Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-02-03
FEBRUARY 8, 1913.


me this morning and informed that tho conditions offered
oyon, }I, Iri, - W.tn accepted Gy tho Govern
tion OF a single word.
" IhaYe tho honor TO ho, &c.
" rho Right Hon. the E,nt or AprrpErwD
Mark Mr.. Packenhan's signfcan, close ofhis
letter -" without the addition or alteration of
single word" This was too cruel in Lord Abb
erdeen; he ought to have let the President add
that "war existed by the act of Mexico" But
no; he must take it just as the British Cabinet
dictated it; and that, too, Notwithstanding he
had, in his inaugural declared it to be his "duty
to assert and maintain, by all constitutional
MEANS the right Of the United States to that
portion of our territory which lies beyond the
Rocky Mountains. Our title to the country of
the Oregon is clear and unqucslonlbIc." OF
this territory, our title to which was clear and
unquestlonabe, he peacefully gives up TO Great
Britain tract extending five hundred miles on
the sea coast, aud back to he Rocky Mountains,
by treaty proposed by that Government,
without the addition or alteration of single
word"
He takes it just exactly as il was cooked up
for him, very much as sick children are directed
TO do when they have an unpalatable dose OF
medicine to take =" shut your eyes and open
your mouth and down with it," Now, have no,
a word to say against the settlement of the Ore.
gon questions but it seems to me that it would
have read little better in history, if it had no.
been preceded by So much clustering and brag-
| glng. And it was little amusing TO see the
the effect it had on our eastern Democracy
The man who did not 60 for 4 40 was a FEEDER
alist, traitor: and some were so jealous that
they even got up to 81 49, Upon them the trea.
ly came like a thunder clap, and they had to re-
verse the steam so suddenly that it came nigh
producing fatal collapse in the party.
But, sir, the President is not Sd entirely war;
like in his nature as his conduct TO Mexico would
Indicate; he has other and mider qualities he
surely has none Of that ferocious spirit character
z3d by the poet as
"Tha, stern joy which warriors feel
In foe non worthy other stee'
And in the selection of an adversary he has
surely displayed great prudence, which is said
to be the better part OF valor. IL is colder coun-
try at 81 40.
Now, if right in the position have here taken,
the question is, What Is the duty Of the Ameri-
can Senate? What are they to do? To go on
and vote these ten regiments? The honorable
Senator from Kentucky the other day said he
did not know why regulars were preferred TO
volunteers. do not know that do. But Yam
KEGS guess sometimes
| War is to be made, sir, not only upon Mexico.
but upon the free uborers OF the country, and The
first onslaught is TO be made in the shape of
tax on tea and coffee and it is the patronage
which the creation OF these ten regiments is to
give him, which he thinks will enable him 10 eff
feet it and the President has probably come to
the conclusion, taught by the experience Of the
past, that with the patronage Of ten regiments at
his command, "Some things may be done as irelL
as Others"
think the Senator from Kentucky, with his
great acumcn, may discover why the President
prefers regulars.
Well, why cannot Senators who think with
me, that the war is wrong, radically wrong,
come out and declare so by their votes? Why
sit here denouncing the President and then be
guilty of the Inconsistency all Difference
say tot voting men and money to carry or
the war? Why, it is said it would be unpopu.
lar to withhold the supplies. Are we afraid tc
trust the people with a great question oil right
Sir, think those who are afraid to trust the
people underrate them. Are men afraid to dc
that which is right because II may be unpora.s
Sir, it is this ghost of the unpopulaiity Of oppo
siton TO the war which seems to sit like night
mare upon American statesmen. Sir, | thinl
there is more truth than poetry in what was sale
by western man. He said he got caught by
opposing the last war; and he did not mean to b.
caught again; he intended now to 90 for war
4 peetllence, AMI famine. And think there Is
good deal of that feeling in the country now. -
Men are afraid TO take bold stand.
1t is said the people have already decided th!
matter that they have settled that the war shall
be prosecuted. deny it entirely. do not be
leye it. People have settled it have neve
met among the people, one in ten, who though
the war was right, or thought that it would bC
right further to prosecute it.
| believe, sir, that the heart OF this whole PEG
pie is sick of this miserable, temporzing policy
which is putting justice, and right, and truth out
IN order that eXpedlency may walk in and gov
ern, control, and direct cur actions. | wish thai
the experiment lniaht be tried by Congress o
acting and voting on this matter according to the
convictions Of their own understanding, as ex
pressed by themselves when they speak of the
character of this war. listened, the other day
with great pleasure, to the remarks Of the honor
able Senator from South Carolina trust
heard with profit the suggestions which he threw
out when speaking on his resolutions. But
confess that | was somewhat astonished that
man OF his great experience, his vast learning
his keen observation, could really think tina
there would be any virtue in the passage ofthes(
resolutions. | would like, indeel, to see those
resolutions passed, not that think their passage
would 40 any good in the world in the presen
emergency but they might if adopted, serve al
a sort Of landmark, showing with what rapidly
and what procllYlty we have travelled the roaC
to ruin. But that there would be any virtue il
them, have not the least idea. Pass these ress
lutlons unanimously, IN both branches OF Con
gress, and let the President append to them biz
usual declaration that the war was commenced
by Mexico; nay you may go beyond that, and
with all the forms and solemnilIes with which
you could enbody them, you may make then
part OF the written fundamental Constitution o
The land; and what wond they be worth? No
the paper upon which they are written; for th'
very moment they stood in the way Of popu
lar majority, they would be utterly set at naught
tie that Is not persuaded Of that has not read, |
seems to me, the first primer OF our history.