The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-12


recognising the existence OF the al the last session.
The object OF the as he then believed and still be-
lieved, was defence rather than conquest What had
they accomplished thus iar Ii the first place, then they
had repealed invaslon and secondly they had carried on
aggressive movements in the enemy's country In re-
gard the ayowa OF the objects of this war; which the
gentleman from Georgia had called for, he believed II
would be time enough to respond 10 that call when Mex
co should condescend TO treat with lhem and herself
repeat the question. What the objects OF the war
1t would better compor with the dignity and glory
OF the nation to keep silent in regard 10 these OBJ
lecis and 10 let circumstances develop these OBJ
lects The war he insisted the result OF ade-
quate causes, and all the dark orebodngs and ter
rible anahemas and judgments from Heaven which had
been portrayed with much emphasis upon that foor
had failed 10 convince his mind that the not
Just one 1t was just and honorable war. With re-
gard the proviso restricting the extension OF slavery to
any territory which might be acquired he believed that
Congress had the power pass that provso il they
fit yet admitting the right, the expedlency OF the meas
doubtful Gentlemen had referred TO the Bible IN
support of slavery. Such references dangerous,
and he proceeded to instance case in which speaker
had perverted the true meaning of Scripture in making
uphold slavery. But what the influence OF the in
stituon OF slavery To decide this question, let gentle
compare the slave States with the free States They
would find that there vast peponderance IN favor
OF the free States IN point OF population. Men, women,
and children, constituted the wealth of community
and hence the free States possessed the advantage The
prepondency OF population could not be owing to the diff
ference OF soil or climate between the north and the
south. The souh.'the sunny s0uth"-usly so called,
quite equal in point OF natural resources and advan
tages TO the north. He could come to other conclu
then than this that the vast disparity of population
owing solely to the institution of slavery that popu
ation constituted the wealth OF nation he repeated and
therefore all the disparity wealth. prosperity and happ
ness between the slave States and the free States
able TO this alone. Holding such views he should,
matter of course favor any proposition which would
have tendency to prevent the further extension OF this
blightng institution. But gentlemen commended that by
prohibiting slavery from that territory, they would shut
out the south from all participation IN lis advantages
MOI lie was told that IN the southern States, OF the
white male inhabitants of twenyone Years OF age and
/ Three
iourths of the southern population then, may improve
that Territory, if they choose The disadvantages of the
prohibition to the south, then, not worth naming,
compared with the which would be brought upon
the newly acquired territory by toerating slavery there
In every light in which the slave question could be
viewed it disastrous to the enslavers and the ensla
ved-blightng to the best good OF the whole comnun
ty. Why, then, extend the curse He aboli-
ZIONIST But i the advocates OF slavery were not satisfied
with having the largest and farest portion OF this country
under their dominion he for one, could not give his con-
to any further extension of the institution OF slavery
sKnowledge was power" Educate the slaves, and their
nanaces would drop from them, despite all the efforts OF
their oppessors Shareholders aware of this truth
and therefore kept their slaves in ignorance Here the
Mr.. MILTON BROWN obtained the floor. 1t
was his fortune TO have offered the resolution
| fed at the result; and Notwithstanding it had
been asserted that the annexation of Texas was
the of the he had seen cause for regretng
his proposal For the admission of Texas into the Union
he readily assumed the full share of his responsible
iy. But when gentlemen declared that that admission
the cause OF the war, he took issue with them In
stead of this the real of the the march of
the American army to the Rio Grande MIR. b. then
proceeded to review at considerable length the history OF
the Texas annexation and contended that the march of
that to the Rio Grande was as far from being ss-
tanned by the resolutions for the annexation oil Texas
| it would have been, il the President had marched the
army into Canada The fact that Texas claimed the Rio
Grande her western boundary did not make And
he would take il upon himself to say, that not one
solitary whg who voted for the admission OF Texas
tho 1Tn,,, hal
for moment that such act assumed the right to
thorze the President of the United States to send an
army to the Rio Grande. Mr.. j. next adverted 10 the
embarassments OF the Executive in the settlement of the
Oregon question: and especially 10 his relations and at
tempted negotiations with Mexico anterior to the hostile
movements of the army upon the Rio Grande. In con-
sequence of the embarassnents which attended the ef
forts of the Executive TO settle those exciting questions,
he lost favor with portion OF his political friends, and
1t then became necessary for him to do something to
deem his character In conclusion he underworld to show
that the march of General Tayors army TO the Rio Gande
was an aggressive movement and one Tor which the
President answerable. Whether conquest was the
object OF the President not, he Alr b. would not an
mex solitary foot OF territory by conquest
! Mr.. COLLIN then addressed the committee. He would
not confne himself exclusively TO the question before
them, but would advert to several kindred subjects With
out attempting any vndIcaton OF the war, was sull-
Gent to know that the war existed The brave and gal
LIANT soldery of the country had volunteered their
vices and gone TO the field They were there suffering
harlshps OF which the peaceful citizens at home knew
but little The question, then, presented to Congress,
whether they would support the sodiery and provide
means adequate to the prosecution of the warhonora-
bly, and successfully His constituents favor of
granting supplies He hoped they would be furnished 1t
became the duty of Congress then TO determine how the
requisite funds should be raised Mr. &. then proceeded
to review with mnch mnueness the revenue duties &c.
and suggested sundry notifications OF the same.
| Mr. HARN1ANSON then gained the floor, and proceed
ed state his views regard to the and to the propo
son for the prohibition of slavery from newly acquired
territory. The opposition had denounced the war as
Presidents war--an unjust He denied that such
was the The provoked by Mexico, and
no alternative was left to the United States but war.
The President had declared that those who openly OPP
posed the war, were giving aid and comfort to the
enemy The charge emphaticaly true, and he feared
that the party, which those belonged, would ever
| be giving g aid and comfort" to the enemy--both in
peace and But they giving " aid and com
fort to the enemy in another way The WILMoT pro-
viso was doing it. So far from conciating every
ton of the country dsactng the supporters of the
war. II dampened the patriotism OF the south. Gentle
men mistaken in supposng that they would extlr
pate slavery by such restriction The people of the
south to get rid of slavery the north.
/ But it would not be accomplished in day. door must
be opened for them still farther SOUTH through which the
slaves could go TO congenia home beneath the vertical
rays of the sun For half century had the institution
on and by-and-by the southern States would be free.
Let the SOUTH then be enced from the path of right
Let her act in this crisis and let her act that the his
tory of those transactions shall rebound TO her lasting
fame
Mr. SEABORN JONES next gained the floor, and
moved that the committee rise.
No quorum voting, the committee then and report
ed.
! motion TO adjourn being made, the yeas and nays
demanded and ordered, and being taken, resulted
yeas 20, nays ~.
SO the House adjourned