Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-01-15

ence truth and leest asehood would never have voted for
the act Of the 18th May, 1916
Without concluding, Mr. JOHNSON here gave way for
adounmen and the debate being resumed the following
day, Mr. j. continued his remarks follows i
have said all that proposed TO say upon the part of the
subject to which called the attention Of the Senate yester
day. possible however, that in what about TO offer
to the consideration the Senate, shall incidentally refer
il again.
rise this morning, sir, speak, the first place. of the
actual conduct OF this under the of the Pre-
sident OF The United States The recognised
ising on the 18th Of May, 1896 Weare the month
OF January lS4S, and to all appearance the restoration Of
peace as lar oil and even further than seemed to be the
18th of May, 1896 The whole power Of the nation so far
he has deemed advisable TO ask TO have that power de-
voyei upon him, has been placed the hands of the Execu
tive Not occasion, although there have been so many
and such glorious Ones has presented itself in which the Anne
rcan have been triumphant and vet there is no
peace. My opinion is and has been throughout that the
son is TO be referred exclusively the want Of vgor with
which Inc war has been prosecuted We have had osen
taous ana asserted vgo but have had nothing else lar
the President is concerned
am very far fom impu,ing-because am incapable Of
making charge which do believe to be trueI very
far from impung that this OF actual vgor has
tenuonal on the Part OF the Executive So far from it, be-
ieve that he has been deudng himself from time time with
the idea that peace be obtained without the eson Of
boodi sad deluon, which hereafter constitute
great and overwhelming account Of responsibility against
himself
said yesterday that the march of our troops from
the Nueces to the Rio ande that was in my opinion, the
immediate cause Of the say to-day what have had
occasion to say in other places, and again. that
believe that that march OF ITSELF if it had been made with
proper force, would actually have led such result
have no doubt that if instead Of sending the small but gal
liant bapdthe heroes OF Palo Alto and Resaca do Ia Palma
the Rio Grandc, he had sent from 600 to g. 900 men,
not drop OF blood would have been she'd and Mexican
ever have venured to have odden the soil this side of the
river in hostile attitude But, sir the commenced was
recognised, ad $4,000 troops with unlimited amount of
treasure, freely placed the disposal of the Executive
as 10 he
dent the assurance f such neede that this unlimited
amount could 'hc expression may be excused be made
siiu uninNed nj uhaf has no ovnc instead
Of calling cut eny thirty, forty fifty thousand men,
he was authorized TO do by the Of the 18th of May,
1896 he and he officers at the head Of the War Department
called them put by drbe and announcing to the country
from tatimc that they had suficiency OF force to
lner a pease What has been the consequence That
which everj Of intelligence who speaks he thinks
must noylcdgethat great and mighty and extraordinary
have beef the umphs Of the American arms they have
hardly funihed any thing but the glory attending Them
They have be sure illustrated the American character for
valor and military skill but they have served other pur
pose. And why, Mr. President Because each struggle
has been asuch fearful odds that the gallant officers
mand have been unable to follow up profit by the result
Sir ookh the history of the campaign the Rio Grande
General Tailor, who, with few thousand men, marched TO
Monterey, and succeeded after dread and fearful conflict in
carrying that almost mpregnably fortified town. far
crippled ha he unable to hold the prisoners that he
might take What happened afterwards The plan of the
campaign changed, some light dawns upon the mind
Of the Executive, and Mexico is to be stricken in different
part There is point sill! vital to be assaeda point
still ceain azsaled to lead to the restoration Of peace
and of the vndcaton of outraged rights What is done
General Taylor is stripped Of what supposed to be the
very flower Of his command The enemy approached Eight
millions Of the public property exposed be lost
unless preserved by the gaany and ndomtabe vao Of the
few soldiers M behind to guardt Amos; with electric speed
becomes known at the city of Mexico, and such
she al never before marched into the field organized,
amounting twenty twenty five Thousand troops and
led on by their create ST chief
Mr. President, much his previous had satisfied
every American that Taylor and the officers and under
his command, competent to accomplish almost any TIL
umph that human power could accomplish there who
did not then trembe for their fate And the fact that they
utterly annhiated may be considered almost mill
tary miracle Disparity Of force comparatively nothing
before the energies OF American soldiers and the annals of
former military umphs the poudes of them all will hereaf
ter be regarded nothing in comparison with the victories OF
Buona Vista They all thrown in the shade the bril-
liant light Of exploit which, while it electrified the Ameri-
ian heart astounded the world.
Let look now, sir the campaign Of last year. Gen.
Scott compelled to assa the city of Vera Cruz with be-
tween 900 and a. 900 troops and to carry at all hazards
castle supposed be mpregnabe He succeeded in
compshng it. but he has done little nothing beyond that
Every battle which fought between Vera Cruz and the
city Of Mexico fought with disparity OF numbers &C
tually appalling That noble leader forced to march
distance of hundred and fifty two hundred miles, Il
forget the distance into the enemys country, and for
great portion OF the way through dense population to
sail city containing 10000 zoo 900 inhabitants,
rounded by Notifications which supposed to be impeg
nabe and without the of keeping up his
ncaon with the eaboad for the purpose Of getting supplies
These supplies found their way him from time to time by
the galanty OF The escort who obliged to fight foot by
foot almost every mile of their progress And at the end of
all his great and extraordinary rumphs Scott finds himself in
the city of Mexico with only some 6, 600 soldiers. Now sir
who does believe that if he had started with army Of
600 men, although he might then have been deprived of
the glory Of his many Victories might have been in pos
session Of the city Of Mexico perhaps without the shedding OF
drop Of blood American Mexican. Who doubt that
il is the duty Of Executive managing declared to
exist by christian people do what the honorable Senator
from Mississippi (M DAvIs) said it would be the effect Of
this bill accomplishment triumph the battle
field but avoid battle by accomplishing by force
Of numbers break down the moral power Of the enemy
conquer peace by demonstrating to that enemy that
ssance is in vain All q find fault with it,
the contrary rejoice III the eyes of the Executive have
been opened. All il to be perceived by him
that the heretofore has not been vigorously prosecuted ex
cept on paper Well, whose fault is it, Mr. President Who
would have borne the dread responsibility if gallant little
army on the Rio Grande had been sacrificed Who would
have had the equally tremendous responsibility if those gal
liant spirits now the halls of the Monezumas had been
crced The nations Of the world would have said with
accord the Executive of the United States. Upon him the
responsibility for the useless and cruel expenditure Of blood
and treasure would have rested Sir make bold 10 say
speaking in the presence of those whoknow infinitely
upon such subjects than do that il the President had called
the SO 900 volunteers after hearing Of the battles Of Pao
Alto and de Ia Palma, there would have been
another blow sruckn Mexico and long since restored
The Mexcans be sure have high and ndomitabe spirit;
speak particularly ofthat portion OF them who have in their
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