The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-03-30

/ VIC SIIdll DC dU lcoI DcCuuSc IllclI pOWcI Vi re
sistance is extinct. | can come to no other
conclusion
But, sir, the object is now stated in some
quarters to be the conquest of the country
not for the sake of indcmnity-that has be-
come an obsolete idea but it is to be con-
quest for the benefit of Mexico. Yes, sir, we
must conquer the country for the purpose OF
putting that nation to school. We must as
sumo a guardianship over them, and thus put
an end to their dissensions. When VIC have
reformed their habits, and sufficiently indoc-
trinated them at the point Of the bay0net into
our customs, habits and political creed, and
qualified them for selt-govcrnment, By the sal
uta'y influence Of military SuIjugafion, we are
then to declare them of age, and emancipate
them, if we please. Now, this last object,
this new VI discovered purpose for which this
Mexican war is prosecuted, has this one quail
ity to redeem tit is philauthropic. 1t is
not obnoxious to the objections which have
urged against the pursuit of military glory
the wholesale slaughter of human beings for
honor of the deed; for war, however glorious
and dazzling may be some of its appcndages
is little else than mere human butchery JUS
tiGable, it may be, in some cases but if I'M
justifable, it is nothing short Of wholesale
murder.
How long are these Mexican people to be
kept at school? How many generations are to
pass before the habits, views, and character of
this people are to be changed? Will gentle
men tell us how many generations are requir-
ed to eXtingush the Castilian blood which
even at this day exhibits itself in bold relief
in the characteristic obStinacy of this Mexi-
can people? Sir, it will endure for centu-
ries These people as a conquered people
will be a distinct race; and the longer you
keep them in subju9a;on, the longer will be
the necessity for continuing your supervision.
If they have proved incompetent of self gov
eminent, they will not improve under militia
tary supervision; if unworthy of admission
into the American family, you will hardly
elevate them in the scale of human rcspecta-
biity by course of-ahiect servtudc to
people whom they hate They will never be
to your Government, and your
laws and institutions can be sustained among
them only at the point of the bayonct. But,
sir, if this be the object, prefer that this
people, instead of being schooled by us, be
left to the management Of their own affairs !
prefer altogether the doctrine which permits
every man to regulate its own internal affairs,
and which forbids foreign Interference.
Permit me, in this view of the subject, to OK
press my deep regret that the purpose ofcon-
quest-ifit were the original object of the war
had not been openly avowed in the outset.
1t would have appeared better, in my humble
judgment, in the chief Executive officer of
the Government, if before proceeding, as l
may say, by stealth, to the conquest Of Mexi-
CO, he had submitted the question to the
American Congress and the American peo-
pie. Sir, it is not statesman like to make
these protestations to the world, that the
purpose Of the war is not conquest, when, at
the same time, every proceeding on the part
Of the Government, their whole policy, is
leading to that very result. All this, in my
judgment, is utterly inconsistent with that
ingenious AMI straightforward course which
ought ever to characterize the Chief EXecu-
tive Magistrate of this nation. Sir, it is UNI
fortunate, extremely unfortunate, that when
the attention of the American people is at
last called to the subject, and they seek to
Know the object for which the war is prose
cuted they are met by the declaration that,
in all human probability, conquest has be-
come inevitable, that we have proceeded too
far to rctrace our steps. We have gone on
until we have acquired possession Of the
We have placed that people in
in which they have no Government
with which to negotiate. We have placed
them in such a condition that we must take
them under our own protection, and all this
before the sense Of Congress or the American
people is ascertained. Sir, it is not for me to
say that conquest was the original object
Common courtesy foI bids it. Were it other
wise, it would i'll become me, on this floor and
on this occasion, to advance so grave a charge
in the face of the repeated protestations Of
the Executive, however strongly the force Of
circumstances may indicate its truth. But /
do say that, if such was the object, it is little
short Of treason to the American people to
pursue it thus by stealth, until the evil Of
throwing upon our hands an empire, pcoplcd
by race of different origin, different lam
guage, customs, and opinions, both political
and religious to be governed rs a dependent
province, or admitted as homogeneous materi-
al into our political Union becomes inevlta
bic, and thus to place us in position where,
however strongly we may disapprovc this
policy, and deprecate such union, we have
no alternative but acquiesconce.
Sir, the questions growing out of this unfor-
tunato war are too grave to be left to EXecu-
tive discretion--itS results, involving as they
do, the integrity of our Union, and the per-
petuity of our Institutions, should not be en-
trusted to the Judgment, the caprice, the po-
LEY, nor the ambition Of mere Executive
officer. The inroad upon the spirit of the
Constitution in this assumption Of power by
the Executive, in entering, upon his own re-
sponsibility, upon this career of conquest,
would, but few years since have astounded
he American people and the world. The
now given it by the people in
lcates too decisivcly the change which has
aiken place in the spirit of our institutions,
md affords an alarming presaee Of the great
,r changes hereafter. This is very serious
question what effect will this spirit of con-
Iucst have upon the character and dispo-
,ition of the American people and upon the
genius of their institutions? This passion for
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