The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1847-02-18
Sketch of MIR. Calhoun's Speech on
the Three Million Bill

the Three Million Bill
We capy ttelfollawiag sksIrh al ME-.
Calheun's speech made in The u. =. Sc
a.us on Tsssdsy ihe 9Th February. IRON
tie Ballipofe American:
The Three Million Bill was hen taken
mp. and MG. Calhoun commenced bro re-
msTks.
lie said that never since our country
has been upon The sage 81 srIon have We
been placed in . more critical position.
Ne sere 10 the midst Of war, and there
was also . question OF great domsslie IN.
.enieIude. tie hoped ,heIe would be The
ssliest discussion upon b"lh topics before
Ihe close Of the session. shon - q vac.
The important question vas how should
Ills var be prosecuted! There ~eTe tao
wsys--ghe one TO push on m the hostile
country, and the other Ia Iake defensive
posiuUn. Which was bes,!
Mr.. G. sid IL vas q grave QUESTION.
and one 10 sbIch he had given HE must
del,berae attention. lis judgment wss
that the defensive position was The brs,:
abe beet 10 brng The var IA certain and
successful end. Tins would result IT, most
economy. and most honor. II he right
FULLY understood the objects OF The var
this was consistent. The cansrs for which
tins war wss commenced were three:
T0Fepel INVASION.
10 establish the RIO Grsnde ss boun-
dairy. m.
To secure indemnify due TO our eiii-
zsns.
Tie Two fret were first considered.
The Presidents Gid no, ask Congress 10
declare war. He asked Congress 10 re-
epgnIse the existence OF The war. end he
assumed that there vas invasion because
The Mexicsns had crossed The Rio del
Notie. 8 .+~ IS g. s.. 4.
The Prssiaen, and Congress had re-
gsrded The primary objects Of the war the
es,sblishmtn, oi Boundary. Congress
Aas svoved no other object Than ,hIs. Be-
ing in The var, however, IL was recon.
mended ihs. il be prosecuted Tor the pay
meni Of our claims.
The TOO o'iecIs Of The var had been
msinlsined-lnva.ion repelled, the Rio
GraDde secured, and We could safely act
upon The defensive. s.#
Mr.. Calhoun wenton to stale what ,he
character Of this defence should be. 1t
ought 10 be near our supplies-in prox.
imuy 10 our country, convenient, DC.
Tewards MEXICO We ought 10 be most
liberal, not only because she vas our
nsIghb,r spd sister republic, but great
power upon our Conlineui.
More than this, Mex CO was one Of The
greatest problems come cied with our TO-
reign relations. There was mysterious
connection between her and Us. She was
ss forbidden fruit. The dsv Of her desth
weuld be almost the end of our politic-l
existence. Her independence, her cspa-
city, her greatness, should be esteemed
by Us as next 10 importance 10 our own.
Mr. Calhoun defined whs, he thought
Q good boundary defence. Beginning At
she mouth Of Del Nor,e. commune 10 Pass
del Norie. and then due sfs, 10 The Gull
OF California, and j. would strike The head
OF The Gulf ...
ah,s he would defend. II would give
us the RIO Grsnds from us mouth TO iis
source, snd he had consulted military
men, xbo said thai three 5or:s and four
reg,menis would be sufficient Ior all pur-
poses, as tolow.: .f
One foft al the mouth &c the Del Ncrte.
One near Camargo.
One al Pass Del Norte. j. S..
From the waters which separate the
Del Noue from those entering the Gulf
Of California one more nigh: be placed.
Hence five regiments and small Ma
val force, one consistent with our Nav al
Peace establishment. could successfully
defend the boundary. 5000
This country was Of little importance
10 Mexico. bui Of great importance 10 us.
IL had only 100000 people, and these
were spread over 100000 square miles.
An open uniDhabi,ed country was the best
for rs: we wanted space for our popula
ton which doubled once in twenty-lhree
wears. II would be eighty millions in for
iy.six years. This country New Next
CO, was remote from Mexico, farther from
her than from Washington. For the first
time the saysges were making their great
inroads upon the Europeans. This was
not because The Spsniards were not brave,
but because they were disarmed by the
FEEDER authorities Of Mexico. .-a
This country he would recommend 10
be held NOT as absolute. bu, as subject 10
srgoiiaiioni and so he would say 10 Mex
10. He would deal with her literally
DO SO from the first. Until such
p re should be made. he would hold all
the porls in Mexico which could be held
without too great a sacrifice Of men add
money. lie would impose low rate of
duty, no, exceeding ten per cent. and this