Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-03-02


in the Senate of the United States, to be told,
that those who have fallen, in consequence Of
yielding obedience to the dictates of patriotism,
are to have reproach and infgmy cast upon their
grayes2 Am | to be told that those who obey
ed, perhaps reluctantly obeyed the orders OF the
Chief, in cmbarking in this war,
are not entitled to our thanks for maintaining the
honor, the historical reputation OF this country
abroad! Aud yet, such are the sentiments OF
the gentleman from New hampshire solemn
" believe that General Taylor, more perhaps than
any other single individual in this country, IS
entitled to our thanks for saving the lives, not
only of his own troops, but the lives of those
sent on this expedition. Every battle that was
E,loht. if seems to me, resulted almost in a MI
racuIous escape from the overwhelming disaster
which seemed to be impending over our army
If he had failed at Buena Vista, it is almost GER
tain that the troops under command OF General
Scott would have been destroyed by the Next
can hosts which surrounded them;' and am yet
told that those who saved the lives of our troops
who went forth under our national fag-are
by the solemn Judgment OF the Senate, to be
condemned, because, when ordered to pass INTO
the enemys country, with craven indifference to
honor-n traitorous violation of their duty
they did not retire and give up their commlss-
ions! Yes the gentleman would have had those
officers to resign in the face Of the enemy. |
believe his doctrine gees 50 far; and that it
would be consistent with his notions, that the
officers and men should receive pay whilst they
are guarding garrsons, but retire the moment
that the order to encounter the perlls Of war was
issued According to his idea, they are to be
Judges Of the justice and propriety Of the war.
/ do not know, however, that the ideas which the
gentleman has Just now expressed are at all diff
ferent from some which heard the other day,
and to which shall now take the opportunity to
advert.
The very first remark which heard from that
gentleman, in this Senate-housc, was to main
tam, that whilst science, in adventurous expert
ment, was soaring to heaven aud making dis
coveres in the bowels Of the earth, rctuting the
Mosaic cosmogony, he was not allowed topresent
memorials on your table for the suicide Of this
Confedcracy.
Such was the doctrine then maintained by the
gentleman-that he was forbidden to present on
your table, memorials and petitions which, il
they had been acted upon, would have resulted
in the immediate infamous suicide Of this Con.
fede lacy. What did the gentleman then main
tain! Nothing at all different from TINT whicl
he now asserts: that one portion Of this Conled
eracy should have the liberty Of presenting me
MORALS Of that kind, to alter the Constitution
so that one portion Of the Contcderacy should be
deprived of those guarantees under which it en-
tered the Union. | rccollcct one of the remark.
made by the gentleman on that occasion, and
hope he will pardon me for quoting his classic
lanouare. lie said that he had learned in Yam
4 o,,l-. 4, al bu+ I
understand their meaning. | believe he sad
that so far as regards one portion Of the Concd
eracy-at least that was the tendency of his re
marks-it should be put under the ban Of tn
condemnation Of the other and that is was cor
rect in d representative Of the Federal Govern
ment--I mean the Secretary of Statc--to pro
test against the interference of British power
so far as it affected only that portion of tn
Confederacy. Let me ask him, suppose tn
proposition had been made to introduce slave
into New Hampshire, to the exclusion of others
and to settle the Maine boundary with vic,
to do 50, would he or would he not have invoke
the Federal powers to protect that portion Of tn
ConfeGcracy! But, perhaps sir, am now goin
beyond the legitimate limits of the present que:
ton. protest against this attempt to cast cor
mmeIy and rcproach upon the officers and so
dicrs who have obeyed the orders Of this Go,
eminent, and who deserve the lasting approb
ton of the country.
Mr.. HALE The honorable Senator iro
South Carolina says, that have undertaken
cast obloquy upon the officers OF the America
army | certainly have said no such thing
have intended no such thing. | said that tn
officers engaged in this war could never have IN
thanks. could not thank them for anythin
they had done, because it was impossible, in n
mind, to separate the actors in the war from tt
war itself Then, simply with the view of shoy
ing that was not without precedent in n
course, referred to fact in history, drawn
no differences whatever from it. The sever
philippe which the honorable Senator has thong
proper to pronounce upon the precedent whiC
| have cited must be directed against the ho
orcd statesman who stood up in the Parllamo
of Great Britain and maintained the cause
the American coIonies-thc cause Of hum;
liberty and human rights-against the arms
that Power which was then endeayorng to cru
the spirit of freedom, bursting into life, in the
colonies. | have not undertaken to mark o
for a single individual the course he is to pursl
on this floor in refercnceto this subject; nor d
ask any to follow that course which | myst
adopt. But so long as have the honor of o
cupying place here must follow my conyi
tons, let them lead me where they will. .Wht
cannot follow my convictions, will not con
here The honorable Senator has referred to son
remarks which made the other day, upon Il
occasion of presenting memorial in referon
to the subject to which he alluded. think tn
the Senator undertook to characterize that IN
mortal, and the course which adopted on tn
occasion, in terms, which, to say the least, if
had known all the facts, he would not have CT
poyed What was the character Of that mem
riall Did it ask the snate to transcend any
its acknowledged powersl No, 1t was N
mortal drawn up by society of professii
Christians, who cschew the doctrine Of the il
tifable employment Of physical force, and sill
ply asked that the American Government won
use all the powers vested in them by the Co
stitutlon, for the removal of that which tn
deem to be an evil The memoralists could n
be heard Their petition could not be receiy
by an American Senate.
Mn. BUTLER did not exactly allude to Il
part of it, and perhaps, indeed, should a
pardon of the Senate for referring at all to wi
was not altogether germane to the immedij