The North-Carolina standard., 1847-02-03


present generals were company officers, ana only
one of them OF the rank of colonel. Yet scoTn-
ed 10 mention these things, even to om.trlends,
while the measure was depending, and only 40 IL
now for the purpose of rescuing the president
from the supposed breach OF military decornns
which the appointment of citizen from civil LIE
lmyself being that eitizen) to the command OF the
army. Finally, and to conclude the vIndlcation
of the President in this particular, can say that
Mr.. Polk is not the first President whosproposed
TO give me the command ofthe army against Mex
ico-that Gen. Jackson himself proposed 1t in
1886, when our affairs with that country looked
warlike; and that then, as now, l agreed 10 take
lii. And here, Mr.. President, having fulfilled my
task of vindicating the Chief Magistrate of the
Union from the design, alphabetically imputed to
him. of wishing to appoint his successor, In my
nerson. and by means Of this lieutenant general
ship, might close my remarks: but as my name
has been coupled with this business, and as have
remained silent, and even LEFT my seat, while the
measure was depending, I must now take leave,
with the kind indulgence of the Senate, to proceed
a step further, and to say word on my own ac-
count; and to show that service, and not rank,
was my inducement to agree to the offer OF the
President; and that there might have been cases
in which would not have accepted the office OF
lieutenant general even if it had been created
have already said that 1 will not now show what
nv own plan was; but can say Of it that 1t was
u
issue, and that briefly; and that would have had
nothing to do with any plan of any other kind !
nothing TO do with any plan that contemplated
long and moderate war, or war OF mastery IN.
activity or of retreat upon the Rio Grandc, or OF
defending line, or of attack upon the idle and
solitary castle of San Juan of Ulloa-especlally at
the commencement of the season for the black
vomit. In no one Of these cases would have
been lieutenant general, or captain general, or ma
praI or
of general that was ever heard Of know Ve-
ry well that the President had no idea of any one
of these most amiuble plans; but there is way
TO give him an idea of them, and even 10 force
them upon him; and that would be, by the simple
process of denying him the means of doing any
thing else. l shall not state my plan; but will
say Of it, that, besides intending result, II
proposed 10 carry on the war, while there wns
war, according the usage of all nations in the case
of invasive war-the invadersto be paid and sub
sisted by the invaded Contributions regularly
levied-duties regularly colected-would accom-
plish these Objects and leave the United States free,
or nearly free from the expenses of the war. l
can say, furt her that my plan was not limited to
mere military view of the subject that it compre
hended union of policy and of arms-the olive
branch to 60 with the sword ministers TO treat,
as we'll as an army to fight A diplomatic mis-
sion, nationally constituted both in geographical
and in u political sense was TO attend the head
quarters; and, while the ministers stood ready to
negotiate at every step, the army was to take an
organization and an attitude 10 give emphasis 10
negotiation. And this combination of arms and
OF policy was not mere guesswork. the idle con-
ception of fancy but The result of knowledge of
the state of parties in Mexico peace party, for
honorable peace war party, for endless war
so luminously shown by the Senator from
New York [Mr Dixl a few days ago. My plan
was adapted to both of these parties-honorablo
peace for one; the sword for the other.
The military part Of the plan has fallen 10 the
ground the diplomatic part falls with it; and
now it devo!ves upon those who have frustrated
the plan of the President 10 present him better.
counted much on The efficacy OF the diplomatic
part of this plan for great errors prevail in Mexi
CO with regard to our designs and feelings towards
them, and which nothing but an authentic mission
could remove. The war party is incessant in its
caIumnies against US, artfuy con,rired TO operate
on every class of the people, and 10 render peace
impossible. 1t has ialsehood for every class.
To the religious orders The war is represented as
4 war Of religion-the Protestant against the Cath
olic-and war Of sacrilege-the spolation of
the churches. To the creole Spaniards and the
Indians Of mixed blood, they present it as war
Of races-the Anglo-Saxon against the Spanish.
American--and the subugation Of the latter in !
tended. To the unmixcd Indian race, (nearly
the one-half of the whole population, and the sole
resource of the army for its rank and fle it is pre-
sented as war of extinction, or Of slavery-thcir
race to be extirpated, like so many tribes in our
North America; or, to be carried into slavery to
work the fields of their masters, like the slaves
brought from Africa. And, to all, it is presented
a war of ambition and of conquest, in which
there is no peace for Mexico but in the degrada-
tion of her citizens and the loss of her indepen-
dence. A mission, such as / proposed, would
automatically contradict all these calumnies, and
show the deceived people of Mexico that just and
honorable peace is all we want; and that, far
from wishing degradation, both policy and inter-
est unite in making us wish 10 see her prosperous
happy, and independent. She is republic
our neighbor-who did US the honor TO copy our
form of government, and had great commerce
with. The injuries of which we complain were
the work of few, while the great majority of
the people have done US no harm, are willing to
do US justice, and reciprocate the wish for that
close connexion, political and commercial, between
the two republics which is necessary to their own
to the stability of the republican system
in all the Spanish American States, and to the
complete independence of the New World from
the Old. l counted much on the efficacy Of the
diplomatic part of the plan: and not less on the
military part, if the other failed OF this can
say nothing but that 1t was not framed in total
ignorance of Mexican character Mexican country,
and Mexican resources. Forty years ago l
studied Humboldt, and did not overlook his chap
ter on the military defenccs of the country and
especially his imposing development of the great
elements of the defence with which Nature had /
O1ayr raH har. tho1 of kIoo ,ha,k k1