The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-22
CONGRESSIONAL.


Mr. FOOTE said; The senator from North Carolina
mir BApGER concluded his speech OF yesterday withhe
mention OF what he was pleased to ene the iekenng
he so much condemn the war; that he is Of opinion, with
some other distinguished gentlemen OF his party, that
permanent honor can be IN war 80 unjust and
ator from Massachusetts, MIR WEBsTERl had expressed
some months ago. his opinion in very plain language too,
that no real glory could be achieved in such His
words this point worth quotations. for they seem
to Indicate settled design, not to say deliberate
conspiracy IN certain quarters, TO prevent our military
chieftans of this Mexican from deriving any
eminent civic advancement from their immortal ex
PLOTS. Sir" said the senator from Massachusetts
on the occasion referred to, 81 need not say that
achievement any man ] would not see any aurels
that belonged ii whered, honor those who call
ed on, by professional duty to bear arms in their coun
trys cause and who do their duty well would obscure
none of their fame. But will say here, and TO them
that il is the solemn adjudication of nations, and II is the
sentiment of the Christian world, that wased for VI
cous purposes. or from vicious motives, furnishes he
lusre of arms and darkens, il ii does not blot, wha
otherwise might be glorious page in the history OF The
nation that make IT," Well sir, the senator from North
Carolina, and Others cooperating with hlm IN this DIS
CUSTOM claim to have proved that this war was entered
upon BY the President not IN defence nor to avenge ma
onal injuries and insults but IN order to secure plaus-
Bile pre,ext for orcibly sezlng upon and permanently
retaining the CALIFORNIA; and New Mexco he denounces
the act great crime and quotes poetry depicve of his
contempt and Indignation against such vile conduct
that between the two distinguished gentlemen the case is
easily made out Neither Gen. Taylor nor Gen Scott
Of patriot since the is judged 10 be both waged for
vicious purposes" and from vicious motives"
and thus is the lusre Of arms" seriously arnished"
This, too, is not mentioned to be the opinion OF
single individual, however distinguished, nor even
of many; but '.the adjudication of nations" and
that the senator from North Carolina talks about
the, Pickering light of military glory. This word
Pickering is quite expressive, 1t is usually applied to the
tnct And sir, is it possible that all the glory which GER
tain gentlemen lately saw in the achievements OF our
brave officers and men who 81 have fought IN Mexico Is
Buena Vista, csc transit gloria mtndi?" Has the old
dread of military chieftans suddenly upon distin
guished gentlemen! Is Ccero's famous ma xim-"Arnna
ced,nt toge"-about to be realized Has magnetic
process been going on, IN order to distinguished gen
temen back TO their old faith, and prevent them from
celebrated lecturer electro magnetism is in the city,
and applied to- might perchance suggest the means Of
succeeding IN this m1agnetisins scheme Well am really
Mr. BADGER. II the senator will allow me to inter-
used inadvertently The term intended to use was
very different meant the dazzling light of military
glory was not aware until the senator informed me,
that had used the word Pickering.
Mr.. FOOTE: Well, sir, dazzling is the word then.
am not that this helps the much II the glory
OF arms is dazzling, why then we infer that there is
nothing substantial it, but it is altogether delusive
Sir It is not my business to advocate the claims of mill
tary men to high civil stations on account Of their mill
tary distinction alone Nor shall seriously interfere in
this matter at all but whether General Taylors glory,
as one OF the officers in this war, be be not either
Pickering distinguishing into extinction, or merely
of this commander, against the peculiar advocacy which
the senator from North Carolina has thought proper on
the present OCCASION to originate in his behalf He
serts that the movement OF General Taylor to the Rio
Grande brought on the war and he further says that
General Taylor is not at all responsible for the movement
Indeed General Taylor not responsible, Why, it
Of his chief glones in the war that he is responsible
The movement was necessary; he perceived the neces
siiy Of approaching the Rio Grande did advance to it
ence Of General Taylor with the government is Of the
same import. and is all alike calculated to Tx upon him
the chief responsibility of the movement md to
him the glory of having acted with singular acueness
energy, and good sense, at this delicate crisis.
Here Mr. FoorE read from various documents in
maintenance of what he had asserted, and then pro-
ceeded as folows:]
Sir, no man examine this correspondence between
General Taylor and the Secretary Of War without being
perfectly satisfied of these facts. l. The administration
entirely conhded in his judgment and energy, and de-
signed from the first 10 endow him with ample discre
ton as to his movements the southwestern frontier
2 That every movement in the direction Of the Rio
Grande was taken, either upon his own Judgment in
The absence Of special instructions from Washington or
an obedience to instructions founded upon his own
previous advice; and 8 That there was not Of these
movements from first to ast-from the location of his
troops the west bank of the Nueces up to the earliest
battle with the enemywhich he did not execute with
great alacry, and as there is good reason 10 believe
with full conviction that what he doing was ne
cessay to the honor OF his country, and his per-
sona fame. And now, when the glorious battles OF
Vista have been fought-when General Taylol's fame
and popularity are placed beyond question: BY his con-
duct upon those immortal fields Of bloody and perious
strife, must regard it as one of the most illibera
unfair and-bu for the respect which | bear certain
gentlemen here, would say-unmany and contempt
lble efforts heard of in my life to shuttle him
by sly device and qubbng sophisy out of all the re-
sponsbihty OF those acts without which he would never
nave BEEN as he 49, his countrys pride and the worlds
admiration Sir, so decided my opinions this sub
lect, that, much admire Gen Taylor, land do so
as highly as any one in the republic out Of the pale of
those who struggling to make political capital out OF
Jar from doing, that he would give his SANCTION for an
instant OF me TO- such miserable special pleading we
nave heard here from his professed friends should feel
compelled TO give up entirely my present profound re-
spcct tor his character of Justice and magma
nmity will not believe sir that were General TAYLOR
now IN our midst he would fail to set gentlemen right on
this subect and confidently believe that he would tell
them that he would scorn all popularity character
which was to be obtained by resort technical subter
fuges, that would not be very respectable JUS
tces court where the whole matter in contro-
am almost tempted to exclaim in the language of Fal
staff
sCall you this backing your friends
Sir, it seems to me- that, in the progress of the debate
which has been going for days past in this body
not small number OF the topics which have been intro
duced and less enormously urged upon our aen
on have either no legitimate connexion with the grave
and momentous question before U.S. or have been here
tofore repeatedly discussed in legislative halls and in
popular assemblies, that but little either of preft or en-
.eranmen could be reasonably anticipated from renew
GU examination of them at the present time may be in
s.or' SIR but if do not egregousy mistake the ndca
- Il.