Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-02-27
THE coNsrIrUrIoN-srAr RIGHTS.
The Origin of the War.

| .
are made relieve the President from the responsibility
which, in the Judgment OF all mparal men, he has in
CARED of having. by his rash brought the
conflict In each the Executive Messages Congress
on the SUBJECT the first OF which the law recognizing tho
existence OF war, the Of Meriro responsive,
the abosed efforts have been made satisfy the PEG
pie that every effort had been made by Government,
consistently with due regard the national rights and
honor to prevent open rupture with Mexico. But these
Executive Messages wholly inconsistent with each
other and consequently the positions assumed by the
friends Of the Administration in its defence, borrowed
fret and then from another OF those documents.
are frequently directly anagonsteal Thus time,
we are told that Mexico made upon us-hat only
the first blow struck by her, but that struck
pursuance OF orders from the then President Of the Mex
lean Republic, before the march OF troops the Rio
Grandc; and in the breath, chronology Is IN
yer,ed and admitted historical distorted, for the
purpose OF showing justified. by the repeated
aud long unaoned for committed BY Mexico upon
the persons and properly OF citizens making
upon her! 50 and contradictory always the
and arguments OF those who, abandoning the
plain and simple truth, reduced the necessity OF
tempting the justification OF great Of judgment
OF premedi;ated and deliberate wrong, by Pervorsion
or conceament OF facts. Ii Mexico commenced the ysr
the friends OF the Administration assert why, ask,
the necessity OF detailing the wrongs have suffered
her hands, order justify Tor fighting hel Even all
the relations between the Republics ihat blow.
had been Of the pacific aud friendly character that
act alone would have compelled punish the agg-cs-
sor. But It because Mr Polk well knew that the first
warke act had been committed BY himself IN the seizure
oil territory dispute between the Governments, but
| which had be,n always IN possession OF Moxieo-a sell
cure made with tire kE0tsledge his part that would De
regarded and treated Of BY MrIcn-thai he
deemed necessary devote large portion Of his lst
Annual Message the portrayal o the unredressed gre.
vances to which had 50 long patiently submitted, o'
reasons satisfactory his predecessors. 1t Is indeed,
possible to migine any other object exaggerated
detail oi these grievances, Il be not 10 Justify in the
eyes Of people and OF the world the declaration
Of war 10y our Government against Mexico. For,
man will be guilty OF the absurdiy of saying that Mexico
made upon because she had or series OF years,
committed depretatons upon the property Of citizens
Tor which she had refused unable make repara-
uon Tha, a5surdity gross that the mind
rejects it, But be that she began the ir4r, that
fac; enough Justify io' prosecuting until
Tor peace 1t raAe up the records
he last thirty years find for vudcauon
when that single fact standing prominently before the
world srkucK TIR,r Blow would have been
Itself amply sufficient excu from c,nsuge, oaly
TO cancenSes, but Do the judgment OF the civilized
world. 1t because Mr.. Polk knew the lac, was
otherwise, that he resorled this, the plausible
| means OF sel:-Iusuhcauon his power.
| Mr.. Benton, however, takes new track lie declares
that Mr.. Calhoun the real author the ,ysr Of which
the Of Texas, b. the IN the manner
iss7riod to By that gsateren while Secreiary Of State,
Tor the accOmp shmeHi 81 h great measure as the tue
cause. II the fact go. Mr. Calhoun might well throw
himself upon the great Loo patty, 10 which, on the
question OF annexation Mr.. Benton occupied hostile A.
titude for his defence For # the annexation OF Texas
the conception Of his mind that party made /, ,he
own By adoption He would have been poweless but for
their cooperation and ,hai be the Of the war
therefore, they aad not be- be held responsible IN
deed, have recently the success 90 that measure
sscfi5ed Mr. Polk himself by Wlsh.ns5u Union az
Of the brightest feathers his eap-tl1-gh In truth
be had nothing 70 do with ~, IN ms oca capacity save
ae performance Of certain Executive fJ-s OF proceeding
which necessary g..e legal validity 70 q ,ransae-
non WI Oh had been c0nsummaec psllr his iuauzura
lie mist be acquitted, therefore, Of any oea! agency in
mat measure, aud divide with i4e party which elect
en aim, upon mat ISSUE the responsibility for the couse-
quonees that have resa ted from adoption. But s VII
Bea'0n's position isasbe Tia, TIE annexation Of Tex
was the remote Of the var, can question
because, u had aiken place. the invasion OF the Va,
ley Of the Rio Gralds, winch Mr.. Benton 10 1874 declared
would have been " an act Of DIRECT AGGRESSION
UPON MEXICO far al The consequences Of uEieE III,
United States rOud be TepgHEJ!e would not have taken
place. But the pr0Eirae Of the war was ndubta-
by the perPetaou Of that ac Of aggression by the or
ders Of Mr.. Polk Ii the question Of boundary, which
left oPen express terms, future negotiation and
adjustment by the JOiat resolution" through the agency
Of which snneSauol uncOHst,u,Ola.y effected had
not been 1JrUIy dscided by Mr.. Polk himself and en-
forced by arms believe with Mr.. Calhoun and such
will be the ultimate judgment Of own counirymenJ
that the might and would have been avoided. A. soon
the fact that Gen. Taylor had been ordered 10 march
from The Nelres TO the Rio Gfaude became known wsr
ucpasd aud predicted. Mr.. Calhoun declares that
/ when the fact was communicated to him by Mr. Clayton
It amazed and alarmed him-and hs nothing but the cr
cal position Of the relations then suJ5ung between Great
Britain and the United ates growing out Of the OREGON
controversy and his desire prevent rupture between
ihem' prevented his open protest against measure which
| he believed would lead 10 a th Mexico That pro-
test he did make est il, m Oh, impair his influence
with the Pfcsldeni which he then exe-nq 10 eeca
pacific seuom,n; OF the dispute with Great Britaina res,
son. we confess, not very satisfactory, though we are
strained TO say entirely ehargetsruiie Of Mr. Calhoun.
whose great defect q Statcsmln is his want Of nerve
and decision. Mr. Calh,ul's statement on this subject
however, Is fully cJrrob)raei by Nj Clayton wh, In a
late speech n the Senate, aiyeris % % manner which
shows 20 clearly ths nmedi4fs cause Of tho war. i,, m
mako apology Tor copying % OF lsngih.
Mr Clayton said
"On ihot point, Mr. President, desire to say q word -
During the debos on uc Oregon question: os % is common
iy called BOO 1896 and snnc time. as think boo the month
of February OF that yslr earutd from source. fo which
coudfcy, that our 6,Fc,nmoni had given ord.r. ty Cen
era. Taylor Go beae up bic encampmout 10 Corpus Christi
and mafch on the Rip Grande. Tho instant IHe8,d Ia
end was sl'lel vi ire rui-t1e public % be- time having
np means 20 knowing tlc act-l was 1a-u-d no f1e ms
pfen-nrono i with Neg CO.. and tits true as the hon
ofi'e atuepf tom south Carolina Boo. sai6 th8t d .
meet hm here DOB tue senate chamber, and BOO the course
Of confidential private conversation. do give him tho
niofmauo7 Then 22.sc.seo told him. sr tl1tl Jrcg
3D. unless some speedy action were taken either ly him
sei OF some other 1i5unru bed gentleman who r.I ~,
y | fci ihc downward tendency ~ 'hrg. trsrg from
that o'aci. should be plunged Ilfl war bsf ,.
ID VIC could r".tID.y sagc rurrgru. A. thor time al.
men who "tr, a Illu cd va passing essrfs art ,l s5.
loo |uon of our pubic aiI"l were a.t9 an4..I "a. AVOID
d war with ENGLAND. li DO could be- avoided ...-
with to honor and interest re 1o c1Ilry l.-e OIL f.
= were devoted Co frc consideration Ii tls bss means sy
= which "c COULD Boz iae exercise Of a. ha pIds1., ,1I
" Judgment which God boz ...n as. ..t,. r.. our ,..
y s1 great calamity asl ulf with Erz...3 urIa Us ..s
ton o. boundary. l Haf i1 tsaa r.elIs1-ta chat -.
cclycd thc Information snd c5u1gn.lr1 DO ,. OH. g.-.
able Senator from South Carolina So ffsf s.i...
Wa.r " Do eaa"oi bel ~! DO s .mpJ.s.be!" pre-, O..