Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-03-24
Mr. Webster's Objections 10 the MeXi-
can Treaty,
can Treaty

The objections which Mr. Webster and those
Whias who voted with him, had to tho Treaty.
are thus automatically stated in an abstract Of
that g~cntlcman's course, aud Of the frcoch 10
made, in Executive session, while the document
was under consideration. il Is frcm he pen Of
MIR. March, the %asociato editor and Washing
ton correspondent Of the Tribune, to whom what
he herein says was doubtless communicated by
Mr. Webster himself. Mr.. WIS objections wcru
In the FIRST place 10 he preamble, which states
that Nicholas 4. Trist had Iowcr TO negotiate
the Treaty. This was regarded as q mere false
hood it being well known TO Senators that his
powers bad been revoked. Mr. Polk, in The very
message with which he submitted the Jrcaiy To
the Senate, acknowledges that II was negotiated
without authority from him, but that he was in
duced to submit it to the Senate from his great
desire for peace. Wing Senators had %unioru-
nately adopted war with a false preamble and
the consequences Of their mistake were too re-
cent and too disastrous to induce their adoption
Of even a peace, similarly tainted. The effect
of their first mistake was to give the President
full power to carry on his war Of conquest. The
effect Of a second might be Of the Treaty should
be rejected by Mexico 10 continue that power
to the final and complete subjugation of Mexico
May the omen be avcrted
At least 50 Mr. Webster and The other Wing
Senators voting with him may be supposed TO
have thought. No action Of the Senate, how
ever solemn, or concurrence Of the President
could make good the deficiency. " The omni-
potcnce Of Parliament could not overcome the
original falsehood. The objection 70 the pre-
amble goes to the whole subjeet-maiter. II is
not a %captious objcction-not a dispute about
TRIES. II is full, comprehensive, fatal. There
was no Treaty before the Senate, because there
was no ncgotiator. The preamble is q ~,uggcsfio
ala, aud all that follows after il being depend
ent upon it falls 10 the ground with it.
ut was against the recital of an act Of Parlia-
ment," (said Mr. Webster upon another occasion,
when speaking Of our Revolutionary anocstor,)
+" rather than against any suffering under its
e~nactmenis, that they took up arms. They trent
70 ,rar against a preamble. They fought seven
years against a declaration. They poured ont
their treasure and their blood like water, in a
contest in opposition TO an assertion, which those
less sagacions and not so well scboolcd in the
principles Of civil liberty rould hare regarded
as barren phraseology, a mere parade Of poris,"
There can be much mischief in a preamble,
and 50 those Wing Senators may find, who by
adopting this Treaty, have furnished the Prcsi-
dent (in ease OF its rejection by Mcxico) with
an ardently sought for prctext for the entire an
n~exation of that country.
In the second place, there was objection,
, strong and irreyocable on the part Of non-con-
E sehiins wings, I, voc Nun aructe; Inns nAes The
ooenuaI rhen vs,ngs '"c "noe % ~ HieSi-
r 50 INTO ,ne cnneu 9sates-a country suaeient-
{ ticle, which provides for the admission Of this
\ population into the United States and TO the en-
c %joyment of all the rights of citizens to the same.
: Apainst these two articles Mr. Webster took a
uecrueu s,snu, an1 auurssu ,he senate at
mhs,n- ms enor' = pcen nigniy sPokehoi-
Ut zee rreslsen. pains, II y saia, mas spoken
= II Itn .m On nun I NM anu y has
rcrei,eu oue' aeV"eu' "~s "Sungusneo aP-
{ Pnova'
Inc ehahge uhai was maue IN inc vun aIueie,
may DC IN a Sreat measure ascnoen 10 ar Neo-
Ut enoIts aiucu % eouIso py ouer osna.ors,
~ ny" ponue" see u summing
{ 49, ~ - ile"! suNaeene "ees
? "" VI . una Na'n"ic Ieneioh asa
/, - ieus'ou, ~ ~ rs appsnuases :, moh,s-
t 90, ! o.nS eosies,asnen lhlmuniues' ue
g 1ena'e auopteu a suueu'rte = provision siini-
: ~ = oue eo nn = IN y Louislaha ireaiy-
: !! "n n" : WI - ~ -na' : . ~ can
) In Ja,or : = Ill., nv Z Nv un Nohgress
+ n-rax;s;or "u 'su1f!
Tp;s -.
eoa ~ - DLar.arNs ~ .-s.H :: "S
; NJ 49, s,ronni,, o.oa us V,,e,na' arnee-
5 - $3.50 So ns 'PPo.u, anu "ah argu-
"e"s VI stea. oree' iie u"elt upon the pre-
0 cur "eoh'cniehce ana iuture dangers OF the
Aiss,on OF 50 vast 4 territory
Mr webster made these suggestions in regard
70 the disposition OF the sJ,oOO'OOO, proyidedby
Ine eet Oh ths last session. l have before given
Puohci.y 70 inem, but IN inns connection 1t may
noa nc improper 70 repeat tnem.
: lhougn tue treaty provides that the S3,00O,-
ooo shal DC pad TO Mexico as soon as the Mex
!" Sgnsress IAune ,mc ireaty' yeth cannot
DC psid even men unuer inc act OF last session,
D wIeh eApressy PROVIDES 'hat the money should
onty DC pana on inc ranhcaIon by Mexico OF a
rea'y previously negonatcu oy duly authorized
agchts Oh inc TWO governments. In this case It
= was Gear ana admitted by Senators that MIR
r ~ nag no aa1herl.y ~ az.
lhat hthe OIL Tor the SS,ooV,oVo should make
Us appearance now, ara u should be known
thaI MEXICO hau already r"thed the treaty, the
r money could not pc paid, because the Treaty
was negotiated without authority, and because
'hat, although 1t should be ratified by Mexico,
a YET Tor the present 1t Is only condthonaHy ratil-
: ed by the United States Senate, and the money
; sui could not be paid all the amendments on
our SIDE were ratified on theirs