The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-19

The whole of the correspondence was of that charac
ter II was true, that was the language OF the man
called Mad Anthony" but they also knew that it
sanctioned IN message by Washington to Congress.
Such, then, was the way in which Washington pro-
ceeded He would show them that Jackson's policy
was precisely the same Every familiar with
his proceedings Pensacola. lie invaded Spain Just
much as II he had gone TO Madrid He seized upon the
forts when he deemed il necessary the Spanish terri
tory. Well, then, Arista at Matamoros with two
thousand men, and Ampuda, with two thousand more,
occupied another position General Taylor there.
Let "hm cross the Bravo and Arsta to pieces, and
then go on and cut Ampuda to pieces" That was the
advice which he (Mr. I) took the liberty of submitting
to the President of the United States after having
fully examined these papers--caefuly attended the
whole affair of the Seminole war-and he believed that if
General Taylor had done so they would now have no
war with Mexico The President, however, pru-
dent man, and he honored him Tor his prudence. The
responsibility was altogether his II Was easy Tor in
dlvidua TO give his advicemuch easier to advise than
to assume the awful responsibility which belonged to
the execution of such advice. The President did not
think proper to do He waited for the consequences
as they had been informed and they NOW involved
in this That had been the every day experience OF
the country. How was il at Galveston How it in
Florida? lie repeated, under the administration of Mon
roe, the most prudent, forbearng, and cautious of all
their Chief Magistrates w ashingon himself had not
been more so-the policy had been the same. Monroe
did not hesitate whenever il was necessary To send the
troops OF the United States He sent them to Galveston
and 50 on other occasions This was no doubt high
and fearful responsibility An Executive might be inn
peached Somers, the great author OF the English bill OF
rights had said that impeachment like Goliah sword
to be kept in the temple wrapped in the linen ephod, and
not brought out except on great occasions. That was
true. But he (Nlr. ~ did not hesitate to say that OF
military like Washington and Jackson had been at
the head of the government when these difficulties
with Mexico occurred. the war would have been ended
by that blow of anticipation which they all knew TO be
UNSUITABLE. Now, as to whether the Nueces was the
proper Observation-Disclosures that desert TO which the gen.
eman had called his attention. was the proper boundary
that argued at length in the report which he wished
TO printed He commended perlsa OF that report
to his friend from New York if he would suffer it to be
IL,
the moment II became question OF disputed boundary
Independent of the laws passed on that subject the 'res
dent bound TO do that and he called the attention OF
lawyers in that House TO position he meant to take
He said, then, that upon the face OF the constitution, it
clear as the English language could make it, that
Texas could have done what he sad that the United
States should have done. He called the attention of gen
temen the Sd clause of the 10th section of the first
tcle Of the constitution OF the United States which reads
as follows:
No State SHALL without the consent of Congress levy any
duty Of tonnage, keep troops ships Of in time Of
State, or with foreign power engage in war, unless
actually invaded or in such imminent danger rs viii not
| admit OF delay
| Would any tell him that if Texas, when she
called the President of the United States TO aid her,
had himself possessed the ability, she could not rightly
have gone to war at that timer The constitution,
792 and of 2sth February, l795, conclusive to
the right of antcpave attack. Let them suppose the
ron had advanced to encounter Commodore Conner
| Was it to be supposed that any sound doctrine
of national defence could require that three
four hundred American seamen must first be slaughtered
before an attack could be made by the American naval
commander The thing absurd He contended
that the whole boundary question was lost, merged,
drowned IN the much greater queston-for lnasmuch as
Mexico had declared that they would drive the United
States back the Sabneas Arsta had advanced to the
Bravo with two thousand men, and Ampudia with two
thousand men-right, duty, and obvious policy would
have warranted them in going into the country and
crushing those thus preparing for hostile invasion He
would now submit, with great Difference, few words
In o,tinn IN fho fcalf fhp
been waged. Since the days OF Alexander, no
such line of conquest had been SEEN Napoleon
had no such line of conquest Julius Cesar had no such
line of conquest Not only in the history of their repub
lie, but in the history Of the world, this new line
of conquest. Now, what the law of war on this
subect' Here he wished to say word or two in rela
from Alabama, mir; lHiard;l Commodore Stockton
say in all that they had done, but he would say in al
most all that they had done. He said it publicist-
as lawysrras man who had considered the subject
and they might put them in the wrong if they could but
he did not express his opinion rashy; His excellent
Who was oT Ra a@'a Would assd s British
amen! dare to quote Vatteli Why, he would be laugh
ed att A Swiss text-writer-a clever wrer-who could
methodZe their ideas for Them and forth He (Nlr
had gone to Grotus. for his part and he advised his
friend from Alabama to read "Grotus." He would give
him the chapter. He would give him al! about it. There
Mr. turned to the volume, but remarking that he could
not then put his finger upon the passage, he said he
would state its substance and proceededl The doctrine
was this When their soldiers went TO Santa Fe Cali
forna they had right to do anything there but their
soldiers But they carried with them all the represen
ations of American sovereignty twas question of sove
reigny altogether and when country subdued the
sovereignty of the subdung country introduced into
it, After that Groilus showed, it was question
OF penisson and even the passage quoted by his friend
from Vattel said IL was question altogether of per-
mission OF the adversary not to exercise that sovereignty
to the fullest extent Grotus said they might change the
religion of the conquered people they chose and he
posed that his respected friend from Alabama would think
that the ''unkndest cut OF allv'
Mr.. billiard asked leave TO say, that as he under
stood the honorable gentleman, he made distinction
between the rights which conqueror acquired in tenn
porary occupation of the enemy's territory and those
which he acquired over province completely subjected
to his power and permanently incorporated with his ter
ritory. There broad distinction in the first case,
it to suit his possession and harmonic with his author
ty In the other case, he abohshes existing laws and
brings the acquired territory under his own laws, and
treats IN every respect part OF his domnions
This he can do when, by treaty of peace the lapse
OF time, the territory becomes his own.
Mr.. INGERSOLL Perhaps there was distinction
But was this an entirely temporary occupation They
must look at this question its reference to the past
From Aaams's time down there had been uniform and
strenuous effort for the acquisition of that very territory
Was not then natural for the commanders to suppose that
Congress would sanction their conquests and retain them
Now, what was the law of nations He would turn IT
upon the gentleman. II question of sovereignty
They had right to change the religion if they chose
Was it not advantage 10 them Was it glory to
the United States
Mr. HIILIARD againinterrupting, said ii the gentle
man will allow me, will make another distinction
If the conquered territory 10 receive laws, they
must be made by the Legislature The President pos
leg n IN NAL hia inv 1ip0