Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1847-02-18
SPEECH OF TIE
HON JOHN &. C.1LHOU.N,
UPON THE MEXICAN WAR,

Mr CALHOUN then rose. aud thus addressed the
Senate. Never, Mr. President. since have been TIN.
stage OF ac'on has our country been pacod IN mora
critical condition ,han ptesent. Ncafc mol only in
the midst ola war; very difficult aud very expensive,
but we are involved In dumcsi question OF tho host
irritating aud dangerous character. They boh clam an
earnest aud deliberate consideration aud do trust that
before this session close, late asst a. dat they viii
both receive u t discussion Ii Is due 10 eonstitu-
ents that the actual state Of thugsn reference both
should be full, understood For the Present, prop
10 consider the question which mofo immediately press
ng-how shall the war be best conducted 10 bring II
most advaniageousy 10 successful termination Or.
10 ox press II !itlu mere FULLY, ho" shall II be conduct
ed 10 onabens most advautagcously effect all the oh
lec,s for which II was made For II ~ only by uiocnp
tins that The wal can property be said 10 be- successful
There ate Wo ways III which the may be conducted
The Is, 10 push offensive operation, until Mexico
Is compelled 10 yield 10 terms lhcoher Is 10 take
defensive position and 10 maintain aud secure the
y already IN military occupatonj nnd the question
which propose 10 consider Isl which Of these two plans
OF operation onght to be selected. Ii Is. Mr. President
grave ques ion, IN my opinion, next IN importance only
Ia the war itself have given IT my deliberate cuisde
mtiou, and the result which have come Is that We
ought To choose defensive position shall now coed
10 state the upon which that opinion Is founded
believe, MI President II is the policy hest calculated
10 bring the advanaooousy successful tefmna
ton or express II FULLY and expcItlV-and wish
10 hs fully compchcnded on this important qa,ston-io
bring il To a aud successful termination. aud that
With the last sacrifice o men aud mannN. and with the
least hazard OF disastrous uences and loss Of sand
my aud reputation TO The country II nightly understand
the object iof which the war declared, feel deep
conviction that by assuming this defensive attitude all
this mny be elected say If rightly mdels and-ior.
strange as II may SEEM 10 me the object for which this
war has been declared this late day, left 10 in
ference. | have examined the Presidents message
messages mther-and the OF This body making the
war; and The result of that examination has been this
that the object Tor which thus has been declared are
thfeeiud tt 10 ropc INVASION neNl, 10 establish the Rio
del Notc the western boundary oi leXas aud thirdly
10 obtain Indemnity r the claims o oar citizens against
Mexico. 1hc Two FIST appear u 10 be the primary
Objects OF the Wal aud the last 10 be the secondary object
Of the war The President in his message 10 Congress
on the subject Of the war, doos not recommend Congress
10 declare No. He tint aheady exists
and calls upon this body 10 recognise IT, lie assumed
II 10 exist because he affirmed thai the country had hocn
invaded aud American blood been spilled American
soil That assumption had bocen prcdlcalea upon the
ground that the RIO del Nortc the western bouuda-
~ oil Texas. fol he affirmed that Mexico had crossed that
boundary come To H. opposite side Of The river
which IN his opinion, constituted the territorial limits Of
the country But after having been entered into hc
commends subsequently, that the war he prosecuted with
reference To the claims Of on cillzons The act OF Con
gfess. Mr. President. making rather recognizing
war, Tor war has not vel been DECLARED that act of
Congress reiterated the declaration oil the President that
existed by the act Of the republic Of Mexico. aud
that the Rlo del Noe WAS the western boundary OF Tex
as, ard that the ctorslp9 o hatuNel constituted INVASION
Hence consider both the executive and the legislative
branch o' lhls government are committed to Tie laet that
the Ro del Norio Is The western boundary leAas and
that the es0g and slnng Of blood on side * an
INVASION These then the primary Objects Of he war.
But having got into var, the President recommends it 10
be prosecuted for the object lhavo mentluncdtat Is 10
say, indemnity ior our elt2tuS-a recommendation, III
my OPINION, proper oil lls' iof While we arc engaged IN
war all The differences between the two countries ought,
It possible, 10 be stled h'e appear to me 10 n NE oh
arts OF the wart on4uosi srNssy dlsavowed aud con
suco 1ne oil the Objects oi the Wal The President Ia
addition, recommends that we shall also prosecute the
war IN order 10 obtain Indemnity f1I the expense Of the
wal but that IN no sense can BE- considered as object Of
the "rr II ~ neither mQfo nor less than ques-
ton OF policy fu II World be nhsnfd " the extreme to
suppose that nation would enter into war or the pur-
pose OF lndemntyng itself lor theeApensrs Of that
hold that such being the objects oi the war; that all the
objects for which il WIS declared can be accomplished hy
taking dciens We position wool Them have been already
effected The enemy has been rcprrd by two brill ant
victories. The RIO del Nortc IS held from the mouth 10
It's extreme source On the eastern slio by ph'solycs-
Not Mexican soldier to he found the eastern side
oft As the remaining indemnity toour citizens such
has been the Of that have not only
acquired enough for hai but vastly more even com
prehcnd great as they aeady have been the expenses
oflho war, # it should be Judged that it were wise
sonnd and lp-t Iolcy on our pan 50 to dcffay them
Here, Mr. Pr sIdcnt, arises the question-shal hold
the line that we now occupy and which we cover By our
miitfry forces. compretcfIng Ato=lhlds Of The whole
OF Mexico, estimated, comprising the valley Of tie
Del Nurtc ON both sides, q,c M the western side 10
the Sierra Madc and conpr sing on The southern rde oi
our linc-I mean Otcbou-tlowu 10 the southern evtrrl-