The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1848-02-16
sTEECH OF rra. :FEARCE
o. MAINLAND.
On he hill 81 aiding Ten additional Rrgimsnss
- The Regular Army.


h Ssnafe. January Is. Isls.
Mr.. PEARcE said /: Il would har,
been agreeable IN me n I could have De
lened fnr few days The remarks which
] propose 10 make in reference 10 III.
subject now under consideration of IN.
Senate. Like my colleague, however.
shall be compelled In be absent Tor few
days on business, and ] have therefore u
throw myself on The indulgence oG Inc
Senate. ....
With much that my colleague has said
IN that pars ri his remarks which ne "a.
dressed 10 lie Senate ON the second day,
cordially agree; hut there are other points
IN dispute. upon which his opinions and
mine are wholly and widely variant.
regret This variance. moi only because we
represent common constituency, but be-
eanse have long entertained for nv col
league such high respect and regard
that il u painful for me Ia differ with him
here on any subject. and particularly pain
iul 20 have collision of opinion upon a
question oil such fundamental importance.
! ] had oeeasiOn. SIR. at the last session
OF The Senate. TO present 90 this body nv
views upon part Of This subject. and IL il
had been my colleagues purpose 10 con-
lr0sert the posili"n which then assumed.
and overthrow the arguments which I
endeaEored 10 sustain. he could not have
addressed himself more directly IN the
purpose Than he has done. sir, do not
complain nj this. But il il a fact which;
rompels me either 20 abandon the ground
] have formerly taken, or Ie.afTim u and
sustain II as best may. Resides, sir, the
legislature Of my State is now in session.
my term ol service heie is drawing 10 a
close, and il is right that should possess
that body fully with the opinions I enter
tain upon this important subject, that they
may he the beiler enabled To determine
IN whose hands 10 place the trust with
which have hitherto been honored. Sir.
! do M: shrink from the issue; and | am
consoled by the conviction that in the
opinions which entertain, and which |
am abou. To express, but reflect the sense
Of those whom represent.
Like my colleague, I am anxious 10
maintain the honor Of my country, to vim
dictate her reputation from the least blem.
s@L~ a~-~ , .~~~s=-~l~-l.~~a~- -aa..,o Ia. c.,.,,
any probable charge of rapacious apgres.
sion. Of grasping cupidi,y. and lust or con.
quest. but, in my opinion. this canno,
be done by merely affirming the Justice of
a war. in the justice and consliImiionaliiy
Of which have no faith; much less can j,
he done by sustaining the President in a
course by which, in NV opinion, we
should he practically subveriing the con.
stl,niion; Wrestling from Congress, tn whom
alone the constitution has confi,led them,
the issues Of war and peace; making him
supreme controller Of affairs; making him,
III Tact, If we look at The matter in yiek
oil It's consequences, the master Of our Eite,
and the more dangerously so, because he
rules under the form Of free institutions, in
the spirit Of despo,.
Sir. | do not pretend TO deny that the
United States has jus. claims against Mex
lro. for indemnify due to our citizens; but
! do deny that those claims were the cause
Of this war, or tina. they would be the lust
cause of any war. deny that they would
have justified Congress in declaring wal
against Mexico. Sir. war is last and
dlrefnl alternative of nations. the Ultima
ratio regwm. and the last resor, ofrepub-
lies also. II should never be undertaken
without an unavoidable necessity. All
Publicists tell us this. The language of
Vaiicl Is. that there must he a clear right
coupled with a sor, of necessity, and this
is consistent with the principles of COM
mon sense and humanity.
Now, lie. us zee what are the capses
which have produced this war. The Pre-
sldent has paraded before us an exapgera.
ted statement of these claims, as il they
were the causes Of the war; aud yet he
alfirms that Mexico brought on the war
by her illegal and unjust act. by shedding
American blood upon American soil. Sir,
these claims against Mexico, for indemnity
due TO our citizess, have existed for a
series OF years, il is trne-some for Ion.
ger and others for shorter time. But, |
ask, IT Mexico has resisted per,inaciously,
the payment Of these claims! ask, if the
resistance or neglec! to pay, on the part
Of Mexico, is even comparable TO tina.
which we have experienced at the hands
Of stronger nations; and, I ask, if il be-
comes us 10 adopt one rule Of right, one
measure of patience in regard 10 weak
nation, and another rule of right aud great
er patience in regard to strong and haugh-
ty people. | trust there is no Senator
who will not repel with scorn such an i'm
putation. Yet, fear, we are about 10
forget the rule of equality in regard TO this
particular transaction.
Now, in. 1880, Mexico entered into ,
convention with US, by which she agreed
to form commission for the ascertain.
ment Of the claims due to our citizens.
That commission sat, and adudica,ed
many Of The elaine. bu, being limited in
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