New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-11-24
VOL. VII. 1875.


to the prosecution Of the Wsr the Wings in Office are
reproach.bls y, all tie for having lent TOO ready "a
c,y 20 " without careful examination into the objects
of the War And out OF Office who hsve rushed 10 H..
prosecution o. the War with srdor and slscritv
ihsn the Whigsf Whose hearts have bed more freely
than those Of the Wings : Who have more occasion
10 mourn the loss II Iusbence brothers fathers
than WING parents Wing wives and Whig brothers In
this deadly and Improbable strife
Bat the havoc Of War In progrefs and The no less
deporsble havoc Of en- inhOsptabe aud pestlensl cl
mate Without INDUCING in an unnecessary retrospect
and useless approaches the past all hearts and heads
should unite In the patriotic endeavor 20 brig Il h.
satisfactory close. IL there no way that this can be
doet Must ve blindly contioue the conflict withou,
any visible object or any prospect Of definite termins
ton THE Il the mporlau, subject upon ehch ie.
lire 10 consult and 20 commune with you Who 10
tnis tree government s 10 decide upon the objects Of
War, at lie commencement or st any time durrg s
isieuce Does the power belong 10 collective wisdom
Of The Nation IN Congress assembled j. 10 vested
~ In single iuncuoBafy Of the Government
declaration Of War 10 the highest sad most awful
exercise OF sovereignty. TIE Convention. which
framed Federal Constitution, had learned from the
psges Of history that II had been often and greatly
abused II had seen thst War had often been common
ced upon the most trifng DreteXts tha, II had been
frequently wsged 10 estabhsh exclude dynasty 10
snatch from the head of potentsts and place
II upon the head Of another thst had OeB been pros
ecUted promote allen other interests htn those Of
the nation whose chief had proclaimed H. In the
of English wars for Hsnoversn interests and In short
that such vast and Tremendous power ought not 10 be
cOnnOed 70 the perOus exercise OF one flnge man. No
Convention, therefore resolved 10 guard the WarmskDg
power against those CREST abuses Of which In the bands
of & monarch 1t was susceptible And the security
against those sbuses which s wisdom devised was 20
the Wsr making power In the Congress Of the Unit
ted States being the immediate representatives. OF the
people and toe States SO spprehensiye and jealous
the Convention of its abuse Ia other hands that II To-
erdced the exercise Of the TO any State In The
Union without the Consent Of Congress COpgress then,
in system of Government IL the sole deposi,sry Of
that Tremendous power.
The Constitution provides that Congress shall have
power 10 declare War and grant letters OF srque and
epTe 20 make rules concerning captures land and
water, 20 raise and support armies and provide and
maintain navy end 10 make rules for tho government
Of the land and naval forces Thus We perceive that
the principal power 10 regard q Wsr, with oil ia auxi
larry attendants. Is granted TO Congress Whenever
called upon 10 determine upon the solemn question Of
Peace War, Congress must consider and deliberate
aud decide upO3 the motives. objects ar causes OF the
War Add n War be commenced without any pre-
viOus declaration OF IT. obi scts 10 Tie Of the
isDg War with Mexico, Congress must necessarily pos
tho authority 81 any time 10 declare for what pur
poses IL shall be ferher prosecuted If We suppose
Congress does not possess the controlling authority
attributed 10 IL II il be cOnended that War having
been once commenced, the President Of the United
States msy direct il 70 the accomplishment Of any OBJ
jects he pesses, without consulting and without aDy
regard TO the will Of Congress the Convention will
have utterly fsied IN guarding the Nation against the
sbuses end ambition Of single individual. Either Con
eress, the President must hsve the right OF deter
mining upon the objects for which War shall be pros
ecu,ed There is other alternative If the Presi-
dent possess and may prosecute II for objects against
the will of Congress where 10 the difference between
our Free Government and that of any other nation which
may be governed by an absolute Car, Emperor, or
KiDei
Congress may omit as II has omitted In The present
Wsr, 10 proclaim the objects for which 1t was com
menced or hes been since prosecuted. ard 10 cases OF
such omission the President being charged win the
employment and direction of the national force, is ne
ctsssry left 10 his own judgment 10 decide upon the
objects 10 the attainment OF which this, force shall be
De- hall IlUlr
declare by authentic act for what purposes war
shal be commenced continued II Ia the duty OF the
President TO apply the national force to The attainment
81 those purposes In the instance OF the ssi War Win
Great Britain the act of Congress by which was Dc
csred preceded ~ message OF President Madison
enumersDg the wrongs and injuries of which we com
planned against Great Britain That message therefore
snd without II ths well known objects OF me WW'
which War purely ct Defence rendered unneces-
ssry that Congress should psrcuerzs In the act ire
specific objects for which proclaimed The whole
world knew inst II was a War wsged for Free Trade
ard Sslors Rights.
1t may be urged that the President and Senate posses
the treaty making power, without any express liini'a
ton as To- It's exercise thst tho natural aud ordinary
termination OF 10 by treaty Of peace and there
fore that the President and senate must possess the
power decide hat supulaions and conditions SHAH
enter into ouch treaty. But IL 10 not more true thar
the President and Senate possess the treaty making
power, without limitation than that Congress possesses
the warmsking power, without restriction. These Two
powers then ought 20 be interpreted rs to reconcile
the one with the other; end in exp0unding the Consu-
tuition. ought Ia keep constantly IN view the natur.
and structure OF our free Government and especially
the great object Of the Convention In taking the "sr
max ng power out Of the hands OF single man sud
placing In the ssfer custody If the representatives. OF
he whole nation. The desirable reconciliation between
the two powers is effected by sttrbuine 10 Congress
the right to declare what shall be the objects OF VAL
aud the President the duty Of endesvoring TO obtain
those objects by the direction Of the national force ana
by diplomacy
am broachiDg no new and speculative theory. The
stauebook Of the United States 10 full Of examples Of
prior declarations by Congress of the objects To be at
tanned by gOiatOns with foreign powers and the Ar
chives Of the Executive Department furnish abundant
evidence of The accomplishment OF those objects the
attempt accomplish them by subsesuent negotiation
Prior 10 the declaration OF the last War against Great
Britain in all the restrictive measures which Congress
adopted against the two CREST begerent powers OF En-
rope clauses inherited in The several sets establishing
ticm ttuderug both either of the bsgeients the
abolition OF these restrictions II they would rePesl their
hostile Berlin and Milan DEGREES and Orders In Council
operating sssinst our commerce and navigation. Aud
these acts OF Congress we're invsrisby communicated
through the Executive by diplomatic notes TO France
and Great Britain the basis upon which II wss pro
posed friendly Intercourse with them 80 al
Ter tho termination Of the War, various acts of Con
gress were passed from time To time Offering 10 foreign
powers the principle OF reciprocity IA the commerce
and navigation OF the United Ststes with them Out OF
these have sprung clsss and large Glass of tres
ties -four five of which wers Degotaied while was IN
the Department of Ssle) commonly called reciprocity
treaties concluded under all the Presidents from Mr. Ma
commercial treaties negotiated with the sanction OF
prior acts Of Congress- where they contained either sp
proprations or WIRE In conflict with unrepesed sta
u,es IL has been held the republican doctrine,
from Mr. Jays treaty down TO the present time that the
passage of acts Of Congress was necessary TO secure
the execute of those treaties II, in the msier OF
foreign commerce. respect 10 which the power vested
ia Congress regulate IL ana tbs treaty making power
may be regarded concurrent Congress can previously
decide the objects which COLLATION. Oh all be sppisd
how much stronger 10 the case OF War the power to
declare which 10 eoDbded eIolusrsiyt 10 Congress
conclude therefore SIR. President and ieliow-ciu-
zens with entire confidence that Congress has the right
either at the beginning during the prosecution OF any
Wsr TO decide tho objects and purposes for which
was proclaimed or for which II ought 10 be continued
And think Il 10 the duty OF Congress- By some oehoer'
ale add sutheutc act TO declare for wis; obecs the
present War shs be longer prosecuted suppose he
President would not hesitate 10 regulate bis conduct by
the pronounced will of Congress and TO employ the
force and the diplomatic power OF the nation 10 execute
thar will But II the President should decline or re-
fuse 10 do So and In contempt OF the supreme authority
of Congress should persevere in wssing the War tor
other objects those proc aimed by Congress t9en
IL would be the imperative duty OF that body TO 'inc
cate its authority BY The most stringent and eneeius
and appropriate And AZ on the contrary me