Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-03-04
NUMBER 80.
RICHMOND DAILY WHIG.
SPEECH OF MIR. BENTON,
In REPLY TO Ma. CALHOUN, ON rus Tn,r MrlIOs su,

ne senator from South Carolina his cooquV
senator from Texas tGen HoUsroSl on Thursday last
seemed anxious 10 have understood that these land and
naval oees were not repe nvasicns but ony report
them to our government for it, rep TO Congress
The paper read by the from Texas consisting OF
our seeretays words taken down in his presence read
over to him for his correction by the Texan ministers.
iabS shes the contrary aud shows that the repSe tho
invasion was in the meantime be made And, in fact.
other would have have been fraud upcn the
promise For. If the invasion had been made known
Washington and the Of Congress aiken tho ques
ton OF rePeling ii, certainly in ume mis-
ehei woad have been donche invasion would have been
nade and, therefore, be with himself tho
President IN the mean time bound repel the
sion, without waiting to hear what Congress would say
about IT, And this is what he himself tells his
messages to the Senate. of the 18th and 3ls Vi May
doubtless written by his Secretary State and both
ing and u.ying his intention fight Mexico, OF
INVASION, while the treaty OF depending,
without awa'ing the action OF Congress. Here
tracts from these messages
Message, ljtA Of Nay -Ertraet.
At the same time, It IS due myself mat .hould de-
clare as my opinion, that the United States having by be
treaty OF annexation, acquired tide 10 Texas which ts-
qures only the action OF the Senate perfect IT, no other
power could be permitted invade and by force of AIMS
to possess ei OF any portion Of the territory Of Texas
pending your deliberations upon the ay without placing
ri IN hostile attitude TO the United States and j1sufying
the employment OF any military al our disposal to
drive back the invasion"
Message. 3lst Of Mqy-E1taet
In my message to the Senate Of the 18th Of this MONTH
adVefted to The duty which, in my Judgment the signature
of the treaty for the Of Texas mad muo,ed mon
me- 10 epe any INVASION II that country by foreign now
e WINE Tue treaty was under consideration in the Senate
and Transmitted reports from the Secretaries OF War and
OF the Navy, with copy Of the orders which had been s-
sued from those departments for the PURPOSE OF enabling
execute thar duty In those ORDERS Gen Taylo was
directed 20 communicate directly with the President OF
Texas the subject and Captain Conner was instruct
ed to communicate with the charge daars the United
states accredited TO that government No copy OF any
communication which either Of those officers NAV have
made pursuant to those has vet been received at The de-
Pattments from which they emsnated."
Here the a7Owa OF the fact and the reasons for it
that honor required u to fight for Texas, II intrigued
her admi; that would be good reason be-
individuals aud in a case where big bully should
involve little fellow in the fight again after he had got HIM
self parted but between nations, and under our
constitution. The engagement fight MEXICO for Texas
while we were at peace with Mexico, 10 make war
with Mexico peace OF business which belonged 10 the
Congress, and should have been referred TO them and
which, on the contrary, was concealed from Them though
IN session. and present. and the fact eny found
the troops had marched and thea by din Of calls from the
Senate
The proof complete that the loan of the land and naval
forces TO fight Mexico while peace with
her and this becomes great turning point in the history
OF this war Without this pledge gwen by Secretary
State-whout his reversal Of Mr. Tylers first decision
there could have been war! Texas and Mexico would
have made peace and then annexation would have follow
ed OF ITSELF The victor of San Jacno who had gone forth
and recovered by the sword and erected into repub
lie the beautiful domain given away by Secretary IN 1919
the head OF the Team government was conduct
his country peace and acknowledged indeDendeuee
II let alone, hs would have accomplished his objec for he
had Already surmounted the great difficulty OF step
The armsce and the commence OF peace neRota-
Britain
and France, the establishment OF peace certain. A
heavenly 1ene detnn upon the labos the peace
maker and what Is blessed Of God succeed. AT all
events, II does not lac an the mouth OF
OF all IN the mouth OF the mischief naker-to saw that the
peaceful mediation would have succeeded was the
part Of all have aided aud wished and hoped for
and had been our Secretays letter OF
April 18Th authentic facts assertion that Texas
and Mexico would have made peace spr ny Of s44
Then Texas would have into this Union as natural
" and as easily, aud with as lille offence anybody
Eve went into Adams bosom in the garden OF Eden
There would have been need for intriguing poll
ueans 10 get hes IN, by plots and tricks than there
for old bag OF match making belle -dame with her
arts and auemenE her phters and her potois 10 get
Eve into Adams bosom. And thus the breaking up OF
the peace negotiations becomes the great turning point In
| the problem OF the Mexican wax.
The treaty OF annexation signed and in signing il
the Secretary knew ihat he had made war with Mexico
No less Than three formal notices file IN the De-
! Parment Of State, in which the Mexican government
solemny declared That Il would consider anne1auon a.
equivalent TO declaration Of and il was IN su.ion
these that lie Secretary OF Stale i'm MS nob6e,
ton 10 aeNlco OF the signature OF the treaty said il had
been signed IN FULL vIEw OF cossESUENcEs
meaning war as the consequence At the ume he
suited the action 20 tine word be off deiachmens OF
the army, aud placed them under the command OF Prez-
dent Houston and made him the Judge Ct the emergencies
and eGgenees IN which they fight This authori-
~ the President OF Texas couunued in full force
until alter the rejection Of the treaty. aud then only mod-
he'd by placing the American diplomatic agent in Texa.
between President Houston and the naval and m ary
commanders and making MIN the medium OF communica-
uon bet~een foreign President and forces; but the
l Iued
on the Texan and Mexican ironuer waiting the en-
gsRess and snsTgsaeiss in which they to fight Du
ring all that lime iCeign President commandef-n-
chief OF large detachment OF the army and navy OF the
United States. He President General Of our land and
sea forces made by the from South Carolina
with authority tight them against Mexico with whom "a,
psaee-an office and authority rather above that Of
lieutenant general -and indebted the forbear-
anee and prudence OF President Houston Tor mourning
the IN lsI4, which fell upon - IN 1876
The ueay rejected by he Senate but so apprehen
sye was the u immediate war that besides keep
ing the deIa,nents Of the army and navy their posts
messenger despatched with deprecatory letter To-
MeIco and, report said, the offer OF a large sum of
money purchase peace from her by inducing her to
tor boundary which would leave Texas within our limits
ms repori, and would mention IT, the senator
was not present 10 contradict u II correct Report 81
the time said from i've millions OF doars: from one
OF NJ Shannons letters, we may set Il down millions.
be either sum, viii show that the senator was then re-
ereuY wiling ~ PaY immense pacify Mexico
although be declares that he does kno how he
VIII vote relation 10 the three millions resp1nsby asked
by Mr. Polk
The secretary knew that he had made war nth Mo1i-
eo-Ihst IA accepting the gage three laid down. he
hsd joined on issue with compound Of Celtic blood
called Spanish, would redeem. knew IT, aud said It on
this floor, " secret sesson-ior did then choose 10
say "a pubic-iaai Il there was but Of that
b.oo5 IN ell Mexico and he no bigger than General r
Thumb be would Tight Senstors will rec5lcctiL Mr.
MANsUN noddcn asscntl
now to the l1st this tragedy Of euors-ths
alternative resolutions adopted by Congress the last days
Of r scsaon Of l5i4t5, ADD n the lest 81 Mf.
tvcf's administration a resolve single and absolute
had been made BY the House OF kepcsentatyesi came
90 This body; and aicrnatve resolution added sub
20 the choice OF the President auhozing negotiations
Tor the admission and sppr0pr ang 100000 deiriy The
expenses Ut these negotiations senator from North
Caroins, not member OF this body but who have
the pleasure 90 see sitting me, Mr. HAYwooB knows
Ell about that alternative rezOuuon, and his country
him good thanks iot as abOrs about b. l consider.
ed BY eyesody hat the choice between these rsoanoas
belonged 70 the Prcsdcnt who had been elected With
special the admission Of Texas and who a.
ready n ihs city, awaiting the morning OF he th ' March
I
administration a the cvs Of uistake boz The choice OF
these resolutions 10 TALL We oil expected the ques-
ton ~ b. leti open hc PRESIDENT and suons
was that expectation and strong the feeling sssnst tha
decency propreV Of interference the part ot tho
expiring admInsuauon, 90 snatch this cboics %
/ tho hands Of Mr. Polk, that, on q mere suggesuon
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