Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-05-27
SPEECH OF Mr., CALHOUN.
OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
On The Proposed Occupation Of Tucatan.
liz SENATE, May is, ls4s.

The Senate having under consideration the bill to enable
the President of the United take temporary military
occupation Of Yucatan--
Mr. CALHOUN said The President in his message re-
Congress adopt they may deem
expedien to prevent in the inst place, ucatan from becom
ing colony of any European Power and in The next place.
to prevent the white inhabitants of that territory from being
exiermnated expelled In support OF the latter ne IN
formed the Senate that there raging cruel and devas
tang the part Of the Indians against the whites anu
that unless some foreign Power should aid they will be de-
stroyed driven from the country In support OF the other
recommendation he states that the Government OF Yucatan
has offered to the Of Great Britain, Spain and
the United States the dominion over the country IN order to
Obtain aid The President also informs the Senate that
less grant aid other Power will and that ull-
lnaey may It's dominion and sovereignty over the
territorya result which, he informs us would be IN contra
yention Of the declaration Of Mr. Monroe, and which must
on no account be permitted The Committee on Foreign
Relations order carry out these recommendations, have
reported bill which is before us, the first section Of
which provides for taking military occupation OF Yucaan as
recommended by the President.
Such are the recommendations of the PRESIDENT and such
the recommended by the committee The subject IS
Of great magnitude. II Is pregnant with consequences
both near and remote which deeply affect the peace and
interests Of this country demands the most serious delibe
ration have bestowed upon 1t full attention, and have ar
rived conclusion adverse to the recommendations OF the
President and the report Of the committee propose TO
show in the first place. that the Of Yucaan,
stated by the President himself does not come within the de-
caations Of Mr. Monroe and that they do not furnish the
slightest support the reported by the committee
In the message referred that of 1929 Mr. Monroe makes
three distinct declarations The first and by far the most i'm
portant that the United States would regard
attempt the part Of the Allied Powers to extend their ys
this country dangerous to peace and safety 10
that the of ucatan does not within this de-
caration all that will be necessary explain who were the
Allied Powers the. object of their alliance and the circum
in which the declaration itself made The Allied
Powers the four great continental monarchesRussa
Prussia, Austria and France. Shortly after the overthrow
OF Bonapae these Powers entered alliance called the
Holy Alliance" the object Of which to sustain and
tend monarchica principles far possible and to OPP
press and put down popular institutions. England, in the
early stages the alliance favored it, The members of the
alliance held several Congresses attended either by themselves
their ambassadors and undertook regulate the affairs Of
all Europe, and actually ntereed in the affairs OF Spain for
the purpose Of putting down popular doctrines In ITS pro-
gess the alliance turned its this continent IN order to
aid Spain in eganng her sovereignty her regoted pro-
ynces AT this stage England became alarmed. Mr. Can
ming then Prime Minister. He informed Mr.. Rush OF
the project and gave him the time the assurance
that sustained by the United States Great Britain would
resist Mr. Rush Immediately communicated this to our Go
1t received here with joy for great was
the power of the alliance that did not feel ourselves
safe from its interpretations Indeed it anticipated, al
certain result that if the interference took place
with the Governments of South America, the alliance would
ultimately extend IFS interference to ourselves remember
the reception of the despatch from Mr. Rush distinctly as
all the had occurred yesterday well recollec
the great scton with which received by the Cab
net late in the year. not long before the meeting OF
Congress As usual with Mr. Monroe upon great coca
son the papers round each member of the Ca
bne that each might be duly appzed OF all the crcum
stances, and be prepared to give his opinion The Ca
bne delbera,ed There was long and careful con-
sultation and the result the declaration which have
Just announced All this has passed away That very
the part Of England sustained by this declaration,
gave blow the celebrated alliance from which it
covered From that time forward it gradually decayed, till
utterly persisted The late revolutions Europe have put
end all work. and nothing remains of all that it did,
Now, by what ingenuity Of argument by what force OF So
phisty be shown that this declaration comprehends the
Of Yucatan when the events which called forth have
passed away forever
And yet the President has quoted that very declaration in
support of his recommendation; but in manner changing
entirely its meaning by separating from the context as
stood in the message, and which referred TO the Allied
Powers; and placing it in connexon with portion OF his
message which made il refer to Great Britain, Span other
European Powers The change has made the declaration
inconsistent and absurd that had been made by Mr. Monroe
stands in the Presidents message, would have been
the subject of anmadverson and dcue instead
Of receiving it did, the appreciation and applause Of the
whole country. 1t would have placed England in the false
position Of acting against and with the Holy Alliance in
reference 10 the Spanish American republics and would
also have placed in the position of opposing Spain IN her
efforts her dominion those States and finally
would have involved the absurdy Of asserting that the at
tempt of any European State extend its system of
ment to this continent the smallest well as the greatest
would endanger the peace and safety of our country
The next declaration that would regard the inter
position Of any European Power Cypress the Governments
pendent to control their destiny in any whatever
maniestng unfnendy disposition towards the United
States This declaaon Also belongs the history Of that
day. II grew out of the state Of circumstances, and
may be considered appendage tho declaration to which
have just alluded BY the Governments this connen
which had recognised the republics which had
grown up after having thrown off the yoke Of SPAIN They
had just emerged from their protraced revolutionary srug
gles They had hardly yet reached point Of sodiy, and
IN that tender stage the administration Of Mr. Monroe thought
proper only make that general declaration in refer
to the Holy Alliance but make specific one
against the interference Of any European Power order
counenance and these young republics as far
could with proprey. This, like the other belonging to
the events Of the ime has passed away with them but
pose that not to be the ask does the OF Yucaan
within this declaration Has there been any nerpo-
son in the affairs Of Yncatan the part Of any European
Power with the design Of Expressing her changing her des
tiny II not how the Of Yucatan be comprehended
in this declaration
But may be said although the Of Yucatan is not
expressly comprehended in the declaration yet is by i'm
plcation, is medated by England for, after ALL that is
the Government which Is meant in the under the
general term European Powers" The message indicates
that England medtates such interference and the chairman
Of the Committee Foreign Relations distinctly that
opinion Has England then, manifested any disposition TO
interfere in order Cypress the people Of Yucaan, to
change the character OF their Government from republic to
a monarchy We have evidence whatever that point
1t is that the Commissioner from Yucatan, Mr. Sierra
would nsnuate much He speaks Of the Indians who
in hostility the white people Of Yucaan having obtained