Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-01-01
MEXICAN WAR-HOW BEGUN.
From the National lntelligencer Of Dec. l2
The Presidents Message.

Our columns have been so occupied for some
DAYS with matter of two much consequence to
be postponed TO suit our own convenience, that
we have not until to-day been able to command
the space required for the review, which our
readers have right to expect at our hands, oil
the contents of the Presidents late Message to
Congress- This task has, on this occasion,
been made an imperative duty by the attempt OF
the President, in the outset of that message, to
stipmatise as treasonable the free discussion of
measures Of his which have filled the minds Of
thinking and reasoning men with doubt at least.
if not with Just apprehension, OF their llnal con-
sequences, Of which the claim Of kingly pre-
rooatve for himself now put forth by the Pre-
sident is an augury so uniitvorabe as of Itself
to invite more Jealous scrutiny of the rest OF
the contents of the message.
The subject which is naturally most pro-
mnent, and is made more so by the very large
space which it occupies in the message, is
THE MEXICAN WAR.
Nearly three-fourhs of tie message is dcvot-
cd to justification Of this war and of the part
which the President has acted in relation to it.
or this elaborate defence applying the old adage
Oui s'ercuSc, S'accuse, we might perhaps con-
tent ourselves with saying that such defence
is of itself confession of error. But wher
this vindication is put upon the ground of cor
recting intentional Representations Of The
conduct of the Executive, charged to have beer
made with intent to give laid aud comfort IL
the enemy, we are obliged to enter into mc-t
particular examination of the points of this de
fence and to show wherein they are erroneous
illusory, OF deceptive.
No one can have perused this long defence o
the conduct Of the Executive, partaking mort
of the character of n one-sided argument by {
professional advocate, than the calm, fair, am
frank exposition of an important subject by In
Chief Magistrate of great People to their lie
personalities without ren!arkng that there i
in it a systematic attempt to bring up new is
sues, in order to withdraw the public mind iron
the first and main one.
On the nth of May last, the President, b,
his Message to Congress- proclaimed that wa
existed between Mexico and the United States
Congress- rs the only power which can rightlu
and constltutonally put the United States a
war: that body had made no move toward Is
tablishing that relation between the Unite
States and Mexico and yet, before this Mes
sage was penncd, the thunders OF the cannon c
Pso Alto aud kesaca de Ia Palma had announg
ed il to the world, As Congress certainly di
not begin this war; the question is. was il h
Mexico or by the President of the United Stat
that it was brought on! This is the importor
question which the President would elude in hi
elaborate enumeration Of wrongs inflicted
Mexico upon the United States, which he co,
cIudes were sufficient to have authorized II
limited States to declare war against Mexic
Grant his conclusion, and whose business al
right was it to make this war? 1t belonged
C.ongress only. not to tie President, or any 9th
authority on earth Grant that there exist