The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-23
Efforts 10 Protract the War.

OF which we give full report
Hereafter the House will meet at IL o'clock, a. IN.
Efforts TO Protract the War.
Two movements were made yesterday in Congress
from the two exremites of the Union--the one by Mr.
Cley, of New Hampshire in the Senate and the other by
Mr. Stephens, of Georgia. in the Houseplainy adapted
designed, disavow the war; and discourage its
prosecution Mr. Cilley asked the Senate of the United
States to resolve that army should be ordered by
the President to skuk away from the enemy in humla-
ting and shameful retreat! MIR. Stephens contentei
himself with asking the House TO repudiae all idea of an
Naturalization for the expenses of the war; and for our
claims against Mexico by the acquisition of 'any por-
ton OF her territory, and TO again proe negotiation for
the purpose OF settling the 'rghtfu boundary OF Texas
andso obtaining peace without such indemnity"
These movements evidently beoken an unwilIingness
to vndcale the rights of the nation in just and
sary They plant themselves directly in the path OF
manifest patriotic duty and it is not too much to say
that at the present moment they outrage the almost
unanimous patriotic feeling of the country. II is
difficult to imagine any preteXt for bringing forward such
resolutions national councils in the present crisis.
Unquestionably they olious propositions Unques-
tionaby they will find no favor, hardly any toera-
ton within the national legislature, in the country
AS measures OF legislation, looking to legislation,
they are utterly void and proitess, because minority,
even at all respectable in point OF numbers influence,
can be found to sustain them. At the time, and
beyond all doubt they tend necessarily and strongly to
encourage the public enemy, and in so far as they have
any practical effect, to postpone and defeat that very
peace for which they profess to seek Beyond all ques
ton any such dscontnuance of hosities, and with
drawa of our arms from Mexico, would present the in
tolerabe spectacle of the United States at peace
with Mexico, and of Mexico at against the
United States By the adoption of such resolu-
TONS Congress would show itself wlling-after
having charged, BY its almost unanimous vote, the Ex-
ecutve of country with the high constitutional res
possibility of conducting foreign war-o abandon him
in the very midst of his discharge of that duty, and to
impose upon him the necessity OF issuing orders and
adopting measures which all other civilized nations would
unite with nineteen -twenteths of people in pro-
nouncing TO be- on our part, permanent and fragrant
national dshonor Congress, by its of the 18th of
May last, authorized and commanded the President of
the United States to prosecute the Mexican TO ga
speedy and successful termination" In enactng that law,
Congress ordered the President directly and substantial
ly if not in terms, to march armies into Mexico.
These two gentlemen call upon Congress to say
virtually that that order issued 10 the President to
the single end that it might be followed up by another
mandate, ordering him to march them back again
and take up the negotiation at the very point where Mex
leo scorned and tramped upon it the commencement
of hostes. To what rational-to what conceivable
end it, that legislators rise in their places to make prop
ositons which must fail, which must tend to cast odum
upon their advocates which must tend to postpone peace,
to encourage the enemy to dampen the patriotism of the
country, and finally to stuy the almost unanimous past
action of Congress itself? II the last accounts from
Mexico be true the government of that country has now
taken stand absolutely without precedent in the history
of nations After long series of outrages-after assa
ing in terms both sovereignty and the sovereign
ty of Texas by procaimng Annexation to be an act OF
warer refusing to make or to hear any propositions
whatever looking peace between the two countrlesand
commencing hosltes by the order of Paroles issued
in April last-the Mexican government has now compelled
lis chief magistrate to take solemn oath that he will
listen TO no terms of peace and enter upon negotiation
till our armies shall have evacuated every inch OF the
Mexican territory Mexico has thus presented to
SOLITARY and stern ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS to subdue this spirit
and gain peace by victory else to submit to the burn
log and branded shame OF entire and unreleved defeat
and discontinue in our effort to redress wrongs
And at the very moment when these tdings OF Mexican
action are ringing in American Legislators are
found willing to rise their places, and propose that this
alternative shall be embraced and this disgrace endured
We call the attention OF our countrymen to the fact,
that these resolutions both virtually pointing 10 the same
backing movement presented on the same day IN
both Houses of Congress by two members of the Oppo
siton Is there sympathy OF movement and OF feeling
between the Opposition almost the extreme north,
and in almost the extreme south On question OF this
sort, does the Opposition from Georgia harmonic, and
coalesce with the Opposition OF New Hampshire Is
the federal party really determined to parayze the pros
ecuiion of the war; to shacke the Administration in its
efforts to assert the rights, and avenge the wrongs Of
thier country Are gentlemen blinded by their party
feelings to the effect of such calamitous moves These
two resolutions 20 to Mexico We have just seen from
the Dario how Mr. Webster's Boston speech is seized
upon to spirit up the Mexicans. Are we eernay TO be
subject these eontraemPs1 How mserably short are
these falterng backngout measures OF the noble and
animated spirit OF great and free people
In this connexion we subioin the following passage