The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-24

the sctest nunctons found against the commission
of any of aggression He has gone no further than
Mr. Jefferson did and further than the constitution
fully authorized him to go almost precisely sim
liar to the present occurred during Mr. Jeffersons admin
isaton in lso In his message OF that year. ne says
$40 this state of general peace with which we have been
blessed only one exception exists Trpo the least con
nlands unfounded either in right in compact and had
permitted itself to denounce war on our failure TO comply
before given day The style ct the demand admitted nn,
the Mediterranean with to that power OF our
sineere desire 70 remain IN Peace na, wh orders PRO
measure reasonable and saluary The Bey had al
rived at Gbraltarl Our commeroe in the Msdi,oanean
bocSaded and that OF the Atlantic in peril The mr.
Il our having fallen f in w and engaged
tho small schooner Enterprise, commanded by Lieutenant
was captured after heavy slaughter Of her men. with
out the loss OF single one on our part y, -. r.
Congress go beyond the line Of ne. ,As vs,.a b.i.s d.;
abed from committing further hostities, liberated Nth
by authorizing measures of also, they win place
force equal footing with that of its adversares.
In view of all these things Mr. President, it does
to me that the President exhibited in the order to the
troops to occupy Texas, wise and prudent forecast
being forewarned he orearmed, and ready to meet
any emergency The Executive, sir, could not shut his
eyes to the conduct of Mexico if he would; and who
would have been ready to condemn him If he had as
some who have spoken against his conduct 1t was not,
sir until after the decision OF the convention OF Texas,
on the 4h of july 1s45 that the order given to the
troops take position in Texas, when she had &C.
quired perfect right certainly to our protection for she
virtually integrant part OF the Union, and as
much entitled TO 1t any OF the old thirteen States
Why sir the previous administration, before we had &C
qued any rights whatever in Texas, promised to aid her
with fleet and our own troops. and actually ordered
the former to take position in the Gulf spd the latter as
Texas our limits extended and the officer in COM
mand directed to communicate directly with the Pesi
dent of Texas" and our Secretary of State the 18th of
April 1914, in to this query OF the Texan charge
here, of the nth January preceding " Should the Pes'
would the President Of the Uned States after the sign
ing of the treaty. and before it shall be ratified and re-
ceve the final action OF the other branches OF both gov
consent order such number of the military and naval
forces of the United States to keep necessary points or
places upon the territory or borders OF Texas or the Gull
OF Mexico as shall be sufficient TO protect her against
foreign aggression replied as follows to the ministers OF
that republic
"WAsHHcroy, April II; 1874
the late Secretary of State Mr. UPshur which you have
allied attention; dated Washington 18th OF January;
States.
the Secretary of the Navy has been instructed to order
strong naval force concentrate in the Gulf of Mexico to
by by ss the m
iary forces southwestern frontier for the same pur-
note to Mr. Upshur sr.her directed by tho Presiden,
that during the tendency OF the treaty OF
in his power by the constitution protect Texas from all
foreign invasion"
Now sir if this could be done Sin the green tree what
might not be done in the dry " for then had no right
whatever Texas, whilst in 1s45, when troops took
their position at Corpus Christi we had did not Gen.
sure the administration of 1914 for that promise to Texas
thought, so long did not enter the territory Of
Texas and great national object sought to be
attained, that it good policy to make demonstration
of force in that quarters and that portion OF the army
and navy not having much do might well be employ
ed there did not examine Into the constitutional right
of this government to take this course, nor do now
only say that the constitution allowing IT. it was
certainly good policy, and wise pTecauon But the
wonder is, sir how the secretary who advised this prom
ss can S fail to Justify the President for
being, in fact annexed, to defend her.
will not trespass upon the attention OF the Senate by
following up in detail the chain of events that ensued
make any remarks upon the orders issued by the govern
the 18th of January 1896 the reason Tor them
is fully explained in the messages of the President of
comments sir, upon the plain, unvarnished account
which they contain of this most jusiable order OF the
President SO unscrupulousy denounced: What followed
certain evidence that his conduct received the approba
ton of the American peoples for, with great unanimty
Congress recognised to exist by the act of Mexico.
and to raise men and money to be placed at the
disposal OF the President, to carry 1t vigorously
| leave out of view entirely the other wrongs we had
received from Mexico merely remarking that the Pree
carse of the war; but cause, and had been long
so regarded He insists, as do that nnexation was
the cause and submit sir, that has been fully made
out by the well -attested facts of the case
weighty obligation rested upon the President to
ercse all his constitutional powers to protect Texas and
without exceeding them he has faithfully acquitted him
ermne the boundary of State asserted by the
tor from s. Carolina, Mr. CALHouN,l when that bound
is also claimed that of the United States, would
refer the case of Name whilst that exciting contro
versy going with Great Britain in 1885, relation
to her boundary
Then, sir, the governor of the State, my honored
friend Mr. FAIRrIELp took possession of the country
he claimed within the boundary Of Mane and i was
resisted by the authorities of New Brunswick | will
not go into history of that matter; it is sufficient to
state, sir, that the Committee Military Affairs OF the
Senate through their chairman [Mr. BENToN] made, In
lsi0 an elaborate report upon the subject concluding
thus:
cit has not been thought necessary go into consd,
Grafton of the territorial limits of Maine, defined and
established by the treaty Of 1885, the justice of her claim
of those limits. Those questions have repeatedly
received the attention Of Congress and the country and
often been decided favorably the claims Of Maine and
the committee not disposed to cast doubt upon
which even renewed discussion of the subject might
seem to imply She claims from the United States
under the provisions of the constitutions remuneration for
services rendered in maintaining her jurisdiction and
eregnty within her rghtf territorial limits, against for
eign encroachmen and protecting the integrity Of her soil
against threatened invasion. .r ltl
sed that the exgency contemplated by the constitution had
arisen which authorized ca upon the President for aid
and protection against anticipated invasion that under
the urgent circumstances of this case the executive OF
Maine justified in ordering portion of the military
force of the State the northeastern frontier exposed
to immediate attack" &c.
They therefore report bill to reimburse Maine for the
expenses incurred
that involved in the defence of Texas, there be-
ing disputed boundary in BOTH and the executive OF
each deciding for itself where the true line was
Previous to this report, 1882 the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate, by their chairman, Mr.
BUcHANAN,l reported series of resolutions this
i - I