Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-05-20

not true and that il had no necessary connexion with the
BILL Many Of his Democratic friends the other side Of the
House voted against that amendment and afterwards for
the bill in which il was incorporated, but did not consider
that they voting for the preamble, which they
tended part Of the bill And that was the light in
which he mr. CO. considered it. He did believe that
the inception the beginning Of this the OF Mex
although had been conended by many that had had
for several years ample of against her On the
contrary, he firmly believed that the first act Of war
committed 10y the President Of the United States The
President assumed the power to order the army into
territory that disputed and in the possession OF Mexico
It question which had been pending between this Gov
eminent and the Government of Mexico from the time Texas
admitted into this Union. In the resolutions by which
Texas received into this conedeacy the point
ed to this Government and not TO the President who had
right determine question of boundary which was then the
subject of negotiation, at least open negotiation
After Texas annexed to the United States and
part Of the Union he was willing to regard her sister
State in this conedeacy and TO extend her that protection
which this Government bound to afford to every other
State of this Union and every citizen Of Texas who had
grated hiher and eed the timber Of its forests and titled It's
SOIL and erected the log huis that studded its surface had
equal claim this Government for protection with any other
citizen Of the odes, States. But became an important
question for consideration at what point they find
the unquesoned frontier Of Texas
Mr. Doneson in a communication written by him on this
subject pointed Corpus Christi as place that might with
proprey be occupied by Gen. Taylor and place which
presented convenences for the furnishing of supplies
troops Gen. Taylor did Corpus Christi and there
NAMED for twelve months peace and quiet and not until
the President assumed the power order the advance march
into disputed territory the peace broken. Peace then
existed between the republics and in whom the
vested by the constitution change the relations Of
two countries from peace 10 war Certainly not in the Ex
ecuive department OF this Government The power was vest
cd exclusively in Congress- and the exercise Of such power by
the President assumption Of its rights and powers and
duties The occupation of the disputed territory, while
Mexico in possession Of it. was act OF wars it was
an of committed by the President Of the United
VIII
vested that power in Congress The President had right
to do it and hence the order Of the 9Th January 1916, d
rectng Gen. Taylor to march his troops and take position
the left bank of the Rio Grande, act Of war; and
unnecessary and unconstitutional act by which all the horrors
OF war have been made familiar to the two republics
He it had been urged that the President had
sent TO Mexico messenger OF peace in the person OF Mr.
Slidel but if all the instructions given to Mr. Sdell
made known he felt satisfied that would appear that
the President did not then regard the Rio Gande the west
boundary Of Texas 1t became amportant therefore,
to the Administration that those instructions should be with
held from the people. Give them publicity, and the argu
mens Of theens Of the present Executive would be at
ovehrown and their lips would forever be sealed on this cues
ton 1t was, therefore, the interest of that party not to
municae them. The gentleman from Illinois MR. TuRyER)
had told them that if these instructions communicated
they would give important information to the enemy His
language as follows:
"Iw be apparent that sound policy required, that while
negotiations for peace pending those instructions should
be made public well known that whatever pub
lished this House finds its way Mexico and the
importance the President attaches the purchase of the bay
of San Francisco should be made known Mexico would
induce them TO hold out for the most exorbtaut terms
Now although those instructions had not been commune
Gated this House, they had somehow found their way into
the newspapers and the gentleman from Illinois had shown
intimate acquaintance with their contents Their unofi
ca publication perhaps might attach to them dstru
but had the gentleman from Illinois, in daring
Der Of the Presidents party to make snch disclosures thus
authoritavey exposed himself the charge of afordng
" aid and comfort the enemy" However that might be-
the disclosures had clearly shown that Mr. Sdes mission
much to friendly relations between the two
republics to acquire New Mexico and California II was
apparent that he sent out promote another scheme of
annexation which the President then had in contemplation
But, besides that scheme what Mr. Sdels Instructions
Why, to obtain the Rio Grande the boundary, from It's
mouth its source, including New Mexico for which he
authorized TO offer five millions Of dollars And for the acqu
sition Of California, including Monterey, he authorized
10 offer twenty-five millions OF dollars and the completion
oeher bargain, this Government would undertake 10 settle
with citizens who have claims for spoaions Mexico
Well, it understood that treaty had been ratified
the part Of Government though he would not Undertake
say positively what its terms, they not Off
ciay made known. It's provisions nevertheless were said
10 have crep into the Newspapers and he had not
them contracted he presumed reliance might be placed
them They must not, however, forget that the Pres
dents object, from which he had proclaimed he would
swerve was "ndemny for the past and security for the u
iure This echoed from the President by the Union"
his organ, and had become the burden of the song Of De-
mocracy throughout the land
Indemnity for the past and security for the future 7"
Why, he bad shown, Mr. Sdel instructed to offer
twenty five millions Of dollars for certain acquisitions and
boundary, in the FIRST instance and Government, if
reports true, had agreed TO pay upwards OF twenty mil
lions Of dollars by treaty which would the terri
tory which Mr. Sde instructed purchase for twenty
five millions What, then, became Of Indemnity for the
past and security for the future Was nothing meant by
that assertion Of determination the part Of the President
it merely used to hoodwink the people How could
the President escape from the charge Of nsDceny What
said the President in his last annual message this subject
for he desired give the President the benefit of his
statement On page he says:
"The doctrine Of territory is the doctrine Of ndem
nifty and IL sanctioned, would be public acknowledgment
that country wrong and that the declared by
Congress with extraordinary unanmy unjust and should
be abandoned admission unfounded in fact and degrading
10 the national character"
And again, on page IA, he says:
I'm my annual message Congress, in December last,
declared that the has been waged with view
quest but having been commenced by Mexico has been
carried into the enemy country and win be vigorously pro-
secuted there, with view obtain honorable peace and
thereby ample indemnity for the OF the
well 10 mncnued citizens who hold large peeu
mary demands against Mexico Such in my Judgment
tnues to be true policy indeed, the only policy which
will probably secure permanent peace"
And, on page Ia, be again says:
eve demand honorable peace, and that peace must
bring with indemnity for the past and security for the future"
Such the professions Of the President "ndemnity
for the past and security for The ftuyo his Determination
and treaty that did contain these provisions he told
them emphacally, would his sanction and approval
and yet he bad adopted treaty made by unauthorized