Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-04-14
EXTRACTS
FROM TnE SPEECH or
Mr.. Joseph VI. ROOl, Of OHIO,

Mr.. Joseph VI. R0O', of Ohio,
DeGrered in he Rouse IF Representatives. Of
The L. S., Uednesday, HlytA 3, 1913.
OF the treaty he knew nothing. except v hat
was or might be known 10y every other mcm-
Der Of the House. But il seemed TO be no
secret. All the Administration papers were
publishing ii in whole OF ia part. The .NsU
fOrh Herald vas out with the treaty, giving
all its details aud the proceedings upon il in
Executive session of the Scnale-wlpther
correct or not, he did not know. Bat, from
what the Union said, and what was said by
Democratic members here, they might have
a prc,.y good idea of what it was. Wen,
wha! is it! Why, it is just what Mr.. Polk
wishes to have it, Of course, and what his
party will assent 10. | can make nothing Of
it but a piece Of land jobbing, and a poor
speculation al that, Notwithstanding Mr.. Polk
had the arrangement of hath sides of the bar
gain. Fifteen millions Of dollars and the
Mexican claims into the bargain-naking
Some twenty millions Of dollars in all, was
10 be paid to 0tr Mexican Government, be-
sides the three millions of dollars pocket
money given 10 Mr.. rrist. Twenty-rhree
millions of dollars in round numbers, subject
to some deduction on account Of what we
may save By screwing down Mexican claims.
Some Of those claims were certainly objec-
tionable. There was the one for porter; he
objected to that. Laughter. And the
brandy, that was too strong for him. Ire
ncwed laughter.] Then there was the one
of the man who lost so much by not getting
land under his contract with Mexico, which
he thought a little queer. For all these things
there should be deductions made. But when
would this Government pay the bona ffe
Mexican claimsi About the same time il
paid those Of the French speilations. These
Mexican claim-holders have been among the
most noisy of the advocates OF the war, and
now that their claims were done for he wish
ed them joy. [Laughter.l They will have
to ait until We get appropriations for the
improvement Of rivers and harbors. Laugh
teri Something handsome may he saved
on tlrese claims yet; and what were we &c
have for all this money! First and foremos'
we are to have Texas made about three ,iIae.
as large as she was when admitted into lhl
Union. This was the great and almost tn
sole consideration; for, as to the barren noun
tains and arid plains, rlttlesnakes and Ca
manches, which constitute the greater part o
the residue of our new acquisitions, he coulc
not believe the president would give much
for them. If they did not sci high value or
the additions to Texas, they would get 4
small return for their twenty millions of dol
lars. But it might be asked why, if the Pre-
sident could make Just such a treaty as he
desired, he should take this territory, which
was of so little value, and pay so high a price
for iIl The Mexican officers are sharp AZ IA
bargain, and, though they can no longer re-
sist our arms, the President could not make
them treat except on their own terms. They
exacted n great deal Of money for any kind
of a treaty; and in that ihey did well, for they
would have 10 expatriate themselves as soon
as the business was concluded. They knew
Mexico would be too hot for them as soon at
the American army WAS Withdrawn.
Here a message was received from the
President by the hands Of Mr.. Walker, his
private secretary.]
Mr.. RooT resumed. He was saying tina
f the reason why such money had to be paiC
was, that before they had brlbed these MeXi
cans 10 their satisfaction they could not Oh
tain "A treaty at all. We could not get then
, to treat unless we paid them such a price a
, would be a sufficient consideration for aban
, doning their homes and frit nds forever, an
D.. flying from their country. But is there nc
some good land in this large extent ot teri
tOTyl Oh, yes; bat we get none OF 1t. A
the land of any value in the territory to Il
ceded, il it was represented truly to MIR. !
by those who ought TO know, has been graz
ted away years and years ago; and 1t we re-
pect national law or private rights, We shl
d not get the right of soil TO any of ii. Domil
p ion over it we may have, but our land oiflC
will have nothing to do with it. Sir, ! r
peat, it is a mere naked dominion over Il
IL country and the people that occupy THAT "
70 shall get. Why, then, take it at all! WI.
&, because the President knows perfectly we
that, after the expenditure Of blood and lre'
sure that he has put the country to, he mn
h, have something to show for 1t, II he conclude
a peace. And, sir. he must concludes peat
if possible, for he knows that lie cannot ca
or ry on the war on tick much longer, aud III
the country would not submit to be take
of now TO carry it on. But why not lel
or the whole territory Of Mexico' We mig.
as easily get the whole as part. w
~, tell YOU why. lie did not want the Mex
can people. He wanted as few of them
20 he could get, and for this reason, this Pres
~, dent of ours is especially devoted to the i
e. ~terests and tho peculiar Institutions Of a So
,o ton of this country, and he knows he cou
bs not extend slavery over the whole Of Mexi
at once. There was another reason still.
was that, from the moment he took n pa
the ultimate acquisition OF the whole Will
&c inevitable. Yes, take a parl and The fate
~ Mexico is sealed. You will have the WHIT
~ ~ whenever it shall be expedient for the slaN
~ holders {, take il; for we can have a M
o' quarrel at any time we desire it. The p
sident takes only part now, | repeat, lecal
IN, at this time he does not want the MeNlt
on peop,e; for, thouch national resistance is
longer practicable on the part Of Mexico
nc 90 not say that you have reduced the PEG,