The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-08
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.
THE THREE MILLION BILL.

THE THREE MILLION BILL.
IContinued tom Saturday ereaii,g'S "Uaioa"l
Air REVFRDN JOHNSON then and addressed
t senate He said; Mr. President, the question before
The Senate believe = upon the amendment PROPOSED
,te for thai offered by the senator from Georgia Mr.
RrRnIrx to the bill which came from the Committee on
Forign Relations The single question, then, before
'b senate perhaps s the poprety OF that amendment
trt In what am about 10 say this Occasonprobably
me oly one on which shall trouble the Senate on this
euberr-- is my purpose to speak on another question
rowing ou OF the proposition OF the committee itself
Ana feel Mr. President, that should require the in
Ingence OF the Senate in what am about to say both
or ,yba, NAV say and the in which may pre-
ani II because find myself most Unexpectedly thrown
MO This debate Nothing was further from my pur-
nose n this stage of the debate, al least when the
,or from Georgia concluded his admirable speech OF yes
rriay for in my simplicity, Mr. President, took for
on,ed that the amendment successfully the honorable
or from Michigan would not be permitted by HIM to go
10 vote without his saying single word IN ITS support
II is upon lis face clearly important II rs not SO very OBJ
yoIsly connected with the bill ITSELF which he seeks 10
amend BY and is, without any previous notice, sud
denly started upon the consideration OF the Senaeappar-
emily without even consultation with hs political friends
il embraced, sir, high, and momentous principle OF pub
lie policy not only the present condition OF the coun-
Iry but in any similar condition IN whi(p the country
NAV be hereafter placed Under these impressions,
np that the vote about 10 be taken before the
amendment itself presented, inquired OF my friend,
The senator from Michigan whether II was not his pur-
pose to state, however succmctly the grounds upon
which he had offered It, was answered-if heard the
senator corecllyhat 1t was not his intention 10 do so
could not have been surprised Mr. President, If
had found that Santa Anna had proved true to the
ugaeemG&ts express implied under which he was
permitted 10 enter Mckee, and head the trtops now IN
bauIe.aray against us | was certainly greatly aston
shed at that declaration but concluded that nights re-
lection would satisfy the honorable senator that it was
no less due to the country and the Senate than TO has
own distinguished reputation, that such proposition
should be maintained with all The ability which he could
command and, in that belief, moved the adjournment
But | have taken nothing by my notion The honora-
bic senator is still as the grave A laugh, IN which
Mr. CAss oned Why so Has the proposition been
offered without due reflection II has, ought il not to
be Withdrawn Has il been carefully considered Does
inject the concurrence OF his political friends Does It
present the sentiments OF the President Of the United
States Ii So il is due all that it should be maintain
ed with all the force which that distinguished states
mantle senator from Michigan-is able 10 com
mand And upon this side Of the chamber, Mr..
President, | think We have right respectfully to
ask the aid OF lights which are not able OF ourselves,
furnish Let the efulgent intellect OF the honorable
senator shine upon this proposition Let The darkness OF
minds be ilumned, that we may be able to see IN
is true intrinsic excellence! ! do not yet despair, al
though the prospect is exceedingly discouraging! Ia
laugh The American people have night to expect 1t
The world-known well-earned reputation OF the dlsiin-
gGshed senator, at home and abroad nyokes IT. Public
feeling will not and should not be satisfied without IT.
His high characteristics long experiencehls clear iudg-
menhis nice sense OF honor, public and private cannot
a TO make the world soIicitous for the grounds upon
which he places this amendment; and do trust that, al
the from Michigan, the floor, yet that we shall
find him in his proper place on Monday next. " hat IS
The proposition In order 10 understand IT. II Is necessary
10 see what the bill is to which it is proposed
amendment The President of the United States, first in
secret session, and afterwards in open session
mended an appropriation OF two million OF dollars to
enable him TO negotiate peace with Mexico He relte
rates that recommendation IN his annual message, al the
commencement of the session. The chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Relations, speaking the sense of
The comniite OF course, reports bill appopratng not
two, but three millions, and he accompanies the report
with speech to which, by-and-by, propose TO pay my
respects What is the bill That three millions OF dol
arsnoi more-are appropriated Tor the purpose OF de
Gyng any extraordinary expense which may be incur
red in order to bring the existing with Mexico 10 a
speedy and honorable CONCLUSION. The senator from
Georgia proposed to append 10 IT povlso, on which IS
not my purpose, in thi connexion, to say anything
Then comes The amendment OF the senator from Nlch
gan and what istha' Why, is that the apprOpria-
ton should be passed in the first place, and OF the
reasons OF IFS being passed states the character OF the
war IN which engaged with reference 10 IFS causes,
then states as another reason, The terms on which
the termination OF the is 10 be concluded regards
the extent OF any indemnity which the United States
have right TO demand and without which the war is
go intermnaby and The third is, that in
der 10 begin to conclude it, the President of the United
States must first consider and decide the nature and ex
lent of such indemnity 1t is in relation To the first Of
these grounds that ask my friend from Michigan most
respectfully TO state hereafter nj his good pleasure,
why i is necessary, in bill appropriatng three millions
Of dollars terminate by an honorable treaty the war in
war IS Has he any mlsglvlngs upon that subject
Does he appehend that his opinion will moi be the
opinion OF the people OF the United States Does he fear
that the world ri large may come different conclusion
Interference to the character OF this war; should be in
cned think Mr. President are presenting an ex-
haordnary spectacle The war in which we are engaged
50 tar the Congress OF the United States are concerned
IN It's declaration. declared on the 18th OF Nav last
In the preamble OF the law declaring the Senate stated
thai il had been brought on by an authorized act of
hostility on the part of Mexico; and very many of the
senator's believe that that assertion unonnded in
fact, and were compelled 10 voe--such of them as did
yoleior the bill with that assertion only from the pat
notc impulses which they unable TO restrain, that
N any and every circumstance the honor OF the United
States must be indicated, our troops protected and
our arms saved from tamish | was not one of
those who differed az 10 the fact stated in that
preamble. stated then the grounds of that opin-
ION II is unnecessary TO restate them now But
here were high and patriotic spirits in this body-men
who would do honor 10 any land-whose whole feelings
nseparaby connected with the honor of the country
that, believing differently and still willing TO stand by the
country, proposed to strike out that part OF the bill But
their proposition was voted down All, that ough, have
satisfied senator's But it seems it did not On each and
every occasion since, IN which toerable pretex offered
itself for resortng TO the thing the effort has been
made Even resolution of thanks TO the gallant men
who have covered the nation with glory this clause was
uttered 10 find its way And many of the senator's on
The other side, including the senator from Michigan, vo
ed TO retain that clause Il stood Now, he insists
having the same thing Incorporated IN this bill
lie must again revive n declaration in which
many of his brother senators do not unite; in
ouier apparently though such certainly cannot b.
his purpose---to drive Them 10 vote against thu
bill, ana again compel them 10 vote war TO be just
winch IN their consclences they believe was Illegally
brought upon the country Now, sir, could very readl
" understand why proposition like this proposed
10 be incorporated into this bill If it german TO III,
matter But IS the character OF the peace which we are
70 haye-arc the objects which seek TO attain, 10 b'
IN any manner affected by the causes which led TO this
war This bill is proposed i'm good faith no doub by the