution OF the war, agreea-
bly, 10 the public expectation and the experience OF the
world
As TO the FIRST SIR do not place it in the category OF
things possible, but only in the category OF things pro-
posed and cast it from me with contempt.
The second, sir, very different proposition, sup
ported by high names, civil and military and yes
teay presented TO with great power OF argument and
beauty Of illustration by the distinguished senator from
South Carolina. | shall state succinctly as the
reasons which induce me to consider thus an inexpe
dent, not 10 say an impossible proposition.
plan OF operations, seeking TO hold portion OF a