The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-05-07
THIRTIETH CONGRESS-.
FIRST SESSION.

THIRTIET1 CONGRESS-.
FIRST SESSION.
Senate.
WARRINGTON, MAY f. lS4S
The Senate had not long been in session, this morn
ing when the subject came up OF the expcdiency OF
extending saving hand to the
DISTRESS OF YUcATAN.
Mr.. HANNEGAN, from the Committee on Foreign Re-
lations to which referred yesterday, the Presi
dents message and accompanying correspondence in
regard to the crying distress Of the white of Yu
catan, and their danger Of determination by the
Indians, who now slaughterng the comparatively
defenccless whites the breadth of the country
after earnest consideration of the subject asked
leave to introduce BILL which, from the pressing
ccsstes Of the he moved be made the special
der Of the day for tomorrow The bill is follows
An act to enable the President of the United States
Sec / Re- II enacted. &c. That The President Of the
United States be and he is hereby authorised to take
temporary military occupation of Yucatan, and to en-
ploy the and navy Of the United States to assist
the people Of Yucatan in repcng the incursiOns of
the Indian savages, now overrunning and devastating
Sec Aud be it further enacted That the President
be- and he Is hereby authorised and empowered to fur
nish, such terms and conditions he may deem
to the white population of Yucatan such arms
ammunition, ordnance and other military means, as
they need to enable them to resist and repel the
Indian hostties now waged against them, and to re-
store peace and security to the country.
Sec g. And be it further enacted That the President
be- and he IL hereby authorised and empowered to
cept the services Of equal number of volunteer
troops to supply the place of such be withdrawn
their services shall be required the Same to be raised
for service during the with Mexico agreeably to
the provisions of the Of May 18TH 1916 and March
Sd, is47.
DELAYS ARE DANGEROUS
Mr. BADGER suggested that the bill be postponed till
Monday.
MIR CALHOUN concurred in this suggestion.
Mr. HASyEsAS did not know what reason could be
given for the mt asked while the distress
the Yucatanesc cried aloud for help An hours de-
lay was Of great consequence to these suffering people
day involved the question of their determination
FROM ha 70 If thA avth
Mr.. CALHOUN thought ought not to act too hastily
in this matter. Mr. Sierra, the Mexican Commission
9TH of March last setting forth the dsresscs Of these
people After all the delay Of the Executive Depart
the bill for two three days until the facts in the
could be ascertained
Mr. HAsxroAS referred to the Presidents message
to letters from naval officers in the Gulf confirm
ing the caamties of Yucatan. The Gulf coast was
darkened by men, women, and children, flying before
the Indians and pcrishing from hunger. and naked
and exposed to the elements. They have neither
subsistence nor the means of escape; and they
known method Of warfare Is an an indiserimnate
slaughter, without regard to age He urged
prompt action upon the bill.
should be speedily done. We could not have better
opportunity for the exercise of Christian humanity.
This Is the time to act there il need Of delay
in the Senate has doubtless made up his mind for
against the bill. Let us act promptly Let
THESE suffering people, II we can A war OF extermna-
ton Is going on and the white race. are inform
ed, are monentarily expecting attack upon their
capital, whittier the frightened women and children
have fed for protection
Mr. HALE inquired for certain nformation but
not distinctly heard.
MIR. FooTE-I extremely surprised that there
should be any attempt to procrastnate this
Mr. CALHOUN did not wish to procrastnate the action
of the Senate He only asked the delay Of the consde
ration Of the bill till the facts upon the subject could
be examined
MIR. rooTE CALLS Mr. CALHOUN THE
Mr.. FooTE understood what he about. There
two parties in this Senate this bill-onc for
speedy action and for delay. do not belong to tho
latter class regret that there should be single doubt
upon matter like this which directly strikes at the ho
of the nation surprised that this delay should
be asked by the Senator from South Carolina Last
saturday the receipt of the Presidents message the
Senator from South Carolina arose and declared that
he was ready to act upon and grapple with this mca-
at once. But now he asks for delay. He had ia
ken occasion to denounce this message. and his speech
had had its unfavorable influence Instead however.
of being hasty, tardy in this legisla
ton. There for delay. Mr.. Foote bore
down pretty heavily upon MIR. Calhoun for his express
sons last Saturday against the administration and the
IETIMipATEp.
Mr.. CALHOUN appealed for caution. After the delay
Of the Executive from the 9TH March to the last of April
certainly entitled to two three days post
ponement of action. He was not to be intmidated-
He knew how to do his duty with without company
We had got into rash and preciptate and he
trusted that would not be driven into another. and
perhaps more complicated one We had not as yet the
facts required TO full understanding Of the subject
and therefore it that he desired delay Of action
for at least one day.
NOTHING THE SORT INTENDED
Mr. FooTr surprised to hear the Senator from s.
G. express himself supposng that there any at
tempt TO intmidste. He the last man in the world
whom any person. knowing his fearless and indepen-
dent character would attempt to intmidate. But sir.
] am surprised that the Senator from South Carolina
should complain Of hasty action when he
prompt TO attack the message Of the President
turday last
Mr. CALHouN made passing remark
I'M srEcticA1ioss AGAINST Mr.. CALHOUN.
Mr.. foorE went on and charged that Mr.. Calhoun
had introduced irrelevant matters into his speech OF
Saturday last, having possible connection with the
bill; and one OF those subjects the Mexican
Take the however. with all its horrors all Of its
Expenditures. all its loss OF lives tho President Is not
responsible for it, But there il man Of high cha
racter of vast experience Of talents Of un
suled purity of life, possessed Of unchaste ambi-
ton who called TO the State Department by the
last administration CTylcr's and who, from hi. bold
and fearless agency in accomplishing the annexation
OF Texas was. perhaps, more than any other re-
sponsible this war Mr. Foote approved the
of Mr.. Calhoun in the annexation OF Texas 1t had
be done boldly fearlcssy and in the face Of
and from all quarters IL was predicted that the annexa
ton result in Yet, sir this great measure,
believed TO be essential to the protection OF the South
and TO the safety Of brethren in Texas was con-
summated. War ensued-this Mexican war, which the
senator much denounces and deprcatcs The act OF
annexation righteous act but the war followed
IL The war legacy from the administration, OF
which the senator from South Carolina was the prime
minister Nor was General Taylor the man 10 throw
the responsibility Of the march TO the Rio Grande upon
the administration. He not the man to deny his
acts. The senator from South Carolina the
last man who ought TO shrink from the consequences
of his most noble upon the Texas annexa-
ton lie ought to his share Of the responsible
~, for II was honorable responsibility Mr. Footc
then very scarohngy animadverted upon the cold sup
port which Mr. Calhoun had given 10 this admi-
nistration--his frequent attempts to stab IL in
the fifth rb,-on his never having said any
thing in its support defenceon his ding aloof
from IT, and casting the weight Of his talents and innus