Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-07-15

may be asked, thinking as did, WHY did not
take some steps to arrest the march of General
Iaylor! In the first place, ! never heard that
tne march was ordered until long time after il
took place. got the information from the Sen.
ator from Delaware, Mr.. J. NJ. Clayton who will
remember what said. ! said il ,cas impossible;
that such thing could not be and could mol
beLiere IL, until assured by The fact After il was
officially announced, | said to my friends, THE
MARCH OF GGN. TAYLOR OUGHT TO BE ARIES
TED. 1T is BRINGING ON WAR. | said
so to several gentlemen on that side of the cham
Der, and particularly, if my memory serve me,
to the Senator from Delaware, as the information
originally came from him. | said to him and to
others, that the Oregon and Mexican questions
were connected that zoe should auoid tpar with
England, rather than Merico though both were
very undesirable; bm IL tcuS 10 be hoped that zee
coHd settle Oregon, before we could be called
into Mexican war. And the reason, sir, that
dld not and could not move in reference TO Gen.
Iaylor which otherwise most assuredly would
have done, was, that IL tcds necessary for me 10
MAINTAIN KIND relations Nth the Erecutive upon
NE question tCih England, IN REFERENCE 10
OREGON, IN ORDER that might if possible. exer-
else some influence in effoctng peaceful issue.
Ii 1t had been otherwise, certainly would have
moved that the march be arrested, and THE WAR
AvERTED could state some facts in relation 10
Oregon, but lam not at liberty. | might do SO.
But forbeur thank the Senate for the kind
ness with which it has now heard me.
MIR. Clayton's Testimony confirm
ing Mr.. Calhoun's.
In his late speech in the Senate, Hon. JOHN
NJ. CLAYTON thus corroborates the remarkable
statements of Mr.. Calhoun with regard to the
origin of the war with Mexico:'
On that point, Mr.. President, l desire to say
word. During the debate on the Oregon cues.
ton, as it is commonly called, in 1896 and some
time, as think, in the month of February of
that year, learned, from sources to which it is
mol necessary now to revert, but upon which
felt that l could rely, that our Government had
giren orders TO Gen. Taylor 10 break up his en-
cdnpment al Corpus Christi, and march on The
Rio Grande. THE instant heard that, and ,cas
satisfied Of lis truth The public al The time hapi,,e
no means Of kno,oing The fdct-I tons alarmed at
The apprehension OF a ,oar Nth .Merico and it is
true, as the honorable Senator from South Caro-
lima has said, that did meet him here in the
Senate chamber, and in the course of a conf
dental private conversation, | did give him the
Information then possessed. | told him, sir.
that believed, unless some speedy action were
taken either by himself or some other dlstin-
gulsheJ gentleman who could arrest the down.
ward tendency of things arising from that order,
we should be plunged into war before we could
possibly save ourselves At that time all men
who were acquainted with passing events and
the position of our public affairs were alike anx-
lous to avoid war with England, If it could be
avoided consistently with the honor aud inter-
ests of the country. All our efforts were devo-
ted 10 the consideration of the best manner by
which we could, in the exercise of the prudence
and judgment which God has given us, avert from
our country so great a calamity as war with
England upon the question of boundary. 1t was
In these circumstances that received the infor-
nation and communicated it to the honorable
Senator from South Carolina. His first exclam-
alton was, !" 1t cannot be sol 1t is impossible"
precisely as he has related it in the course of
this debate. assured him it was beyond all
doubt "Then," said he, when urged that some
measure be taken, what can be done ?" asa
Wing, could not move in the matter, and urged
that, unless the honorable Senator from 5. C. and
his friends, or some other strong division of the
gentlemen on the other side of the chamber,
would move IN the matter, we on the Wing side
should be utterly powerlcss. The honorable
gentleman was at that time, as he has very
properly stated, devoted TO the same great object
which confess absorbed my own mind and the
minds of those around me-the prevention OF
war with England; and he declined to move.
lest his usefulness on that great question should
d
short time after that
Mr.. CALHOUN. The first conversation ,Cas in
January, tclen you announced The fact and The
second icas in February
Mr.. CLAYTON. Yes, The Senator is right. Mr..
President, felt exonerated from all res ponsibil-
ity IN the matter"
"On the 24lh of April, and between the hours
OF twelve and one o'clock on that day. was talk
nT w my from, II mob, hahn
Mr.. Morehead,) and said had no doubt that we
were then at war with Mexico, and ! AIDED, Il
oeIleVe we have had fight Sportively we
laid small wager on the matter, aud it turned
out afterwards, tor made minute of it, that
won the bet by about four hours, for Thorntons
dragons were cut up about four O'Clock IN the
morning OF the same day. Well, these events
recalled and impressed upon my mind the great
fact, that, while the House of Congress remain
ed In ignorance, and those who knew could not
move, the President OF the United States was
ordering the army of the United States upon the
Rio Grande, and taking step of which the in
evltabe consequence proved to be ,0ar."
" AT the time war was declared, denounced
1t as the act of The President ofhe United STATES,
but avoweJ myself, then, and have ever since
avowed myself willing to vote supplies for the
war; believe that the war was brought on by
this thing of marching the army, without neces-
sity, from Corpus Christi TO the Rio Grande;
done, too, while Congress was In session, with
out one word being communicated as to the in
tention of the President OF the United States,
either to the Senate or the House, or TO any Com
mttee of either house OF Congress, Or as far as
have been able to judge, TO any member of
either house of Congress. Under these circum-
stances, Mr.. President the responsibility of the
rar riN probably rest him ioho ought to bear IT,"
FROM THE RRAZOS