Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-06-11
MORE WING TESTIMONY.

II furnished an excuse for vas, amount oil party
misrepresentation.
MORE WING TESTIMONY.
Ben Hardin, OF Kentucky, was distinguish
ed Wing member Of Congress. His talents and
holiness were highly appreciated by his own par.
", and won for him, from John Randolph, the
souJriqnet of a "bulcher's knife sharpened on a
bricK-bat" He was not long since Secretary Of
Stale for Kentucky-but became involved in a
difficulty with his brother Whigs-and appeared
before the Committee oil Executive affairs of the
Kentucky Legislature, in defence OF himself
against certain charges made by Governor Ows-
ley, upon which the Governor attempted TO re-
move him from the Office OF Secretary OF Stale.
His speech on that occasion was an exlraordina-
~ production, embracing in its wide range poll
tics, morals and religion, war and its consequen.
ces. Upon this last topic he cuts himself of
from the leaders Of his party, and speaks Tor him.
self and his country His comments upon the
war and the course OF the Administration are so
just, and his views 50 liberal and sound, COM
ing as they do from distinguished member Of
The WING party, that we transfer Them al some
length TO our columns, inviting 10 them The candid
consideration ofal who condemn the war in which
the country is now engaged. Since this speech
was delivered, Taylor and Scott have achieved
the great victories of Buena Vista, Vera Cruz,
and Cerro Gordo, and raised the national stand
ard al home and abroad When leading Wings
thus iorcbly defend their counlryS cause is il not
a gross Misrepresentation oil the truth, TO contend
that a majority Of The American people justify
the course of the public enemy7
The following are extracts from Mr.. Hardin's
speech:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: have few more remarks TO
make, and then, for the present, shall say no
more. have been a Wing, according to the
common acceptaton of the term, and still firmly
believe in The great principle that the labor OF
America must be protected from The pauper labor
Of starving Europe. ! have served the Wing
party for eighteen years. | lack only two years
TO make the number Jacob served Laban. have
fought the Wing battles everywhere-in the Sem
ate Of this State, in Congress- and all over this
SIate-as you all know. Whenever the Whig
drum tapped, to fall into ranks, was there. In
calling the roll, when my name was called, an
swered, here am !, ready to do your bidding, as
far as a gentleman can do. II the Wings said,
ride over the State and speak 10 the people, that
they may hear our principles discussed, become
converts, and be OF our party, did so; and new
er hesitaled one moment
have not found fault, as some Wings have
done. with the administration for The present war.
In the management OF that war, much praise, |
think. is due The administration The question
was fairly put TO The American propie in 'ho Pro-
siden,ial election, between Mr.. Polk and Mr..
Clay, whether Texas should be annexed or mott
was, in that election, as all Kentucky know,
for MIR. Clay, and against annexation. ! said, in
my speeches on that occasion every time | adj
dressed the people, il we annexed Texas TO the
United States, are ANNEXED Teas iouh Tie iim,ts
and boundaries as the TEXAN Congress claimed
that is, TO the RIO Grande; and that it amounted 10
pledge of national faith 10 contend for IL as Texas
claimed To hold. The people OF The United States
elected Mr.. Polk. That election was decisive Of
The question. Congress knew what The public
will was, and in obedience 10 lhal-upon The true
principles of a Republic, that The will OF the peo-
pie should govern-passed The act annexing Tex
as. What was Mr.. Polk bound TO do2 He
knew The will of the people and Congress. He
was bound TO obey their will. How could that
be done2 In no other way than 10 take posses
sion Of the country. That possession could only
be taken by military force, and he was bound
to use the necessary force. These opinions lex
pressed last summer was year ago, when Told
The only son had left alive, il ne wanted to see
war and know il, and for war to know him, now
was the time TO Join The army. Iaat M. Polk
1uas obliged 10 send our army 10 the Rio G,a,ldc and
then The MeIicans would fight or cease TO be a
nation My son commenced his preparations in
August, l845; lett in September Of that year, and
there he has been ever since.
We are not 10 forget, Mr.. Chairman, that a
Republic never has large army in times OF
peace. II is 4 Government OF The peoples own
choice, and large army is not required 10 COM
pei obedience to The laws. All o!her Govern
mems are governments of The few, controlling and
depressing the many. Such governments re-
euire large army in times OF peace. The re-
guar army Of Russia amounts 10 about one mil
lion OF men; Austria, four hundred thousand;
Prussia Two hundred and fifty thousand; France,
four hundred thousand, and Great Britain, al
least two hundred and fifty thousand. When
these Governments choose 10 go 10 war, they are
ready in moment
A Republic, such as the United States, when
she goes 10 war, as we did in the late war with
Great Britain cur army has TO he made and crea.
ted after The war commences. Bul when another
| nation goes 10 war with US, as Mexico did, we
! can make no preparation until the commence.
ment of The war. The very form Of our govern
ment forbids. The first gun that was ired-ihe
| first blood that was shed in this war, was war
| itself Tat toas tie act OF .ncIico. There r0s
no atc7natire tcjt tor the administration Gn. 10
! fghk and creQte an army al Le same lime.
Last May the war commenced near the mouth
| of the Rio Grande-three thousand miles from
the seat of our government. This is now the
| 18th of January-aboul eight months. What has
The administration done since then up TO This
time2 The acts of the administration challenge
our praise. They display vigor, activity and en-.
ergy in the execution Of The plans OF The govern
ment which plans are formed with judgment and
good sense. mean common sense, as contra.
distinguished from learned book sense.
To prove The truth OF what have said, let us
take a brief aud rapid survey OF The operations
OF the war, and what has been achieved. We
have sent part Of our army into Upper Calilor-
mia, distance by land, Of four thousand miles
another part went by waller distance OF 1900
miles, We have conquered and now got posses
sion OF that country-a country that will mea-
sure al least 45O, 600 square miles. Another part
OF our army has been sent through a desert will
derness one thousand miles. That part has con-
ouered new Mexico. We now possess it. We
have conquered all the disputed country east oil
the Rio Grande: not less than one hundred and if
" thousand square miles. The extent Of our
conquest OH the west side OF The Rio Grande, from
| all The Information can obtain, cannot be less
Than two hundred thousand square miles. One
half of the whole OF Mexico is conquered, and
now possessed By the troops of the United States
Three desperate battles have been fought, and
| splendid victories achieved. One ofihem has nc
parallel in The annals Of either ancient or modern
history. All this has been done, and an army
created within the short space OF eight months
There is no blame since The Presidential election
All has been done since then in obedience to pub
| lie willard we'll done. am not for refusing
either men or money to the Administrations; but
will, with my feeble voice, encourage them to pro-
seeule The war With all our power, until we con.
ouer peace in the city of Mexico itself; Tor there
i mus, be conquered. The American characle
must mol suffer now in The eyes Of The world, BY
Withdrawing to The east side Of the Rio Grande
and adopting defensive war. The march of ou
armies must be onward, or The moral power giyer
TO our troops by the three great victories gained
will be lost.