Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-01-14
THE ENQUIRER
wednesday Morning, January IL, is4s.
srpoNG WING TESTIMONY.
YICts Ron ID, VA.

,imore American an extended ho'ice VI 'he
speech OF Revcrdy Johnson, the wing senator
from Maryland 1t will be seen that he taxes
tho hold cround that The war with Mexico was
ms, and honorabIe-thai Mexico never exercised
civil Jurisdiction between the Rio Gfande and
the Nurccs. and mat the u. States were bound 10
defend every inch Of territory up 10 Inc Mo
GTaudc. lie is made to admit moreover, ina!
lJsrico is answerable for all The blood that has
been shetland yet he is reported to have saio'
that The President is responsible Tor The same
blood. The two positions are Utterly lIreconcl'
liable and we are forced 10 believe that he has
been incorrectly reported
There is another strange ground upon which
| MIR. Johnson arraisns the President. He endca-
vors 10 make MIR. Polk responsible Tor The act OF
Mr.. Tyler, vino adopted the speedIest, ana, as we
have ever thought, The most proper mode leit cis-
crelionary with him by Congress, OF securing 'he
annexation Of Texas The act was Nir. yer :;
and much c!amor would have been raised against
Mr.. Polk, had his official proceeding been to nui'
lily The action Of mis- predecessor and place our
Government in The mos. awkward position OF va
Citation and uncertainty. But Mr. Polk, and
with him the whole nalion approved The act al Inc
,;pe-and j, is 100 late now TO bring its propriety
into question MIR. Calhoun was Secretary OF
Safe. and. as the Wings are so fond OF quoting
him as authority, We trus,lhal they will give due
weioh, 10 his evidence in tavor OF The act. tie
has already vindica,cd, and, we doubt not will
rake an carly occasion 10 vindicate again, the
wisdom and proprciy OF the measure. The coun-
try endorsed it at the line, and are, doubtless OF
the same opinion still.
But Mr. Johnson takes another tack, TO hold
the Presiden, responsible for the commencement
OF the war. He contends thai ne brought on Inc
war by sending General Taylor and The army TO
tie Rio Grande and that he should have first con.
suited Congress. Nov if Mr.. Johnson is coFrec!
in his premises viz: that j; was our duty TO &C.
Cepd every inch OF Texas up TO the Rio Grande,
and tina, our jurisdiction extended to that river as
clearly as i, DID 10 the Nueces, does II no! follow,
as an inevitable inference, that il was the duty OF
The President. after ne was satisfied that Mexico
would 40: nego;ia:e, 20 send our troops 10 ;he
frontier. ia or!er to guard sacted!y the soil Of
Texas. and ward oH 4 threatened in"ason! Mr
Johnson admits that Mexico songh 20 recover
Texas. moi caiy he,Teen the Hi0 Gran1e and
Nueces. bu: he wi:oie territory up 10 the Sabine;
ard. in blaming the President for sending the
troops 10 he NaeccS, ~ liz sam" reasoning ne
should have coniemnc! hin; iof occupying Cor
PITS Cnrjsti via AZ armed ioicc.
Whi'e, however, we regret that the distinguish
ed Wing Senator ron Mar land shond have ar
lived :, such .,lse conclusions rom his Sound
premises. we rejoice tlai he has spoken ont like
an American. in aeience of the justice and no
nor Of the war. He takes the side Of his own
county, ard reoukes those who, advocating he
cause Of Mexic,, wond make ont The American
n .o,e 10 h. community Of "tobbers and mur.
4efe.s." /! this war be unjust. j; you'd cover us
with in amy and should be Instantly terminated.
We shall. ionk win interest," 20 n tut reoor; o!
Mr.. Johnson's speech. 1t will con ain materials,
,ha, entirely lastly the cause of our county and
,ca,he the 'MeSican sympa,hizers" at home As
10 May 1916, he now prociaims TO the world that
he war WAS produced By the ACT ot Mexico and
hat, consequently, i! is most just and righteous
ICorres2ondence OF The Aluerlcan.1
WAsBHsT ~. Jan. 10.
Mr.. JOuNSON'S SPEECH.
Mr.. Johnson said his indisposiiion was so great
hat he hardly FL! able 20 address the Senate
\ motion 20 pos'guoc was indicated, but Mr.
Johnson would 10; consent. lie had Pioiession-
Il engagements which admitted OF 10 delay, aud
besides his, he vas not wi...Eg - read the &C.
ion Of the > nate.
Mir Johnson said there were circumstances and
occasions when i: became necessary 10 say few
words personally. Those who kne% him perso.
1aly knew Tia. he Was governed by sincere
1esic 10 serve his country. There was no OF.
ice in the power Of the President which he would
accept. nune in he ai!l Of tie people which he
woaI take. The AMBITION OF q man was more
han sraliici hv pos i;Ge ibis He would not
,0nccg any n1in;an %hich he entertained TO gain
auY place nor w0aii he advocate any opinion
whca he did no; !.o!i, TO secure any public place
or t?vcr.
Hc diier5l with the Administration upon ma
nv ami vial points Upon TIE wa, be was un-
fortunate enough TO differ with many Of his own
l,:eaa,. PaFig lies, parry attachments Should be
weaker han tn spiders web when Tee no OF and
70 uutalion oi the connliy was conc rnet. He
knap. however. that he had tie respect Il those
from whorl be differed We differed as friends,
ted tue pa;tiotism-i either. lie Iibei.ed alike
social relations and all uificiai s,a,ion VINO would
impeach the palrio ism of either. We differed
ds 10 measures, but all were alike devoted 10 the
best interests OF The country.
The Question o: tie var waS then discussed, an
its iu.lice atVocasd lie hoped that such would
be The verdict OF Cnristcutoui. He stopped not
nov 10 say whcinti the war was uDcnnS,i Il ion
ally commenced or nnt, or hose acts OF the l;x-
ecu'ive owing out ot the "ar on the 18Th OF
May, lSi6 He hopet II prove Ihat The war, On
cur par, was jas aud honorable. II we could
not show his ace Saor Il cqFcd TINT of rotbsrs
and mnrdercrs II &c wee wrong, we cisgrared
the freedom which hd hcsG lett Us b. our faith
ees Ii he SPOKE slI1"2':, j! was because he ie!i
strongly. lie mean, ~ offence and he took no
offence.
Tie annexation OF Texas was referred TO- All
McKee, during the Revocation was fused into ono
mass. Aii,r,hc Revolution mad been successful,
Texas was IN iniepsHden, SAFE, subject Cnly to
the Constitution. In 1855. tie country passed an
ordinance that oil the prOTle should deliver up
their arms In EeXas The minions of Santa An
Ma ouni an Americ spril.
1Mr johnson followed with n sic oh OF the
Texas Rcvoiuiior, which omit here, as you will
probably publish he speech in tull
NJ. johnson a.eufd ,hal Inc Mexican aulhori.
ties never c!simtd 'se'eiriloIy between The Nue.
ces and The Rio Gsiaie, except including in this
claim nc whole at Texas. The laws Of the Uni.
I'd Safes were referred 10, passed sine the an
nexa,ion Of Texas, To show tat The disputed ter
ri,o.v was cugs. AZ between the Governmen! Of
The United States and Mexico, the former had the
same yishl 10 march their troops between the Uni
led States and the Nueces as bciwecn the Sabine
and the Nneces.
The United States mol on,v had ieriSM, but wns
bound 10 dctrn9 crcrg iact If lIeIieo CANNED 1p
tie 7sxans. Mexico had regarded annexation as
war; had closed Cur diplomatic relations, and had
refused TO receive our Minister uron mere cub.
bic. TIE ;R'ts6 Safes Ccrc aoi Joand 10 1cm0in
stu :ad aicat ~ iavqsiOr. They sought 10 give
the frs, blow. L the place o; conflict was yea q,
on Mexican territory, it sid uol cneeble his ar
gumen!. IEcrteo pas there to conquer The '7iote,
not a pant Of Itzcs.
Wiihou, breach Of honor 10 Texas we could
no! have surrendered one inch OF his territory,