The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-02-21

change s dry deck proposed 10 be srsstsa q tsnss
HaaiinSon. YSiss wsstsoss Ats:Ioa .S Cameron and
others whsn the smsndmsn. was rejected
ordered to q third reading.
rHREE MILLION PEACE BILL.
On motion Of Mr.. ssuEx, was next taken up as the
Gen SAM HousTos rose to discuss the general quss.
ton and the latitude taken on debate would perhaps
relevant to the bill before the Senate. In the outset Of
his remarks he took strong ground against
Father Richie, as an Infringement upon the liberty Of
the press The main portion Of his speech was devoted
to dsisns. Of Ts.ss from her colonization IN lsal'
independent Republic and az sovereign State of
this Union He commended that the hio 0rands was al
ways held By Texss as her boundary-that it
cedsd by Mexico, acknowledged by Great Britain and
recognized by the United States during the admnistra
Mr. Calhoun of the State Department. in the preliminary
negotiations to annexstonrthat assurances then
boundary and then General Gaines was accord.
ingy stationed the Northern frontier of Texas and
that fleet was stationed in the Gulf to arrest neces
sary, any hostile demonstrations Of Mexico He object
ed most decsvely to the defensive line of Mr. Calhoun
would require 10 600 men to defend it, from the mouth
thence across to the Pacific and 900 of this force would
have to be cavalry And the war upon such line
would ba intsrminable The garrisons would be cut up
in detail Its evil consequences would only be felt and
suffered by the inhabitants along the border while the
would be slow to yield to any entreaties for peace We
should make Mexico herself feel power, drive the
war hons upon her. and GEORGE her to submission There
was no reason to anticipate any great mortality among
the table lands Of Mexicshe heahiest region in the
worldnor would there be any necessity, during the
scky season OF Keeping cur tcops along ths coast as
the line OF operations would be in the interior The
causes by which our volunteers had suffered already
such mortality were not alone in the climate-they
also TO be found in the indulgence in spi-
rtous quors-the idleness end general dissipation OF
camp lie and in the carelessness Of the volunteers Of
their health and OF those regular habits Of restraint SO
necessary to the health Of the soldier, especially in
foreign country. Gen Houston said he would sustain
dan hroV nt
Israel held the of the prophet while the army
Of Joshua was engaged in battle with the Amalekes of
President as the Of the prophet upheld until
the enemy were defeated and dispersed and an honora
close Of the Generals very elaborate and weldigested
speech covering as did the whole history of Texas
civil military and diplomatic into the reporters
gallery and sat down by side. He remarked. why
there are only three Why Senators present" And 30
was, while there were at least ten the democratic
lunch1
Mr. CALHOUN desired TO correct the Senator from Texas
10 some Of his remarks in regard to the feet sent down to
Texas and the sent to tho frontier under General
Gaines during the administraton.of Mr. Tyler, (when
MT calhoun was Secretary OF State The object was
contemplated to bring the subject before Congress in
advance Of proceeding to hoses; and il Congress was
not in session it the design Of the administration TO
convene Congress as the war making power The I'D.
mnistra,ion (ryleIs never dreamed that the issue OF
tho President. Those movements far different from
the move ment from Corpus christi to the Rio 0rande-
The acts OF Mr.. Ty Ter administration produced con-
hict This fact was the very hghes st authority upon this
point The truth Is that though there might have been
otherwise reason to apprahend war at that time Mex
ice was weak and withou! direct provocation
it was believed there would be My impression
still that had army remained within the undisputsd
limits Texas here would have been no war was
not able to push offensive Mr. Calhoun next OBJ
served In reply to the objections given to the occupa
ton OF defensive line, that the only part which would
Rio Grande to the Paso del Norte He would ask the
Senator from Texas it, after the overthrow Of Santa
Anna the Mexicans ever crossed the Rio Grande in any
considerable force
Gen Housros replied that two occasions they had
made an incursion-ence of $50 men. under Gen Woll
anu of 900 and odd. under Gen vasquez and
on another OCCASION there was ucursion into Texas
Of some 900 Mexicans.
Mr.. CALHouN-How many troops had Texas at that
time
Gen Housror-we were all citizens at that time
(Laughterl-but generally provided with guns
Mr. CALHoUs-It would appear. then, that Mexico
never crossed the Rio Grande since the independence of
Texas, with force of thousand men. Would not,
then force of 1000 troops along the Rio Grande be
sufficient to resist any future incussions1
Gen. HousroN further explained that at time
Texas had 24O0 in the field in readiness TO arrest
the invasion OF the Mexicans He reiterated his objec
tons to the defensive line and presented the difficulties
OF maintaining the garrsons in the wilderness between
the Paso del Nore and the Pscacand the greater diff
culties Of furnishing them with supplies, surrounded
ton connected with the origin of the war; or the pro-
ceedings antecedent to annexation, Gen. read from
an official despatch Of Mr. Calhoun. stating that the
President had informed Congress in his that he
should defend Texas IN the emergency OF an aggression
from Mexico
sjMr CALHouN.-Read the whole Of it.
Gen HoUsToN read the paper.
Mr. CALHOUN explained that no formidable invasion by
Mexico anticipated and certainly before crossing into
the disputed territory with the army Of the United states
las rsood) had been the purpose OF the President
first to submit the matter to Congress. and to con-
vene Congress, it not in session Respecting the
defensive line-ihe only portion that would require
military occupation would be the line of the Rio Grande
From the PacOsdel Nofte (lat 32) the wilderness
to the head Of the Gulf of California military defence
would be required as the territory was only inhabited
between the Gulf and the Pacific would be protected
by the command Of that sheet of water the Gulf ITSELF
and by the command of the Pacific coast In the most
deliberate view OF all the plans for the termination Of
this war, he was fully Of the opinion, that matter
what other plan might be adopted, We must fall back
upon defensive line in the end.
Gen. HoUsTos inquired to know, If an aggression had
been made upon Texas by Mexico in the absence Of
Congress- whether the President from the assurances
gwen not have interposed the arms Of the United
States to repel il?
Mr. CALHOUN replied, that according his memory of
that memorandum an aggression had been made in the
absence OF Congress- the President would have called
Congress together acting in the meantime strictly upon
Mr. Case the Senate right in regard to the
letter OF Mr. Marks heretofore referred to as proof that
army OF General Taylor TO the Rio Grande He passed
read
Mr. CAs-Will the Secretary please read the letter
Secretary read the letter TO State Department Of
oct .; lsiS. which covers the letter OF Mr. Marks to
Gen. Taylor, the real letter in question
MT: CAss-Oh that's not the letter. Uaughter)-
That's not the letter want
The SECRETARY read the letter ofMr. Isaac D. Marks,
dated at China "a village in Mexico Sept 23d, ls45,
addressed to Col Taylor at Corpus Christi 1.-The whole
OF those letters have been published TO the country In
this letter Mr. Marks informs Col Taylor that he had
had several conferences with Arista at Monterey,
from which he was led to infer that Mexico was
willing to treat for the settlement of boundaries and
other difficulties Gen. Arists had regarded MIR. Marks
secret agent Of the United States though the latter
had persisted that he was only private citizen, and
srs,a had sent minute of their conferences to his
government Mr. Marks having said that he doubted
the wns ness of the United States government to
into negotiations Arsta pledged his honor that if Col
Taylor did not approach to the left bank of the Rio
Giande, nor with greater force than 400 beyond
tho Arayo Colorado for the prevention Of Indian depe
daons, &c. he Arista, would give the assurance that
there would be no cause of war between the two
lions. Mr. Marks cong anlates the American comman.
der that the door OF negotiation open, and ntimates
that he will inform our osernment Of the ac which
he did in the siore aid letter TO Mr. Buchanan enclosing
copy OF the said letter TO Col. Tay lori
Mr. CAss las understood) said that this Mr. Marks had
consul thu uuitad Stataa hnt ha