The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-12-04

ton. But the mass of them did not. They
continued to oppose and thwurt it, to discour-
age loans and enlistments, to deny the power
ofthe General Government TO march the mill
; tia beyond our limits, and to hold Hartford
Convention, which, whatever were its real
objects, bore the aspect Of seeking dlssolu-
ton of the Union itself. They lost and Justly
; lost the public confidence. But has not an
apprehension ola similar fate, in n state of a
case widely different, repressed fearless ex-
preston of their real sentiments in some of
our public men?
How totally variant is the present War!
This is no War of Defence, but one unneces-
sury and of offensive aggression. 1t is Mexi-
co that is defending her fire sides, her castles
and her affairs, not we. And how different al
so is the conduct of the Wing party of the
present day from that of the major part of the
Federal party during the War of 1872 Far
from intcrposing any obstacles TO the prosec u
ton of the War, if the Wings in office are re-
proachable at all it is for having lent too read
y facility TO IT, without careful examination
into the objects of the War. And out of of
flee, who have rushed to the prosec uton ofthe
War with more ardor and alacrity than the
! Wings? Whose hearts have bled more free
| ly than those of the Wings? Who have more
occasion to mourn the loss of sons, husbands,
brothers, fathers, than Wing parents. Wing
wives and Wing brothers, in this deadly and
Improbable strife?
But the havoc of War is in progress, and
the no less deplorable havoc ofan inhospltable
and pestiential climate Without indulging
/ in an unnecessary retrospect and useless re-
proaches on the past, all hearts and heads
should unite in the patriotic endeavor to bring
it to a sntisfac tory close. Is there no way that
this can be done? Must we blindly continue
the conflict without any visible object, or any
prospect of definite termination? This is the
! important subject upon which desire to con-
suit and to commune with you. Who, in this
Traa ant e 10, Iapt liz objects
Of Il War, at its commencement, or at any
time during its existence? Does the power be
long to the collective wisdom of the Nation in
Congress- assembled, or is it vested solely in
single funcii2uary cfthe Government
A declaration ofWar is the highest and
most awful exercise of sovereignty. hc
Convention, which framed Federal Con
stitution, had learned from the pages OF hsto-
ry that it had been often and greatly abused.
1t had seen that War had often been com
menced upon the most trifling preteXts; that 1t
had been frequently waged to establish or cH-
clude dynasty; TO snatch crown from the
head of one potentate and place it upon the
head of unothcrj that it had often been prose-
cuted to promote alien and other interests than
those of the nation whose chief had proclaim
ct -, as in the case of English wars for Han
overian. interes.s; and, in short, that such
vast and tremendous power ong"t not 10 DC
confded to the perious exercise "a one S'hSic
man. The Convention, therefore, resolved 10
guard the War making power against those
great abuses, of which, in the hands of mon
arch, it was so susceptible. And the security
against those abuses which it's wisdom devils
ed, was to vest the War making power in the
Congress Oft the United States, being the i'm
mediate representatives of the people and the
States. So apprehensve and jealous was the
Convention of its abuse in any other hands,
that it nterdcted the exercise of the power to
any State in the Union, withou: the Consent
off in
of Government, is the sole depository OF that
trenIenduous power.
The Constitution provides that Congress
shall have power to declare War, and grant
letters of marque and rcprisul, 20 make rules
concerning captures on land and water, to raise
and support armies, and provide and maintain
II navy, and to make rules for the government
I of the land and naval forces Thus we per-
ceive that the principal power, in regard 10
War, with all its auxiliary attendants, is gran
ted to Congress. Whenever called upon to
determine upon the solemn question of Peace
or War, Congress must consider and deliberate
and decide upon the motives, objects and eau
SEES of the War. And, if war be commenced
without any previous declaration gifts objects
us in the case of the existing War with Mexl-
co, Congress must necessarily possess the au-
thorty, at any time, to declare for what Pur-
poses it shall be farther prosecuted. If we
suppose Congress does not possess the control
ling authority attributed to it, if it be conten-
ded that War having been once commenced,
the President ofthe United States may direct
it to the accomplishment of any objects he
pleases, without consulting and without any
regard to the will of Congress; the Conven-
ton will have utterly failed in guarding the
Nation against the abuses and ambition of a
single individual Either Congress or the
President, must have the right of determining
upon the objects for which War shall be
prosec utcd. There is no other alternative. IT
the President possess it and may prosecute it
for objects against the will of Congress, where
is the difference between our Free Govern
ment and that of any other nation which may
be governed by an absolute Gear, Emperor, or
King.
Congress may omit as it has omitted in the
present War, to proclaim the objects for
which it was commenced or has been since
prosecuted, and in cases Of such omission the
President, being charged with the employ
tnent and direction of the national force, is,
nee essarily, left TO his own judgment to de-
eide upon the objects to the attainment of
which that force shall be applied. But,
whenever Congress shall think proper to de-
clare, by some authentic act, for what purpo-,
ses war shall be commenced or continued,
it is the duty ofthe President to apply the ma
tional force to the attainment of those purpo-
ses. In the instance of the last War with
Great Britain, the act Of Congress by which
it was declared was preceded by message
of President Madison enumerating the
wrongs and injuries ofwhich we complain
ed against Great Britain. That message,
therefore and without it the well known OBJ
iects of9he War, which was War purely
of defence, rendered it unnecessary that
Congress should particulariZe, in the act, the
specific objects for which it was proclaimed.
The whole world knew that it was a War
waged for Free Trade and Sailors rights
L. la tInft ha e.