The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-08-18
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
NIGHT, AUGUST IS, ls47.



We are not h,cyers" says the National Intelligencer
m article of the 9Th instant This reads to like an
excuse put into its mouth BY some eminent lawyer who
Los palmed upon the editors OF absurdlties and
udies which any lawyer would be ashamed to father
Vel, coming from quarter to which large party in this
country look up for instruction with great confidence, ii
MT with implicit faith, and being, in opinion, OF very
dangerous tendency, they ought to be exposed and re-
baked.
The main charges against the President are-that he
has violated the constitution where there constitution,
and usurped the legislative power Of Congress here Con-
gress has no potrer TO fegisfate!
The acts complained of are the evyng OF contributions
Mexican ports under the and in the shape OF du-
ties on imports. From portion OF lis argument the
htelligencer draws the following conclusion, VIZ
The President being, then, incapable oil every egIsia
,e Junction. such can in him aoherej not at home,
tause the laws forbid it still less abroad. WHERE THE
CONSTITUTION is NOT; and where his authority must,
therefore, necessarily be, thar be possible, less than 10th
iag A, hone the power OF making laws has been re-
used to him abroad, ii could not hare bee" granted
Vet although Me constitution is not" IN Merico the
Presidents acts there are gross violation of that nsu
ment! Such is the reasoning OF these precious no.
lawyers
Again: these aSl,lle loplCldS TIC
with usurpng the powers OF Congress by his acts in
Mexico Having quoted passage from the Union"
| on that subject, they say:
| "This argument, however, evades all question to
h norton of those rights and those duties belongs to
ICongress the real government and what portion 10 the
President the executive officer of that government THIS
the very question at isse-a question of much conse
ouence that time be considered Unemployed which
1--we may consume in the further Investigation of it,"
And then the worthy gentlemen go to work to prove
That there is nothingf possible, less than nott'ag"-
No make an issue about! neither the President nor
Congress hauing particle Of authorityin Merieo'
Our constitution is not there they say and of course
no mart of our government is there. Sour laws [say
hev have no jurisdiction there because our authorities
have no soveregnty-no right of eminent domain-NO
| RIGHT TO PRESCRIBE LAWS THERE" sc.
In another place. they say "Can it be imagined that
bur constitution marches into new territory parcel
yse and by detachments one branch of it far ahead
nd the others following slow and humbly in the rear p
again .sWere il within the competency of State 1.-THE
ned Sates thus grant to its own functionary pow
Prs which itself did not possess-popers 'rhich belonged
another society,"" &C.
Thus while these logical charge the Presi
lent with usurping the powers of Congress in Mexico,
ey proceed to show that Congress has poasers there
10 be usurpeK M
1t cannot be wondered at that such logcans should
ason Texas out of the Union, while admitting her to be
In Lest the admission should be retracted record it
tn the following words, viz
ale 1.-THE Presiien,l is nothing but the legal President
the legal soldier and in neither he make
We them laws. The moment that right is acquired, II
nues where the right to make laws for louisiana Tor
orda Teas, for Oregon did, soon as each OF these
ecame part of our territory
And yet they prove by argument that Texas is not a
art Of our territory! Hear them
ITO his acts there, give him the right to continue
EN- law must to lend sanctions and treaty must
done the thing between nations, in order that
domain of the one, wre5ed from by force may pass
the other. For nations right to what was its own,
bad has only been takea from it by arms, is precisely like
individuals title to his property which you got from
by strong hands in either case, the consent OF the
owner is necessary in order to make valid your pos
on or he must have failed long to take steps for the
overy of what you hold that the failure is to be consid
red consent; or, lastly, you may get bloody title, by
esroying after you have robbed, and thus leaving no
nations consent TO be gotten, by leaving no owner
I,uon TO rive itn "a nation and man may
p themselves to damages; but the property seized a
o theirs until the consents Now, nations consent
treaty or abandonment and individuals consent through
law, which acts for them
Now Mexico, in the view of the editors OF the Intel
encer, was the strue owner of Texas; it was wrested
om her (say they by force; they insist that she has
ever consented to part with it by treaty or otherwise
na vet that she is not entirely annihilaed With her
he annexation of this territory was avowedy one OF the
ef pretences OF the existing war, and she IS now hight
g for Texas as much as for New Mexico or California.
Yearly, if the reasoning OF the nelligencer be right,
eras is not ours IS not in the Union, and Congress
3as no po,cer TO enact lars for 1t!
We are far from adopting the arguments conclusions
the Intelligencer On the contrary we consider Texas
much in the Union as Massachusetts, the preensions
hi Mexico Notwithstanding We also dissent toto c0lo
from the doctrine that our constitution is not in Mexico
long as our armies are there. IL marches with our
oops and sails Nth our ships II is wherever the star
angled banner is lawfully unfured. 1t was with De-
atur at the bombardmen of Tripoi-he battle Of Buena
sta was fought under its banner--and it rushed with
Dur gallant squadrons up the heights of Cerro Gordo
Wherever merchant ship sails, and whether she unfolds
e snowy pnions in the marts of commerce, or chases
yiathan in the boundess ocean, there as the constitution.
The constitution authorizes Congress to declare war,
d raise armies and naves for the purpose of carrying
on They haze declared war with Mexico, and raised
4mes and navies to conquer peace" The.declara-
ion Of war is direct legal auhor'tyto our armies to en-
FER Mexico But are they out Of the pale Of our coastu
On and taos as soon they the RIO Grande3 Ar,
fhey acting without constitutional legal authority il
her defeat OF Mexican armies and capture Of Mexican
ies' We think not.
On declaration OF war, the lars Of become tie iaw
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