The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-19

ready done understand the senator from Mississippi
has said that II is nothing than experiment; and
after you have made that experiment and Mexico Will
not come TO terms, you can only then take defensive
| line.
Mr. DAVIS, of Mississippi. NV position was, that
holding the interior OF Mexico would conduce To peace
that when deprived of all hope of further resistance,
which could result only from the presence OF powerful
and organized army, she must then give indications
OF disposition TO treat stronger than she has heretofore
given. They have heretoiore-and say II without un
kindness to any extraordinarily looked to divisions al
home as likely to produce recall OF the army; ana
they be cured OF that heresy only by the presence oil
army sufficiently powerful to show the concentraed
will of this nation: That was the policy when
recommended Further than that believe mat would
be proper to take line along the mountain ridge, Whlch
could be easily held and thaf our jurisdiction were ex
tended it, the country behind that line would nne
datey become quie-no line territorial in It's nature
beyond which we could conduct our operations, but
from which we could eectualy make sor'ies and not
srcng us al all from holding other posts IN the interior
of Mexico / will say in this connection, that my re-
marks the other day in relation to the dangers which
might threaten the army were not made IN reference to
General SCOTS column which u.s. believe, 10000 strong
and though rs constantly represented other
wise 1t is not that column which is placed in dan.
ger 1t the column OF General Wool, numbering 5000
men, and holding series OF posts with long line OF com
muncaon and threatened, as have been recently IN
formed, with an army OF l5,000 and the militia num-
benng, as has been stated $4,000. and having lmme
diaely its flank valley which could turn out 10000
men. That little army thought was In danger, and |
think it may yet be in danger Then, again, there is
smaller force New N1eXlCO, still smaller one
California. These the positions which wished to
reinforce; and hence the necessity of adding new reg
ments, instead of strengthening old onesnot of sending
men TO General Scott, but OF strengthening other col
umns, well as to hold new posts and to relieve garr
sons. But will not longer trespass on the time OF the
senator y and nd, beg his pardon for thus interruption
Mr.. BUTLER. understand the senator from Missis-
sippi to say, that after have overrun Mexico if she
will not sign treaty OF peace he then proposes to take
line to have the better place to fight from. After he
has whipped her. then he would take line TO fight from
Now, the
brought about by taking advantageous position, from
which to attack the enemy, and thus carry on the war
The senator's calculations certainly different from
mine If overrun all Mexico, and then obtain
peace is only such peace conquering nation may
if this do not make peace he must then take line not
to hold the territory comprised within it, but one OF
the modes of making more effective sortes upon pros
Mr.. DAVIS. 1t is part of the same plan, and
Mr.. BUTLER. | have said and would say again,
would much rather take territory at ALL than consent
to carry out the magnificent schemes entertained by
gentlemen on this floor Why inuse the ifeess blood of
ruined republic into the healthy veins OF this conede-
communicate life to them Or if you do no more you
can reduce them to provinces and this seems to be the
project of the senator from lndana When you have it
province, how will you govern BY your armies
by prators, consus, what kind of magstracy Who
will be responsible for such an office
remark that in the proposition of the senator from Ind
ana as understood, the word province" was stricken
out.
Mr. HANNEGAN Certainly sir
Mr.. BUTLER. Well, sir, all seem to anticipate that
ultimately should be driven the alternative of either
taking Mexico as province. or of annexing her to this
President say! You must either your army TO
and subjugate Mexico for the purpose of giving
support to one of the factions there which is in favor of
peace; that is to say, the United States must keep
my there until of the factions is strong enough
form such government as to enable them to 60 through
the forms of negotiation have never heard, sir, nor
| rPa N am n vhn itfo1n fnr
egn army 10 give protection to any party into which the
country was divided, that had survived the protection
itself Why, any people that will call upon army for
protection incapable of sefgovernment and unworthy
| Of protection. know that Philip of Macedon, under
pous pretexs, (ambtous princes make great puppies Of
party) contrved to have himself invited to take part
in the sacred for the purpose of giving protection
the weak against the profane and stronger party and
all know the result It was the protection OF the wolf
and one that should be more practically alluded to,
than that made by the prophet Ezekiel to the council
OF lsrael-where proposition was discussed, whether
that harassed people should place themselves under the
protection of Egypt their safest reliance against the
power Of Asyra II you do, you will rest on, not weak,
If we make colony of Mexico and our army be with
drawn, how long will she remain in that condition
Such government could not stand without the perpetual
guarantee OF standing army and to undertake to
tain portion faction, with view that they might
sign league treaty OF peaceit does to me, sir,
that il is one Of those calculations that will aggavae the
evil instead of relieving it. protest against the use of
the army for any such purpose and, far my vote
goes, it shall be given for it, No. sir let us make
treaty OF peace before the current
OF consequences carries too far. do not even hope
that any suggestion of can lead to such a result
believe that these mad schemes, in spite of every
warning voice. are destined to go on and that shall
find ourselves, when they accomplished, in worse
condition than any in which this republic has ever been
placed will but ask, if such be your opinion, why
give the President any troops at all? Or, if It
be your design to enable him to overcome all Mex.
| leo, give him sufficient number to accomplish the
purpose But the boast has been, that this govern
ment has undertaken to accomplish, with twelve ff-
teen thousand troops, what they should have taken fifty
thousand to accomplish. think the expedition to Vera
Cruz to invade Mexico with twelve or fifteen thousand
men inexcusabe liberty which the government
took with human life. II realizing what had been
said before, that in the calculations of American war; hui
man life is the chiefes OF all its elements Yes sir, the
government has gone and made liberal drafts upon the
patriotism and gaantry OF its citizens; and for this
more men. But have other reasons There is portion
of the volunteers in the field that ought to be re-
called and others enlisted their place Some of them
were enlisted to serve for year The government Ia
king advantage of the circumstance of their being already
in Mexico, induced them to the service for the war
And such has been the fate of the South Carolina reg
ment They had offered their services for year Their
PRIDE the regard which they entertained for the honor
of their State and their Obligations the constitution of
the United States, induced them TO volunteer and they
have been drawn on in the expectation that this war
would soon close, to continue in the service am will
ling, for other than to relieve these voun-
teers, to send other troops into the field with view to
procure their recall But the main reason upon which
will give my vote, if vote for this bill at all is on the
ground that want the experiment made soon as pos
he If the