The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-01-29
WAsHiNerox, Jan. ls.

WAsH!NeToN, Jan. l6.
The Senate galleries and Hobbies were
dCnsely crowded today to hear the speech
off one of the able Senator'S Mr. Badger from
the "good old North State" upon the "Ien
Regiment Bill" | listened to him for two
hours with great delight. His speech will
be considered as one of the abest efforts
made in the Senate for some years. Mr. Bad
ger spoke emphatcally against the bill, and
he went into an elaborate argument to prove,
LIST, that the war was brought on by the I'M
constitutional act of the President, in order
ing the army under General Taylor to the
left bank OF the Rio Grande, into country
in the possession ofthe Mexican people-this
was done, too, when Congress was i'll session,
and without the knowledge of either branch.
He contrasted the conduct of the EXecu-
tive with the conduct of Mr. Jefferson, when
Spain, in violation of her treaty, still held
posts i'll certain parts ofLouisiana.
He in the second place went on to prove
that the object of the President had been rom
the beginning to possess this country otNew
Mexico and lne two Ce!!!!nrnias,and to Wrest
them by force from Mexico; AIN, he went IN
to a searching analysis ofthe orders issued 10
Ccmmodores Stockton and Sloat,and to Gen.
kearuey, and of the Instructions given to
General Taylor to take up his position on
the Rio Grande. This part of the speech
will strike the country with great force, and
the conclusion drawn by Mr. Badger is the
only legitimate one which sensible men can
draw from the published correspondence.
He then came Immediately to the bill before
the Senate and he said that it meant moth
ing more or less than the entire stbJugatIon
ofMeXico He said that the President,ln his
late message, discaimed any such purpose,
and his friends on this floor had disclaimed
any such intention; but lie could not forget
that the President, in his previous messages,
had utterly dsclaimed that the conquest Of Il
ny part of Mexico was meditated by him.
Yet from critical examination of the whole
correspondence, he was satisfied that the
conquest ofthe two CALIFORNIA; and of New
Mexico was his intention from the outset
and in the late message he had told this bod
that lie would never sign treaty OF peace
which did not cede TO the United States the
two CALIFORNIA; and New Mexico.
Mr. Badger said that we had already an
annie force in Mexico, for any legitimate pur-
pose, and that to send more troops there,
particularly regulars, as asked for IN this bill,
i'the machines" spoken of by the Senator
from Michigan the other day, could be for
no other purpose than 10 take possession OF
the whole of Mexico. To such scheme he
could never give his assent, and to show that
the entire conquest of Mexico was at the bot
tom of the whole matter. lie referred to the
late order of General Scott, issued ny order
of the Government ut home, Ivy which our
troops were already under orders 10 spread
themselves over the whole ofthat country TO
take possession olthe chieftowns and seques-
ter the revenues, and hold the people OF hat
Republic under the iron rule of military dom
inaiion. lie also referred to the toast given
hy Senator Dickinson, of New York. ut the
eight of Junuary dinner,in this citY,last week