Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-02-25
VERMONT wATCHMAN & STATE JOURNAL,


has driven this peaceful, this happy people from
the great pursuits of civil life to rush into all the
mseries of war? Let me see these causes, for
read in the constitution of this government that
Congress composed of the Senate and House
Of Reprerentatives-aoDe, Congress alone, and
no other power under heaven, can ever bring up
on this country that direst, worst and fatalest
curse OF humanity-wAR! IL is by their VIII a.
Lone that that curse can be inflicted shall find,
then, somewhere on the journals of Congress a
statement of the causes and reasons of the war"
If such an inquirer Mr. President, should look
into the archives of this Senate or into the ar
chives OF the House of Representatives, he would
be obliged to 90 away and tell the story TO the
world, that it was altogether mistake that
there could be no such Constltt ton as that, for
in the journals of neither House could he find
an act OF the Legislature which avowod the rea-
sons Of the war--no such resolution soemnly
debated and solemny decided, assigning to the
world to the tribunal of Chrstondom-the rea-
sons which lmpeied us 10 invoke tins last and
most fatal weapon of an injured people for the
redress Of its wrongs
He will find it nowhere. And although this
has been the condition Of the country for about
ten months, it Is n fact undeniable, and history
must so record II, that up to about five days ago
there has not been afforded to the Senate Of the
United States one hours discussion of the rcG-
Carolina was obliged to say that up to this hour
he was compelled to guess ard imagine those
reasons! How has this war como upon us p
How is II that we have SO disappointed the hopes
OF those great and good men that prescribed to
US the path Of our duty in this, one of the most
Important acts, which government can be call
cd upon to perform? When they came to
| certain and fix the boundaries OF the various
functions of the government which they intend
,I t,
down in that instrument, that Congress alone
should have power to declare war, they but con-
suited in that instance, us in every other, the
gathered wisdom of the Past.
Whether they looked to the level dcsposms
Of the Aslatic world-whethrr they ookd to
those fcudal institutions winch followed upon the
destruction oil the Roman EMPIRE where this
power to make war was parceled out in variety
of hands-or whether they looked TO the stern
tyrr0nnies Of modern Europe, in any and every
one of these Instances they would have found
that the war-making power, being in the hands
Of one man--the war-makng power, being IN the
hands Of the monarch, the despot, the fcudal
| lord, and the limited monarch, had teen found in
hostility to the rights, and destroying the lives
OF millions of their subjugated people, in all the
ages OF the world. They determined, therefore,
that the power to make war should never be vest
ed in the hands of any one man. They de-
clared that it should be with The sovereign States
and their Representatives alone to say whether
the nation should seek this last appeal Tor the re-
dress OF any injuries of which it might have rea-
son to complain. They provided, however, that
the President Of the United States, for the time
being, should he the Commander-n chief of the
armies Of the United States.
They took very good care that that army should
be exceedingly small, and they who had the most
fearful approximations of investing in one man
even the power to command this army, always
inculcated upon the minds of every one the ne
cessity Of Keeping that army within limits Just
as small as the necessity of the external rela-
tions Of tine country would possibly admit. 1t
has happened, Mr. President, that when n little
disturbance on your Indian frontier took place,
Congress was invoked for an increase of your
military force. Gentlemen came here who had
seen partial service IN the armies of the United
states. They tell you that the militia of the
country is not to be relied upon-that it is only
, III the regular army of the United States that
You are to find the men competent to fight the
battles of the country, and from time to time,
when that necessity has seemed to arise, forget.
ting this old doctrine that large standing army
IN time of peace always dangerous to hu
man liberty, we have increased that army from
SIX 'housdnf up to sixteen thousand men; and
t the other day, Mr. President-the other dav-we
here GAVIN ten regiments more and for not riv-
ing it within the quick time demanded by our
MASTER the Comnanderiu chief, some minlon-
| know not who, for have not looked into this
matter IN any way until this morning feed
, ing upon the hy-blOwn remnants that fall in the
; Executive shambles and lie purifying there, has
denounced Us as AleXicans, and called the Amer
lean Republic to take notice that there was in
the Senate of the United States body of men
cIiargeable with Observation-Disclosures in heart
traitors to the United States.
Mr. hat H.
appeased by the facility with which, Immediate
ly after that rebuke Of his minlon, the Senate
f acted upon the bill and gave him the army which
he required; ] trust that he will now forget that
law, which as COMMENCEMENT of the army
of the United States and President of this great
North American Republic for the time being he
promulgated to us in the message and commands
which he was pleased to deliver at the Opening
of this session, TO his faithful and humble servl
tors in both branches of the American Congress,
; admonshing us that we would be considered as
giving " aid and comfort to his enemy-not ours
-hiS-if one word should be said unlavorable
to the motives which might have brought the
royal will 10 the conclusion that he would pre-
clpltate this Republic into war with Mexico !
trust his majesty, IN consideration of our faith
iu services IN augnentlng the forces of the Re-
public, ngrceaby to the commands which we
, have received from the throne, will induce him
{ 10 relax lllIe WHEN ne comes 10 execute tldt
law of treason upon one at least so humble as
myself! do remember, Mr. Presldent-you
, viii remember, Mr. President-yo your recollection
Of history will furnish you with case which
will, think, operate in my favor in a question
Of that sort.
Some time in the history of the royal Tudors
., in England, when poor Engllshnan, for differ
ing from his Majesty, on somesubject- it might
be religious iaith--was condemned to be hang
cd and quartored and emboweed, out Of special
grace, in Il particular case where penltence was
, expressed, the haugman was admonlshed to give
the culprt time to choke before he began to chop
up his limbs and take out his bowels
, Now, Mr., President, have already stated that
, do not intend TO occupy the Senate with dis.
cusslan Of those variety Of topics which natural
J ly enforce themselves upon my attention in con-
sldering this subject. 1t must have occurred to
every body, how utterly impotent the Congress
of the Unued States now is Tor any purpose
whatever, but that of yielding to the President
every demand winch he makes Tor men and mon
ey, unless they assume that only position which
) is left which, IN the history OF other coun-
> tries. in times favorable to human liberty, has
been so often resored TO check upon arbi
trary power withholding that money, refusal to
grant the services OF those men when demanded
for purposes which the Senate of the United
Satos do not deem TO be DrODpr.