The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-03-11

ppu'tNSt'; uUW COu!u tic nave you btch
how could he have passed our bloclladins
squadron in the Gulf? And when it wa,
minated that his return must have been eff
tected through the consent on connivance ol
our Executive Government, it was stoutly de.
Med and written down as " Wig Siondcr,'
upon the Administration. But now this i'm
puted SANDER turns out to be a vcri,abc fact,
upon the Presidents own confession a re-
luctant confession though it be, cXtorted from
him by the popular clamor at so cxtraorlin-
AIRY an occurrence. AAd when the reasons
and excuses which he assigns for giving or
ders to our Commander in the Gulf not to
intercept the passage Of Santa Anna to Mex
leo, We're read from the message at your
Clerks desk, who does not remember the in
voluntary sheer it raised through this Hall
and who that did not feel his sympathies NOV
ed tor the man, who, in eEtremjs," was labor
ing TO cover his conduct under excuses and
pretext5 so frivolous and so futile The idea
of giving Santa Anna a permit to pass our
blockade, under the pretcXt that he would
have passed it in spite Of US, and for the rca-
son that his presence in Mexico would pro-
duce Il state Of affairs there more favorable
to peace, is quite too ridiculous to entitle it to
the claim OF sincerity. Sir, was there ever Il
simpleton detected in q miscellaneous act, who
could not excuse himself with better grace ?
But some of the Presidents friends upon
this floor, feeling, doubtless, the weakness of
his own defence, have kindly come to his res
cue, and among others an honorable meNber
from Virginia, (AIr BaylyD who places his
vindication Of the Ad instration in this al-
fair upon another ground and that is, that
Santa Anna returned in a neutral vessel, and
therefore, we had no ri ght to lbstruct its
passage although it comes from so high and
reputable authority. You might as well de-
ny the right to interrupt he passage ola YES
sci under a neutral flag though it were freight
ed with Il hostile amy and the munitions Of
war for the service of the public enemy against
our own country. The vericst tyro knows
that such violation of the laws Of neutrality
would authorize capture Of the vessel, and
that the higher law Of sclf-protection would
demand its seizure. Sir, there is no iustitica-
ton for this act and the only surprise is, that
party adhesion should be strong enough, and
party blindness obstinate enough, to save it
and its authors from the unsparing condem-
nation Of the whole country Yet, SO it is :;
and those who, at first, denied the truth of
Santa Annals return by the knowledge and
consent of our Executive, and denounced the
suggestion as the fabrication Of hate and envy
as thing incredible, Inconsistent ; yea, I'M
possible; Us too silly to obtain moments ere
dencc--now that the decd is confessed arc
equally prompt in their approval and com
mcndation OF the act as 4 wise and patriotic
mcauce. But, justify or cxtcnuatc it as you
may, and subject your consistency and your
sincerity in so doing to what standard Of hon
csty you please, the act st"n'l- '''..'", 81" T'H
sIana tnGre through all time, foul and in
famous stain upon the page Of your rountry'S
history. Would thar il could be blortcd cut
fro'n that page; that, for the honor Of the
American name, il coa!d be oOuter&tcd from
the memory Of! mankind.
Bat, Mr. Chairman, my time admoniShcs
me TO pass 10 the consideration Of other CUES
tions connected with this general subject
And here let me say, that an not about to
enter upon discussion Of the origin and ca''s-
es Of the war. | have done that upon It form
err occasion. 1t has been often done by other
and ADLER speakers who have preceded ne.
1t has bcaomc more important, to-day, to in
qure how and when the war is to be ended
than how it was Goyun. Ii il o: higher mo-
mcnt now to inquire what are the present and
ultimate purposes Of those who have the con-
duct Of the wAr,in its further prosecution, than
whether it might or ought TO have been avoid
cd. The American people, vino are called
upon to pour out their treasure and their
blood in this war, demand to know, as they
have right to be informed, definitely, with
what design and to what extent it is to bc
prosecuted. The pertinent and anxious in
qui,y OF every honest man and patriot Is, fer
What is tic war waged To what extent Is
it to be carried on? What are its objects, its
aims, and purposes | need not say, what
every body understands, that the war is not
now conducted rs Il defensive war, or for the
purpose Of repcIing invasion Not q hostile
foot stands upon our soil. The enemy is ey-
cry where driven far back from our borders
1t is 10 satisfactory answer to say that the war
is carried on for the purpose o.: obtaining an
" honorable peace" The language is vague
and indefinite. Il means nothing ut all, Or
rather, it means what any one may choose t.
have it mean. The conqueIing dcspot could
say as much and say it as truly.
Call it, sir, by what name you may,and dis
guise it under what preteXts you may, it is
nothing more nor less, it is nothing else, but
war Of invasion, conquest, aggression, and
wagcd for the purpose Of acquiring territory.
The President to he sure, says the war is
wagcd with no view to conquest" and yet lie
"rcjoices with exceeding joy" and congratu-
latcs the country upon the " vast accession Of
territorial limits" The war is wageI with
no view to conquest" and yet he sends abroad
fleets and armies, Napoleon-lke-no, sir, |.
beg pardon, not Napo!eon-like-the compar-
i3on is inapt and inappropriate. Compare
james K. Polk with Napoleon Bonaparic :
As wellmight YOU compare the dog-star's pale
and siclly light to the eiiulgent aud dazzling
brightness of the comets blazing aud bound
less pathway through the skies but rather
like the maniac, who in the wildness OF bis
delrium, iuagincs himself the commander in
chief Of all creation, and in the fancied plcn-
itule of his infinite authority, from some lof
ty pinnacle, cXclaims, attention the uni
verse !-kinglons to the right wheel" So
our commander.in-chief, bedzzencd by his
sudden elevation, struts forth upon a some
what less magnificent theatre, but with hard