The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1847-12-09

Of definite termination? This is the i'm.
portnnt subject upon which ! desire to con.
suit and to commune with you. Who, 10
this free government in 10 decide upon tho
objects OF n war, or its commencement, or
nj any time during its existence? Does
the power belong tn the nation, or the col
cctive wisdom Of the nation in Congress
assembled, or is it vested solely in single
iunctionnry Of the government
A declaration Of war is the highest md
most awful exercise 81 sovereignty. The
convention which framed our Federal Com
s,itu,ion had learned from the pages Of his.
tory TINT il had been often and greatly nbn-
sed. II had been seen that war had often
been commenced upon the most tritling pre-
texts; that il had been frequently wngcd IL
establish ar Ia exclude n d ,nast, To snatch
n crown from the head of one po,cntaic mud
place it upon the hcs Of another; that j,
bad been often prosecuted ,o promote alien
md other interests than those Of the naiion
whose chief had proclaimed it, ms in the
case at English wars for lIanoverian inter
csis; mud, in short, that such vast aud
tremendous power ought not Ia be confiled
Ia the pert uous exercise IL one single
man. The convention, therefore, resolved
TO guard the war making power against
those great abuses, of which, in the hands
ot monarch, il was SD susceptible. And
the security against those abuses which lis
wisdom devised wss TO vest the war-m.king
power in the Congress Of the United States.
being the immediate representative IL the
people mud the States. s, npprchcnsivc
and jealous was the convention Of its abuse
in any other hands, that it interdictcd the
exercise Of the power 10 any State in the
Union, without the consent of Congress.
Congress, then, in our system Of govern
ment, is the sole depository Of that tremen-
dous power.
The Constitution provides that Congress
shall have power to declare war, aud grant
letters Of marque and rcprisal, to make
rules concerning captures on land md wa
ter, TO raise md support armies, TO provide
and maintain navy, and to mako rules
for the government of the land and nava.
forces. Thus we perceive that the princi-
pal power, in regard 10 war, with all lis aux
Whenever called upon to determine upon
the solemn question Of peace or war. Con-
gress must consider, deliberate and decide
upon the motives, objects, and causes of
the war. And it war he commenced
without any previous declaration of lis oh
lccis. rs in the case Of the existing war with
Mexico, Congress must necessarily possess
Is0a mt II. r.
what purposes il shall be further prosccu-
ted. If we suppose Congress docs not pos
sess the controlling authority attributed TO
il; il il bc commended that n war having
been once commenced, the President of the
United States NAV direct il to the nccom.
plishmcnt Of any objects he pleased, with
out consulting and without any regard 10
the will Of Congress, the convention will
have utterly failed in guarding the nation
against the abuses aud ambition of single
individual. Either Congress or the Prcs.
dent must have the right of determining
upon the objects for which war shall be
prosecuted. There is no other alternative.
IT the President possess il aud NAV prose.
cute it for objects against tho will Of Con-
grcss. where is the difference between our
free Government and that Of any other na-
ton which may be governed by I'M absolute
Gar, Emperor or King?
Congress may omit, as il has omitted in
the present war, 10 proclaim the objects
for which il was commenced or has been
since prosecuted, and in cases Of such oms.
sion the President, being charged with the
employment md direction Of the national
force is, necessarily, left to his own judy.
/ ment to decide upon the objects, To the Mt
tainment Of which thnt force shall be appli.
ed. But, whenever Congress shall think
proper IL declare, by some authentic act
for what purposes war shall he commen
ced or continued, il is the duty Of the Pres.
ident to apply the national force Ia the nj.
tainment Of those purposes. In the in.
stance Of the last war with Grcnt Briiai
the net Of Congress by which il WINS dccar.
cd WINS preceded by message Of President
Madison enumerating the wrongs and in.
jures Of which we complained against
Great Britain. That message therefore
and without il the well known objects Of
the war, which was war purely Of de.
fence, rendered it unnecessary that Con
gress should particularize, in the net, tho
specific objects Cor which j. WINS proclaim
cd. The whole world knew tina, il was .
war waged for FREQ Trade aud Sailors
Rights.
! Il may be urged that the President md
Senate possess the treaty-making power.
without on express limitation ns 10 its cx-
crcise; that the natural and ordinary ter.
mination Of wnr is BY treaty Of pence ;
and, therefore, TINT the President and SEN
ate must possess the power 10 decide what
siipulations and conditions shall enter into