The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-27
In CONGRESS OF THE u. STATES.
Thirticth Congress Session.
tFrom the ODieiat Proceedings aud Debates
MONDAY, JANUARY 81, 1918.
IN CONTINUATION.
SENATE.
EXPLANATIONS.

SENATE.
/ EXPLANATIONS.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill 10
raise, Tor limited tune, additional military force
| Mr. BUTLER. ask the indulgence OF the honorable
senator from Rhode Island whilst make explana
ton OF statement made in the of my remarks
the other day, relative to the march of General Taylor
from Corpus Christi to the Rio Grande, On that
sion, my distinguished friend from Mississippi MIR
DAVIS, from the kndest motives diverted my attention
in some measure, BY reference TO facts upon which IN
tended to have founded somewhat more elaborate ar
gument than presented to the Senate Since that time,
have found that it would be but Just to myself that |
should advert again to the subject especially as have
reason TO believe that both my friend and myself aboed
under some degree OF misrepresentation with regard to the
real state of the facts have had opportunity of
ceivng from several officers of the army very minute
detail of all the facts connected with the transaction to
which | have referred General Taylor received his
orders to from Corpus Christi in the month of jan
uay. These orders were published to the army, they
known to the traders between Corpus Christi and
the Rio Grande and as my lnfomans give me to under
stand, notorious Matamoras before Gen Taylor
moved at ALL that he intended to take up position upon
the Rio Grande On the 18th of March the army was
notion the 22d 23d of that month reached the
Little Colorado, miles from Corpus Christi and only 40
miles from Point Isabel AT the Colorado General Tay-
bank; There was some parley, and Major Mansfield
was despatched TO the other side of the river to learn
the cause Of the bugle being sounded. The Major was
informed, by PERSONAL the head OF very small party
who represented himself to be the utant general of the
Mexican troops, but who was, as understand apoth
ecary from Matamoras commanding eight or ten men,
and who had doubt sounded the buge very magnif
Gently and went home loudly proclaming that he had
driven back General Taylor that his object was not at
all TO oppose military resistance to the march of General
Taylor but only to warn him against crossing that river
as, he did it, it would be deemed open act Of
hostility Well, General Taylor continued his march
and he approached Point Isabel the custom house and
other public buildings consumed by fire, and set
Element OF about fifty inhabitants broken up; from
which time the American forces occupied the country
from Point Isabel to Fort Brown opposite Matamoras.
Well, now, the inference which intended to draw, and
which shall not now take the liberty of drawing in any
thing like an argument, was simply this that General
Taylor had given notice of his march under orders of his
|government-that there was no declaration OF hostles
on the part of Mexico at all, until that march
ced-and that, in my solemn conviction, there never
would have been any attack on the forces at Corpus
Christi had not General Taylor under the order of the
President of the United States gone the disputed ter
riory.
Mr.. DAVIS, of Mississippi thank the honorable
senator for the very kind and complimentary language
which he has employed in reference to myself can
not however, with any OF the differences which
he has drawn have nothing TO say to minute details
which he has given with respect TO distances and so
the only vital question being, who acted rst-who gave
the first order? That order from Mexico-not to
fight with General Taylor for the country between the
Nueces and the Rio Grande but to invade and reconquer
the State of Texas That order first emanaed at the seat
of government in Mexico, before any order was issued
from the seat of government in the United States. And
now sir, to the time at which the Mexican forces
moved to take possession of the Little Colorado be-
eve they had been there for months Their emissares
had been in General Tayors camp, in order to learn his
position and movements Gen Taylor never gave notice
and doubt the spies and accommodating officers were
cognizant of his intentions But believe the Mexieans
been at the Colorado for months ION and when they
would be considered act of war, the Mexicans but
took the initiative, they have always taken it, for
Mexico has always struck the first blow every battle
field on which have met her. On other occasion,
however may dwell more at length on this point.
shall not now esass longer on the time OF the senator
! Mr.. BUTLER. Though | may in some measure
croach upon the time of the honorable gentleman from
Rhode Island yet cannot suffer myself to be thus far
misrepresened The information which acquired was
obtained not from officer merely but from three or
four who happened to be in the same room They knew
this much-that from January when Gen Taylor received
his ORDERS until the 18th Of March when he put his army
motion, there had elapsed period of forty days. and
that during that tme not only the officers in General
the Rio Grande, but the traders who were there by i'm
piled license attached to the army had an opportunity to
earn the information; and was notorious that ne
would march Not that he advertised the enemy,
because the gentleman will understand that at the time
General Taylor marched on the Rio Grande was wah
no purpose OF meeting an enemy The administration
General Taylor received orders to disguise his move
ments; and the intelligence well known in Maa-
moras four five days after he received his orders as
was in his own camp am very far from questioning
the military sagacy of the honorable senator from Mis-
sisspp and may have been that orders had been is
sued by Paroles the Rio Gnde and attack Gen
Taylor Corpus Christi; but the act must rest con-
lecture. 1t be reduced TO anything like his
torcal certainty.
L
solicit for moment the indulgence of the senator from
Rhode Island order to set myself right with regard to
some observations made by the honorable chairman of
the Committee Foreign Relations during this debate.
had taken occasion to remark that the resolutions as
introduced by Mr. Ross in the Senate OF the United States
1903, not supported by the eersonan democrats
of that day. by any act of legislation on their part and
that the whole course of the administration OF that
period adverse to, directly in conflict with, the
policy which to have been adopted by those
who claim to be the followers of Mr. Jefferson. The
honorable chairman of the committee undertook to show
that was in error and the Secretarys table the
of Sd March, 1903, authorizing the President OF the
United States call 900 militia for certain purposes
authorized by that act and the honorable chairman
ferred from the act itself that in when said
that the administration of that day had not sough coz
quest seizure Of any portion OF the territory OF Span
or France. Sir, was entirely right In what SAID IN
reference to this subject think the senator will adj
nit when he looks at the 4th section of the act to which
he himself referred. That section its face explicitly
declares that the passed authorizing the Presl
dent to call militia for the security of the territory OF
the United Sates"not for the purpose of seizing upon
the island of New Orleans, where the right OF deposte
had been denied usnot for the purpose of conquerng
act expressly and in many words declares, for the
security" of our own possessions
1t will be recolected by gentlemen conversant with
the history of that PERIOD that by the treaty with Spain
of October 1885, ratified in 1885, the right of deposIte at
New Orleans had been secured for trading the
Mississippi The intendant Of New Orleans violated
that treaty by proclamation denying the right OF de-
posite western traders. was afterwards con-
ceded by Spain that this downright violation OF
clear treaty right beyond all doubt But what
the course OF our government IN relation to tnai