The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-04-09
Forward nnd Back Tracks.

The opponents of the Mexican war have taken wide
margin in setting FORTH from time TO time, their grounds Of
hostility to the administration, well in regard to the
origin of the war TO the mode OF its prosecution
AT one stage of the business the President was de-
nounced the author, and exclusive author, OF the
The nation told that during the session OF Congress,
without the authority knowledge OF that body the Ex
ecutive on bis motion had commenced actual
hosttes by marching our troops into the disputed terri
tory-a measure equally wicked and unconstitutional,
and which the direct and immediate of the
war When it clearly demonstrated that Congress
had by than deliberate act of Legislation recog
Missed and ireated this territory portion OF the United
States, the President had he doubted upon the
point would have violated his highest obligations by
refusing emitting to treat and consider -when it
was made apparent that the movement of the army to the
Rio Grande was in accordance with the explicit advice of
Gen Taylor himself-when it asceraIned that the
Mexican government had actually pronounced the two
nations TO be in state of war, before it could have
known of the movement of the army from Corpus Christi
then, without any retraction of these and blum
des and still reserving them TO be used occasionally
where hoped they would the end designed,
the main battery is changedand now the charge that
the annexation of Texas the actual cause of the
and that this measure furnished Mexico with ample
grounds for declaration of hosties.
The President, however, is still made the subject of
denunciaton as the author of this fatal measure. 1t
Texas completed and consummated on our part be-
fore Mr.. Polk became President had any concern in
the administration 1t to be forgotten, that a
treaty OF annexation had been signed between the two
powers, which opposed and rejected by the votes of
senator's who held that the act above and beyond
the treaty making power, and that the measure could
only be consutionally adopted by act of Congress.
1t seems to be forgotten, that when Congress did adopt,
act upon and carry this plan of legislative action, it
was opposed because it interference with the
treaty making power seems TO be forgotten above all,
that both of these plans had been acted upon-tha Con-
gress had acted leaving discretionary power to the
mode of final consummaon that this discretion had been
exercised and the choice made under another adminstra
ton while Mr. Polk but private citizen; yet not
withstanding all this, with wisdom, sagacy, and
sstency be paraeed only by the anxious mother who
would not believe that the danger of her sons being
killed by the gun was in no degree diminished by de-
privng il of its load its lock- stock, and even BARREL Mr.
Polk still denounced by the unbroken mass OF opposi-
ton the author of the war; and having entaed on
his country all its consequences for the qualification of
his own selfish ends.
II is for this occasion to disprove all or any
OF these arguments assertions II will suffice to bring
them into uyta position, and let them mutually destroy
leh other by the papable absuriity and contradiction
which they exhibit on their face.
We shall seize another opportunity 10 present adj
dtonal notices of the forward and back tracks of the
enemies of the war.