The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-21


special legislation.
After further debate upon the merits Of The case by
Mssss ioa KNG pcH H Oh
Mr.. BOYDON addressed the committee in support OF
the BILL conendng that il better TO vote for the re-
lief proposed, than to vote men and money to support
war, TO make widows, TO be hereafter dependent
upon the treasury for support and he proceeded 10 urge
against gentlemen the other side OF the House who
had preceded him, the Inconsistency OF supporting war
while, at the same time, they refused to pension 'he
widow OF the soldier
Mr. ATKINSON interposing said that whenever the
time should come, he would be found ready and willing
support the defenders of rights and liberties tie
would take the liberty of calling upon wings to support
their consistency, by refusing and means to carry on
a war which they had denominaed, by solemn vote,
unnecessary and unconstitutional which damnable act
would follow them with odIum AS Tor himself, he
voted for the war, and goried in it. All he asked OF
emen for them to stand up and refuse now to vote
and means to carry on the war, and they would be
damned in the estimation OF the people
Mr.. BOYDON would ask if the gentleman from Viz
upon the people OF that State to supply the men and
means to carry the war; would he come forward
and vote Their hen pay sy n treasury noes-Iags.
that, whatever may be necessary for the defence OF the
rights and honor OF the country, am willing to lay a
tax either directly indirectly all the property IN the
would do anything for the preservation of the honor OF
his country. These (said Mr.. Al my views All
that astonshes is, that will declare the war UNI
just, and yet vote means to support IT,
Mr.. BOYDON resumed But it democratic con-
sistency TO send men and money to Mexico while the
treasury was bleeding at every pore and yet to refuse
pension to the widow OF a soldier who stood trembling
at their feet Talk about voting men aud money to de-
fend the Liberties of the country! God defend us from
such defence that Talk about liberty! Talk about
the constitution Who does not know that we have no
constitution now What is our constitution ask the
gentleman from Virginia, where in that nsrument-ln
what clause OF the stated that the Pres
ident is to be conqueor that he has the right to send
men war to levy taxes on peoples to say what shall
be taxed how much they should pay, how long shall
be paid and who shall collect ii
fhe CHAIRMAN said that the debate had wandered
good way from Mary Brown.
ICre so Of Tgo 9n,".go on"l .
remarks by the gentleman from Virginia He would
vote for this pension He would also vote to pension
every mans widow who had fallen in this war. Could
less for this widow than Major Brown had done for his
step-moher Justice his motto "Let justice be
done though the heavens should fall" But the gentle
Mr. ATKINSON. Because we could never come to
any conclusion upon this principle.
willing to tax his constituents to defend the Liberties OF
his country. But that was not the question which he
asked him. But the gentleman chooses to answer in
the country He would ask him again: Will he vote
direct tax hs saus to Mexico
which might be necessary to prosecute the vigo-
rously, in order honorable peace He would
ask the gentleman from North Carolina if he would do
fp yff he h had 70 no difficulty in
any question that he any other gentleman could put
to him. He did not intend to vote solitary man
single dollar 10, the OF carrying On war for the
He would pension their widows, if they fell He would
go further and, if necessary, vote 500 the children
Of each man that might fall
Mr. McLANE desired the gentleman from North Caro-
lima to inform him whether he would vote to REIN
force and make safe the army now in Mexico, or the
navy off its coast?
| Mr.. BOYDON, in his turn, asked the gentleman from
Maryland if he considered the army navy in danger
under present circumstances en-, in the beginning Of
the contest while Mexico had large armies and well
supplied, our limited forces had whipped them all
Mr.. McLANE said the gentleman from North Carroll
had kindly volunteered to answer any question, or
he should not take the liberty to nerrogate him He
(Mr McL desired to know il he did not think the army
forlorn hope when i first went to Mexico'
Mr.. BOYD0N. No, sir; ! never had any such idea
ten hundred thousand Mexicans. For he always knew
that in fighting the more Mexcans you have, the worse
anything for the safety of soldiers there, if the
teman thought they were in danger But Mr. b; did
to dive INTO the goa-mnes there; and under these cir
cumstances, man could ask for money nobody
could think INK, Of a,t that noW, certainly
leo, and if they could command much money there, he
could not why the people should be taxed to carry
the war But MI A. objected to this latitude of debate
and would move that the committee RISE report the bill
to the House, and recommend that it be rejected
Mr.. BOYDON [while the Chairman announces the
question: hope the gentleman will allow me to an
swer his question. In my remark, | took for granted
what all know cannot be true; and presume that
the gentleman from Virginia the only man in the
House who could have understood to be in earnest
when said we needed no more money for the
MI, ATKINSON Certainly supposed the gentleman
from North Carolina to be serious Continued laughteEl
and regarding him somewhat of leader among the
wings, and supposng him to be speaking by authority
had idea that the gentleman could jest grave
subject as the pension OF Mary Brown Applause and
laughter. the Chairman's hammer, and cries Of order
Mr.. BOYDON. Just word | supposed it would
be taken for granted by those the other side of the
House, that spoke in JEST but as understand the doc
trine of the Executive
Mr.. ATKINSON. Were you in Jest when you said
the war was unjust'
Mr.. BOYDON | have never said that the war was
just unjust But will now take occasion to say-as
happened not to be present to vote certain resou-
ton-that believe the have been unnecessarily
and unconstituhonally commenced by the Executive
without any warrant therefor whatever
Mr.. ROCKWELL, of Connecticut, rose to question
of order; but gave way for
Mr. TALMADGE who desired to address the com
mittee the merits OF the case
Mr. BOYD said he understood the question now TO be
the motion of the gentlemen from Virginia, that the
committee rise and report the bill, with recommended
ton to reject
Mr. ATKINSON Take the first part of the motion,
and reject the last
The CHAIRMAN said the motion could not now be
modified; and awarded the floor to the gentleman from
New York.
Mr.. TALLMADGE then proceeded to deprecate, in
few words the range which this debate had TAKEN and
to urge upon the committee the merits of this claimant
fOrN and Al