Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-03-04

thest from me Mr. Benton) ] remember, MIR
President, he arose in this body and performed a
great act Of justice to himself and his country--of
Justice TO mankind, for all men are Interested in
the truths Of history-when he declared il TO be his
purpose for the sake Of the truth Of history 10 set
right some gentlemen, on the other side Of the
House, 10 respect TO the territory of Oregon which
then threatened the peace Of this Republic with
the Kingdom Of Great Britain. | wished il
had pleased him TO have performed the same good
offices on this occasion. | wish il had been so If
he could have found it consonant with his duty
to his country, that now while engaged with an
enemy whom we have no reason TO fear as being
ever able TO check our progress or disturb our in.
ternal peace for The sake Of Justice as then he did
for the sake Of justice aud the interest and peace
Of those two countries, England and America, he
had come forward to settle the truth Of history in
respect to the territorial boundary Of Texas which
our President said was the Rio Bravo-the "Rio
del Norle." as it is sometimes called. express
this wish Tor no purpose Of haunting the Senator
from Missouri, or leading him to believe that |
would draw his name into the discussion for any
other than the most sacred purposes which eau
animate the human bosom-ihat Of having truth
established-for really believe that that is true
which the Senator from Michigan stated yesterday
that the worst said in the Senate is that much
might be said on both sides "a laugh) ! can
not view it in that way. Much may be said. much
talk may be had on both sides on any question:
but that this is a dIspuiabe matter about which
man could apply his mind for an hour and still
be in doubt. is TO me an inserutable mystery.
wish to invoke the authority Of the Senator
from Missouri. When about to receive Texas into
the United States, he offered a resolution to this
effect:
Here the Honorable Senator read the Resolu-
ton offered by Mr. Benton, pending the Resou-
ton for the Annexation OF Texas
Now what did that meant Did the Senator
from Missouri believe TINT he was right when he
made that siatementl Did he believe that il was
true that the right bank Of the Rio del Nore did
belong TO Mexico and thai il would be act
Of insult The mere treaty. he says, would be an
act oil direct aggression upon Mexico, for all the
consequences Of which we would be held RESPONSE
bic. Mr. President, VIC hare attempted to ineor-
porate INTO this Republic territory the leii bank
OF the Rio del Nor,e, and the consequences have
come upon u.s. IL was an act Of aggression, as the
Senator from Missouri denounced II in that Reso.
luton We have attempted 10 do il. Now is ii
for an humble man like me. who stands here like
the poor publican Of old. and does no, pretend to
be one ofthe Pharsees that know ai things, and
are better than all men-lhai sniies hts bosom aud
says, God, be ncrciful TO me, poor Wing l"--is
it for me, when these appointed Iiig Priests of,he
Temple OF Democracy hold two different stories
TO judge between iheml
Is It for me to say that the President Of the Uni
ted States has told the truth, aud that the Senator
from Missouri has lied Il is uoi controversy
between the President Of the United States and
me. II is a controversy about matter OF fact aud
truth OF history. about which the Senator from
Missouri has declared that il is pan Of the Re.
public OF Mexico. This very c6uu,ry, which your
President in this document OF bis, which must have
pissed into the political history OF Congress for
what II IS worth. has declared u be part and
parcel ofthe State of Texas, aud always so. and
that therefore lie marched 40 army IN SIS defence
ard expelled the enemy Why sir who did he ex.
pell Tie found eustomhouse upon The let bank
of the river at San Isabel, aud yet no American
property. And how was your Amercan army re-
ceiredf Why, the population fed aud here il is
said that, for ten years ever since 1886, before
the Republic Of Texas. up 10 1913, a9d whole
year alter her annexation. there was a scoundrel
of Mexican in that cusiom-house levying duties
upon every body that traded there. "A laUgh)
This Republic Of rexas must haze been strange
ly negligent Of her State rights. ] should think
men so violent in fighting Cor their rgss. might
have fought little about that. Il was Mexichus
who were there. What is the fact, theu, Gen
Taylor marches there with his army TO protect the
possessions OK the United States, aud the people OF
that territory set fire 10 tie of Isabel and run
away from il. What harmonious Republic you
had When YOU came bsiS,ag in ams-your
banner waving IN the wind-your eagle spreading
It's wings for the protection of all your citizens
your Anglo Saxon Republican is so alarmed al the
sight Of this lustrious baaaer dat he se<s fire to
his dwellings aud runs away from you as from
savage. A laugh.
This is so utterly aaI apparently contradictory
TO public documents, that | do no, wonder il has
not been investigated; nor would | probe ihs mis-
cradle mass Of filth aud feculence and falsehood,
II il were not that have been arraigned here and