The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-03-25
FROM WASHINGTON,
OBJECTIONS ON THE PART OF CERTAIN SEN
AToRs TO THE TREATY-SPEEcH OF Mr.
WEBSTER
Correspondence of the Tribune.
WASHINGTON, March II

Correspondence of the Tribune.
WASHINGTON, March IA.
As n copy ofthe Treaty literal, save in
few unimportant particularly has appeared
in the Herald, and ds every body here know
and talks about the votes and speeches of
Senators, il may be as well that | state dis
tinctly those portions of the Treaty 10 which
Mr. Webster. and the Wings concurring will
him, most slrenuously objected.
In the first place to The preamble which
states that Nicholas p. T'rist had power tC
negotiate the Trenty. This was regarded al
Il mere filsehood;it being well known 10 Sen
ators that his powers had been revoked MI
Polk, in the very message with which he sub
mitted the Treaty 10 the Senate, acknowledge
es that it was negotiated without authority
from him.
Mr. Webster and the other Wing Senators
voting with him may be supposed to have
thought that no action of the Senate, howev-
er solemn, or concurrence Of the President,
could make good the deficiency. "The om-
Impotence of Parliament could not over
come the original falsehood. The objection
to the preamble goes TO the whole subject
matter. Ii is not captious oblection-not a
dispute about trhes. 1t is full. comprehen-
sive, fatal. There was no Treaty before the
Senate, because there was no negotiator. The
preamble is n SuggestiO fllSi, and all that fol-
lows after it being dependent upon il. falls to
the ground with il.
at was against the recital ofan act of Par
lament" (said Mr. Webster upon another oc-
cason, when speaking of our Revolutionary
ancestors) "rather thnn against any suffering
under its enactments.that they took up arms.
They tcent 10 ,Cdr against predmbLei They
fought seven years against a declaration.
They poured out their treasure and their
lnnA Ia i'm EsE,,
to an assertion, which those less sagacious
and not so well schooled in the principles Of
civil liberty tDoud hare regarded as bm7en
plyGSeoLogy a mere parade Of icoTds. ..
There can be much mischief in u pream-
BILE. and so those Wing Senators may find,
who by adopting this Treaty, have furnished
the President lin case of its rejection by Mex.
ico) with an ardenty sought for pretext for
The entire annexation of that country.
In the second place, there was objection,
strong and irrevocable on the part ofthe nom
conserving Wings, to the fifth article. This
fixes the boundaTy-which brings the whole
of New Mexico Into the United Siates--a
country sufficiently large and populous for
two States; and to the 9th article, which pro-
vdes for the admission of this population in
to the United States and 10 the enjoyment of
all the rights ofcitiZens to the same.
Against these two articles MIR Webster took
decided stand, and addressed the Senate
ut length. His effort has been highly spoken
of Mr. Vice President Dallas, it is said, has
spoken of il in terms ofmuch commentator
and il has received other decided, ifless dis
tinguished, approval.
The change that was made in the 9th arti-
Gle, may be in u great measure ascribed to
Mr. Webster's efforts, aided, of course, by
other Senators ofboth political parties. In
stead of confirming il as it stood in the Treat
V, guaranteeing the establishment of the Ro-
man Catholic religion as State religion, with
all its appendages OF monasteries, and other
ecclesiastical immunities, the Senate adopt
ed as substitute provision similar TO one
contained in the Louisiana Treaty-by which
it will be seenthat new territory cannot come
into the Union as States TIL Congress shall de-
termine-a most important and salutary pro-
vision. ..f
This provision neuariheless-softened as
it is from the hard character of the original
article-Mr Webster strongly opposed, and
with arguments ofgreat force. lie dwelt up
on the present Inconvenience and future
dangers of the admission of SO vast terrific
ry.
MIR Webster made these suggestions in re-
gard to the disposition of the $4,000, 000,pro-
vided by the act ofthe last session. have
before given publicity TO them, but in this
connection it may not be improper to repeat
them.
Though the Treaty provides that the 3d.
100000 shall be paid to Mexico as soon as
the Mexican Congress ratifies the Treaty, yet
it cannot be paid even then under the act of
last session, which expressly provides that the
money should only be paid on the ratification
by Mexico of a treaty previously negotiated
by duly authorized agents of the two Govern
ments. IN this case it was clear and admit
ted by Senators that Mir Trst had no author
ity at all: that il the bill for the 100000
should make its appearance now, and il
| should be known that Mexico had already
ratified the Treaty, the money could not be
paid, because the Treaty was negotiated
without authority, aud because that, althougf
it should have been ratified by Mexico, ye
for the present it is only conditiondIiy ratified
by the United States Senate, and the money
sill could not be paid till the amendment:
on our side were ratified on theirs.
AS to the probability that the Congress of
Mexico will agree to these amendments, MI
Webster ventured no positive prediction
From the latest advcesi it was evident tina
there was the greatest difficulty ia getting ,
quorum of the members of Congress togeth
er, and if such quorum should assemble, i
) was uncertain whether they would not dis
perse as soon as they should learn the term:
of the Treaty.
It may be said here, Internationally, tina
the 'soutside" rumor is that Mr. Trist in hi
correspondence with MIR Buchanan express
es great and seemingly well founded appre
tensions, both of the assembling of the Mex
lean Congress and of its action aiterward.
Mr. Webster insisted that the action on III,
part ofour agents, whether civil or military