The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-24

furnish The Presidents reasons for Withholding this
information had not been satisfactory to him The in
crease OF regular force he would resist, but per
iecty willing TO maintain the army in its present posi-
uon by filling up the existing regular establishment i
granting bounhes, If necessary, TO promote recruiting
II any additional troops to be raised he would pre-
Ter volunteers, the better material and easily
raised. They came from class of the community
that was better educated, and which had deeper
stake IN the interests of the counrypossessing such
incentives TO distinction would render them, every
where and on every occasion, invincible. When the
volunteers disbanded they returned at once to civil
pursuits content with the glory OF having defended ihe
country But the regular soldiers had such depend
ence; they had no little farm to retire upon But OF the
evils of standing army he would enlarge II time al
lowed.
He had desire to increase the patronage Of Presi-
dent who had now more than General Washington or
General Jackson ever had he had objections also that
were personal to the President, though not dsrespect
fully The President had adhered in his military APP
pointmens to the rule to the vctors belong the spos
Out OF sixteen bngadier generals small and lageIand
taken from the ranks Of the democratic party though
the whg party furnished half Of the volunteers who
had won the battles There was one neutral appoint
generally, disposed TO adhere to the side Of power
Out Of the whole number Of colonies and of sabord
S had .,o % military
tablishment He had shown SO much of party feeling,
and SO little OF patriotism, that he unwilling to in
crease his power. An important presidential election
was approaching and il might be very convenient to
send but into the country five six hundred men to
electoneer for the party in power
An important crisis was before us-one of vastly more
Importance than the embargo and tariff question, or Of
war with England We were now called upon to alb
sorb all Mexico-to incorporate into this Union eight
and religion He would Ike, if he had time, TO give at
WY as SO s
bone and flesh Of flesh He opposed to the
QUESTION OF territory by violence conquest and what ter
oy . might want IA i, for Legitimate he woqd
urged had befaen the President for making this war; Tor
ii had been the means Of bringing forward as favore
Of the people for the highest civil Office military
whom nothing could prevent from being Mr.. Folks
cessor-a man, too, who, in every duality OF head and
heart was superior 10 him as Cen Jackson was He
referred 70 speech from Gen Taylor delivered at La
fayette, in Louisiana and which had greatly delighted
hun; While reading this speech, Mr. BIS hour expired
/ Mr.. FEATHERSTON next obtained the floor, and
from Tennessee, Mr. BAskow,l and the gentleman from
mississippi mr. ToMpKNs,l in justification Of the war,
and Of the Presidents course in Withholding information
connected with the mission OF Mr. Sde full report of
which will be prepared and published hereafter,
MIR: DIXON said, few days since he had voted in fla
vor OF the proposition, that the Presidents act commen
cling the war was unconstitutional and Unnecessary and
that proposition he would attempt to sustain by proof
He would speak, however with becoming OF the
dignity OF that high officer, and make question OF We.
racity with the Presidents though he felt that he had
fallen into fatal error He, was struck with the freedom
with which member d, the English House of Lords,
upon certain occasion, alSehOOd
King and he read extract from the speech referred
show that the freedom OF debate adopted here had
yet gone further than what bad obtained III the British
Parliament In considering the question Of the war; he
begged leave to call attention to the inquiry, (Which had
menced the war! Why was it thought to be so important
the war bill' twas because the certainly
mcnced either by the act Of the President OF by the act
of Mexico If then, could be shown that the war was
not commenced by the act of Mexico, it would to
follow that it was commenced by the PEesdent-at least,
thait was not by the waf making power in this
country It was well known that the whigs-cvery
voted against that preamble But then supposed that
war OF invasion was to be carried and pushed into
the very vitas of Mexico and the wings voted for
and only object was to furnish renforceens and sup
plies to our men, who Were supposed to be surrounded
BY an overwhelming force in the enemy's country
In his annual message for 1885, the President says he
had sent troops into the disputed territory and gen
lemen insist that that fair warning Of his proceed
ngs The President also said he would have esorted to
to treat and he had sent out minister accordingly Mr.
d. could not see in this any indication of bellgerent
ton on the part Of the President The President declared
Also that ne sent the troops at the urgent appeal of the
Texan Congress and the Texan convention But on the
18th Of June, the Secretary of War wrote to Gen Taylor
Rio Grande On the 10th Of the same ne month (Re very
day after the Texan convention met He did not emem
Der any resolution of the Texan Congress invoking the
the sth Of July following Such the showing Of the
documents
The President in defending himself, makes it an i'm
porant question. that the right of soil where hostes
commenced was in the United States This Mr.. D. was
prepared to controvert The matter of any former grev
ances he would throw out of the question; for if adj
init that these sufficient ground of war; the Pres
dent and his friends do not claim it and he would pass
to the resolutions Of annexation which could have
passed in Congress- if the boundary question had not been
left open. The late acting President (Mr. Tyler APP
proved those resolutions; and the President of the United
States bound, by their terms, settle this question
Of boundary by negotiation. But before this, treaty
for annexation had been made which gave the Rio
Grande for the boundary of Texas, which was objected
to in the Senate because Texas claimed large portion
OF Mexican soil and for that reason the treaty
jected He denied that the Texas constitution adopted
him the constitution of the State of Texas providing that
all laws consistent with the constitution Of the United
States and the annexation resolutions should be valid
and IN force, and none other The people of Texas
would not risk the chance of annexation upon the claim
OF unsettled boundary He referred also to letter.
written about this time by Mr. A. j. Donaldson, charge
Texas stating that Texas had abandoned her claim of
boundary the Rio Grande and thus everything relative
to boundary wasle open for negotiation But told
that the President attempted negotiation and that his best
efforts that had been exhausted before he resoed
not till after he had information of the failure of the
Sde mission; but Mr.. d. was prepared to prove the
contrary II was the eth of December is45, that
Mr.. Slidell%rote toMr. Buchanan of the final refusal of
Mexico to treat with him; and that letter not
ceved at the department till the goth of January follow
ing and it the 18th of January that the Presi
dent ordered the army to march So he issued the fatal
order to march before he received information of the
failure of the Shdell mission But Mr. Slde in letter