Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1848-01-12
rRoCEEDsNos OF cexcREss.


eSrFesfeN1s - =, z - Va. Frss f,rrss
"AshiNerces,<s s. 1913,
The ely Of wssEiiglnn pfssenss a mosf gayI
and inviting appearances 70 hose ffom ne coulr
nv and i, Is 4 matter Of no surprise that when
/. ne end ourselves IN The august presence Of ihe
Solons,i the nation, and surrounded By the beau1
" Of he land, that We should linger long, and
hesitate 10 tear ourselves away.
| There are attractions here which present them
selves IL almost every turn 70 one fresh ffom the
ranks Of the sovereigns Of the land--to one who
ms mingled but little in The dizzy whirl Of poi-
seal excitement Go where you may, your ears
/ are greeted with he sound Of political discus
sion Washington i he hotbcd Of corruption
En- ihisrespeet Hundreds Of men with no visible
means q procuring 4 livelihood, saunter about
and annoy and pegpiex Tie oficers Of Govern
ment Cor siizkn6ns
The regular businesssof Congress IS just II
bout being entered upon
| Mr.. Calhoun made his pesiti0n still further
known 10 the country, win respect 20 the Next
lean War, on Tuesday, in ! most fervid seeech on
the resolutions submitted BY him some time since
/ have never seen amore brilliant audience than
that which honored Mr.. G BY their attendance.
Mr. @. in the course of his remarks said he OPT
posed the war at its origin. because he thcaght II
unnecessary, and could have been easily avoided.
After the war had been sanctioned BY the Govern
ment, he endeavored TO give that direction to i
which would asmuch as possible avert the cal
iamity. - e
Mr. Calhoun alluded N some detail to his pre-.
vious, defensive line, and the goodresu,ts which
wod1d grow out of il. The men who had lost
their lives would have been sufficient to have SET
enred all the'iine, and the interest of he money
expended would have paid the cost Mr.. Cali
houn argued that this would be the policy Of the
Government now, and that there were stronger
reasons than ever for its adoption.
a war ofsconeuest was disavowed, but il was
certain the more successful the war was the more
Certainty there was that there would be conquest
/ The vigorous prosecution of the war would de-
| feat all we disavowed. We disavowed the ma
lticnality--the seperaie existence of Mexico
Before so sensible abody as the Senate, he need
mot prove that the conquest Of free STATES was
hostileand dangerous 70 our Institutions. aAll ex-
lanples proved that the people who conquered
free States were themselves in turn conquered
The Union would become imperious, and Its pat
lronage overwhelming All power would be
lodged in the Executive, and in the end the Exec
IuiTe would conquer US.
i Mr. c. predicted that iihis.executiye power
would inevitably slide into anarchy England
II did not prove an exception to this She could
bear more patronage than all other powers. It
resulted from the fact. that her higher branches
Of government were hereditary. The Roman
government had no such power to hold conquer
4 ed territory. As soon as Rome passed Italy, be-
yond the Alps and the Mediterranean, she de-
lcayed, and her people became -rahble. But
Il England had not escaped, There was super
incuinbent power resting upon power which
ii Threatened Her provinces Of Hindostan and
ireland taxed her people To the ultermosl, and
threatened her existence.
I What, asked Mr. G. wonld be the cost Of an
lnexation to us There was territory to be bought
and paid for-civil government to be established,
and all the expenses Of territory But In Mexi.
co we could only have provisional government
Those Mexieans had old Castilian Gothie blood
lin their veins me Anglo Saxon, and
! would not yieldto hs.
r Nor were they lit 'cothpanions for t,s--no, M
ieood as p Cherokee, Or = Choctaw--not capable
of governing wisely
At the conclusion OF his speech, the resolutions
were laid upon the table
Quite an animated discussion tbohplace in the
Senate between Messfs Crittenden, Cas- Davis.
and Calhoun, on the motion Of Mr.. Crittenden
that the bill for raising twenty regiments Of vol
unteers to take the place of the ten regiments q
Regulars or that all be volunteers. Mr. G. arr
gued that there was no pressing present necessil
~ fer these ten regiments The Secretary Of
War desired to hold all Of Mexico now possessl
led, and in addition to have a force sufficient I'd
make occasional incnrsions into The country
Mr. g. thought that The present force was equal
70 all This, and preferred that the force raised
should Be volunteers as they could be more reala
lily obtained
Il Mr.. Davis gave ks reasons at length for pre-
Eferring regulars to volunteers-that there was 4
better state of subordination
Mr.. Gass urged the necessity Of aIlthe troops
raised andshat no difficulty would ersue, atleast
il discretionary power was vested in the Execu-
tive 10 call them out
il Mr.. Calhoun opposed hasiy action, As the men
IFequircd could not be wanted for six or eight
months. He first wanted t. know what the in
ltentions of the Executive We're.
! The amendment was lost bv a vote &c DC il
li9, Mr.. Jchnsoh 81 Md, and Mr.. johnson u
la, voting with the majority. This vote would
indicate that Mr.. johnson Of Md. was rather IA
Ivorably disposed 70 the views Of the Adminis.ra.
ltion on the Mexican War.
The House ef Representatives afaer a warm
discussion, on "Wednesday, adopted a resoiuuoh
lof inquiry, calling upon the President of the u
nited States for tie correspondence leading to the
return of Santa Anna to Mexico, and for The n
istructions given to Mr. Slidell.
/ Those who have claims for French SpoIiations
will be rejoiced 70 learn that the committee Oh
Foreign Relations have appropriated I've mil.
lions Of dollars for their payment. and there i
little doubt the bin win pass.
] Major John P. Gaines, the member from Ken
lucky, took his seat IA the House on "Wednesday
5asa member from that State. The exploits in
(which he participated in Mexico, and the hair
fbreadth escapes which has amended them give bis
ipresence marked degree Of interest Mai. E
lis q spare made man, hair grey, and has Rifhal 1
narfial-like bearing.
Mr.. Mason made motion in the SESarE. Oh
Thursday last 10 admit Tie Editors Of the Union
20 the privilege Of The floor, from which,the had
been excludedlas session By resolution .oaercd
BY Mr.. Westcctt- which was laid over.
a large plumber Of Heroes are ii washington
fresh from the bloody field Of carnage. Among
Others ! noticed Lieut. Swsshy who lost his right
arm and Lieut. Potter Who was tav,,,,,,sged II, ,s