Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-01-28
"THE CAT OUT oR THE BAG.''

Mary Brown, widow of Jacob Brown, Ma
thaniel Boydon, the wing representative from
the % Congressional District of North Caro-
lima, made some singular remarks, if the re-
mort before us is correct We extract that
r,rt of the report of the debate, as we think
the people of North Carolina should be in
formed of the manner in which their renresor.
tatives in Congress behave themselves It
will be seen, that in the heat of debate Mr.
Boydon sorter let the Cat out of the
bag" with regard to the course which the
wings in the House of Representatives intend
to pursue. 1t will be seen that Mr.. Boydon,
towards the close of the debate, desired to be
understood as jestingC) when he said that he
would vote for no more money TO carry on
the war. The Cat got out nevertheless. Mr..
Boydon is likely to become as famous for his
talking propenslties in Congress, as he Will
ON was in the Legislature of North Carolina.
But just read the debate; it is rich:
Mr.. Boydon addressed the committee IN sup
Tort OF the bill, contending that it was better
to vote for the relief proposed, than to vote
men and money to support war, to make
more widows, to be hereafter dependent upon
the treasury for support and he proceeded to
urge against gentlemen on the other side of
the House who had preceded him, the incon-
slstency of supporting a war, while, at the
same time, they refuse to pension the widow
of the soldier.
Mr.. Atkinson, interposing, said that when
ever the time should come, he would be found
ready and willing to support the defenders of
our rights and liberties. He would take the
liberty of calling upon wings TO support their
consistency, by refusing men and means to
carry on war which they had denominated
by solemn vote, unnecessary and unconsti-
tutonal; which damnable act would ever fol-
low them with odium. AS for himself, he
voted for the war, and gloried in it. All he
asked OF gentlemen was for them to stand up
and refuse now to vote men and means to
carry on the war, and they would he damned
in the estimation of the people.
Mr. Boydon would ask if the gentleman from
Virginia would be willing to come up and vote
direct tax upon the people of that State to
supply the men and means to carry on the
war or would he come forward and vote their
pay in treasury notes-rags?
Mr.. Atkinson replied: will tell the gentle
man, that, whatever may be necessary for the
defence OF the rights and honor of the coun-
try, am willing to lay tax, either directly
or indirectly, on all the property in the United
States. He would tell any gentleman that he
would do anything for the preservation of the
honor of his country These (said Mr. A }
are my views All that astonishes me is
that men will declare the war unjust, and YET
vote means to support it.
Mr.. Boydon resumed. But it was demo.
cratic consistency to send men and money tC
Mexico, while the treasury was bleeding al
every pore; and yet to refuse pension 10 the
widow of the soldier who stood trembling al
their feet. Talk about voting men and money
to defend the liberties of the country God
defend US from such defence as that. Talk
about liberty! Talk about the constitution
Who does not know that we have no consti-
tuition now? What is our constitution
ask the gentleman from Virginia, where in that
instrument--n what clause of the constitution
is it stated that the President is 10 be con-
war; to levy taxes on people; to say wha
shall be taxed, how much they should pay
how long it shall be paid, and who shall col
| lect it?
The Chairman said that the debate had wan.
[Cries of ego on,'' ego on."l
Mr.. Boydon said lie had been led of into
these remarks by the gentleman from Virgin
Ia He would vote for this pension. He
would also vote to pension every mans wild
ow who had fallen in this war. Could any
man stand up and say that government should
do less for this widow than Major Brown hat
done for his step-mother? Justice was hi
motto &c Let Justice be done, though thu
heavens should fall" But the gentleman from
Virginia had said that this case should not b.
decided upon principles of justice.
Mr.. Atkinson. Because we could neve
come to any conclusion upon this principle.
Mr. Boydon. The gentleman had said hi
was willing to tax his constituents to detent
the liberties of his country. But that was no
the question which he asked him. But thu
gentleman chooses to answer in that way, be
cause it may have little better effect upol
the country. He would ask him again: VIII
he vote direct tax upon his constituents t
conquer Mexico?
Mr.. Atkinson replied. He would vote an.
tax which might be necessary to prosecute tn
war vigorously, in order to secure an honor
able peace. He would ask the gentleman from
North Carolina if he would do that? Let hin
say yes or no to it.
Mr.. Boydon said he had no difficulty in an
swerng any question that he or any othe
gentleman could put to him. He did not in
tend to vote a solitary man OF a single dolla
for the purpose of carrying on war for tn
purpose of conquest He would support tn
men there He would pension their widows
if they fell He would go further, and, if ne
cessary, vote $4,000 to the children of eac
man that might fall.
!; Mr.. McLane desired the gentleman from n
Carolina to inform him whether he would vot
means to reinforce and make safe the arm
now in Mexico, or the navy off its coast?
Mr.. Boydon, in his turn, asked the gentle
man from Maryland if he considered the arm
or navy in danger, under present clrcumstan
ces, when, in the beginning OF the contes
. while Mexico had large armies and we'll sup
: piled, our limited forces had whipped them al
MIR. McLane said the gentleman from NC
Carolina had volunteered to answer any ques
| ton, or he should not take the liberty to in
5 terrogate him. He (Mr. McL) desired
2 know if he did not think the army forlor
} hope when it first went into Mexico?
Mr. Boydon. No, sir; I never had an
such idea. Fifty thousand Americans Tn
thought never entered his mind that such
force could ever be conquered by ten hundre
thousand Mexicans. For he always kneN
that, in fighting, the more Mexicans you have
: the worse you get on. [Laughter.l Never
theless, he would do anything for the safet
of our soldiers there, if the gentleman though
r / d. L. n