The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-02-10
CONGRESSIONAL.



The Senate having resumed the consideration of the
bill TO raise, for limited time, additional military
Mr.. DOUGLAS I hope il will not be inferred. from
intend subectlng the Senate TO the infection of hearing
them read My only object in bringing them here is to
be enabled to respond at once TO inquiries any shall be
made as 10 the authority upon which my statements of
fact may be predlcated. shall state no fact for the ac
curacy OF which have not the most conclusive authority
IN the books before me regret that did not conclude
10 participate IN the discussion at period sufficiently
early TO have enabled me 10 make the requisite prepare
ton II had done so, should have been able to have
compressed what have to say within a much smaller
compass and TO have said it in sasfacto
ry to myself, and more ineligible TO the Senate had
supposed that the only question presented by the bill was
to determine whether the additional force provided for
was necessary for the prosecution of the existing
speedy and honorable termination The war has been in
progress nearly two years Its legal existence reco
missed on the 18th OF May, 1916 and it existed fact prior
to that time, the official reports of the battles of Pao Alto
and Resaca will show. The campaign of 1916 resulted
in series of the most brilliant victories that ever adorned
the of any nation States and territories were over
run and subjected, equal IN extent to half of the Mex
lean conederacy. California, New Mexico Chihuahua
Coahuila New Leon, and Tamaupas, besides many i'm
poant towns and cities IN other States, reduced 10
our possession The official reports of these conquests
are to be found in the published documents of last
The President of the United States in his message
at the beginning OF that session, gave succinct his
tory OF the progress OF our arms in these several Meyi
can provinces, and suggested the poprety OF providing
for the security OF these important conquess by making
an auequdte the OF erecting
fcatons, and defrayng the expenses necessarily incl
debt 10 the maintenance OF possession and authority
over them" In the same message he referred to the
three million appropriation which he had asked for at
the previous session, and renewed the recommendation
lie referred to the appropriations which made
tcpaon OF the Louisiana and Florida treaties, as pre-
cedents IN this case and adds that m was in contem-
platon at the time those appropriations were made to
acquire Louisiana from France, and to purchase the
Florldas from Spain, and that they intended to
be applied a part of the consideration which
err
position OF the progress OF the war, and of the pol
icy OF the government IN reference to it, the President
asked Tor more men and money for the purpose Of
Quoting a campaign into the. very heart of Mexico-o
reducing her capital and of holding possession of the
whole country, until she should accede to such terms of
boundary and H. indemnity as we shou|d deem just and
honorable. The men and money were freely voted, in
GLIDING the three million appropriation, which was in
tended TO be applied in part paymentthe first install
|quire from Mexico in treaty of peace, in addition
to what should be deemed adequate remuneration for
the expenses OF the war, and indemnity to our ,ct
zens shall excite surprise, therefore, when say
that was not prepared TO hear this unqualified de-
nunciaton of the and of the recommendations of
the Masdent for its vigorous from
those senators who voted for all the measures of last
session and the preceding was not prepared to hear
them denounce the as unjust. unnecessary, and
constutonal-much less as war of conquest, of ra-
pine and robbery We have heard these denuncations
within the last few days poured forth from the lips of
senators with solemny that would seem to carry con-
ycon at least to the minds OF those who made them
ing we have heard them from senators who, by their
votes if not their speeches. have sustained every
measure which has passed since hoslltes first com
menced by the act Of Mexico. They now contend, not
only that the unnecessary and unconsttution
all but that the President Of the United States the sole
author Of the iniquty Do gentlemen suppose that they
President of the United States Do they imagine that
they can make the people believe that the Executive is
alone responsible for Al the that may flow
ans under the constitutions compel him to execute! lftbe
war of nquy and injustice you are the transgressors
II be war Of TGbbery you are tn, the robbers If be
is the treason You voted for it under the solemny of
your oaths. You voted the men and the money You
voted to recognise the legal and existence
of the You helped to pass the law and made ii the
sworn duty of the President to it faithfully executed
1t is your much as his and ours and you will not
be permitted to escape your share of its responsibility
while you participate in the credit which you claim from
having given your support do not intend TO cast any
unkind reflections upon any senator, but DO think that
have Just made 1t would seem that great discovery
has recently been madehat the Congress OF the United
States has been acting under an entire mspprehenson
in regard to the nature and character of this We
are now told that the President has changed his ground
and now assigns causes and totally different
and inconsistent with those, which he gave at the
last and preceding sess1ns-tna. me causes hen were
soil . the given for its prosecution are, sin
demnity for the past and security tor the future The
senator from Delaware has made these two extracts from
the Presidents messages the subject of much mirh and
wit He has told that indemnify for the past means
one half OF Mexico, and security for the future the
other half Convinced by this wonderful discovery, that
his efficient support of this has been yielded under
fatal deusion to its character and Objects he feels
constrained that he has recovered his mental vision
to make aonement for the past by withholding supplies
| in future cannot concede that there has been any
change the line Of policy originally announced by the
Executive, and supported by his friends, on this subject
We stand where then stood The causes and the objects
of the war remain unchanged They then, and
now comprised in the two brief extracts which have
been so frequently quoted: 'Amercan blood has been
shed upon American indemnity for the past, and
security for the future" G
In the Presidents message of the 18th of May, 1916,
in pursuance of which the original act recognising the
existence of state of passed. he referred to the
zens throughout long period of years, remaining
dresset solemn treaties pledgn5 her public faith for
this redress having been disreyarled""our commerce
with Mexico having been almost annihilatedOur mer-
chants having been deferred from prosecuting it by the
system of outrage and exortion which the Mexican
thortes have pursued against them, while their appeals
through their own government for indemnity have been
made in VAIN" t
These outrages upon flag and citizens had been
enormous that Gen Jackson, during his presidential
term felt himself constrained 10 call the attention OF
Congress to them in special MESSAGE and to express
his decided opinion that they Were sufficient at thai
time 10 Justify immediate war They continued with
renewed insult and injury under Mr.. Van Buren's ad
mins,raon and he, expressed similar opinions to
Congress upon the subject The appropriate committees
of both houses of Congress, near as now recollect
made reports in which they fully concnred with the FIX
ecutvcs in the opinions they had expressed the
ure and extentofhe outrages and the justice OF the rem
edy suggested Congress allowed their sympathy for thu
weakness and degradation of nominal sister republic