The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-03-22

| we went 10 WAL lOl indemnify, anu we Lou lHuuCcu
Mexico TO give two provinces for twenty millionsas
much gave for Louisiana We acquired no land
lbs the treaty The provinces of New Mexico and Cali
forna had been settled for hundred years. and the
lands Were private property There public lands
worth surveying. This great country had made small
war-a policy that the Duke of Wellington had condemn
ed ia regard to England.
! The administration had been furnished with ample
means carry the war; but It owing the skill
and energy OF officers that had been successful
in the war The documents were garbed and their pub
LEGATION intended TO disparage the officers who had
| carried through the war.
He Withdrew his motion, but renewed it at the request
| of those who wished TO reply.
| Mr. JACOB THOMPSON said the gentleman had
pursued most extraordinary Nothing in party
zeal and violence could be absurd represent that
the administration desired the defeat OF generas-as
II the administrator to derive strength from defeat
Nothing ridiculous to attempt 10 array the ad
mnsraton against the generals appointed by to the
command. The gentleman from North Carolina abuses
the administration mprovldent because did not sup
ply Gen Taylor with transportation. But Gen Jesup had
explained this matter, and he desired the letter OF that
general be read for he certain that the gentleman
from North Carolina had never seen it, or he could not
have made such a charge.
The letter having been read, Mr. T. said it would be
seen that there ground whatever for Gen. Tay
lor's complaint He had power in his hands to obtain
means of transportation suited the country General
Jesup had completely INDICATED himself from any
glect quartermaster general
Mr. T. went to show that all the difficulties arose
out OF the circumstances belonging to the case The
which party zeal had led gentlemen the other
side TO adopt, not patriotic, and would not be
| tanned by the people.
Mr. T. read number of documents relating to the with
drawa OF force IRON Gen Iayors command; and yet the
gentleman from North Carolina had ntimated that the
troops Withdrawn for the purpose of defeating Gen
or Why not troops sent forward at earlier
day. Regulars had been called for and the bill for rails
ing ten regiments had been talked over, in the Senate
for two months Who responsible for that delay ?
Not the administration nor its friends:
Mr. HARALSON here interposed, for the purpose of
saying thai he wished to take this opportunity do JUS
tice on this subject to himself and 10 the Committee
Military Affairs, in their this bill at the last
sion He did not now recollect the day when the ten
regiment bill was referred to the committee. But one
thing he certain of-that il was reported the Goth
December the first day which it could be reported
after the reference OF the Presidents message. The bill
prepared in anticipation of the reference of the Pres
idenis message Every effort made by himself and
the committee 10 pass the bill to its passage 1t
Just q h SS 2s. woud let
wanted for that service AS to the capture of Vera
Cruz, he would like to know what authority the gentle
had for saying that he could not have taken Vera
! Cruz and the castle; and that he had said So
! Mr. CLlNGMAN said, he had derived it from Colonel
Benton's speech the lieutenant general bill
Mr. THOMPSON said, Mr.. Benton's view that it
would be unnecessary take the castle. But the gen.
teman had represented that General Scott was sent to
take the castle with force deemed lnadequate-tha he
against the castle The fact was that the administration
believed the force sufficient for the object and expected
success.
The gentleman from North Carolina had been very
anxious for the publication of this correspondence But
now it has come, the gentleman is unwilling to let il go
TO the country without his comments. The people
of the country would be able to understand the docu
ments without the comments. The gentleman, after
aiming the correspondence, and finding that it did not
sustain his charges against the administration makes
motion for the purpose OF accompanying the documents
with his own comments; and, having made the speech,
withdrew the motion, IN order to cut oil a reply. The
whole proceeding was one of most extraordinary char
ae and Of hg n. and
the purpose of having the documents, when print
ed printed entire These public records constitute
the best history of the war and therefore, he objected
to their mutilaon. The progress of the but
series Of executive bunders from the first order under
which Gen. Taylor marched to the Rio Grande. The
President had reckoned without his host when he con-
jectured that Mexico would not offer war The Mexi-
cans did meet and proved this want of foresight
the part OF our Executive In many hoy-contesed
fight He spoke from his personal knowledge when he
dltion on the Rio Grande-whou the necessary means
and munitions for his campaign-whou sufficient men,
and without the means of transportation. He had il not
in his heart to cherish the thought that this proceeding
designed by the President expose the General and
the army to disaster and ruin. He preferred to refer the
whole to the want of forecast After every brilliant VIC
tory OF arms, the administration continued to cherish
and to publish the hope that peace conquered, and
the at end To this fancied security he al
rbuted the lack of supplies to both Scott and Taylor
adequate and necessary for vigorous prosecution OF
Ii Gen Scott had been furnished with reinforce
ments and supplies. as he should and might have
been Immediately after the capituation OF Vera Cruz
and the Castle. he might have passed the Cerro
Gordo and reached the capital OF the country with
out battle; for Mexico at that time easy
prey, and wholly unprepared to oppose our march at
single point He spoke also, of the intervention of Mr..
Tst after the battle of Churubusco, which only gave the
enemy time to prepare for his better defence, and which
resulted in that terrible saught of troops which fol-
lowed Whatever of ineticiency had attended vic
tories he charged with all their mournu consequences,
upon the President of the United States.
In reply to the gentleman from Mississippi, Mr.. THoMp-
SON. who referred many times to the charge that the whg
party had denounced the unjust he said the charge
was wholly napplicable to the southern wings The
might be unnecessaryit might be uniustly commenced,
and yet Justly prosecuted-it might be unconstitutional
in its plency, and yet just and proper its prosecu
ton. All he understood the wings to have said, was,
that the unconstitutional and unnecessary its
commencement
Mr. McLANE replied first TO the charge of the gentle.
man from North Carolina, that the correspondence
garb!ed. If he believes the President capable of with
holding matter to himself he ought to say plain
y But he has gone further, however and stated that
fcaton OF Gen. Scott. Mr. Mel. would not combat
such assumption, because it made without sufi.
cient data either for statement denial He believed
that the correspondence would develop the weakness
and the captous temper of the man, but thought it would
not affect the character Of the general None doubted the
| superior character OF Gen. Scott as a soldier.
Mr.. Mel. said of the campaign of the Rio Grande,
that never looked to the occupation of the city of Mex
leo, but only to the occupation of the northern provn
and perhaps to the drawing off of their forces to the
north. He spoke Gas well the gentleman from Ten
nessee of his knowledge of this campaign but he
should conne his remarks to the record Didthe gentle
first that he would be embarrassed with too many mem
that before he marched