Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-01-28

I 7
Mexico" |, is favofitc phrase. lie has
Informed Congress Of Il fourteen times; al
ways "ihis war was the aci Of Mexico.p---
u has become The only phrase oft Presi.
dent. II has become part Of his religion;
and he will listen TO nothing else. Bu, no
such ihingl
Sir, the sending of an armed force to tht
very utmost bounds Of its claimed territory,
was the immediate cause Of the war. Aud
this, sir. is Known to The President. lie
was as firm, sir, and positive, 10 his asser.
ton that the whole Of Oregon was ours, =
lie said so, in his inaugural address I
heard him, when he delivered his inaugural,
standing amidst the drippings Of that storm.
reminding the people that our title TO Or,
egon was "clear aud unques,ionable." And
how very young man be was, heard
him tell the people; AMI. sir, | expected
every moment 10 hear him say, you'd
scarce expect one of my age to speak in
public on the stage" But, sir, he did not
come 10 that; although he was loud in his
proiestulions Of our title TO Oregon up TO
81 40, aud he maintained il most strenuous.
". His friends kept up the cry. and "down
east one legislature went so far as TO adj
vocate our title up to 81 49, Did he then,
sir, send our nrmy up to 81 40. TO hold that
linef Did he send troops there to main.
tain our ti,lei No. sir; because he knew
that would be cause OF war, and that
Great Britain would consider Is as such.
] now turn, sir, to the consideration Of
the papers and documents which have been
printed. will read first the letters Of the
President 10 General Herrera, Informing
him that he bad sent Mr. Slidel TO Mexico.
The letter, sir, is before US here. win
read il. (The Ieter was then read by Mr.
H. Listen TO the conclusion Of til
pray God TO have you in his holy Keeping.
Your friend, Jas. X. Polk" What a pass
A pious President He prays for his enc
mics; he commends him TO God and his
,ksensless.;s by GAhfsz7 Thai God srroIiaHad,
hear the prayer. he sends Gen. Taylor Ia
the Rio Grande. to keep him IRON crossing
1t. You have heard the honcyed words with
which he addressed Herrera, while FIVE
months previously he had ordered Gen.
Taylor 10 advance TO the Rio Gfande. -
What hypocrisy
Sir, II ! had this Mexican war before
twelve men, good and true, the FIRST witness
| would call would be the President Of the
United States; for no witness, having faith
in his story. would repeat il unnecess,rily
fourteen times. This obs,inacy IN ASSERT.
ing that ''the war was be the ACT Of Mexi-
co.. Is strange, and TO NV mind. shows TIA,
there must he some doubt of lis truth Al
home bu, the President, In his Message Of
the present year. calls upon Congress TO
vote hun men aud money TO aid him in car
Tying out war, which he now says Con-
gress had declared 10 have begun "by the
act OF Mexico But { have been informed
that many Senators voted against il under a
protest. The news had reached Us Of the
critical position Of Gen. Taylor, aud we
were induced TO send him aid to cxiricaie
him.
The war was forgotten; all the conse-
quences were lost sight Of; Congress listen
ed only to the callsof human sympathy,
and they voted men aud money for that pur-
pose only. They never meant, sir, that
Mexico should be conquered. The Presi-
dent in his message this year, tells us not
that his object is 10 conquer part OF Mex
leo, hui that he has no intention Of prose-
tN's,'hS ~ w t'fuptcto tuitlutSt VI lfldl
country But we can put no faith in this
assertion, He says his object is to econ.
quer peace" and in carrying out that
conquest Of peace, he requires, immedi.
ately part OF the territory Of that nation.
He asks OF US an increase Of the army, to
aid him in this and the next year he will
tell US that you have voted him mon aud
means To carry on the war, and will ask you
for what purpose. He will tell you lha.
you gave him an army TO 60 TO Mexico, not
to stand with folded arms, and perform SEN
Try duty hut you meant they should lay
waste that country, burn her cities, ravish
aud despoil her towns and villages, every.
where where that army treads, and TO write
his name in the blood Of her slaughtered in
habitanis.
That is what The President will say next
year, when perhaps you will call upon him
for the peace. In our schools at The cas-.
we had practice Of requiring that boys
should give their definitions The Hon.
Senator from Kentucky. (Mr Criuenden) a
few days ago, said he preferred volunteers
toregulars. /, sir. oppose both. willvoie
against 40 increase Of the army in any way.
| If there be any force not included in tic