New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-01-19

did not feel At Liberty 70 send the United States
forces into that part Of Louisiana because, a. he
said that act Spain being IN possession. might
change the relations of the country, and transfer
them frou q state OF peace to astafe OF war. That
territory clearly belonged unto Us alone, bot i
vas not taken possession Of by order OF the fres',
dent Spain for q long time retained possession OF
the port Of Mobile, and Florida parishes, A. they
| were called
Norwere the latter taken possession oil by the
arms Of the United States until IN 1870 the country
ras revoutionired by set OF private advertarers,
who set up a government for themselves la that
state OF affairs Congress not being IN session Mr..
Madison issued proclamation and took possession
| because. otherwise, as he said. these parishes
would have been considered derelict He took it
out Of the hands Of the private adventures who had
| BUSTED the Spanish authorities and taken posses.
sion Of it. Mr. Madison did not take possession Of
Mobile TIL 1919, after the passage OF the secret Act
Of Congress of that year, authorizing him 10 do so
| Now say. then. upon the strength OF the author
ties that If Mexico had possession of the territory
| CT any part Of the territory between the Naeces
| and the Rio Grande-even If they bad Commanded
ii from the opposite bank OF the river as they might
| have done al Matamoros. the President bad no
right to take possession Of that portion Of in the
possession of Mexico. This is not the only instance
| q the forbesrance with which this Government has
submitted TO the holding OF country by foreign
nations. claimed by How long Was il before
certain British posts included within the limits Of
| the United States by the treaty Of SO. actually
came into our possessioni Great Britain held
them. think, from SO till after Jays treaty and
| the defeat OF the Indians by General Wayne Yet
! we declared no war agsnst Great Britain. Gen
| Washington never thought OF sending an army to
take possession Ct these posts.
Mr. HAsSrGAS-They were held by Great Brit
| tain till 95.
Mr. PEARcE-A period oftwelve years. Let me
refer also to the North. eastern Boundary question
in dispute from the treaty Of 80 down to the settle
ment oy the Treaty Of Washington 10 ~ think
both Houses of Congress, by unanimous vote, de-
clared our title 70 the boundary as We claimed II,
and yet great Britain occupied portion Of tho ter
ritory her military forces were there, and not
only so, bat citizen Of the United States was Ar
| rested on the soil claimed by US, carried away
and incarcersted in British dungeon, yet neither
| Gen. Jackson, during whose administration the
controversy existed, nor Mr.. Van Buren,. during
whose administration the incident which have
related occurred ever thought OF marching the
United States troops there, and taking possession
| OF the country He knew that Congress alone could
| authorize such a proceeding That dispute was
settled by negotiation and il oneh half the forbear-
snce had been exercised toward weak and pros
| trate Mexico. which was manifested toward Great
| Britain in that controversy, we should have had
no war--not a drop OF blood would have been she'd
not a dime in our Treasury would have been
| wasted.
know another instance more recent, and more
| fragrant Let me remind the Senate OF the case of
the Caroline. There undoubtedly American blood
| was shed upon American soi-shed by British
troops-led by British officer who was applauded
and promoted FOR the act and yet Mr.. Van Buren,
| did not take the law into his hands-he did not
| make war against Great Britan--he did not ask
| Congress 20 make war. Thst was act OF hostility
undoubtedly, but M Van Buren, was content TO
| settle the matter by negotiation. | wish To know,
:.
| the time honored maxim
"Psrcsre subjects, debesre supsrbss"
Shall we make war on the weak, and not upon
the strongl ! fear we have forgotten that maxim
| in our course toward Mexico, and trampe upon her
who is least able to resist u.s. ! do not doubt that
is the duty of the President Of the United States
| to repe invasion when made within our acknow
| lodged limits. But deny that that is war. de-
| ny that there can be a state Of war. properly so
| called unless the Congress OF the nlted States
have exerted their powers, and declared war IL
is not for the President to put the country in state
| of war certainly not to invade territory claimed
by US wthou, right and then To vindicate himself
by the declaration that the territory Of the United
States vas inv aded-that American blood had been
shed upon American soil Sir, | blushed for the
President when he made that monstrous assertion
Now, as to the farther prosecution OF war, the
President tells US very distinctly in bis Message
that we are to have no peace with his consent I'M
Ill complete indemnity shall be obtained from Mex.
leo" indemnity for the past and security for the
future'-well characterized yesterday by the SEN
ator from Delaware, as one-haf OF Mexico Tor in-
demni,y and the other half az security | agree
! with my colleague in his declaration, that in the
| triumphs Of our arms we have obtained ample In
demnity. do not like 10 boast OF the prowess OF
| my country men, but certainly have been a. much
struck by their achievements In Mexico, ~ by the
| story of any battles that have ever read know
nothing to compare with them, unless 1t DO the de-.
| feat Of the Russians at Nsrva by Charles XII Of
| Sweden. As to indemnity for the expenses OF the
| war when, let me ask, have we ever sought COM
| pensation in damages from other nations with
| whom we have been at war We have had but
| three wars the war Of the Revolutions just one,
| / take twas the first one in which We are on
gsgod and we do not see why we should not de-
mand indemnity for its expenses a. for the one In
| which we are now involved. But one dreamed
| of demanding indemnity for that war.
The war Of 1919 was just war as believe
| eminently just wsr-provoked by British aggres
| SION by the mpressment of our sesmen, by in
juries in violation of our commercial rights. We
urged that for three years, and settled il, a.
suppose everybody agreed, without any lose OF
national honor but without receiving or demand
| ing any indemnity. We spent from one to two
| hundred millions in that war, and did not get
| penny back. never heard that Mr.. Madison and
| his cabinet, and the wise men who were In this
were reproached for sacrificing the honor Of the
country In not obtaining pecunsry indemnity. Dir.
| despise, / scorn this demand OF q pecuniary In.
demnity for violated faith, whether made by an In
dividoal or a nation. never heard Of such thing
among gentlemen
have mad the curiosity 70 examins Jonah Bar.
ripgtons account of the celebrated Kilkenny Club,
renown ned for being composed Of the most chival
rous gentlemen that ever pulled trigger. BY their
rules the repars.on Of personal insults and wrongs
is reduced 10 q regular system. Every offence was
strictly defined and the appropriate degree OF pun
ishment prescribed. II the offence were slight the
party aggrieved night be Satisfied with IN exchange
Of shots If little more aggravated IL was requi-
site that one party should be booded. When the
offence was Of very grave nature somebody was
b be well blooded and there was scarcely any Of
fence which required, according TO these rules OF
chvalrous honor, that The combat should be mortal
Certainly in no instance, 10 il recorded Ia the an
nails Of the Kilkenny Club that pec1niary compen-
sation was N be demanded by the party offended.
Sir Darlington records instance in which the Of
fender WA called upon TO pay for the powder and
ball consumed the pistols used and tho Transports
ton to the field Of honor-tEat Is 10 say, the hack
hire Now, am unwilling to place q nation In
lower scale than private individual neither have
e.