Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-03-21
SENATOR DOUGLAS SPEECH.

aes ioAio"iug ie4TactS are from the
speech, of Hon. s. A, Dopglas, of Illinois,
in the Senate. Feb. l. le4s-on the Loan
Bill.
81 hope it will not be inferred, from the
array of books with which am surround.
ed, that intend subjecting the Senate to
the intiiction of hearing them read. My
only object in bringing them here. is to
be enabled 10 respond at once to inquiries,
if any shall be made, as to the authority
upon which my statements Of fact may be
predicated. shall state no fact, for the
accuracy of which have not the most
conclusive authority in the books before
me. I,regret that did not conclude to
participate in the discussion at period
sufficiently early to have enabled me 10
make the requisite preparation. i'll had
done so, should have been able to have
compressed what have to say within a
much smaller compass, and to have said
1t in manner more satisfactory to myself,
and more Ineligible to the Senate. had
supposed that the only question presented
by the bill was to determine whether the
additional force provided for was necessa.
ry for the prosecution of the existing war
to speedy and honorable termination. -
The war has been in progress nearly two
years. Its legal existence was recogniz.
ed on the 18th of May, 1916; and it ex-
listed, in fact. prior to that time, as the
official reports of the battles Of Palo Alto
and Resaca will show. The campaign
of 1916 resulted in series of the most
brilliant victories that ever adorned the
the arms ofany nation. States and terri.
tories were overrun and subjected, equal
in extent to one hall Of the Mexican con-
tederacy. California, New Mexico, Chi.
huahua. Coahuila, New Leon. and Tam.
auiipas, besides many important towns
and cities in other States, were reduced
to our possession. The official reports of
these conquests are to be found in the
published documents of last session. The
President of the United Statesy in his
message at the beginning Of that session.
gave us a suecinct history ofthe progress
of our arms in these several Mexican
provinces. and suggested the propriety of
providing for the security ofthese impor.
tant conquests. by making an adequate
appropriation for the purpose of erecting
Notifications, and defraying the expenses
necessarily incident to the maintenance
Of our possession and authority. over
them" In the same message be referred
to the three million appropriation, which
he had asked for at the previous session,
and renewed the recommendation. He
referred tothe appropriations which were
made in anticipation of the Louisiana and
Florida treaties, as pfecedents in this
case. and adds, that ''itwas in contempIa.
ton at the time those appropriations were
made to acquire Louisiana from France,
and to purchase the Floridas from Spain,
and that they were intended to be applied
as part Of the consideration which might
be paid for those territories" Upon this
exposition of the progress Of the war. and
of the policy OF the government in refer,
ence, TO it, the President asked for. more
men and money, for the purpose of con-.
Quoting campaign into the very heart Of
Mexico-of reducing her capital--and of
holding possessionof the whole country.
until she should ,accede,to such terms of
boundary and indemnity, as we should,
deem just and honorable. The men and
money were freely voted, including the
three million appropriation, which was
intended to be applied in part payment
the first instalment, forinstance--fo such
territory as we might acquire from Mexi-
co in a treaty of peace. in addition TO
what should be deemed adequate remu-
neration for the expenses OF, the. war, snd
indemnify to our citizens. | shall excite
no surprise. therefore. when I say that II
was not prepared to hear this unqualified
decentralization of the war and, of the rec.
concentrations of the President for its viz.
orous Prosecution-especialIy from those
senators who voted for all the war meas
ures Of last session and the precsding one.
u was not prepared to hear them denounce