The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-05-10
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
From Houston's Official Reports
FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1913.

The bill TO enable The President OF the uhiteu otates "
take temporary military Occupation Oh iuea'a"' ""
| 4 as follows;
BIII to enable the President of the United States to
take temporary military occupation OF fucaten'
Be cnaed By The Senate and House Of RprssegfGr,re,
fbe United States Of Anlca IA Congress assemoed, ia'
me President the United States be, and he is hereby an
horned take temporary military occuPat2n OF s,
and 10 employ the army and navy OF the United states
the people OF Yucatan in repelling the incurStons
the Indian savages now overunning ana devastating '
And be ii further enacted That the President be,
and he is hereby authorized and empowered 10 iurhs,
an snch terms aud conditions he may deem proper TO
% white population ei Yacalaa. such sfscss amsnituon,
aannr ard other military means - shSy may need %
aIIe bem TO resist and fep-l the Indian hosnities now
o.d them, and to restore peace ana security 10
nea IND be il further enacted That the President be-
JLe i, hereby authorized and empowered TO accept the
ice of an equal number of volunteer troops 10 supply
the place OF such as may be Wthdwn IRON her present
r required The 10 be ed for service during the
var With Mexico ageeably the Of May thirteenth,
eighteen hundred and ory six, ana Mafch hfu, elohtee
hundred and lory-seven.
Mr. HANNEGAN. When the message Of the Presi-
en was received and before il referred to the COM
lee entertained the hope that action, and prompt and
decided action would be taken, IN pursuance OF the
recommendation of the message, without debate, or at
east without opposition. am satisfied however, from
what has transpred, that we have opposition to anticl
nate and in opening the matter at this time, shall CON
fine myself very few observations, and those mostly
IN reply to the suggestions which fell from the senator
from South Carolina Saturday. Those suggestions
SUGGESTIONS, tndlt
Prise believe The only objections that have been or
can be offered upon the merits of the question; and
without further premise or preface, shall at once
proceed to consider theH in the order IN which tney
present themselves to me. The senator expresses his
surprise that the President should have taken occa
SION of tins kind to recommend 10 Congress the armed
occupation of lucaan, even for temporary period he
pyonounces il to be- in his opinion most nopportune
and points with alarm to the results which 10 follow.
Bit the distinguished senator has failed to point out the
results which he 10 consider so formidable /,
myself after the closest and mosdelberate scrutiny
which have been able to give 10 the SUBJECT nave Dee
unable to discover the alarming dangers which, like
hidden ledge of rocks beneath the smooth surface OF the
sea- the senator's apprehension are covered by the
PLAIN and explicit language OF the message Inc mean
there plainly and clearly stated, and 1t IS also July
given in the documents which accompany It, lucatan
applies TO the United States for assistance to protect her
people against the babarous savases who are pursuing
hm their wives and families, to the ocean, They APP
peal to by every obligation which men hold dear
TO come TO their rescue; or else, IN lew short
months from this period, they must cease to exist
. The President presents the to Congress; and
the committee to whom the subject was REFERRED report
bill as strictly in accordance with the recommendation
which the message contains bill can be drawn. We
propose by the bill TO leave it TO the discretion of the
President to furnish to fucatan munitions OF war, and
all necessary means of defence and protection. We pro-
pose moreover to allow him to abstract from Mexico, or
and dive back the savages who perhaps before this
day. possession OF the capital of Yucatan. We
propose 60 further than this The President does
not ask for the permanent occupation OF fucatan Inc
bill expressly prohibits the thought; It declares by ITS
title that shall be but temporary military occupation
No man has dreamed as yet, SO far as know, Of the
permanent occupation OF the territory of Yucatan There
are motives however, which may lead us to such re-
suit As the senator from South Carolina has remarked
we may be led we know not where. Considerations may
arise which will lead beyond our first Intentions and
render 1t imperative that we should convert this Temporal
~ occupation into something more am thus frank IN
The outset, for desire no disguise. Let It be remem
hered, however, that these are my individual feel
Dgs and opinions, and that speak only for myself.
Sir, there is most formidable power in Europe men
ang American interests in that country and let me add
American institutions too. That power is hastenlng
with horse speed, TO seize upon the entire ishmus
Heretofore by slow degrees according to her usual poll
me Gull coast of the sthmus Now, sir have authen-
TIC Information that this hour, despite the assertion
Of the senator from South Carolina-whese information
and whose opinions always hold in the most profound
respect and despite the statement of the SEN
ao that England has enough to attend to at home, and
Will not attempt TO interfere with the affairs OF Yucatan
nave authentic information that she has nerfered IN
he affairs OF lucatan already England has seized upon
ne territory of the Belize She holds that absolutely
Farther south, the whole Mosquito coast is in her pos
session. and, not openly, by her agents she has ad-
ncea her troops and actually seized upon the southern
portion OF fucatan, under the pretence of taking care
DFish interests there. England ''enough to do TO
AXE care of her own affairs at home" England
never saw the day when :" she had enough TO do
sou'h Carolina were made Saturday, the steamer has
arrived with the intelligence, that while all the other
powers OF Europe are convulsed and distracted with in
Hfhal dlssensons, England has had the ability, without
euS single drop OF blood, to alay the tempest that
was threatening TO disturb her domestic Tranquility and
y augh at the treatenings of her disafeced subjects
England never yet had enough to 10 at home to pre-
M her from extending her power all over the habltable
globe England cheshes the design, at this moment, to
sVue the most practicable route for an artificial means
VI communication between the two oceans, and to effect
wa. OBJECT she IS gradually and rapidly absorbing the
IIue lS'hnus Unless we act, she will accomplish
aM he miserable traffic in dye-woods, which IS the
principal article of commerce there, is what is lead
s England so steadily and regularly to seize, foot
y loot all the territory of which she can obtain
osessloh IN that quarter of the globe! No! 1t is
S,. S'eal ana mighty object which have just indi-
@ IN fucatan, she has another and higher object
e mas IN TACT double purpose. The first relates to
aefseI but the second strikes directly at u.s. Look at
sb oauS out IN almost juxta position with Cuba She
S "aneS hands with Cuba The possession of Yucatan
~ Ehsiasd would soon be followed by the possession
W ouOa | entertain no doubt that if she secure Yucca
Of rW' hye years hence shall see her in possession
uuod doubt 1t no more than do my own exist
M, g doubt 1t no more than doubt that the trees will
pay ,on lne leaves, and that the will renew itself
~, eN! spring II is inevitable. Every indication points
u, The conduct of England tends directly to
=, ave we have, may say authentic information that
a.. us very hour she is taking steps to accomplish
, VIII opect bhve her 1ucatan and Cuba, and what
NJ a,. Mexico will be under her control 1t becomes
e SI0usun! The whole coast of the United States,
oh Cape Sable to the mouth of the Rio Bravo-a coast
ns as locked in it possibly could be by fortified
Vnuons' cuba has been called the key OF the Gulf
atan and Cuba combined, the lock and key. Place
s e y ,he hands OF Eng and and she controls the mouth
o. me Thames We shall not be able to go in or out
Tnout her permission Is il not enough that she holds