Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-01-20
SPEECH
Mr.. C Hudson of Massachusetts,.
ON THE PORTION OF THE PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE RELATING TO
THE MEXICAN WAR.
Deiiveredin the House of Representatives. Of
the United States, Dec, Is 1916.

eHc fOHtttu STATES, Lee, 10 lO4O.
The House, in Committee of the Whole hav-
ing under consideration the proposition to refer
the President message to the different commit
tees
Mr. HUDSON addressed the House as fol-
lows
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: am fully aware of the char
ges which shall draw down upon myself by
expressing the views which l entertain upon
the subject now before US. The President OF
the United. States himself has set us the
fexampe of denouncng as traitors all those
WHO dare to sSeak their minds upon this floor
and in this country; and his iatterers here have
followed his example. But sir, none of these
things move me. Hook with equal indifference
upon the denunciations of the President and of
his fatterers on the floor. will speak my sem
timents here or elsewhere,and will speak them
freely. i'll believe the Executive is wrong in
any of his measures, Il will make the declaration.
If believe he bas unsurped power, and trampled
upon the Constitution ofthe United States, none
of the denunciations or sarcasms of gentlemen
on this floor will deter me from giving full ex-
preston of my views and feelings. Nothing,I
say, that the President can say or do, will deter
me in any degree from full and fair express
ion ofmy own opinions. Has it come to this,
Mr.. Chairman, that President can arrogate
to himself the warmaking power, can trample
the Constitution under foot, and wantonly in
yolve the nation in war, and the people must
submit to this atrccty, and Justify him and his
course orbe branded as traitors to their country?
Why, sir if this doctrine prevails, the more cor
rupt and Administration is, If it has the power
or the daring to invole this nation in a war
without cause. the greater is its impunity:
from the moment it has succeeded IN commit
ting that outrage, every mouth must be closed,
and every one must bow In submission. A doc
trine more corrupt, was never advanced a
sentiment more dastardly was never advocaca-
ted in deliberative assembly Gentlemen,
who profess to be the peculiar friends of pnpu-
lar rights, may advance doctrines of this char
acter, and they may be in perfect accordance
with their views and feelings, and in conformi-
ty with their democracy, but have too much of
the spirit which characterized our fathers to
submit to dictation from any source whatsoev-
er whether 1t be foreign monarch or an Amer
lean President.
l believe, Mr.. Chairman, the first principal
declaration contained in the message of the
President-that the war exists BY the act of
Mexico, and that We have taken al honorable
means to preventit, tobeanuntruth and entertain
ing thct opinion, l will declare it here; and
4 will endeavour. in the short time allotted me,
20 stale some of the reasons which lead me to
Eat conclusion.
As to the course, sir, which | shall pursue in
future in reference to the prosecution of this
war will say in advance, that shall Judge
for myself when the cases come up. will en-
deavor to do the best can for the occasion;-
to do my duty faithfully under atl the circum-
stances. But, sir, believe that, if any of our
revolutionary patriots were upon this floor: if
they stood here representing eny portion of the
people, North or South and my friend over the
way the Chairman of the Committee on Militia
nv Affairs, should come forward in the name of
the President, and ask for an increase of the ar
my, or new levy of volunteers to prosecute
such war as this, any one of them would saw
to him, as the stern old Roman said to the en-
issary of the Cesar:
"Bid him disband his legions;
'Restore the Commonwealth to liberty,
s.Subu.it his actions to the public censure
Sand stand the judgement of Roman
Senate:
s.Bid him do this, and Cato is his friend.
s.Nay, more; though Cato's voice was never
raised
'To clear the guilty or to varDish crimes,
sMyself will mount the rostrum in his favor,
Sand strive to gain his pardon from his peo-
pie"
Such, believe, would be the Language
and feelings of those who fought the battles of
freedom or deliberated in the halls of Congress
in the early days of the Republic. But enough
of this.
The message, Mr.; Chairman, declares "that
ssthe existing war with Mexico was neither
s'desired NOR provoked by the United States; on
s'the contrary, all honorable means were resor-
s'ted to avert it." This declaration pronounce
an absolute untruth; and it will be the object of
my remarks to sustain this position. / believe
the President in making that declaration, has
made statement which is not supported, but
is in reality contradictcd, by the facts in the
case.--How does the President attempt ia sus-
lain this declaration Why sir the first charge
he brings against Mexico Is, that she has COM
mitted spoliations upon our commerce, and has
refused to make reparation. Now my first re-
mark in relation to this part of the message is,
that it, is hardly magnanimous in the President
of the United States to go behind the treaty of
of 1899. Suppose Mexico was guilty of faults
previous to that period, she confessed those
faults in that treaty and promised reputation
That should have induced him to stop short
at that period. BY the treaty of 1889, joint
commission was created to examine and audit
the claims of our citizens. That commission
remained in session until the expiration of the
period to which it was limited by the treaty.
and they awardedto our citizens $2,O26, 49,
Mexico represented to us subsequently that,
owing to the embarrassed state of her finances
she could not conveniently make these pay
payments at the time specified and another trea-
ty was entered into by the two Governments
IN l843, IN which it was stipulated that Mexico
should pay the interest on this sum up TO A
pril 30th, fs43, and then pay the principal, with
accruing interest, in FIVE years-to be paid in
ouarterlv instalments. Now,I do not justify
Mexico in the course she had pursued subse-
ouently to this treaty. am willing to admit
that her conduct deserves rebuke and censure.
Atthe same time am compelled to acknowl-
edoe that there are some circumstances in this
case which 90 to mitigate the enormity of hel
proceedings. Suchwas the condition of the