The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-01-05

indebted for constitution more to conjunction
Of circumstances, than TO the superior wisdom and
Intelligence of forsfsthers; aud herein lies our
goat dsnger-that a conjunction Of circumstances
to which may be Indifferent for the time may over
throw institutions We have no fear of their
stability; the preservation Of our liberty now lost in
the glory OF our arms Nobody talks now Of the bless
iags of liberty In early history the great an xsty
was to retain our liberty Now the great anxiety is
- convince the world Of our military power The mot
to used to be- that the power always stealing from
the many to the few and that the price of liberty was
perpetual vigilance. Now, we seem to remember these
msxms not at all; but the opinion appears to be,
that we hold our liberty by divine right. l fear
that If we do not be vgilsnt, we shall find this
to be the greatest mistake of all and it great mis-
take suppose that divine mission to carry the
principles Of our liberty, by force Of arms, this
continent and that nothing affect security.
If we persist in this delusion the day of retrbution
will come and 1t will bring with 1t destructive come
quences as surely as now am addressing this Ameri
oan Senate. am there fore. opposed to the policy Of
holding Mexico by right Of conquest, and of annexpg
it, either province territories States Of this
government But what are we to do, After speak
ing Of his efforts to arrest the war and its conse-
quences, M. Calhoun raid he saw not the smslles
chance Of disentanglng ourselves, in the defen
sve line; by taking, in this way, the decision and
and indemnity into our hands Had time been al.
lowed when the President sent in his message declaring
state Of war, Mr. c. said he should have vindcated
plan to be pursued He would have relieved General
Taylor he would have had committee to enquire and
report on the relations existing between US and Mexico
showing that yet there was actual state of war
Had that failed Of inducing negotiation, he
should have held the territories on this side Of
the Rio Grsnde, and maintained his position on
the boundary which might have been deemed proper
mil lac 10
u.s. and Of no use to Mexico. But he had been over
ruled Where the defensive line should now be- he had
no opinion now to give. He not now prepared to
say where could designate the bestne but he would
say, that We should evacuate the central provinces
Mr.. REvERDY JoHNsoN-What's that, Mr. Calhoun,
We should evaouate y We should svacuate the
central parts of the States occupied aud call back
the troops to defined boundary, receiving sufficient
territory for all proper indemues, the final decision
be ubsct to negotiation we'll the expenses the
war 1t may take years to secure peace even upon
this plan; but one great point would be gainsd-ws
shall disentangle ourselves. We are now tied to a
dead corpse, and should dsentangle ourselves
rom 1t SOON possible. If we should only
be Kept quiet, and pursue our true international
policy, with mastery inactivity, and wait the day
for our destiny shall do better than to gain ten
Thousand victories in battle Mr. Calhoun said he wa,
ON old man; he almost among strangers; and tina.
If he had urged anything that strange or peculiar
upon the Senate, they must attribute 1t to the i'm
pressons Of thirty Ave years ago. This not the
first time he had opposed the policy of war In the
Of the proposed reprsa upon France had stood
almost alone In the Senate to resist It, He was utterly
opposed to It, England was utterly opposed to It, En-
glst had interfered and no war took place He ad-
monhed his friends Of the administration that there
light be contingencies to come, which
thsy did not see-somethipg in the vigorous cen
trail prosecution Of this war, from year to year,
which would seal the death warrant OF beloved ins
and yet the party appeared to be the
order Of their doctrines they opposed the Ma
tonal Debt and the prosecution of this hourly
ad ding to tie National Debt. The expenses Of this
campaign would be found equal to the expenses Of the
Revolution. They opposed to increase of the
patronage Of the Executive Government, yet what
could so rapidly increase it as the policy
pursued They were IN favor Of pure metallic
currency, yet did not all know that our trea
sury notes and paper stock becoming more and
the staple of country. They in favor
free trade the thus sought to be prosecuted
has already rendered 1t impossible to make any pro-
gress in free trade for many years to The
alternative is pressing it is magnanimous to retrsce
your steps when In it is act Of
to sacrifice your pride for the good Of the country
In saying that there alternative between this de-
fensve line OF policy to that of the President ray So
because public opinion II made up, and there can
DO no peace with Mexico short Of acquisition o.
territory Mr. only spoke to his friends the whig
side Of the House, and bore testimony, that though
ley had voted for the war, which he had opposed ,
they had done under PROMISE for the relief Of Gen
Taylor but they had voted to get territory the last
session: and this session. when the public sentiment
made up the only way for safety now the de-
fensive ne and 1t must be adopted at this session.
shall have to and meet the hazard Of entire
cupston for better or for He would propose
thing now; but If he found that he should be
supported in these views, he should yet, perhaps
move for q committee to confer with the distin-
guished generals in town, the proper and best
line to be adopted 1t may not be this year 1t may
be for many years but We shall secure . peace We
shall the Great object Of disc ntapgng ourselves
Mr.. CALHOUN having concluded, on motion Of Mr. Sc
ver the resolutions then laid the table to be
taken up again after the bill increase the army has
ben disposed of.
MIR BUTLER offered q resolution inquring % to the
sypedenoy Of authorizing the President to promote Of
ncers Of the army immed iatey, in newly raised reei
ments without prejudice to their present commissions
The Senate then wentnt executive session. and soon
adjourned.
House OF Representatives.
SOUTHERN MAILS.
Ga motion Of Mr.. Boris, the resolution directing the
renewal Of the late contract for the transportation Of
t1e great Southern Mail postponed till to
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
On motion Of Mr. BRopHEAp, the House went into
Committee Of the Whole the State Of the Union on
ths Presidents annual message Mr.. j. r. Ingerson in
the chair.
The resolutions of Mr.. VsroS referring several por
lions to appropriate committees, read, when MIR
Brodhead offered his substitute, and stated his
sons.
MIR. GipDIyos moved to amend the first Of Mr.. Vim
toms resolutions to refer the Amsad slave
select committee, and made speech the proposed
amendment. Mr. Glddngs' proposition rejected.
Mr.. vISror addressed the committee In reply to Mr..
Brodhead, and the committee rose.