Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-01-11

;, s:,her ps province or TO incorporate Ii IN 'he
j. vonld be inconsistent with The avowed
49, 80 Tor which the war has been prosecuted; a
G,.,-nre from the settled policy OF the govern
-. in conaic, with It's character and genius;
nd in the end, subversve OF our lice ana popu'
i-' p.,o,nrd That no line OF policy in the farther
n,osecu,ion of the war should be adop'ed "h'ch
NAV lead 10 consequences so disastrous
MIR. CALHOUN said: 10 offering, Senator's
these resolutions FOR your consideration nave
been governed BY The reason which 'uuueeu u'e
~ o,Sose inc war; and By the same considefa.
~. ~ 10 20 he on ever since guided In abiding
- nv ooposi,ion 10 the war, do not intend 10 no.
ire Inc reasons which governed me on that oc-
c,s;on further Than is necessary 10 explain ny
r,o,;ves unon the present. | opposed The war
,nsn-,o, op,y because considered il unneces.
s,-v and that il might have been easily aVoiueG
mi only because though, The president hau
M authority 10 order portion OF the 'ett'o'y ~
d;snn,e and in possession of the MeXicans 10 oe
o,cunied by our ;roops-uot only because De-
l;ey.d Inc ALLEGATIONS upon which It was sane
TONED nv Congress were untounted IN rum, ou'
from high considerations oi reason anu Poicy'
hecause believed il would lead 10 great an Sc
rious evils to the country, and greatly enuanse'
its free institutions
cpiv,d the sanction of the government acqui-
esced in wha, could no, prevent, aud which II
WAS imoossj5le for me TO arres,; and then ielt
!, m h. INV du,y To limit my course so as 20 give
,h,i d,,.ciiun 10 he coaduct OF the war as would,
a. tar as possib!e, prevent the evil and danger
with which. ia my opinion, |! threatened Inc
country ard its Institutions. For thus purpose, al
the last session suggested to the Senate de-
! iensive line; and for that purpose, now oner
these resolutions This, and this only, is The
motive which governs me. | am moved by no
PERSONAL 0, party considerations. My OBJECT 10
neither 10 sustain the Executive nor 10 slieaS'h'
en- the opposition; bat simply to discharge an
important duty 10 the country. Sut | shail ex-
press my opinion upon all poin.s win ooldneSs
| AMI Independence such as becomes senator,
w1o has nohing 10 asa, either ifom the govern
msn, or from The people; and whose only aim is
10 diminish 10 The smallest possible amount The
evils incideu, 10 this war. But, whsn come TO
notice those poin,s 10 which | differ from the
President; | shall do it with all the decoram
which is due to The Chief Magistrate OF the Union.
When suggested a defensive line, al the last
session. this country had 10 its possession, through
the means OF is aims, ample territory, and stood
in condition IN force indemnity. Before then,
The succ .sses If our arms had gained al ne con.
suous portions Of Mexico, and our army has
portion whose population is sparse, and on that
accom-! the more desirable 10 be held. For hold
it, in reference 10 this war, fundamental prIn'
ciIl. lha. when we receive territorial indemnity,
ii snail he unoccupied territory.
In Offering defensive line, did i, because
believed thai, in the first place, il was the only
certain mode of Ie mina,ing he war successfully.
| ind H. also, because believed that it would be
ras! saving oil the sacrifice OF human lie; bur,
above all, did so because saw that anv o'heT
line Of policy would expose US 10 tremendous
. evil, which these resolutions were intended to
guard against. The President took different
view. tie recommended vigorous prosecution
Of The war-nol for compassionate was disavowed
but Tor the purpose OF conquerins peace-that
is 10 compel Mexico 10 sign treaty making
sufficient cession of territory TO indemnify this
Government both for the claims Of rs cii,-
zsns ana Tor the expenses OF The war: Sir,
opposed ihis policy. | opposed 1t, among
o.her reasons, because believed that i! the war
should be ever so successful there was great haz'
ard 10 US, at least, that the object Intended to he
effected hy wcald not be accomplished. Con-
gress though: diferently; ample provisions 10
men and money were granted Tor carrying on the
war. The campaign has terminated. II has
been a. successful as the Executive OF The coun-
try could possibly have calculated. Victory after
single reverse Santa Anna was repealed and
defeated with all his forces; Vera Cruz aud the
castle were carried Jalapa, Perote and Puebla
fell; and, after Two srea, riumfhs OF our army
the gales OF Mexico opened 10 US. Well, sir,
what has been accomplished? What has been
done Has the avoaed object Of The war been
auained2 Have we conquered peace} Have
We obtained lrealy2 Have we obtained any
indemnify No, si'; not sincle object conlem-
plated has been effected, and what is worse, our
difficulties are srea'er now than they were lhep;
and The objects tor:oo,h, m1re difficult 10 reach
Than they were before the campaign commenced.
Now, senators have asked what has caused
his complete discontinue Of the views O. the
Executive for which men and money were gram
,-d2 It is moi 10 be charged u our troops; they
have done all That skill ard saliaElry was capa-
bic OF effec,ing I, must be charged somewhere;
and where is it 10 be charged, but upon the fact,
tina, The plan Of the campaign was erroneous,
that the object pursued was mislake2 We aim
ed al indemnify 10 wrong way. Ii We had
aimed directly 10 il, We had the means 10 accom-.
: plish i, directly; thew were in our hands But,
: sir, we aimed al indemnify through treaty.
I We could not reach il BY a treaty with Mexico;
! and Mexico, by refusing to treat SIMPLY, could
defeat The whole objec, which We had ia view
\ We put Gu; OF our own power, and in her hands,
to say when the war should terminate
We have Tor al our vast expenditure OF me-
ney-ior all The loss OF blood, and E1an- We have
nothing, but the military glory which the cam
i paisn has furnished
we cannot presume, estimate the expenses
oil the campaign al less than 100000 of dol.
lars. I canno, compute The sum with any de.
gree OF precision, bu, believe may say abou,
that sum- and bs,ween the sword and disease,
many thousands Of lives probably we, six, or
seven thousand-have been sacrificed; and all
this Tor nothing al all,
But II is SAID that the occupancy OF defensive
line wooii nave been as expensive as the cam
paign ITSELF The President has assigned many
reasons for that opinion, ana Inc Secretary of
War has done the same have examine! these
reasons with care. This is moi The 1ropsr occs.
sion 10 discuss them; but mast saw. with all
possible Difference, they are 10 nay mind utterly |
iaiiacious. will pn, the question in general |
pom oil view, AMI satisfy the minds OF Senators |
that such is the case
The line proposed by myself, extending from |
Inc Pacific Ocean 10 The Passo del Nor;e, would |
nave been covered b. the Gulf OF California and |
wilderness, peopled by hostile tribes Of Indians;
ard Tor is defence nothing would have been |
needed beyond a few vessels oil war stationed in |
P.Ia Gull, and single regiment. From The Pas |
30 de' Not'e 10 us mouth, We Cat readily estimate
The amount oi orce Necessary 10. It's defence. Il
was fronlie. between Texas and Mexico when
Texas had not more than 10000 oi Il popula.
hon, without any standing army whatever, and
| very lew troops. Yet, Tor seven years Texas
maintained that frontier line; and that, TOO when
Mexico was lar more Consolidated than She is
pow-when her revolutions were nc, So t,eon.r,
her resources in money were much erea,sf s,S
Texas her only opponent Can any man bciieyr
that Mexico, exhausted as she now is, pros.ra,ei
as she has b.en-deieated-can any man believe
that it will COS. much To defend that frontier as
the last campaign has cost? No, sir. will ha.
ard nothing in asserting that the very neres; OF
S1he money spent in the last cam aaisn would nave
kseeuted that line TOR an indefinite period, and
that The men who have ST lheiI lives would have
been more than sufficient 10 defend il.
80 much for the pas. We now come 10 the
eommencemeai Of another compaisn; and the
Question 49, what shall be done7 The same o,ea.
sures are PROPOSE. 1t is sill "a yisnrous nrose.
eulion OF The war" The measures are Identical.
ly The same. Ills not for coaou.s,N,ba' !" now
a halo Il,,t