Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-03-17

Y Oy the moulOeIS,Ul te uUuf. = iOoo ohu ooJSS@
ted; and said we We're on the eve. Of great
5events, and expressed my hope that we would
proceed calmly and deliberately. suggested
thatlhe printing Of fsolargea a number of copies;
would he construed into all endorsement OF the
message, adding that l was unwilling either to
endorse or condemn, until the message aEd 90
cuments were printed, and carefully peflsed
by me-. Adebate ensued, and the journals OF
the Senate will show what took place. Inc
senator from Missouri was the individual VINO
made the discreet and appropriate mollon 10
separate the Recommendations OF the messase
into TWO parts, and refer that winch rela.eo 10
recognising the existence sof war 10 the Cou'
mitiee on Foreign Relations, and that whlcn
reIated 10 the raising of men and supplies to
the 4 Committee on Military Affairs, Of which he
was chairman. The latter, it was expected,
would report immediate measures for the sup
port of General Taylor. 1seconded the motion,
and it was carried by large majority isaw
in it that which gave me hope, and that Should
he able 10 effect the Object had in view, and
which will hereafter explain. -
Tire House of. Representatives acted with
much inare pretipitancy; il passed bill the
very day tile message was received, recosIhs'
inc the existence Of the war, and providing
means for,i,s prosecution. II was late IN the
evening when It passed the House. aud am
OF impression that thelSenaie had adJoilrh-
ell; and il was not reported to II that day; our
be that as il may The next day the senator, as
chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs,
reported the bill to the Senate as 1t came from
!. the House. with both provisions IN 1t; directly
Contrary 10 the order ofthe Senate, mado on
his own motion to refer the part OF the message
:. relating to the recognition of war 10 the Com
m,,ce Oh Foreign Relations. 10 that. and
!. the fact that caucus had been held o.: the par
" which agreed 10 sustain the report, may be
traced the preciptate, (to use no stronger
word,) action Of the Senate, aud the recosm-
lion OF the war. 1t elnphnllcalIy made the war.
/ Had the order Of the Senate been respected
had the senator from Missouri, in conformity
with it, and as he was in duty bound TO do,
moved to strike out all that related 10 the recoS-
nition of the war, and referred Il to the Com
inittee on Foreign Relations, aud confined his
report to raising the necessaryrIneans oil rescu-
ins> General rayer and his arDy' from tie
pressing dangers which surrounded hofn. the
possibility is, that the war might have been
averted, and the two countries al this day been
at peace. Sir, say possibility, because, even
then, aftei the skirmishrs between our forces
had occurred, l cid not despair of escaping
war, if sufficient 6rlnness and prudence were
used on the part Of this body. | had deeply
reflected on ine subject i'll advance, and great
rs were the difficulties, still saw aglea!n OF
: hope.
Tbs intelligence ofths skrmishes on the Rio
Grande was received here OH Saturday; at
once saw the danger, aud turned my nnnd TO
the subject. i anticipated that a uessnge
would be received on Monday from the Exec
;,sliye, and formed not an incorrect opinion as
to what would be its character. Cushing my
eyes over ihe whole, with view of avoiding
awar, came TO the conclusion in my own mind
twhut course was best TO effect that object.
Next morning 1 communicated the-conciusions
to which had come, to Two ofmy colleagues,
who were boarding. with me. Il said 10 them,
that there was but one way OF escaping war,
bur 1 ana moi certain lhatit will pc successful.
II will, llOweyer, place us in the cifapier OF ac-
cidenls, and thereby afford a possibility Of es.
scape. II was asked what il wits, and replied
,tIla, it dependedson Separating sthe question of
rs ar from that which relates 10 the resculng Of
General TAYLOR aud his forces. Le1 the means
necessary for the lat er be- cdlateiy gran.
Ted, but let lime betaken for due and deliberate
consideration Of the former. Had that been
= !
weight against the Immediate. declaration d.
recognition oftwarl treating wha: had occurred
( as mere hOstiIities between the two armies.
without authority Of the Congress-ihe war
making power OF either Goyernment'n5--'
we had not a particle of evidence then. or
even now, that tile Republic of Mexico had
t,nade war against the United States. Indeed,
we are in the anomalous condition Of the two
countries being at war ring, and almost, an
entire year, without either having declared it,
although the Constitutions of both expressly
:pr wide that Congress shall declare war.
Instead, then of ofrecosnizing the wal, 4 would
have taken the very opposite ground-that
what had occurred was mere hoslilites, and
not war, as the Congress Of Mexico had hot
:al<<orlzed it.
TO provide for tlfe contingency of the Con.
sgress OF Mexico approving Of what had occur
red, and refusing to treat for the settlement Of
our difficulties, would have advised the ra'-
sing ofauiple provisional force, 10 be collected
at some convenient, and healthy point, where
they would be trained during the interval, and
be fully prepared to meet such decision; but
even in case such decision should be made,
instead oradvising formal declaration OF war,
i would have advised. as Gen. Jackson recon-
mended, giving authority 10 the Executive to
make reprisnls for seizing and holding such
portion ofthe Mexican Territory asWould;aford
ample indemnify, TO be retaiued until the dlfe.
Tences between the two countries were settled;
but in the meantime, would taken measures 10
repel the attacks made upon our army by the
Mexican forces, and TO drive them far beyond
the limits Of our borders.
Had this course been pursued, we should
have had all the glory aud reputation of the
two brilliant victories at .Palo Alto and Resaca
de Ia Palma, without being involved in the
present indefinite and expensive war waged
against Mexico. We would also have had tit.
advantage Of this cbapler Of accidents-of
Mexico disavowng hosliities and indemnify.
ling our ctizens-either from a sense of weak
ness, or of returning justice on her. part, OF
from the influence Of other powers, which
have all interest in preserving peace-irom
their commercial or oiher relations with her.:
and thereby save resort TO arms on out part.
But. at all events, failing i'll that, we would
have avoided, by resortng to reprlsals, the
enormous expenses, the sacrifices of men and
money, and the disasters !, which the war has
has exposed .us. 4 have now met; aud i trust,