The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-05-17

no one of them can escape the bghting judgment Of
offended and outraged people AS willing as we all are
and should be- "to pardon something to the spirit OF
liberty, and TO indulge in the frees discusslon yet SIR
when political fanatcism goes far see IT now u
i much 70 De appehended the Judgment Of poslenly wI
be warning 10 those who may be disposed TO withhold
supplies of and money now they should listen to
the teachings of the past, learning wisdom from its expe
Renee 1t is in vain TO say, sir that the is unjust
unconstutonafly commenced, against all the facts TO
the contrary, and thus attempt escape responsibility
they will be held to it, sir, and cannot shield themselves
Mr. BADGER. viii the honorable senator allow me-
as he has several times alluded to who charac
terized this as an unconstitutional war to ask him
if he referred TO me
Mr. BREESE. referred to the senator of Kentucky
Immediately i. ely befoTe YOU Mr. UNDERwooD.l
senator that my remark was, that it unconstu-
tonal act by which the commemorative placing
our troops on the Rio Grande
Mr. BREESE | have shown, sir think, that
proper ae-One which he had right to do. Suppose
government had taken no precautionary measures for
the defence OF Texas against the threatened invasion of
Mexico, having, she had, large force and near
that frontier, and breathing every missile from
her functonares. would the President have discharged
his duty to Texas! Would our obligations to her have
been fulfilled If solitary inmate of the humbes
cabin within it had been the victim of Mexican inroad
and his little all given to the flames, carried off
booty and we not there with our protecting power how
loud and deep and bitter would have been the denuncia
lions of those who assa the Executive for this act
intended alone for protectonalone 10 prevent invasion
government by all its obligations Of justice, honor and
good faith, TO take the position did and such, sir, is
the honest judgment of the country.
Well, sir, in this war, armies have
gone deep into the bowels of the land" and seems
alike the dictate of duty and patriotism to prosecute
it with renewed ygor. and never conclude peace until
we have accomplished what is now, and has always
been object reparaon for the past and security for
the future, matter to what results the attempt may
lead.
All of u.s. believe, sir were willing in 1916, and ex
pected that the would be carried into the heart of
Mexico. | recoect well, sir, remark of the disn-
guished senator of North Carolina mr. MANGUMl who
that the did exstif there should be disavowa
the part Of the Mexican government, of the act of
crossing the Rio Grande and attacking troops, he
would vote not only ten thousand, but fifty. or hun
bred thousand men and if necessary, proceed to the
plaza of the city OF Mexico, and there dictate peace
believe it well understood then, srat least such
is the inference draw from the remarks of that honor
able senatorthat crossing the Rio Grande by Mexican
troops would be invasion of territory and that
must not only repel it, but carry the war; with su
cent array, into the enemys country and this senator
expressed most cheerful Willingness give the gov
eminent all the both of men and money, requisite
for such prosecution of the war and, at the last
sion, the patriotic spirit manifested, for the
supplies were then granted with very little opposition
only three believe, voting against the bill to raise
additional military force, and but two against the loan
bill And why senators should now refuse to support
measure like this TO reinforce the army, am at loss
conceive can reconcile it with the vote they have
already given amendment proposed to it,
Mr. MANGUM. The honorable senator refers to
tain remarks which am reported to have made, intro
ductory my upon the bill recognising the exist
of the war; and certainly an erroneous inference
has been drawn from those remarks else did not
derstand myself The question raised, whether we
should the Rio Gande for the purpose of chastsng
our enemy WE'LL doubted, that in the case of ag
gression their part was entirely proper for to
pursue them to the heart of their country but
inference not to be drawn from this, that contem.
plated anything like conquest This have been utterly
time when wewere called upon recognise the exist
ence of the war; had heard OF collision having taken
place, but knew not how it originated the documents
were not before to be read and driven TO
vote at once and obliged to in the dark; but
on that occasion did not doubt that had right to
the Rio Grande in order to chasse aggression
reported, they meant that, and than that and
therefore | repel the inference that was DESTROYS
willing to to GENT g. into career reel OF conquest
Mr.. BREESE will read, sir, an extract from the
remarks of the honorable senator, reported in the
Congressional Globe
s'He and friends ready grant whatever men
money required in half hour And before the
raised could their destinations the requisite time
would have been afforded determine inelgently and
o I then Mr. OF Sa da
action of forces the left bank of the Rio
the impression that ought the river. and
that should not stop till we had dictated peace at the
certaned and then he was prepared vote not fifty thou
sand only, but hundred hundred and fifty ,hon
amount. He ready place the whole force of the
at his disposal and that he should be enabled to
The senator does not deny that he correctly reported
and could not, of course know what particular views
the honorable senator then entertained any further than
can gather them from these remarks But what are we
to conclude was to be done by such force as he was
willing to vote, unless 1t was to overrun Mexico and
conquer it, and in that way conquer peace"
Mr. MANGUM. | meant any force that might be ne
cessary to chastse the enemy, and to dictate peace
Mr. BREESE. But why chasse the enemy when
they had done wrong? If the Rio Grande not
the boundary of Texas but belonged Mexico, then
their troops perpetraed wrong in crossing it; and it
would be outrage part to raise force OF one
hundred thousand chastse Mexico for this, and
carry to her central city, and there dictate
of senators to this bill on another ground. They
have insisted, every one OF them who has spoken
to it, that our force in Mexico amply sufficient for all
legitimate purposes, and minute calculations have been
made to prove it; yet at the tme they vote under
the ayes and noes the amendment of the honorable
senator of Kentucky, mr. CRITTENDEN,] TO give the
President power TO call for the services of thirty thou
sand volunteers--three times as many this bill
proposes No doubt, sir there is good for this,
given before the passions had become excited by the col
sion of debae and doubt not, sir, the senators who
voted for the amendment voted good faith, and with
determination to grant renforcements-the only strife
seeming TO be then which the best description of
force.
Mr. President, thing is very cerain-that we are
in the midst of OF the most remarkable wars ever
waged the creation of the world, in every step OF
which, we the victorious party have held out the olive
that side of the Chamber, but on this that we have
peace whenever will it. The senator of Connecticut
Mr. NILEs] declared this to be his belief but failed, in
my Judgment, to bring single fact in support of IT. DO