The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-01-22

goes the ming Is done. There Is no analog
between this and our territorial governments
Our territories are only Offset Of our Owl
; people, or foreigners from The same region
! from which we came. They ara small in mum
Der. They are incapable Of forming a govern
mehf. IL would be ineonvenient for them Z,
! sustain government, il it were formed; AM
they are very much obliged to the United State,
for undertaking the trouble, knowing that OF
} the attainment Of their majority--whsn the,
come to manhood-at twenty 0ne-they vii
be introduced to an equality with all the othe
members OF the Unisn. Ii Is entirely different
with Mexico. You have no need Of armies Il
keep your territories IN snbjeetion. But wheu
you incorporate Mexico, you must have power.
ful armies TO keep them in subsection. You
may call u annexation, but il is a forced an.
nexahon, which Is a contradiction in terms
according TO my conception. You will be in.
yoived, IN one word, in all the evils which
attribute to holding Mexico as province. In
fact, Il will be but a provincial government
under the name Of territorial government.
how long will that l2sti How long will il be
before Mexico will be capable Of incorporation
into our union1 Why, il We Judge from the
examples before Us, il will be yery lone time.
ireland has been held in subsection BY England
Tor seven or eight hundred years, and yet still
remains hostile, although her people are of kin
dred race with the conquerors. A few French
N Canadians on this continent yet maintain the
VI Vptude OF hostile people; and never will the
Tine come, in my opinion, Mr.. President, that
these MeIcans will be heartily reconciled TO
your authority. They have CastiIian blood in
their veins-ihe old Gothic, quite equal to the
ADglo-ssxon in many respeets-in some re-
spects superior, OF all nations Of the earth,
they are tbs most Pertinscious-have the high
est sense Of nationality--hold out longest, and
often even with the least prospect Of effsctipg
their object. On this subject also have con-
veFsed with officers Of the army, and they all
entertain the same opinion; that these people
are now hostile, and will continue SO.
But, Mr.. President, suppose al these difficult
ties removed. Suppose these people attached
10 our Union, and DESTROYS of inc operating with
Us. ought we to bring them int Are they fit to
be connected with ssl Are they fit for self
government and for governing yOul Are you,
any Of you, willing that your States should be
governed BY these twenty odd Mexican States,
with a population Of about only one million Of
your blood, and two or three millions Of mixed
blood, better informed. all the rest pure Indians
mixed blood equally ignorant and unfit for lib
erty, impure races, not as good as the Chsro-
KEGS or Choetawsl
We make great mistake, sir, when We sup
pose that all people are capable Of self govern
ment We are anxOas TO force free govern
ment on all; and 4 see that il has been urged
in 4 very respectable quarter, that il is the mis-
sion Of this country TO spread civil and religious
liberty over all the world, and especially over
this continent Ii Is great mistake. None
but people advanced to n very high state of
moral and intellectual improvement Mt are capable,
IN civilized state, Of maintaining free govern
men;; and amor gst those who are so purified,
very few, indeed, have had..the good fortune Of
forming a Constitution capable Of endu rance
Its remarkable fact IN the history Of man.
that scarcely ever have free popular institution
been formed by wisdom alone that have en-
dured.
II has been the work Of fortunate circum-
stances or a combination of circumstances
succession Of fortunate incidents Of some kind,
which give to any people free government
1t is very difficult task to make constitution
to last, though it may be supposed by some that
they can be made to order and furnished at the
shortest notice. Sir, this admirable Constitu-
ton OF our own, was the result Of a fortunate
combination of circumstances 1t was superior
TO the wisdom Of the men who made il. II was
the force cfeircumstanees which induced them
10 adopt most Of its wise provisions. Well, sir,
| of the few nations who have the good fortune to
adopt self government, few have had the good
fortune long TO preserve that government: for
| il is harder to preserve than to form il. Few
people, after years Of prosperity, remember the
tenure by which their liberty is held; and Ifear,
Senators, that is our own condition. fear that
we shall continue to involve ourselves until our
own system becomes ruin. Sir, there is no
solcitude for liberty. Who talks of liberty
when any great question comes uPi Here is a
question Of the FIRST magnitude as to the conduct
Of this war; do you hear any body talk about
its effect upon our iber rites ard our free Institu-
donsl No sir. That was not the case former
| iy. In the early stages Of our governme Mt the
| great anxiety was how to preserve liberty
| The great anxiety now, is for the attainment Of
mere military glory. In the one We are forget
ting the other. The maxim Of former times
was, that power is always stealing from the
| many 10 the few; the price Of liberty was per-
petual vigilance. They were constantly look
ing out and watching for danger. Then, when
any great question came up, the first inquiry
was, how il could affect our free Institutions
how it could affect our liberty. Not so now
Is it because there has been any decay Of the
spirit ofIiberty among the peopiel Not at all
| believe the love Of liberty was never more ar
dent, but they have forgotten the tenure of lib
erty by which alone il is preserved.
We think We may now indulge in every thing will
impunify, a. held our charter Of liberty by sigh
d,vine--from heaven itself Under these impressioaa
we plunge into war. contract heavy debts, we in
crease the patronage Of the Executive. and tall
people. There is species OF extravagance which
people imagine viii endancer their liberty In sny De
gree. Bus Is great and fatal mistake The day
relrbution will come. u viii come certainly an
now addressing the Senate and when does cone.
m VIII be- the reckoning heavy the responsibility some
/, wherel
prove Of the policy recommended by the Executive
|, with my present views support g. The question
Is now, what shall be donef II Is great and eeul
question: ana II 4 daily becoming and difh
cult What u 10 be donef Sir. that question ought no
to be for I, who have used every efoS
In my power 10 prevent this war. and aer lts con
mnish the evil 10 the smallest possible But
win not shrink from any respons aility whether pro
support the course recommended BY the Executive
VIII proceed TO state that which would propose a,
hest to be pursued Well then, viii that th<re
not the smallest chance Of dentsngling ourssive
from this Mexican concern which threatens mus
there has not been In my opinion the smallest chance
from the commencement efthe until this time but b
taking defensive line. doing that which the Pres
dent recommends should be done finally after the eos
quest and taking Indemnity into hands. To a
consent Of MEXICO Sir " time bad been allowed 10 10
Senate when the message Of the President recommend
% ing war before them. " time had been allowed
the Senate. would have announced the course Of pof.
which thought right. but time was not permitted III
opinion was that we should have simply voted Tayla
: the means Of defending himself That ought to has
been done There then should have been solemn repo
from the proper committee. going into all the eircuI
stances showing that the republic OF Mexico had not
Z recognized these needing provisions
army te directed proper point, giving time 20 u
Mexican Congress and Mexcan people 70 have eoasdss
ed whether they would disavow the attAci
e upon u.s. and II satisfaction obtained. not
make In this set form hat sieze upon the poror
of the country contiguous and most Convenient 10
and then have assumed the defensive line These
: my views hat unfortunately we were all acting hsa
~ under urgency without time 10 oeheci. We we
pushed on and told, " You do not act to-day nothir
can be done.
WeEl. now, slr WI here tue defensive line sbOsi
be al the present time do not presume 10 offer OPT
\ Al Iina. haf Ms