The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-09-14
SPEECH OF VIII. DAYTON.
In SENATE, APRIL IL, 1sls.
CT NEW JERSEY,
On the war nth llerieo, and defence Of has vote i,
taUor ofMe treaty

On the gMt Merieo, and IN defence of has uote j.
tdUor Of the treaty.
In SENATE, April IL, 1915
The bill for the adjustment of the California claim
being before The Senate Tor consideration
Mr. DAYTON said 1t is no part of my purpose t
discuss the bill that Is al present before the Senate bu
connecting itself as II does with the general subject
me war purpose awaiting myself OF the opportunii
which this bill affords of submitting general obser
vations on other points. know full well the dsadvan
tages under which speaker abors in endeavorng to adj
dress The Senate upon the great question under existing
circumstances, The remarks that may be made mus
fall cold the ear OF the Senate, but circumstances
a personal nature make il absolutely essential if | sa,
aught this question, that avail myself of the oppor
tunity OF saying II now
Amid the strife and noise of a conflict, il is at al
times difficult for parties 10 realize their position
Fortunately for US the tumult of the contest has for tn,
present ceased. The smoke has cleared away; between
the armies OF Mexico and the United States an arms
tee exists. For the first time since the commence
ment OF the war, we have reached point from which
may calmly survey the past and proaby consider of the
future II is due to u.s. it's due to the country that dc
so. In May 1916, declared to exist by the ac
OF Mexico. | need not say that that declaration was
wrung, literally wrung under protest from this side of
The chamber. then thought and now think, that the
alternative forced upon us OF refusing supplies, admit
ting, by way of preamble the truth of declaration which
we believed TO be false, was the exeron of at least
extreme right by party majority But right wrong,
we met the occasion, and supplies IN men and money
were granted on demand we protested then, and since
we have repeatedly renewed our protest against the origin
OF the war, while we have furnished means for its prose-
cution. This has been charged upon species Of
moral obquitya kind of lestcal pretence justified by
no sound principle OF reason of morals. have ever
held otherwise when war becomes the law OF the land
and SO exists upon your statute book, it is the duty
OF every good citizen to sustain and uphold it till the
law be repealed, or, what is tantamount, peace be de
clared Such has been principle of action in all
tries will not speak OF the British supply bills, but
may refer to the action OF the great federal party the
war OF 1872 Deprecahng the commencement OF the war
they did, major part of the measures for prosecu
ton were passed without division and by the assent of
an ~ .hn r,,ff III, IA,
l797-9S, brought about against the wishes the repub
can party OF that day Mr. Jefferson, the great
ponen OF the principles OF that party declared, in let
Ter written by him al that time, thai must avoid the
war II we can but If II come We must defend ourselves
and stand by the coantry-whether the house re fred
to extingu;sh the flame This has indeed, been prir-
cpe OF action recognised BY all parties in this govern
ment 1t sno new doctrine Incorporated into poit
Cal creed 1t is no Jesulucdl pretence no mora obi
quy 1t is principle OF patriotic action, recogn sed by
all statesmen, al! patriots, and in all times.
Under these circumstances the wing party felt to be
ITS duty TO strengthen the arm OF the governmcnt-to
strike, while al the time ii deprecated the conse-
quences Of the blow Now, have not reached point
In the history OF the war when the right OF private uds
ment can vindica,e itself? We have before an enc
my, PROSTATE, wounded dying upon his body STANDS
colossus in full amor, unframed by the contest ask
again, have we not now attained point where we may
exercise ihe right OF selI-judgment? point at which
we may say to The strong cease to war upon tue weak 7
In my opinion we have; and stopping here, what -lo
rious result is before In military point of view IA
foreign war, conducted without single reverse in
civil point OF view, peace without dollar, and with
out an acre wrested from the enemy without just equiv
alent Well may 1t be said that peace made upon the
terms offered and accepted amounts 10 about this: Gin
demnty for the past is the hundred millions you have
paid and security for the future" s the twenty mions
you to pay The very result which might have been
anticipated in the prosecution OF such We have
reached stopping places some OF us have though advi
sable TO seize upon the late treaty as the most Immediate
most plausible plan of getting rid of the But friends
have differed among themselves should myself have
been Wiling should have preferred that political
or that at all events they should have been satisfied
await the removal of the injunction OF secresy before
they published to the world the considerations which
had influenced their action in secret session. But the
senator from Massachusetts mr. WEBSTER whose alb
sence | regret and in the mournful cause Of whose
absence we all sympathise has thought it needfu
have influenced him in voting as he says, against the
ratification OF the treaty He holds" he says the
conscience of but one man., and he " means to make
clean breast of it," Sir he is the exercise of his legal
and just rights But, in making clean breast of it,
in removing the burden from his conscience, he has
unInnentlonaly, doubt not imposed the same burden
with the added weight OF his own opinions and argu
ments upon the conscences OF other men, 1t will be for
whether able meet the responsibility
which Is thus invoked before our constituents.
The members of the Senate, at least, however may
be with the public, after what has passed in executive
session, will not feel surprised that should assume to
answer of the suggestions of that distinguished
senator His speech was not the beginning but rather
the end of controversy. would that il had ended where
it began. have no wish to obtain the little ephemeral
reputation WHICH COHeS OF d COL
ison with distinguished antagonists; but whenever an
opportunity presents itself, pregnant with great inter-
ests to the country, | have, and never shall
shrink from my just responsibilities am, for one, pre-
pared to meet the responsibility involved in the atfca
ton OF that treaty; and after the speech OF the dstn
guished senator from Massachusetts, read has been
in every town. village, and hamlet of my State, feel as
others similarly circunstanced must feel the necessity OF
reply. am here to answer here and now declare to
my constituents and to the world as understand have
right to declare, my action upon that subject
here then Declare that this chamber and out of it, in
official debate, and by private appeal, in every mode, and
by every legitimate means that could bring to bear,
endeavored sustain and enforce the ratification OF that
treaty And say, furthermore if it be of the slightest
interests to my constituents know it, that while It's
fate yet in doubt first broke ground in its favor
this side Of the chamber For all which am ready TO
meet the responsibility which that position demands
Now, sir, what are the objections which have been
urged against the ratification of this treaty We are told
and it is the first general obectIon-hat we have
snached up bit OF paper called, mscalled, treaty
negotiated without ahthorityand have ratified II " that,
reversing the natural order of things after ratiyng the
treaty, we have then appointed ministers penipoenary
to negotiate upon the subject Now pray what IS thus
90 bit of paper" which have "snatched up IN tne
language Of the senator from Massachusetts, tisa pa
per sent to this body by the President OF the United States
sent here treaty for rafcation-sen mere ieg'ti-
matey by him as he might send 1t here mo man can
con,rover the right of the President to do that and no
man pretends deny that he may accredit his dipo-
matte agent in advance to do particular thing; or
The nav await the action OF that agent and ratify that
act after i, has been done. The principles
applicable TO the of agency constituted in ad-
vance or by assumption of the acts of the agent al
forwards apply here No pretends to doubt, indeed
1 4 ILL.,. - IL Nh.