Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-02-24

FU ITO Mt HE SAFE q u A n
iRAV,ENNA, OH EDN,E
g palsied by my side, rather than agree to it,
Y The ''dismembernent' Of which the hoif
u orable member speaks is spreviously dlihe
\ tEbyhimselE That is the term he givesl th
4 acquisition; but | call it purchase. III
ysfhe money will 20 to Santa: Ann. al an
+ [pay the army, which will thus be secured
: Fand' the poor ''down-trodden'' people b
transferred to this country Sin spite ofthem
j., selves" in consequence of this "pourins
OF gifts into the hands of their tyrants .
;, Now, sir, there is no such proposition
as | understand it, nor any thing like it
The object Of the President has been dis
tinctly stated by himself |. is to have the
money ready, and if satisfactory treaty
Is signed and ratified, then to make pay
ment into the treasury of Mexico which
will be disposedofby the government ofthat
country agreeably to its own laws. The
propositions, both at the last session of Con-
gress and this, were Identical. The differ.
ence in the phraseology of the appropria-
ton has been satisfactorily explained by
the chairman Of the Committee on Foreign
Relations, and seems to me of very little
consequence. Be that as it may, it is not
a subject which can produce of itself any
practical difficulty. For if there is any
member of the Senate, who is willing to
vote for the appropriation, in the form in
which it was presented last year, and is un-
willing to vote for it in this, the Committee
on Foreign Relations will cheerfuly as.
sent to the substitution Of the latter for the
former. "The principle is wrong" says
the honorable senator from Maryland.
But, in my view, the principle of this ap-
preparation and of the other appropriation
is precisely the same. And yet, the hon
orable senator from Maryland voted for the
former, while he reprobates the present
and number of other senator's on that
side ofthe chamber voted the last session
in the same manner. If the proposition
was bribery or unprinciped then, it seems
to me it must be now. Expediency may
change with time, but right and wrong un-
dergo no change
Asto the idea that such an arrangement
is something like bribery, it seems to me
it will not bear the slightest investigation.
A strange kind of bribery this. The ap-
fpropriation called for was preceded by q
message from the President to the Senate
IN secret session. 1t was then received in
both houses, and the doors thrown open. 1t
was discussed fully, not to say warmly, and
was finally lost by the lapse Of time. In
secret session 33 senators voted for it, 1t
again takes prominent place in the Presi-
dents message at the commencement Of
the present session Of Congress. 1t has
been before US between two and three
months, and has been borne upon the
wings ofthe wind to the renotest portions
of our country. 1t entered Mexico long
ago, and has been proclaimed in town and
country. 1t is known to every citizen of
that republic, who knows any thing of po-
ltical affairs, whether the blood Of his veins
is Castllian, or NJ oorish, or Aztec. 1t has
passed to Europe, and received the condem-
nations Of many of its journals. Had it
been approved there, should doubt its pol
icy OF its justice. And for ought know it
is travelling along the canals of the Celes-
tial Empire. l repeat, strange kind of
bribery this. That is an offence which
does its work in secret This is PROPOSE
ton made by one nation to another in the
face Of the world. ltis not to enable Mex
leo to carry on the war, as an honorable
senator seems to suppose. for it is not to be
paid till the war is over.
Mr. MoREHEAD inquired if the honorable
senator considered the present proposition
is confning the President, in the disburse-
ment 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 ofl
the proposition, was that the money was
not to be paid until a treaty was agreed
upon. The payment was not to procure
the treaty, but to follow it.
Mr. WEBSTER, (rising Willthe honor
able senator allow me-
Mr. CAss. will hear you with pleas
ure, but cannot answer any more ques-
tons have said that no more money is
to be paid until treaty is ratified.
Mr. WEBSTER. was merely going to
remark that that is the very turning point.
Mr,CAss. | will sit down and hear the
honorable senator, but he must not ask me
any questions. [fhe does, shall not an.
.swer them till have concluded my re-
marks. g.. s>saea
Mr. Webster resumed his seat
r The whole proposition results from the
peculiar condition of Mexico. Her govern
*lt is but an act of justice to state that the
senator from MARYLAND referred to was not III