Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-04-07
SPEECH OF MR. WEBSTER,
ON THE LOAN BILL.

90 o A"I"NJ IN SkNAiE, March j.
Ma PRESIDENT: On Friday a bill passed the
Senate for the raising of Ten Regiments of new
troops for the farther prosecution of the war
against Mexico; and We have been informed
that the measure is shortly to be followed, in this
branch Of the Legislature, by a bill to raise
twenty regiments Of volunteers for the same SER
vice was DESTROYS, Sir, on Friday, to express
my opinion against the object of those bills
against the supposed necessity which leads TO
their enactment, and against the general policy
which they are apparently designed to promote
Circumstances personal to myself, but beyond
my control, compelled me to forego on that day
the execution Of this design. The bill now be-
fore the Senate is a measure for raising money
to meet the expenses Of the Government, and
to provide the means as well for other things as
for the pay and support of these thirty regi-
ments.
Sir, the scenes through which we have passed,
and are passing here, are various. For a fort
night the world supposes us to have been occu-
pied with the ratification OF a Treaty Of Peace,
and that within these walls
The world shut OUT
notes of ~peace-hopes of peaee-nay, strong
assurances Of peace, and immediate peace, have
been uttered to console us, and to cheer us. 1t
has been over and over again stated that VIC
have ratified a Treaty-of course a Treaty Of
AN-~Nf oHu ~ tHt touHtfl mas Dten leu 10 sup
pose, not Of uncertain, and empty, and delusiye
peace, but real, gratifying, and enduring peace
a peace that shall stanch the wounds Of war.
prevent the farther ciiusion of blood, cut of
these enormous expenses, and return our friends,
and our brothers, and our children-if they be
yet living from a land Of slaughter, and a
land of still more dismal destruction by climate,
to our hresides, and our arms. Hardly have
these halcyon sounds ceased upon our ear, until
in foanunal .,.kl. 60
fresh warlike operations-to the creation of n
new army Of $4,000 men for the farther prose-
cntion OF the war-to carry our power, in the
language of the President, still more directly in
10 the vital parts Of our enemy, and to press
home, by the power of the sword, the claims
that we insist upon against q fallen, prostrate-I
had almost said-an igneble foel If / NAV
Judge OF the opinion Of the Honorable member
from Michigan, or other speeches delivered in
this chamber, there has not been n time from
the commencement Of the war, when it has been
more urgently pressed upon US, not only TO main
tain, but to Increase our military means-not
only to continue the war, but to press il with
more ylgor-tlian at the present time. PRAY,
what does all this mean? Pray, Sir, / ask, is il
confessed then, that we are no nearer to peace
than we were when we snatched up a BIT Of pa
per called, or miscalled a Treaty, and ratified It?
Have we yet to fight it out to the utmost, as if
no paciiication had interviewed? / wish TO treat
the proceedings of this and every department
of this government with the utmost respect
Co knows that the constitution Of this govern
ment-and the exercise of its just powers, in
the administration of the laws under il, have
been the cherished object of all my unimportant
life. But if the subject were not 100 deeply in
t~eresting, | should say that our proceedings here
might well enough cause a smile. In the ordi-
nary transaction OF foreign relations, in this and
all other governments, the course has been to
negotiate first, and to ratify afterward. This
would seem to be the natural order of conduct
ing intercourse between foreign States. We
have chosen to reverse the order. We ratify
first and negotiate afterward. We set up n
treaty, such as we find it, and such as we choose
to make it. and then we send two Ministers
Plenipotentiary 10 negotiate t~hercupon in the
Capital of the enemy One should think. Sir,
that the ordinary course of proceeding was
much the wiser--that to negotiate, hold inter
course, come to some arrangement by authorized
agents, and then TO submit that arrangement to
the sovereign authority, to which those agents
are responsi5le-would be always the most de-
sirable method Of procedure. 1t strikes me
that the course We have adopted is strange-is
grotesque. SO fur as j know, il is unpreccdont-
ed in the history of diplomatic Intercourse
Learned gentlemen on the floor of the Senate.
interested to defend and vindicatc this COURSE,
may, in their extensive reading, have found ex-
amples; ] know none.
Sir, We are in possession, by military power,
Of New Mexico and California, countries be.
longing hitherto to the United States of Mexico.
We are informed by the President, that il is
his purpose to retain them-to consider them as
territories fit to be attached, and to be attached
to these United States Of America; and the mil
itary operations and designs now before the SEN
ate, art intended to enforce this claim OF the
Executive of the United States. We are to
compel Mexico to agree that that part Of her
dominions called New Mexico, and that other
part called California, shall be ceded To us. We
are now in possession of these territories, il is
said, and she is to be compelled to yield the title.
This is the precise object Of this new army Of
10000 men. 1t is the identical object, Sir, in
my Judgment, for which the war was originally
commemorative which it has been hitherto pros
eented, and in fnrtherance Of which this Treaty
is to be used, but as one of the means to bring
about the general result; that general result de-
pending, after all, upon other superior powers,
the necessity of submitting TO any terms which
we prescribe, 10 fallen-fallen- fallen Mexicol
The Members composing the other House
the more popular branch Of Congress-have ali
been elected sinee11 had almost said he fatal
the remarkable incidents of the 18th Of May,