Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-03-18
Mr.. COrwin'S Speech.

occupying over hVe columns we give our read
ers column or SO Of its concluding passages,
including one or two passages from other parts
Of the speech:
81 will ask any Senator here to furnish me WIN
any means of escaping from the prosecution OF
this war for an hundred years to come IL 1t SO
please the President of the United States to oc-
cupv this while Furnishing me with any posi-
bilitv of getting away from this war, conceding
10 him. as YOU have, the power to command your
army wherever he pleases, and in the manner
that he pIeases, and then granting to the admin
istration, as you call 1.-THE President-every
dollar in money, and if need be every able bod
led man capable of bearing arms in the United
States to prosecute the war-tell me, you who
say that being in war, and conceding, as the
constitution has conceded to the President the
power to command your armies in the field to
send them as he pleases to Monterey, to Mexico
to Yucatln, Panama. to China, if you please
under the penalty, too, Of death, denounced up
on the officers that shall disobey their command
give him that power and then c0ncede it to be-
the duty of Congress-belng thus engaged with
cut your consent at first, without appealing toI
you to give him that pOwer-tO leave to him the
whole conduct of that war, and many men
and as much money as may crafty to the fall his
schemes OF ambition or avarce, or whatever else
you attribute to him, and then tell me whit is
the Government Of the United Stltes, but one off
the blacklist levele finest odious and most hltetul
despotsms that has ever pie Used a mercifdl g ID
to allow nation to be afflicted with on the face
of the earth
have looked at this subject with painful en-
dely0r to come to the conclusion, if possible,
TINT it was my duty as a Senltor of the Unitel
States, finding the country in wlr, to /" Fl ght it
out" as we say in the common and popullr
phrase of the times, to Just and-honorlbe
pence | could very elsily concede thlt to be
my duty if found my country in a just wlr-
in Il war necessary even to protect tn fmced
honor of which we talk SO much | should hive
s)me apology in the ll1ymeat Of my country
men, in the determin ltion of my conscience, and
IL an appeal which you and l. and all Of us must
soon be required to m Ike before tribunal, where
this vlunted honor of the Republic, fer me,
will gain but little credit defence to any act
we may be guilty of here in the Senlte of the
United Sttes
hope the Senate will pardon me for uttering
thought or two whchstrkes me ust now while
| see the Senator from Tex1s--the lender of the
men who achieved that victory, (Sln Jacnto }
before me. | wish to say word or two about
the great glory-the historical renown that is tc
come to the people of the United States by the
victories which she shall obtain over the armies
and forces of the republic of Mexico. | sup
pose, Mr. President, like all other boys, in my
early YOUTH when Ind an opportunity of look
ing at a book called history, those which spoke
Of bloody battles and desolating wars, were mos
likely to attract attention, and with very limited
means of ascertaining that portion of the histo
ry OF the human race, it nevertheless has i'm
pressed itself very wildly on my mind that Their,
have been great wars, and, as the old maxim ha
it, very many brave men, even before Aglmem
non. laugh.
There have been Generals before the Senate
from Texas, who fought well. A laugh Me-
have done vaanty on battle fields before Tay
lor went to Monterey few-one or two | rec
ollect-not particular friends Of mine, Mr. Pres
ldent, although they were friends of my flmily
descended some of them, from the same Eng
lish anccstry-at all events from Noah, to whom
we claim very close and kindred relation Blu
l confess was somewhat surprised that men &C
quulnted with the history of mlnkind-men VIII
know thlt war had been the trade of blrblrou
and civilized men for SIX thousand years promp
ted by those noble instincts which the Senate
from tIichigln spelks about-who knows not TIN
the first man born, of the very first magnitude, h
killed his brother, a hugh he bent out hi
brains wtha club; it was in dispute, Mr. Pres
!dent, about the division of power and plttonlg
between them-I am surprised, sir, TINT with al
this history Of mankind, grave Senltors, gra
headed, men free from the ardor and the nlturl
aspirations of youth and young men, all unite il
one grelt hllleluj HI and symphony of prise t.
the grelt and illustrous deeds of war TINT hlv
occurred and that have shed such im2erishlbl
renown upon the banner and the proves of thi
Republic of ours in this conflict with what on
would suppose from all this must be powerful
and almost unconquered and unconquerable foe
Mr. President twenty millions Of the Anglo-Slx
on race-that indomitable race, that have gon
about the world robbing it wherever they hav
settled-now set themselves up as gaining a yer
great reputation in history for doing-what 2
For gaining three victories in three battles wit
the Republic Of Mexico, who in the year 1886
was conquered and bereft of territory as larg
as the whole empire of France by seven han
dred men under the command of the honorable
Senator from Texas, coming from about tel
thousand people gathered from all quarters 0
the Union, who had few months before sc
themselves down in the Republic of Texas
expect this will be very glorious chapter il
your history-wont it A laugh. After tn
Governor from Texas had met this foe in deadl
conaict-had waged war with them-in stricke
battle had conquered the whole nation-captul
ed their President and Commander of their al
my, losing three men on the field of battle an
two who died of their wounds and two other
who died of that war after such conflict
that with the Republic of Mexico do think
becomes the martial aspirations of this great R,
public of the United States to wish to me lsul
arms with this uncomfortable sect in Mexico,
Mr.. Corwin concludes as follows -
A word on the proposition before you. Thre
millions of money are to be appropriately an
here we labor under difficulty. The Charma
of the Committee Of Foreign Relations tells l
that he has every reason to believe that peace ca
be obtained if we grant this appropriation. VIII
reason have you, Mr.. Chairman, for that cpl
i'm? "Facts which cannot disclose to you
IL - L.