Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-02-19
CONGRESSIONAL.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
TIE LOAN BILL AND TIE WAR.


Mr. HUDSON, of Massachusetts, addressed the committee
He said that the present condition of our country is well cal
culated to fill the mind with the serious apprehensons
We are, said he, in the midst Of which msjo-
w of this House have declared to have been unnecessarily
and uncontutonaly commenced by the Executive" War
in itself is at all times great calamity but when is
menced without just cause and prosecuted for the unhoy
purpose of conquest il becomes crime of the deepest dye
Such persuaded is the character Of the in which
we now engaged. II has already sent to premature
grave many thousands of citizens, involved heavy
national debt, filled people with thirst for conquest de-
graded the eyes Of civilized naton and brought
point where the consummation of ambitious designs
may prove the prelude of internal discussions be dread
ed than foreign war itself.
shall not at this time Mr. Chairman, attempt an exan-
nation Of the of this UNNATURAL and believe n
qutous war; This has done and ably DONE by Others
After the repeated exhibitions of the facts the case the
question hardly be considered open II has been
demonstrated again and again that the Texas annexed
revolutionary Texas and hence that her boundary
marked by the sword that she never extended her sdic-
ton beyond the immediate valley Of the Nueces her
claim to the Rio Gande invalid and that the resolutions
of annexation regarded such, and reserved the United
States the right of settling the boundary with Mexico that
Mexico had house Santa Fe and Brasos Santiago
both upon the left bank of the Rio Grande where
chants and traders had long been in the habit paying
to the Mexican Government that two days after the
of the resolutions Of annexation, Congress passed
relation drawbacks which recognised Santa Fe by
Mexican city, and that nine months subsequently the Secre
tay of the Treasury informed the House that this allow
e,
had gone into effect and beginning produce the most
happy results that had consul residing Santa Fe
when army ordered into the country; that Mexico
had not only civil but military possession the left bank Of
the Rio Gande that the Executive apprzed Gen. Taylor
that fact and directed him disturb those
tabIshmens to interfere with the laws, religion, or
usages OF the people in word that the whole valley the
Rio Grande whether the right left bank of that river
Mexcan-a Mexican population, speaking the Mexican
language with Mexican laws Mexican CUSTOMS Mexican
ursdiction-as purely Mexican the city of Mexico itself
These facts fully sustained by the public records Of this
Government known and read Of all men.
With perfect knowledge Of these facts (for we cannot
suppose the President ignorant Of his countys history the
Executive ordered army into territory which had
no just ea territory possession of nation with which
we were at and there forces under the direction
of the President committed war; by bockadng
the Rio Gande and charging the Mexican lines before they
had fired gun obstructed the Of army by
force Although the design Of this first concealed
from the American people, the late avowa of the President
and his friends leave doubt of its object II COM
menced and prosecuted for the unoy purpose conquest
will not enlarge upon this point bare of the
case Is sufficient to show its injustice its authors
with inamy and create serious alarm the breast of every
friend of free institutions. But will not pursue this
branch of the subject Passing the causes Of the war;
and the unhoy object for which it prosecuted wish
call the attention of the committee the financial embarass
ment in which it has involved us.
AT the commencement of the finances in the
most prosperous condition, there being surplus of ten mil
lions Of dollars in the Treasury And now, after the has
We have consumed the ordinary revenue
hausted the ten millions surplus together with loan Trea-
suy notes OF thirty millions, and called upon
Tor grant of sixteen millions supply the wants Of
the Government during the present fiscal year and this sum-
am persuaded, will be found too small by eight mil
lions, shall endeavor show hereafter SO that when
the shall have continued twenty-five MONTHS shall
have expended, in addition the accruing revenue
600 This but part the burdens brought upon
by this unnecessary Our munitions of war; which
have been accommodating for years arsena fifteen
millions OF dollars worth Of public domain gven to be
gven bounty TO our soldiers and long lists Of pensions and
private claims growing of the wathese should be taken
into the account, and will GO far in increasing the
These of the pecunary burdens which weak and
wicked Administration have wantonly brought upon the
people.
War necessarily expensive, and is almost another
for oppressive taxation And rejoice that it bears the
stamp of preventive Providence and is calculated awaken
the people of their condition. and induce strict
scrutiny into the conduct Of their rulers. glad that this
has involved the Government in financial embarrassment
because the burdens Of taxation may reach the grand
rum Of some who mad with ambition and drunken with
the idea of acquisition nsensbe the calls justice and
the peadngs Of humanity. And venture predict that,
if the party in power-,he criminal authors Of the
had the manness to forward and impose sufficient
support the war; andusan the credit of the Government
the people would rise in the majesty Of their strength, and
hu Indignantly from power those who have abused the trust
which conGding people have reposed in them.
is Mr.. Chairman, from view Of the documents which
have been submitted, impossible approximate the
sion and conquest The reports Of the Secretary Of the Trea
sury obscure and his confused that
is difficult TO understand them. There items how
ever which perfectly ntelige, and to these wish 10
call the attention Of the committee adde to the army
pendture and when speak Of these do not include the
whole military establishment but leave of the the
armores arsenals, Notifications, Military Academy and that
part OF the civil service which relates to the War Department
The expenditures for the army alone during the year ending
June, 1915, So, l55, 027
During the year ending June 80 ls45. ... 7454, SIT
And during the year ending June go Is47 So, 06s
Here perceive at that the expenditures Of the army
including volunteers have, during the year ending June So
lS47 exceeded the peace establishment the year ending
June 3d. 1916, and for the present fiscal year
the expenditure will be much greater that the
Secretary Of War estimates the of the army for the pre-
sent fiscal year 44s, being than So 0O0
less than last year and also that these
Inmates entitled very little consideration The Secre-
tay last year estimated the Of the army at S2 O96
which Sc 972 less than the actual cost And how
was this What occasoned this increase Of expenditure
the estimates which made when the year had nearly
half passed away The Secretary would probably tell you
that tho President during the last half Of the year called out
volunteers than had been anticipated and that Congress
created egmcnsae the submitted and
that these the Of the increased expenditures
init that this force would swallow up the extra 600 OOO
but still with this increased force the honorable Secretary comes
forward at the of this Congress with an es
mate for the army for only s27 44s being $685. 362
than tho estimate Of last year. when was too small by
So 972 The ten regiments which created and the
additional volunteers called out could have served more
than six and Of them did not than two or
three months and IL this carried the expenditures from the
os6 estimated up to $685. 06s, cannot conceive
al.