Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-03-03
TWENTY-NIN'TEE CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.
SENATE.
Tuesday February 9, 1S47.
THREE MILLION BILL.
Concluded. }

But 1T may be said that Mexico will hold out
think not. She will see that we have under
taken a task which we can perform: that on
strength Is adequate to go through with it with
out hazard and without difficulty She will Sc,
that she is great loser, and she will see tina
1t she persists, instead of having compensation
tor any part of her territory thus occupied by
US, she will lose the whole and gain nothing
But, If In addition to this, the minds o
The people OF Mexico will be turned inlo diff
terent channel. They now consider this wal
as war OF religion and a war of races, and ev.
cry nerve Is braced into strong resistance.
the course have indicated be pursued, the peo
pie of Mexico seeing that their religion is moi
to be disturbed, nor their race likely to be over.
thrown, every thing will take its natural course
They will become more regardful of their in
ternal concerns than of external, and in a little
time in my opinion,a settlement will be brought
about, and peace permanently ESTABLISHED.
But, suppose she should hold out, with the
characteristic obstinacy other people, what is
the result! We Will have peace without ex-
pense, or war without hazard. A war looking
much more like peace than war, so far as we
are concerned. This policy will enable us to
sustain the small military force which we shall
require with but small expense to this country
1t will do more: it will place US on terra fir
ma; 1t will enable us TO see the light which it
now obscured by the impenetrable cloud that
hangs over us.
have now stated the reasons why am in
favor OF taking defensive position. | have.
trust, successfully shown that it can bring this
war to certain termination, at small expense
OF men and money, and without hazards of anv
description. 1t now remains to be shown what
are the grounds ofmy opposition to the continue
ance OF an offensive war. III am not greatly
mistaken, the arguments against such a war
are as strong almost as the Imagination can
CONCEIVE. L am opposed to it, in one word, for
the very reverse reasons to those l have stated
In the first place, there is no certainty that il
will bring the war to termination at all. and
IN the next place, if under the most favorable
circumstances, it will bring 1t to termination.
1t Will nevertheless be attended with vast ex,
pense, and with the hazard of disastrous
consequences and loss of reputation to this
country.
In discussing this branch of the subject, the
first thing to be done was to keep definitely on
our minds what was the real and true object of
carrying on defensive war; for,until that was
understood, we should be able to come TO no
decisive conclusion in reference to it. And
here, he must be permitted to say, he had made |
up his mind that the object was not conquest. |
because we had territory more than ample up
On Our hands already for all the purposes of this
Government for years to come. If not for con- |
quest, he would ask for what an offensive war
vas to be carried on He would be answered, |
t was to obtain peace; or, to use the language !
employed, ''to conquer peace"-an
which, if literally considered, would
re to perpetuate war. To conquer peace could
mean nothing more than to make war perma-
tent. How, then was peace finally to be OBJ
aimed or conquered ! 1t could only be by trea-
y. War might be made by our nation: peace
must always be made by two. Our object, then
n order to secure peace,wa to obtain a treaty.
What sort of treaty. Such treaty as would
ult Mexico We would get such a treaty at
ny time. No; but treaty that would suit
treaty as we might chose to dictate! {