Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1848-03-23


and cMimed by Mexico as never having constituted
. part of the Province Of Texas during the ime that
Texas constituted part of the Mexican lcpub-
: lc."
It would seem that the very least thnt gm lemen
} could have done at that time would have pen TO
have indicated The Indignation now proies,ei to DO
ielt against The President, by giving TO this popo-
slon their warm and cordial support. The Pres
dent, you now sny, had by the removal of the
army to the RIO Grande, unnecessarily Involved
the country in war, and violated his constitutional
obligations; and yet, when called upon, nj the
time OF the occurrence of the act to Withhold your
approval, you treat the proposition with lhecoldesl
Indifference.
Apart from lh0sc collateral questions which
were made during the tendency Of the warbil by
:, gentlemen on the other side, ! should like Dknow
now lhey propose to reconcile the support which
''ey men gave to that measure with their present
unqnnlllled denuncmtlon OF the origin of tie war.
he mn passed tins house with unusual uninimy
only fourteen members voting against il. Upon
what principle do gentlemen Justify their ,oe of
such liberal supplies of men and money, Or The
prosecution of IA war unnecessarily begun by the
President .! the United States? Was il he re-
qn'remenl Of patriotism 10 sustain the President in
! Il war which he had unnecessarily brouqh mon
lhe country Did the Constitution impo,s upon
mem an obligation to approve and sanctona war
when mad lis very origin in the violation Of that
sacred Instrument Or was it from a snse of
what was due 10 Mexico, whose wrongs lready
suffered at our hands by the ac, of the President,
required the intlIcllon of additional niuies'
know the attempt has been made to reconcile the
support OF this bill with subsequent dcnunca,on of
me war, upon the pIetext tha, the supple, were
'oled Tor the purpose of relieving Genera! TAYLOR
ana his army from The perilous condition 4 which
tney were placed. 1t requires but moments re-
neclIon to exhibit the lailacy Of this proposition
Every man must have felt conscious, at ne time
ne gave his vote upon that bin, that General lay
Tor and his army must either have been onrwhel
med by the Mexican forces, or else have nobIy
ana trlumphantly vindiCaed our national Tag, and
thus rescued themselves from the impending dan.
ger, before The bill itself could become the law of
me land; and therefore, as measure of relief to
them, the bill would have been worse thar useless.
Moreover compare the provisions of the ,iII with
me object avowed of atioIdng relief TO General
lay Tor and his army, and what picture does it
present. The bill provides that the militia army
and navy OF the United States, together With fifty
thousand volunteers, shall be placed at the dispos-
al OF the President Of the United States, for the
purpose Of prosecuting the war 10 speedy and
successful termination. Thus, upon the fee Of the
r''' Is It's object clearly, distinctly, and explicitly
set loflh and declared. And, sir, the idea hat the
ml''a' regular army and fifty thousand volunteers
were voted Tor to eAtrcale General 1'ay Cr and his
army from the dangers ard difficulties by which
lhey were supposed to- be snrrouuded, is prepos-
'"rous and absurd; aud when you consider too,
mat the nary WIS, ny the SINE hilI placed at the
disposa! Of tie Presden-tnat they, too, were to
in ,hn rplnE ,,h;oh IL,
object of Tins bill 10 give to the army under Gene
raj Tayor,-rhe picture becomes absolutely ride
uous. No, sir; the bill too clearly expresses its
own object to admit of cavn., and the accompa-
nying provisions TO which have referred dispel
all doubt as to the intentions Of its friends and sup
porlers The means furnished in the bill cores
ponded with the object contemplated by it.
This brief review Of what transpred in this
House, at the time Of the passage Of the war bill
OF the 18th May, shows, that al that time the war
whether begun necessarily or unnecessarily, con-
SItutona'ly or unconsiutlonallv, by the President
or by Mexico, was by the vote of all parties, 10 be
prosecuted with all the power and energy which
the ample resources of the country would afford
50 that gentlemen on the other SIDE are involved
elthsr in the gInrng inconsistency Of having chang.
ed their views and opinions about the origin Of the
war since that time, or else IN having coun,enauc
ed and sanctioned by their votes the vigorous and
energetic prosecution OF war unnecessarily and
unconslitutonalIy waged by the President of the
United States against a peaceful and unoGendinp
sister Republic fhey may take either horn of
the dilemma, as their taste may suggest. envy
them not their position, whichever may be their
selection.
have now very hastily and tmpe,rectly refer.
red 10 the various consideration suggested TO my
bad
charge made against the President Of The United
States My puepose hos been to illustrate the
truth Of the following propositions:
First. That the charge made by the Wing
parry in this House that this "war was unnccessar-
~ and unconsutionalIy begun by the President
of the United Saes,' is wholly irreconciIabIc
with the views ard opinions of the same party
pending the question of the annexation OF Texas TO
The Union.
Secondly. That the existing relations between
Mexico and the United States--her minister from
our Government-hcr repeated threats to recon-
qucr Texas her warlike Preparations express
ed determination to wage war upon the United
States-lh the lmhlitefed feelings Other people again
ST us on account the annexation of Texas, as
in The overthrow of Herrera, simply
because he had agreed to receive an American
refusal 10 settle the pending difficult
lies between the two countries by peaceful nego-
tia,ion, as evdenced by the rejection of our minis
ter, Mr. SIidc, after indicating willingness TO
receive him,--not only justified the PRESIDENT in
adopting the firm and energetic policy which he
pursued, but that had he done otherwise h. would
have subjected himself 10 severe censure and ami
madverson.
Thirdly. That the order for the removal Of the
troops from Corpus Christi TO the Rio Grarde was
given in strict conformity with the recommendation
of General Taylor, who advised that step, in the
event that "Nlexico should manifest DISPOSITION
TO protract negotiation unreusonaby," aid that
the President did postpone the order until 10 was
notified that the Mexican Government hal posi-
lively refused to receive our minister Of peme
Fourlhly That The policy of the administration
in reference to the defence of the western bunda-
~ of Texas, which was carried out in the exccu-
ton Of this order, was fully communicated o Con-
gress in The Presidents message and the ,ccom-
panyng War report, in December, 1915, md that
the failure of Congress, or any portion Thereof, to
question the correctness of that policy, authorized
the President 10 infer their acquiescenceln and
approval of it.
Filthy. That the course of the great bdy off
the whig party upon the war bill, in refung TO
vote for the withdrawal of our army to IL east
bank of tho NuPces, in refusing to expires their
dlsapprobalion Of the conduct OF the Preslent in
taking armed occupation of the territory hiween
the Nueces and the Rio Grande, and in atually
voting most ample means for the prosecution of
the war to speedy and successful terminaon, is
utterly irreconciabe with the decIaratio now
made, that the war was unnecessary and
unconslnu'ionaly begun by the Prcsidenbf the
United States
Six,tly. That the charge rseIris unjust nd il
.,l,l, -, Ca, 4