The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-19


Our forefatheTs after the revolution who had sustain
ed with their blood the motto that all were born
free and equal set their faces against slavery The life
blood OF the revolution the sentiment that ber
~ Is the gift OF God
When the trainers of the constitution met, there
danger of their failure agree upon any system OF gov
enment and therefore they agreed to leave each State
before the adoption OF the constitution, ressry
ing to the States all rights not expressly delegated he
inferred from this, that slavery could only be sustain
ed by positive law and the people OF the free States had
the right to claim exemption from slavery as the
south had 10 maintain slavery. The people OF the
northern free States had right TO claim exemption from
the sin and stain of slavery and he for one epudaed
any obligation to sustain H. or TO end arms ana force 10
its support There no tanatlcIsm IN hls as he con
tended but the fanaicsm on the part OF those who
urged the principle of slavery on this House They were
the OF idea Even the President In his late an
nual message, gave an example OF ms ianauclsm by
recommending that should put our hands IN the treas
ury and pay the Spanish pirates, who had made bad
speculation for slaves, but Tor treemen He hoped
the proposition would meet with the decided condemna-
Mr. T. proceeded to review the facts connected with
the OF the war; for the purpose OF proving
that commenced through the acts of the President
The Mexcans he SAID, kept the peace until they were
goaded into fight by the movement Of Gen Taylor, and
by the attack made by Capt Thornton the Mexicans.
The President while Congress was in session, took
measures that necessarily led to The President
obtains the means and then finds an enemy He says
we afford aid and comfort to the enemy To whose enc
my' To Santa Anna, the Presidents fnend-and we
had scarcely found any other enemy in Mexico The
proper of the House TO put the country IN the
status IN quo ante belfum He would not a dollar
for any purpose connected with the except 10 bring
the army home by the shortest route Would it be con,
sldered as an evidence that were AFRAID OF Mexico
Were afraid that Texas would be reconquered5 This
the time to check the of conquest and 10 pre-
the consequent accumulation of Executive patron
age before it might be too late.
Mr.. McLANE next addressed the committee, and said
he somewhat regretted that II was ms fortune 10 follow
in debate the gentleman from New Hampshire, whose
illusions TO the subject of slavery offensive to the
pride and refinement of every gentleman, he hoped from
pnf hn
rated federal constitution If, in the course OF his
remarks he should have occasion to refer to the
institutions of every State in the Union, be it free or
slave however much he might, the representative of
slave State feel wounded at the offensive illusions so
freely offered in this House by gentlemen who regarded
themselves as men OF sing lie idea.
Mr. Mel. continued, and said, that, but fol the extra
ordinary declaration made by this House, at the motion
AsHMUN,l denouncing this war as unconstitutional"
&c, &c, should not think it within my range to
gage the attention Of the committee with the origin OF
the Mexican war. Whatever opinion | might have en-
tertaned, could not have reconcied myself to voun-
tary expression of sentiment the record Of which the
journal of this House necessarily dscredted own
the national Legislature Sir, had thought it wise TO
abandon the war, and withdraw armies the OF
the Rio Gande. and adhere for the future to defensive
war with Mexico, it would be- in my Judgment un.
necessary, II not derogatory, to raise an issue OF
veracity with a former Congress-appeaing TO par
tisan zeal at home or abroad to determine wheth-
er zee or our predecessors have voted ga fasehood"
But to make such declaration after have refused TO
withdraw our armies, exposes to insult and shame the
brave men we have pushed forward into Mexico-idng
and comforting and encouraging their enemies, while
we chill and demoralize public Sentiment at home, and
render impossible to raise succor and reinforcement
for those whom refuse recall on the same day and
hour that we discredit and dishonor their service.
regret that majority OF this House have taken very
different view of our mutual obligations; and, in my
the pride OF our ilusrious soldiers they have attached
their classification OF the national record to vote of
thanks by which it was proposed that the Congress
some light expression Of the respect and admiration
felt for him by his feow-citizens. This association
of such declaration with the name of General Tay-
lor, will appear still more unfortunate when some
reference had to the particular acts of the President
which constituted the Illegally or unconstitution-
consider the annexation of Texas the first and great
violation of law that caused the war, and the military
and civil conduct of the President the immediate
of the war; Others who justify the of annexa-
ton legal and constitutional without regard to its wis
dom expedency, obliged TO rest the Wegany and
.tncons,tonality of the upon the orders Of the
concurrence OF Congress, and Immediately caused the
1t would be difficult, sir, to determine which Of
these propositions involves the most inconsistency sup
posing either TO be the ground OF complaint against the
government of the United States, If the annexation of
Texas the illegal and unjustiabe beHi then
the occupation of any part of Texas, of the
Nueces, necessarily immediate act of offence on
the part of the American Executive. But it also
necessarily the result of that obligation to execute the
President
On the other hand, if the act of annexation was legal
and constitutional but regarded by Mexico act of
war; then movement of the Executive connected with
the defence OF the new territory, without the con-
currence of Congress, be treated the of the
Sir the course of the opposition this point rem
ders it necessary to look back little at the history OF
this 'act Of annexation" shall not however, weary
the committee with more on this point than review of
his illegal act in occupying the territory of the
Nueces without the of Congress- caused the
1t will not be denied sir that the act of anne xaon
formal of the law making power of our gov
eminent The army OF the United States not moved
beyond the Sabine until convention of the people of
Texas had accepted the terms of annexation offered
by Congress. This in the summer of 1915, when
the government of the United States assigned General
Taylor to the command of the army of observation des
tined to defend and protect the soil of Texas, informing
him that his ultimate destination would be the western
frontier of Texas the Rio Grande, (see Mr..
Bancrots despatch in June or july 1S45) In Deem
Der, 1915, Congress informed that General Taylor
had been assigned to the defence of the country
the Rio Grande in the month"; and after receiving
this information Congress, by formal act, consummated
xaon, and extended American jurisdiction the
ence this of admission of the State of Texas t2oh
Dec. 1880 will show that it the State of Texas
that was admitted, with constitution already formed,
affirming the declaratory statutes which defined the bound
airy west to the Rio Gande and with such boundary she
was admitted State into the Union. This act Of Con-
gress settles the question at issue, and establishes the
concurrence OF Congress with the President in taking
possession and sovereignty the country west to the
Rio Grande; for on the same day another act was
passed, extending, in general terms the laws of the
United States within the State of Texas
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