Tri-weekly journal., 1847-11-16
SPEECH OF SENATOR MILLER.

their duty in the depending election in that
State, an excellent spirit was manifested. The
Hon. J. w. MILLER, one of the Senators of the
United States from that State, being present
and called upon for an expression of his views
of the present crisis in public affairs, delivered
a speech which we have pleasure in laying be-
fore our readers, as follows:
After the resolution had been read, Mr.. Mil
Ter being loudly called for, appeared upon the
platform, and after briefly noticing the blight
ing effects of Locofoco misrule, free trade, and
the Sub-Treasury, spoke of the Mexican war as
the question which just now fills all minds-a
war begun without just cause, and which had
gone on, step by step, till he feared our nation
al honor and existence were brought into jeop-
ardy.
To cause a nation to pass from a state of
peace into state of war is a measure involv-
ing the highest considerations and the deepest
responsibilities. All experience has shown
that tits much easier to meake war than to make
peace-much easier to let slip the dogs of war
than to call them off after they have tasted the
blood of the prey. War once begun, wrong
fully or rightfully, it is difficult to stay its
course or to direct its end. Embracing within
| its bloody arms national honor and national
interests, and FREQ uently national existence,
onward and onward will roll its sanguinary
car, until the blood and treasure of one or the
|
other of the Contending parties is exhausted in
the conflict.
The question of peace or war is always, more
or less, in the hands of the Executive of ma
ton. Under our constitution the Executive
is entrusted with our intercourse with other
nations; upon his wisdom and discretion de-
pend the settlement of all International ques-
tions.
If he desires peace he viii temper his nego-
4 Z. 4 &.
he be ambitious for military glory, or desire the
renown Of conquest, if he covet an adjoining
province or an eligible seaport, he will seek
some pretext for quarrel and readily findsome
plausible cause of war, in order 10 crafty his
prevailing passion.
Thus il is that a weak or vicious Executive
may plunge people into war against their
judgement and their feelings, and by one rash
act compel them 10 sacrifice their lives and
property in war which they feel to be unne-
cessary and unjust.
This is our present position as to the Mexi-
can war, and the question is, WHAT'S our duty
in regard 1t?
The first feeling which springs from the
heart Of every good man is, the desire to put
an end to this unnecessary war as speedy as is
consistent with the interests and honor Of the
country. But how TO accomplish this is the
do it by withholding all appropriations for the
war. have the highest respect for the au-
thor of this opinion, and would willingly adopt
it if could see that by starving out the war we
could restore peace. But when we recollect
that the question of peace is now in a great
measure beyond the control OF Congress-, that
of him who made the war, and who now car
ries 1t on with views and objects of his own,
1t Is evident that the Unfolding of supplies
would only weaken, not stop the war; Ii
might starve out the army aud bring dishonor
on our flag, but 1t would not, under the Ad-
ministration, restore peace to the country.
Whatever may be said of the nature Of this
war, we all know and feel that state of war
does a0l0 exist between US and Mexico, aud,
whether rightlally or wrongfully, it is now the
war OF the country; made such, it is true, by
the reckless act of our own Executive, but still
our war for oil that. If the people of this
lcOuntry will promote 10 the Executive chair a
man who so conducts our foreign relations as
to entangl us in an unnecessary war, they must
bear the calamity as the bitter fruits Of their
own folly.
know the trial is hard one for us who had
no part in bringing the calamity upon the coun-
try; but such is the result of national sin-the
punishment falls upon the innocent as well
as upon the guilty. The authors are the first
lIOiu Willie tue innocent
encounter all hazards to stay the plague. can
see no relief for the nation until God, in his
mercy, enlighten the counsels of our rulers or
give wisdom to the people 10 remove them
from office. Yes, sir, Congress may withhold
appropriations, the people may petition for
peace, but you will have no peace under this
Administration. You may have armistices and
cessations ofhostilities; you may have forced
cessions of territory; you may have treaties of
eternal friendship extorted by the sword or bri-
bed with gold, but you will not have lasting,
honorable peace.
To obtain peace, two men must be first re-
moved from Office the one is in Mexico and the
other in the United States-Santa Anna and
james X. Polk. They are the twin fathers of
this war they are twin promoters of its contin-
uance-each in his own way seeking to adj
vance and strengthen his own political posi-
ton, and, strange TO say, each deriving his own
authority to carry on the war from the people
of the United States-Mr. Polk directly, and
Santa Anna indirectly, through the aid of our
Executive. We pay them both.
| Under this strange fraternal union of friends
at lvGr, how can either country make honora-
Bile peace? The Executive of each has put him
self in a false position. If Santa Anna yields
to the requirements of our Executive, the peo-
pie will say he has been bribed by Mr.. Polk
If Mr.. Polk recedes in his demands, the peo-
pie will say he has been fooled by Santa Anna.
Thus like two foresworn jurymen they can new
er agree without exposing each Other to the just