Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-03-17

ihe oehdtor from missouri asserts the lett banl
OF that river to be Mexican territory. Sir it il
not Tor me,who stand here an humble man, wht
pretend not to be one of thosePharises who know
all the law and obey it, but who, like the poo
Publican, would stand afar off and smite m,
breast, and say God be merciful to me pool
Whig-when the Amounted High Priests il
the Temple of Democracy differ on a point o
fact, it is not for me to decide between them
Is it for me to say that the Senator from Mis-.
fouri was ignorant and the President omnisci-
cent? Is it for me to say that the President
was right and the Senator from Missouri wrong
Ii it were true that Texan laws had been in op-
Grafton there since 1886, as the Presidents &C.
| ton seems to declare, how happened it thai
when Gene went to Point Isabel, and the
people set fire to their houses and fed the place
And how did it happen that there was custom
house there in Texas, as you now allege. A
Mexican custom-bouse in Texas, where, ever
since 1886, and for one whole year after the
State of Texas became yours, a Mexican officer
collected taxes of all who traded there. and paid
these duties into the Mexican treasury? Sir,
is it credible that this State of Texas allowed
Mexican laws and Mexican power to exist with
in her borders for seven years after her indie
pendence | should think people so prompt
TO fight for their rights, might have burnt some
powder for the expulsion of Mexican usurpers
from Texan territory. Sir, the history of this
country is full of anomalies and contradictions.
What patriotic, harmonious people When
Taylor comes to protect them, they fire their
dwellings and fly! When you come in peace,
bristling in arms for protection only, your ca
gle spreading its wings to shield from harm all
American citzeDs-what then happensl Why,
according to your own account these Anglo
Say hllcop fo1 fbo irb+
of their country's flag that they abandon their
homes, and retreat before your army as if some
Nomad tribe had wandered thither to enslave
their families and plumber their estate.
All this mass of undeniable fact, known even
to the careless reader fthe public prints, is so
utterly at war with the studiously contrived
statements in your Cabinet documents, that |
do not wonder at ali that an amiabie national
pride, however misplaced here, has proven ted
hitherto thorough and fearless Investigate on
their truth. Nor, sir, would probe this fe-
culent mass of misrepresentation had not been
C mpelled to it in defence of votes which was
obliged to record here within the last ten days.
Slr,with my opinions as to facts connected with
this sub ect, land my deductions, unavoidable from
them, Ishould have beeunworthythe high-soued
State represent, had voted men and money
to prosecute furthera war commenced, as it
now appears, in aggression, and carried on by
repetition only the original wrong. Am l
mistaken in this ? III am, | shall hold him the
dearest friend can own in any relation of life
who shall show me my error. fl am wrong
in this question of fact, show me how | err,
and gladly will | retrace my steps; satisfy me
that my country was in peaceful and rightful
possession between the Nueces and Rio Grande
when Gen. Tayor's army was ordered there;-
SbO hot Dol Dee Il, l.,
Palma blood was shed on American soil in A
merican possession, and then for the defiance
of that possession will vote dway the last dol
lar that power can wiring from the people, and
send every man able TO bear a musket to the
ranks of war. But, | until shall be thus con-
WINGED, duty to myself to truth to conscience,t to
public justice, requires that persist in every
lawful opposition to this war.
While the American President can command
the army, thank Heaven, can command the
purse. While the President, under the penalty
of death, can command your officers TO proceed,
[ can tell them to come back, or the President
can supply them as he may. He shall have 10
funds from me in the prosecution of war which
[ cannot approve. That conceive to be the
duty Of Senator. | am not mistaken in that. |
If it be my duty to grant whatever the Pres- |
dent demands, for what ain here. Have no
will upon the subject? Is it not placed at my
discretion, understanding, Judgment? Have an
American Senate ana House Representatives |
nothing to do but to obey the bidding of the
President, as the army he commands is COM
PEELED to obey under penalty of death ! Mol
The representatives OF the sovereign people and |
sovereign States were never elected for such a |
purpose as that.
Have Senators reflected on the great power |
which the command Of armies in war confess
upon any one, but especially on him who is at
once the civil and military chiefoi the Gov
1t Is very well that we should look
back to see how the friends of popular rights
regarded this subject in former times. Prior
TO the revolution in 1858 of England all grants |
Of money by Parliament were general. Spe-
cifc appropriations before that period were I'M
known The King could out of the general rev.
enues, appropriate any or all of them to any
war, or other object, as best suited his own un-
wishes. Hence, in the last struggle
with tue first Charles, the Parliament insisted
that he should Weld up the command of the ar
nv raised to quel the Irish rebellion to such
person as Parliament should choose. The men
of that day saw that with the unrestricted con-
troll OF revenue, and the power to name the
commander of the army, the King was master
of the liberties of the people. Wherefore,
Charles, after he had yielded up almost every
other kingly prerogatiye, was, in order TO Sc
cure Parliament and the people against military
rule, required to give up the command of the
frees. was his refusal to do this that brought
his head to the olock. ''Give up the command
Of the army ~ was the last imperative demand
Of the foes of arbitrary power then. What was
the reply of that unhappy representative of
the doomed race the Stuarts "Not for an
hour by God,'' was the stern answer. Went
worth had always advised his royal master new
er to yield up the right to command the army;
such too, was the counsel of the Queen, whose
notions of kingly power were all fashioned at
ter the most despotic models. This power over
the army, by our constitution, is concerned to
oar King. Give him money at his will, as we
are told we must, and you have set up in this
Republic just such tyrant as him agains
whom the friends of English liberty were COM
PEELED to wage war. IL was hard necessity;
i II. L =