The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-03-04
In CONGRESS OF THE q. STATES


DEFICIENCY OF APPROPRIATIONS
On motion by Mr., CABELL, the House resolved itself
into Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union,
(Mr Husr in the char) and resumed the consideration
of the bill to provide for deficiencies in the appropriations
for the current hscal year
Mr. STRONG having the floor, said the object of the
bill under consideration was in point of fact, making APP
preparations for the prosecution of the Mexican war anil
the LIST OF July next We were in war; and even if
shere had been errors in the past the time for scrutiny
was not now His object was not much to look at the
past, as to inquire what should be future course 1t
was proper, to be sure to inquire into the Justice of the
war tor II ours was not the right il clear that
should withdraw, and pay indemnity to Mexico. If we
were in the right, in his estimation there could scarcely
be division upon the question of its prosecution. To
convince his mind of the justice of this war, sut
Gent to refer to the unanimy with which the decara-
support of the status Se itself He referred TO the
Inconsistency of the whg declaration, that the act OF an
nexahon would induce state OF war; and their present
position with regard to the commencement of the
lie rather inclined to the former OPINION from consider
alton of the principle that the notice of state of war
from either of the beigerent parties was equivalent to
declaration OF The effort to prove that the order OF
the 18th of January the beginning of the war
afterthought.
Mr. s referred to the official notice from the Mexican
government, and the notice from Gen Almonte that the
war This, also, was equivalent to an act OF declaration
on their part, How could Mexico say, then, that the
status bella did not exist when these resolutions
adopted She did say so. The agreement of the
Mexican government 70 receive commissioner to treat
OF boundary was not inconsistent with state of
lie cited the domestic procamations by Santa Anna in
1884, and Hesrera in lS45 to show the fact that Mexico
looked TO hostile operations against the State of Texas
de quoted a proclamation BY the Mexican Minister of
War III 1915 to the same effect AT this time, General
Taylor had not even advanced far the Nueces and
ms march to the Rio Grande not contemplated
tie referred also, to domestic proclamation of Pa
redes, declaring that Mexico would never renqush the
province of Texas. This all of that proclamation
addressed to He showed that Mexico considered, in
the language OF that paper, that 'the time for tenn
porlzng was pastthe time for hosties had come" be-
cause OF annexation; and shortly afterwards, General
Arsta directed to take the initiative. He asked
them where was the unfarness in taking Mexico at her
word' Had we done anything by subsequent opera
tons that was inconsistent with right
Mr. s. then proceeded to reply to the wing argument
that the unnecessarily and Internationally
provoked by the President of the United States.
The argument that annexation brought on the war,
There might be doubts about the expedency of the
alton OF Texas but there could be no doubt about its
justice. The war, therefore, just part. Its
justice was ours-its injustice was theirs
r expressed his desire for peaccconessing he was
not insensibe to the evils of and proceeded to show
that Indemnity was in our power notwithstanding it
might be in unproductive lands emght find indemnity
the fact of sovereignty, by the market which it would
open to products and to prove this, he referred to the
great national advantages which have resulted from the
acquisition of Louisiana. The reasonabeness of taking
indemnity in land, he illustrated by individual case
Twas manlfesty Just and right Tor farmer to pay his
debt to his neighbour by setting off field for that pur
pose and If the field were too large for the amount of
the debt there nothing improper in the agreement of
his neghbor pay back the difference; and if this
OF proceeding were just and right with individuals ii was
SO with nations
He referred to the proet of Mr. Trist Justify the ad
mnisaton in rejecting 1t, well to show that peace
has not been within the power OF our government since
Mn CABELL followed, denouncing the Presidents
course generally with reference 10 the treaty by which
the northwestern boundary was established, and the
question of difficulty with Mexico, which also involved
aqueston OF boundary in which claim admitted Of
more question than in the case OF the controversy with
Great Britain.
man from South Carolina [Mr RHErT, that the power
of making war did not belong to the President. That
annuncaton could not but surprise the whole country
Tor the President certainly did make the war, and the
war could not be justified by his friends, but the
ground that the constitution gave him the power to
do so.
they had taken the liberty inquire into the JUS
tce and necessity of the policy Of going to to make
money; and charged that the President had wrought in
Mexico the highest acts OF oppression which bel ong
der the laws Of nations, to the conqueror But he show
ed that the President not all of the government of
the United States He attributed the of the Presi
the head more than of the heart He rung the charges
upon the denuncatory phrase Mexican wings applied
to his party and, to show who these "Mexican wings"
were he referred by to the acts and the memory of
many of the usrous actors in the war; both among the
fallen well those who are still surviving with honor
In this connexon Also he read from the last published let
Ter OF Generai addressed 10 COlOncl OF
Ohio, in which that distinguished officer declares himself
TO be wing and that if elected President of the United
Sates he will administer the government upon the prn
cipes of the constitution IA taught But by all this,
he only designed to repe the Presidents charge of treason
against his friends, the Wigs because they questioned
the administration policy.
IA VOICE. deny that the President ever made such
charge, and demand the proof,]
Mr. c. then repeated that the charge had been made
and echoed from all the organs of the administration big
and litte-from the Union down to the meanest banjo in
the land.
He proceeded further to remark upon the policy OF the
President and the delay about furnishing troops by the
department time for General Taylor to make the best
of his advantage on the field before the city of Mata
moras and holding the President responsible for the
unnecessary expenditure of life which followed. He
blamed the administration, also. for the withdrawal OF
troops from General Taylor, reinforce General Scott
Tayors camp, and for all the difficulties attendant upon
the succession of struggles and tumphs by which our
army, under General Scott appeared at last before the
city OF Mexico, and entered its gates in triumph-com
planning of the hardness with which the necessary rein
forcements and supplies were afforded throughout
Mr. spoke OF his total want OF confidence that peace
would result from the treaty under advisemen in |
the other end of the building He did not believe that
would ever be ratified by the Mexican people
The hope of the country in the conservatism Of
the wing party. He utterly opposed to the annexa
ton of contiguous territory Would TO God he said, |
that the Pacific might roll back its to the Rocky
Mountains, and that lake OF fire might separate
the United States and Mexico The first object OF
his heart the preservation of our happy institutions
and he feared for the disasters which must flow from the
of territory which we did not want, and a
people with whom we could not mlngle
AT o'clock, the debate closed, and the question was
taken N amendmpnta