The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-19
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF MIR. j. II. HARuANsoS,

In the House of Representatives., February ~, 1S47On
the Mexican
The bill to appropriate three million of dollars TO
able the President to upon negotiations for the
toration of peace with Mexico being under considera
ton
Mr. HARMANSON said: | did not expect, Mr. Chair
man, to have addressed the committee this bill, IN
tending TO have left it to experienced members,
The amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsyl
vania mir. WnMoT,l has altered my determination, and
as have taken the floor will define my position with
reference to the war.
1t is denounced by the opposition as "a Presidents
war;" war OF injustice and wrong our part, com
menced without and to end the disgrace OF
country This, sir, believe to be wholly untrue But ii
conceived country to have been led into this
first place, have endeavored to have arrested him in hs
career of folly ambition If had failed in that, and
war had ensued should not stop to inquire by whose
wrong it had been commenced II would be enough TO
know that my country ,ras in ,car and instead of spend
ing energies in idle, if not criminal wranging to gain
ptfu party advantages, would cry truce to party
would quiet domestic troubles, and lend every energy
of our souls to its prosecution. with vgo likely to
sure Its speedy and glorious termination.
But, sir, it is not an "unjust, unconstitutional, and
damnable war;, that could have been avoided with
honor II forced on us by perverse and besotted
natona nation without capacity to know what is right
and if she had, has not the of proprety to do it,
Everything that magnanmous nation, conscious OF Its
power could do has been done by the United States
obtain peace We have implored Mexico for the sake
of humanity, for her own sake to abstain from this APP
peal arms Yes, sir strains bordering on pusan-
y, only TO be excused by consciousness of power
and her Distraction and consequent feebeness have
besought her to pause How have we been met! By
insult and defiance. Nothing but war would do her.
Let her have then TO her hearts content If she is
lost to all of justice and reason, not TO be, for
humanity's sake her own, begged into peace, the
sole alternative is left us to thrash her into it.
But gentlemen this floor so blinded by preiu-
dice and hatred, charge this sa Presidents war
which if true would convict them Of little less than irea-
They tell u.s. that the order of the President
handing our troops take position on the Rio Grande
was issued to provoke war
That it was unconstitutional, made without
the consent OF Congress. II was unjust to Mexico as
invaded her rghtul sovereignty and that for this order
the President despot, and deserved to be mpeach-
ed If il be true, that the marching to the Rio Grande
nounce it on this floor, with being accessory to the act
II thus making the war was unconstitutional, then
charge them with cooperation in this violation of the
constitution If the march to the Rio Grande violated
the sovereignty of Mexico you guilty of perpetratng
or conniving at that injustice.
And, Mr.. Chairman, let ask these patriotic gentle
men, where were they when these great outrages were
committed by this despoc Presnent, they call him
Were they not on this floor Did they not have full
eognizanee OF all these facts Why did they not arrest
watchtower sleeping at their post VIII they tell us
that they did not at that time think it unconstitutional
and unjust, or that i would provoke awaT' Or will
they tell the country that they ALL but had not the
patriotism to warn their countrymen OF the danger Let
these raers take either horn of the dilemma. If they
unconstitutional, and would provoke war; how is il
that they charge the administration with wiuy tramp
ling under foot the constitutions dealing unjusty by Mex
tutonaI and damnabe war - II they saw it what apol-
ogy they offer their countrymen for not
arresng the President in his mad design! Why did
these patriots seep' Why were they dumb' Why did
they not sound the alarm far and wide to awake the
sleeping vigilance of their confding counhymeni For
the very best reasons, Mr.. Chairman. Their charges
not thought of then, and unjust now Let us
examine into the in which this difficulty com
menced.
Texas an Independent nation; recognised by the
Iln.l 1,,~l he nho a.,
unite her destiny with ours, and for security to
extend commercial and political power, and also TO
prevent other governments whose principles are antaSo-
mist to own from controlling the destnies OF that
rising country For these reasons took her into
Union: The annexation was consummated after hard
struggle with European governments. Our promptude
and boldness trumphed over their Vaccinations. They
reluctantly acquesced and acknowledged that Texas had
the right to annex herself to the United States We
ceved her into Unon claiming the Rio Grande her
boundary; but with stipulation that reserved to
ourselves the power of establishing line by treaty
We signifed to Herrera the President of Mexico our
disposition to settle all difficulties the most liberal
terms. He asseRted to receive envoy. Mr. Sidell
Immediately despatched to Mexico, to endeavor, by
all honorable means, to adjust the points in controversy
On his arrival out ne found Herreras government oter-
ing its fall and from fear it then refused to recognise
him. Herrera soon overthrown by Paredes. for ne
very that he was favorable 10 peace. Mr. Sdel
apprzed Paroles in the most kind and concatory
OF the friendly disposition of government and that he
was empowered to settle all questions in issue. How, lei
me ask, were these friendly overtures met By insult
ana DlierneSs lei these paTlotS ueClaTe uat III
all this, Mexico was right and our government
wrong Permit me, in this connex on, to read an ex-
tract from letter from the Mexican minister Castillo y
Lanzas to Mr. Slidell which, doubtless, will receive the
approval OF those who find their country wrong and
her enemies right
"Civilzed nations have behed with anazement, this
lightened and refined epoch powerful and weconso
idated state awaiting herself OF the internal discussion OF
neighbong nation putting its vigilance to sleep by pote
taon of friendship, setting in active motion all manner o.
springs and arces alternately plying intrigue and vic
ence seizng moment to dePo her Of precious part OF
territory regardless of her nconestbe right of the
unquestionabc ownership, and the most undspued pos
session."
pudence thsl might 60 further, and ask was there
ever such insanity ths' Texas unquestonably hers
when all leading civilized nations had pronounced her
years before, free and independent And she had undis
puted possession of Texas Surely this man must have
been born since the battle OF San Jacnto, and can know
this floor willing to endorse these idotic pre-
tensionsl 1t was this blindness, this insanity, thai
caused the war. Yet, sir, opponents tell us thai
our government is wrong, her enemy right They con-
tend that between the Nueees and the Rio Grande was
disputed territory and that invasion of that caused
the war Certainly, sir, there was difference OF
opinion among ourselves, to which was the rghtfu
lnea large majority believing the Rio Grande to be the
boundary But this very difference of opinion suggested
the propety OF reservation, on the part of our govern
ment, Of power to negotiate the line There certainly
has never been any dispute between the United States
and Mexico as TO whether the Nueces the Rio Grande
was the boundary The dispute with Mexico arises from
the fact that she claimed TO the Sabine She claimed the
whole of Texas, disputing our title to every inch.
Some of the opposition charge us with robblng Mexico
by annexing Texas Thisi humiating, indeed. Even
our foreign enemies more Just TO us than are such
American patriots The prime minister of foreign po-
enta,e Guzo smartng under the sting OF being foed
in his "balance of power system, acknowledged that