The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-02-05

sisteni with his special message 10 this House What
then, does the authority of my colleague establish MOI
that Mr. Polk has been inconsistent, but thai he mas
uniformly held and practsed the doctrines Of his mes
sage Sir, if the authorities relied by the Presidents
friends "dog- cared as he Mr. denomna'es ihem
by what shall his authorities be designated eould
not the question be asked, II his authorizes DO moi pea
many other and striking features OF thai animal 80
classcay introduced into the debate by that gentleman
Again, he (Mr. T says, that the people OF mn. -
try sovereign, and have night 10 de, manu- ,'
their representatives all political secrets OF tner
aries, who are but their servants VINO ue"ce thI so'e
regpy of the people! The verest tyro In poles knows
it. But whilst the people are sovereign, lhey loon
the federal constitution for hu =" ba
and the mode by which they are to be ad
mnisered in carrying out the ends OF government 30
ong as the constitution exists must these powers be pre-
served inyioate The people, who are the legitimate
soyeregns OF The land, will zeaously and increasingly
watch over them. They. will not be found demanding
constitution TO withhold for the attainment OF great ma
onal objects under the treaty making power II IS IN
accordance with the forms of the constitution alone that
they will demand all political secrets OF their public Off
GERS. doubt, Mr.. Chairman, whether he lMr. L has
himself at all times, practsed this doctrine OF with
holding political secrets from the people. now so
loudly proclaimed by him. This, however is mat
ter between him and his constituents But he MI |
+ not only charges Mr. Polk with having with,
held the correspondence and all the particulars OF
the agreement By which he restored to Mexico Santa
Anna, Mexicos able general, to head her armies and
slaughter citizens, but goes still further and charges
the President with the attempt to overthrow Herreras
government, because it was disposed TO treat with u
How does he sustain those grave charges? Certainly he
will no. expect the soeereigns OF whom he speaks so
much. TO take his bare assertions for proof and yet he
places himself in that unfortunate dilemma. He relies
upon r,mor which had us origin IN New orleans mar
Mr. Shde Mackenzie had been sent by the President To
Havana, TO consult with Santa Anna and negotiate for
his return to Mexico This is the himsy authority upon
which he MIR. Il has based his wholesale charges
against the President He sets forth atested facts
he gives single proof, probable in character but
rests his allegations upon mere dle ramor that every
freeman should TO attach to the character OF their
Chief Magistrate My colleague has given this rumor
place in his speech before this House Am TO under
stand that he endorses it is he unwilling endorse
rumor which by his position on this floor he has sought
widely TO circulate! To what desperate shifts are
gentlemen driven, who denounce the President for his
be condemned. what miserable preexts to bolster up
plea will next be resored to Is thus that he mir I
expects to sustain his charges against Mr. Polk Why,
sir. the American people will scorn such proof
was surprised to hear this attack upon the President
at that time was in full expectation, when he (Mr.
obtained the floor that he would reply to the speech
of the gentleman who had preceded him. Mr. Tuck, of
N. II ,lduring that day. in regular abolition speech
prepared TO hear from my colleague able defence
of the south upon the slavery queston-that question
upon which he TO render the State from which he
halls such efficient service But, to my great surprise,
he Mr passes that great the speech
Executive for exercising as believe, a constitutional
power called for by every consideration of public policy
| and seeks his condemnation upon mere rumor. If he
ferred-of having sent back Santa Anna TO head the
Mexican army and murder our citizens, of having
overhrown the government OF Herrera-then 1t IS his
duty proceed against the President by impeachment 1t
his highest and last duone that he owes to the country
and his conttuens and to refuse to impeach him, is to
deny the charges preerred at least it is to admit
want of moral courage obey the dictates of duty and of
obligation leave him to either horn of this dilemma:
How strange the CHARGE that the President, by plotting
for the return OF Santa Anna effected the downfall OF
Herreras government when the government of Herrera
had been ovehrown by Paroles six months before the
order for the return of Santa Anna was authorized by
Mr.. Polk And yet this charge is in keeping with my
colleagues whole attack upon the President Rumor
supplies the place of history when the Presidents acts
are to be canyassed ne F asks ss M back Pols has
Anna and forty Mexican generals to command her armes
answer that he has not He had nothing TO do with the
return of Santa Anna, further than TO order
nande in the Gulf of Mexico not to obstct his return,
but permit him to pass should he attempt to do So The
that induced the President this order
before the country 1t thought to be the proper policy
at the time, not only by the President but believe, by
so far expressed that his would produce discoi
and division in Mexico and that the struggle to ensue
between Santa Anna and Paroles for power would
favor the restoration of peace by the overthrow
of the existing war-govemment. Peace with Mex.
leo was the Presidents object in adopting this poll.
cy, again repeat, he has given the enemy ''aid
and comfort" With what grace does this charge come
from gentlemen on the other side of the House !-gene
men who but few days SINCE adopted resolution de-
and unconstitutonally commenced by the Presiden'
Could there have been any act by any department of
this government well calculated to arouse excite,
emboldeu, inspr and fully unite Mexico against in
the prosecution of this war, the passage of that
luton by branch OF Congress supposed represent the
popular will What portion of this House sustained the
resoluon' Was it the friends of the PRESIDENT Not so,
sir; but his enemies. Who gave aid and comfort" by
that act? If Mexican papers TO be believed, what
party has, for the last eighteen months induced the Mex
leans to believe that majority OF the people of the United
States opposed 10 the war and believe il UNJUST Whose
speeches read and filed away in Mexico, worthy of
all preservation Not the speeches of Mr. Folks friends
but those OF Webster and Corwin, two of the dstln-
gushed leaders of the wing party. Ii is stated by Off
GERS in this city, that when the capital of Mexico
captured, the speeches of Mr. Webster and Mr. Cor
win found filed away among the national archives
do not make this charge against the wing party gene
rally; Tor large portion sustain the war, approve the
action of the Executive, and denounce, like good par
OTIS, the policy of of their leaders II is that
there wings who have fought this valiantly
democrats These men knew party when the peace
and honor of their country were rampled upon by the
foe. But the vote OF this House, to which have already
alluded, the speeches OF many of their leaders, the edto
rails Of their principal wspaers, have, in the language
of the Presidents annual message, given the enemy aid
and comfort, by inducing them to believe that majority
of the people of the United STATES opposed to the
war, as unjust and unconstitutional
Thus has the been proraced by the policy Of the
wing party The lives lost, the blood spilled, and
the expended in the unnecessary continuance OF
this war; are chageabc their account and the
impartial public. But he mir. T. informs the House
with him Che beeves) forty of the most distinguished
Mexican generals This disclosure will doubtless be
considered item in the history of the war; for,
among all the charges yet made against the President
never before heard of This From whence does he de-
| rive his information? Is from reliable ?l