The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-06
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

Mr. A. JOHNSON then rose and addressed the commit
tee He said in presenting himself before the committee
that morning. he did not intend to discuss much the bill
Immediately before them, as the general questions con-
neced with the and the policy Of the administration
with regard to it, II appeared to him that very strange
position had been taken by one OF the speakers and moi
SO strange either but at all events, he thought that the
gentleman very bold in taking that position. He (lr
j. could but admire the spirit frankness, and candor
Of the gentleman IN taking that position: Great CON-
plant had been found with the President for the he
had made in his message OF the words g aid and COM
fort" Yesterday, however, position had been assumed
which he thought fully authorized the inference that any
ton were, whether they intended not, extending said
and comiort to the enemy OF the country Yesterday
they told by the gentleman from Indiana Mr.; Nc
GAuGHEY that he did not intend to vote for the bill I'M
der conserationhat he did not intend to vote IN favor
of raising any armies-that he intended to vote
against all measures which might be introduced into that
House fohe purpose OF prosecuting the war; unless there
a certain provision that the army was to be with
drawn within the legitimate boundaries OF the United
States Well, if that indication to any extent, OF
the feelings opinions of the party with whom the
gentleman acted, it seemed to him, (blr. J( that there
fixed and settled purpose-at least, he had right
TO infer that there was purpose OF extending aid and
comfort to the enemies of the country. To what was
such declaration equivalent Was not virtually
procaiming in the ears OF Mexico that there
powerful Party IN the intel States So,s a
Plies nor in any way their government in the
prosecution of the war; That they would vote for no
thing unless the army in the field and the squadron IN
the Gulf, Withdrawn clearly within the limits and
jurisdiction of the United States? Did not all that ndl-
resolute determination to paalyze the arm OF the
government of the United States, and protract the
war by every possible means, until change in the ad
mnistraton could be perchance effected II was under
sood--the position had been taken before the country
that the democratic party with the present adminstra-
ton its head, intended TO prosecute this war until an
honorable peace made. But ii the opposite party
took the ground that they would resist the grant OF any
supplies would it not afford powerful stlmuant to- the
eneny' Yet that was certainly fair deduction from
the repeated declarations made yesterday by the gentle
man from Indiana, to whom he had alluded and who
had expressly stated that if the opinions he had uttered
were not those OF the wing party then he no longer
whg 1t then, for his party TO declare whether ne
was really whig not, But it was not his MR. 50
design to occupy much of his time any reply to the
gentleman from Indiana A few days since they had
been favored with speech from of the Immortal
fourteen who voted against the bill authorizing the
President to into the United States army nifty
thousand volunteers and approprating ten millions 70
defray the expenses Yet that gentleman
with bold and unabashed front, stood up before
declared that he intended to persist that opposton and
in the effort establish and maintain plausible position
for himself and his party the gentleman had attempted to
impose upon the country proof which was nowhere 70 be
found He MIR HuDsoN1 assumed the position that the
troops of the United States had invaded Mexico and at
tempted to maintain his position ty reference to documen-
tary evidence AS he Mr. did not wish to occupy much
time in paving his respects to the gentleman from Nlassa
chusetts he would ask their attention to item only OF
the evidence adducel by him in support OF his position IN
had mulated his authority. The gentleman quoted IN
his speech what purpored to be extract from one OF
the letters of the American charges dies aiaes IN Texas
The gentleman SAID:
'sMr Donelson writing to Mr. Buchanan from Galveston
under date June 1875 says 1t is believed that Mexico
yet has esfabiisfed 40 posts 2
That was thrown in by the gentleman, in connexion
with other items for the purpose of proving admission
the part of Mr. Donelson, that the country was Mex
as vet But when the House TO the paragraph from
which that garbled quotation had been made they would
perceive the monstrous injustice TO Mr. Doneson-the
shallow artfce upon that House which had been at
tempted by the honorable gentleman from Massachusetts
What did Mr. Doneson say! lie said;
at believed that Mexico is concentrating troops the
fins &c So & Is possible hat 1sra, may send force there to
rrn,ore intrnders"
.Intruders" Wheres Upon the soil of the State Of Tex
as of course Alter that sample OF the honorable gentle
mans sppressio Ueraer that specimen brick OF the fab
rc which he had reared, the House would be enabled to
Judge of the integrity OF the structure That gentleman
had talked great deal about Cesar and usurpers and
opposition In the introduction of his Speech he had
quoted remarkable passage from Cato They all
knew-and he (Mr J) made the remark in no disre-
spect-they all knew the singular air of sincerity with
which the gentleman was accustomed TO deliver his
speeches. and which at stamped them with the i'm
press of honesty When he read that paragraph from
Mr. Donelsons letter, it was, moi at all strange that he
Nr J) should have been disposed TO allow it to pass
without questioning it, though it did sound rather oddly
But in running the correspondence, he (Mr J.)
happened accidentally to discover the great discrepancy
presented Now he knew not what system OF ethics the
gentleman had honored with his homage-he did not
Know in what school OF morality he had been educated but
certainly this he would say, that individual who could
deliberately and wilfuly suppress material portion OF
paragraph and employ the balance OF it to establish a
proposition wholly unauthorized by the paragraph when
taken together placed himself position of which that
House and the country were fully competent to Judge.
He (Mr not accustomed to inquire into the pri-
waite character relations Of members of that body but
it did strike him with no little surprise, when he came to
reflect that this thing had been done by who had
been soemnly dedicated to the service of Godwhose
business was the of sons-who held commission
from the skies to reform men, and qualify them for
future state. He did think that It was singular
thing and entirely irreconcleable with his (Mr Js)
ideas of sound morals TO make of paragraph
in that way in order TO establish proposition directly
the reverse Of that enuncated the paragraph itself
Yet the air of extreme candor and sincerity with which
the thing was done, quite irreslstibe II reminded
him very much OF picture which he (Mr. j. hal seen
hanging on the fire. place in certain genteman's room
which he once happened to visit The picture represent
ed Diogenes bending downward, and with lantern in his
hand apparently engaged in studying the head of an in
dividuaf He (Mr. J approached little closer and read
the lines
''Diogenes, his lantern needs no more,
An honest found--the search is DER ~
And when he came to examine to whom the very com.
pimenary couplet meant to apply, To- and behold
thought that after the interesting little specimen Of The
geneman's ingenuity, TO which he had Just directed the
attention of the House. nobody could doubt the proprety
OF directing the lantern OF Dogenes TO the counenancc
another honorable gentleman from Massachusetts Ia
laugh But the gentleman had applied to the Preslden
the reply OF Cato to the emissary sent to him when IN ht
Senate at Utica
''Bd him dsband his legons
Restore the Commonwealth 10 liberty
Submit his actions the public censure,