The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1848-04-06

United States. Sir, whether the power ex.
lists 10 the President or not. may be infer.
req ny Hns"Srsue --n,La, oue,t.on--tiu,,
he wear crown! That's the only qurs.
ton. II he wears crown-if he il the
king Of the counlry-if We are the subjects,
and they who are conqured BY the arms Of
the country become hls subjects also, and
owe him allegiance, Why, then, according
10 well established principles, until the IN.
reference Of the legislature, but no longer
even then, he may conquer--he may gov.
ern-he may impose laws-he may lay
,axes-he may assess duties. The king Of
England has done il, 10 the various cases
; OF conquest, from the conquest Of Wales
, and Ireland, down to the conquest Of the
West India islands. in the war Of sc, and
, in the wars growing out Of the French
; revolution. The King Of England has done
: II; done II by royal prerogalve; done it
IN the government, OF his own subjects, OK.
, listing in or inhsbltng territories not under
, the protection of English law, bu. govern.
I ed by bin un,l! PsrlIamen, puts them IN.
r der protection Of English law. Now, cir,
there was laid before US at the commence.
: nenl OF the session. system Of legislation
, Tor Mexico, ss for conquered country.
| Let Us not contoUpd ideas that are 10 them.
selves ssPsrable and necessarily distinct.
D This is no, lhe question; whether he who
D is 10 an enemy's country q, the head OF an
' army, may not supply his daily wants !;
e whether he may not Sc ze the grana'ies and
d. the herds-it he choose so 10 conduc, the
| war-of the enemy in whose country he is
u that is ono thing, but the question is
here; whether sitting in the Presidential
{ House, by an act Of mere authority, when
F., The country is conquered and subdued, the
0 pIesiden, Of the United States, may by, and
Of, and through bis own power establish in
!. Mexico system Of civil law.
II We have read, sir, and some Of US have
q not forgotten 1t. IN all books Of authority
II treating Of the law Of nations, that when q
o country 10 conquered or ceded, its existing
is laws are no, changed TIL the competent au
n thorl,y OF the conquesing power changes
;. them. That ! hold 10 be the universal
O doctrine Of public law. Well, here 10 O
: system Of levy!ng taxes-repealing old
II laws-and making ne w ones; a system be
II bind that, Of which read With pain ant
r. modification, Tor find in this commun,ca
j ton OF the Secretary sanctioned by ID,
III Presidei', tina: our brave troops, las the,
e are always called, ten times 10 every page,
N were directed to lay hold on all the i,tl
ID municipal ireasures-al the little collec
!. lions Tor special purposes, that carried OF
70 the interior, the municipal, what we shout,
o call the parish concerns Of Mexico They
n we're directed TO seize them all The War
}. Department issued orders 10 chase the GOV
!, ernmen: Of Mexico like a partridge on the
!. mountain, from city 10 ciiy-,o give it nc
r rest for the sole Of It's foot-to exlernina,e
il It; and another order issued from the Urea.
n sury Department al the same time, directed
i this seizure ofall these small and petty sums
! Of public money. am obliged, therefore,
I TO the gentleman from Soath Carolina for
] having brough, this suhjec, 10 the attention
Of the Senate.
am happy 10 having an opportunity Of
, expressing my repugnance TO all the doc.
trins and all the practice. Where will it
lead to- What does the President do with
this money? Why, he supports the army
But this money never passes under any ap.
preparation OF law. The constitution of
the United States says tina! the Executive
power shall have no appropriations for mil
ltary purposes for more than two years.
But here there is a standing appropriation,
put at the disposition and discretion Of the
President, Of The United States of all the
money he can collect BY this system Of per.
sonal, Executive legislation over seven mil.
lions Of people, and that under the consii.
tuition OF the United States 1.-THE state.
men, Of this case does not attract the at,en.
ton of the communi,y,-in short, if the
question is not argued before an American (
Senate, when it 10 stated, it is beyond my I
power to illustrate it by any further argu.
men.
Sir, while reioics tina, the honorable
member from South Carolina has done so
Importan, a service as TO put this question
10 proper and clear light before the com.
munity und the Senate; and while agree,
as have said, 10 oil that he has uttered GA
the topics which he has treated; tina, topic {
which was upon my mind and my con. {
science more than ell the rest, was topic {
which he did no, treat, aud in regard TO {
which fear may no, expect-1oud to I
God that could expect his concurrence, q
and The strength Of his arm; | mean the
object, plain and manifest, original IN the i
inception Of this war, not always avowe6, G
but always however the real object the u
creation Of new States on the southern Dor. y
der of the United States, TO be formed out 9
OF The territory Of Mexico, and the people s
inhabi,iug the territory of Mexico. II at. II
ter service Of thirty years 10 these coun. b
ellis, be could have taken d-ii his con. "
vic,ions Of duty, mean to say, could have p
allowed hun to take lend and make a stand to
for the integrity of,he United Sa.es-even 10
with these large recent accessons, which al
am willing to consider are brotherly acces. ii
sions, that have no disposition to reject, oil