The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-04

hour and half upon his resolutions. The chamber
was crowded The ladies occupied all the front seats
and many of the back in the galleries; and the priv
legged sofas graced by their presence. Members
strangers and citizens filled every seat or stand which
could be obtained 1t brilliant audience, worthy
of the and his theme But, must confess, he
defined his position very little to satisfaction 1t
turns out that Mr. Calhoun is as much opposed to the
he was at first; and that he still stands up for
defensive line instead OF adopting the plan of vigorous
prosecution OF the war. We regret his course There
hopes that he would support the and the ad
ministraton Buhe is decidedly opposed its energetic
prosecution, and 10 the plans which the President and
the Secretary of War have proposed, and which the
great body of the officers and OF the people appear to APP
prove.
Mr.. Calhoun assaed the positions OF the administra
ton in vain He defended his own defensive line with
greater than he obtained at the last session
He neither showed that it was cheaper mode of carry
ing the war; nor efficient of securing
peace.
There was one chmera which affected the whole of
his argument He is alarmed the prospect of annex
ing the whole of Mexico to the United States, with
population OF seven or eight millions of people, who
unfit to participate in the benefits of free in
situations. The President has particularly disclamed
such scheme. No member of Congress has avowed
it. There is not the slightest prospect of its accom-
pllshment Tor years to come, if ever There is no
danger OF our grasping the whole of Mexico arms
subdue the different States cities There is not the
slightest fear of officers or troops acting upon their
own impulses and presumlng to dictate new line OF
policy to their government No men more
obedient to the laws under which they serve, and less
willing to exchange their own country for the valleys or
mountains of Mexico.
The President has declared his anxiety to maintain the
nationality of Mexico He is little disposed to blot
Mexico from the map of the world as Mr. Calhoun him
self We are happy hear Mr.. c. admitting that
have territorial indemnity; but he does not chalk out
the line which would satisfy him. Last session he
would have been content with New Mexico and Cali
forna, and take for granted that he would ask as
much, if not more, no,O than he did then.
But he objects vigorous prosecution OF the for
effecting this object Nothing suits the senator, except
the defensive linehis old system of mastery inactiv
ty" But is there military in the nation who
poets TO this line, and obtain permanent peace,
without great expense of men and of money-without
procrasnang the war to an indefinite period-and with
FORGETTING most of the military advantages which
must derive from an aggressive war 1t is idle to talk OF
mastery inactivity" in with such pc ople We
should be compelled to wage constantly at some
point other with them. Who believes that shall
obtain peace by yielding nearly all the advantages
that have 'by surrcnderng the capital and Vera
Cruz, and all the central territory hold, and
firing to line of military posts Mr. Calhoun is
anxious to ''dsentange ourselves from this war but
how is he to effect it by the system which he supports
The war must go on 1t takes two parties Gas he says
to make peace; but, taking the indemnity into
hands, he proposes, does not amount to treaty with
Mexico On the contrary the abandonment Of our
trail position gives her spirits and to
carry on the war; which last cannot be terminated but
with her consent
Why censure the President for proposing to establish
temporary government in New Mexico and California,
when Mr. Calhoun's own system, upon his own defen-
sive line of last session. will make such regulations
cessary?
We do not propose this evening to analyze or to
swer the several points of the speech We certainly
astonished at some of his statements. He asked what
we had accomplished by the last campaign. We had &C
quirel military glory enough, but had lost caste in
other respects in the eyes Of foreign nations We
considered more oppressive, graspng in our views;
and we regretted to hear him declining to pass any opn
ion upon these charges and to vndcae the character of
that we were peace, and, in fact that our diff
cultes were greater than they Surely Mr. Calhoun
might have recolleced that though had not attained
peace yet we had gained something from Mexico Form
ery she had refused TO negotiate with us until we had
abandoned her soil and her ports We have forced her.
however, into negotiation without any such conditions
She not only treats with us but she has abandoned part
OF her claim upon Texas and offered to transfer into
hands portion of her territories her upper and distant
provinces-n New Mexico and Upper California Is there
no change of tone in all this' And rumors now
reaching us OF commissioners being appointed on
her part of peace. 1t is certain we have made the
deepest impression upon her. She has abandoned her
giant and boastng camentos Her guerilleros
are scattered She feel her utter inability to cope with
us in the field and all that want to bring the to
successful termination is to send reinorcements,
as the President recommends, and to that course
abandoned on the part Of the opposition, which is so
well calculated to keep up the spirits and struggles of
the enemy.
We have all the necessary of carrying on this
war with spirit and success Congress will but vote
promptly the necessary supplies Mr.. Calhoun imagnes
difficulties in raising money. But he has proved himself
too little of prophet in past times TO command much re-
pect for his present predictions At the last session OF
Congress- we find him. on the 9th February standing up
,,r.r limo