Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-10-21

! - '' J"0' N""oc VI war dUu even Wtf'
II Just aud proper, il is no sudden tmer
gehcy authorizing the Executive t.
plunge the government into a war, ant
especially when Congress is in session
ready at any moment, to receive advice
and act upon them. look upon it
therefore, that this ground is pretext.
! Well, then comes another. Mexico
It is said, had declined to pay the debts
due to the United States citizens from
their citizens. | believe that IS true
but that was not put forth as the cause
oi war IN the message of the Presiden
on the lth of May, 1916 it is not il
the act OF Congress Of the 18th of May
IL is not, therefore, the cause put upon
record for the act ofthe government. |,
is an aiterthought. And here, again, this
matter Of debts and claims of citizens o
the United States upon Mexico is Il mat
ter of long standing. The. condition o.
Mexico was as reprehensble six months
before, as it was on that day; but there
was manifested no disposition to make j,
acause Of war. To say, therefore, iha,
this war was founded upon the refusal ol
Mexico to pay her debts, is a pretext, and
nothing but pretext.
\ Well, then, sir, what was the object
Of this war ? So far as we can now
scrutlnize the motives Of men, SO far as
we can look into the objects and designs
of our rulers, what was the motive, the
purpose, the impulse Of the heart, which
led to the measures that brought on this
war Why, sir, have very poor O.
plnlon of my own sagaclty, do not pre-
tend to see so far into such matters as
other rmen, but to me II is as plain as a
turnpike, as visible as the sun that now
shines upon US.
Sir, an eminent person belonging TO
the party in administration, most eminent
certainly of all that do belong to it, so
eminent that it strikes one rather oddly
that the administration should not be-
long to him, rather than he to IT. mean
Mr.. Calhoun, one of the most practical
politicians and debaters in this country
"a gentlemen that is not apt to concede
away his case, declared, in the last ses.
sion oil Congress, that f there had been
no annexation Of Texas, there would
have been no war and he went further
and said that the immediate cause of
war was the order for the march of our
officers from Corpus Christi to the Rio
Grande.
But how did the war grow out of an
ncXation This is case IN which we
must adopt proper distinction, and follow
the light Of ascertained facts. Mr.. Pres
ldent, am not now, nor at any time, an
apologi.t for Mexico. have a very
poor opinion Of her government. in all It's
states, and at all times pity the peo-
pie of Mexico from my heart, and should
pity them more If they appeared to me
to have sense enough to understand the
misery Of their own position. | believe
it to be the very worst government IN the
world pretending to regard the rights of
the people. This republic, which, by
the way, is no republic at all, but a
military anarchy, has been, | am sorry
to say, for years aud years. the prey of
every miserable upstart that could find
money enough to sustain a miserable ar
my. | have no sympathy, therefore,
with any form Of government. or any Of
the men connected with the government
of Mexico, for the last twenty years -
And go further say that in my judg-
ment, that after the events Of 1896, and
the battles of San Jacinto, Mexico had
& l.r
provinces. She had no power in Texas,
but it was entirely at the disposition Of
those who lived III it. They made the
government for themselves. This coun-
try acknowledged that Government {;
foreign States acknowledged that Gov
ernment and ] think, in fairness and
honesty, we must admit that in 1910,
Al, ~, and 'I3, Texas was an inde-
pendent State among the States Of the
Union. | do not admit, therefore, that
it was any just ground Of complaint on
the part OF Mexico, that the United States
annexed Texas To themselves.
But then, SIR, the fact was, that MeXl-
co DID take offence at tie annexation OF
Texas. Long as Texas had been udc-
pendent, notorious as was the tact, that
the governments of Europe, as well as
our own, had admitted the nationality oi
Texas, Mexico persisted III saving that
II was her province, and she would not
live On terms of amIly with the United
States, although she did not 60 To war.
Her minister, Almonte, went hnnc she
would not receive our minister she re-
NAMED gloomy aud d,,coulented ; aud
that VAS the condition at things mmedI-
atcly alter the annexation oi Texas, and
at the commencement OF Alr Polk ad-
| think that the object Of this was
simply this Mr. Polk becamc Presl-
denl of the United States ~ March,
1915. ln June, 1915, Santa Anna was
banlshed from MeAlco To Cuba, on what
Is called halt pay. lie seems to have
been disconlcnled with his situation at
Cuba, aud ! am strongly suspicious that
his "halipay" was never paid. Through
1915, the condition ol things between
Us aud Mexico Was thus angry aud un-