Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-02-05

ing relation the Oregon question, which the Senator
from South Carolina thought might he Iourousy aneced py
interference with this OF our army 10 lexas
Thus them il appeared that these gentlemen VINO called
themselves the peculiar friends Of the constitution, calmly
looked ON, although known that the order was gwen
known and published in the newspapesknown 70 members
this House, and there not single step taken IN eia
ton to it.
Mr.. CoLLAMER said that Mr. Garrett Davis offered re-
solution of inquiry in this House
Mr. MORSE said further that that ia'ai oaer was py
no cause of war The OF the war existed
long anterior to the issuing OF that order ana me afch
the Rio Grandc the cause OF the war thah the
march on Concord or lexington IL he w.re s9npellea 70
look beyond the stupidity and mbeciy OF the Mexican Co
venmen, which, through long course m years. had reus
ed acknowledge the fixed fact that certain portion OF ter
rtory part Of the United States, tor cause Of war; ne
might find KEY il in hints and ntlmaons which were
given this body when the subject Of annexing Texas was
discussed There might be found causes ior the war; Tor
there asserted that annexation would involve usin war
and that it ought involve in war, for Mexico would
thereby he degraded Much said that calculated to
Mexico for annexation denounced as affecting her
national honor, and thus she urged into war; which,
however she would have attempted 10 prosecute but io
the prospect of being engaged respecting Oregon
There gentlemen perhaps this floor who agreed with
the gentleman from Indiana, r TnoaPsos who address
ed the House the other day. believing that was the deli
berae design Of this plunge this country into
by that g fatal Order But did those gentlemen con-
zeal from themselves the fact that long before Gen. Taylor
reached the Little Colorado Mexico had sent forces there
hundreds of miles from her capital Were those gentlemen
Mexico support army there and that had been
placed at her disposal for that purpose Did gentlemen con-
cea the fact that actually declared long before we
thought proper to recognise II having been declared by the
Mexican Government But that not all He agreed
gentlemen who had addressed the House this subject
that the President could not make The President could
commit of hostility. He might order fIgae to bonn
bard of peaceabe neighbour but that did make
How then did gentlemen reconcile their present de-
nunciaions with their during the last Congress
Mr.. TOOMBS said he did denounce the preamble in the
face Of the rocous majority the other side Of the House.
as the gentleman from Louisiana very well knew.
Mr.. MORSE required to be shown than denunca-
ton he desired to be shown resolution satisfy him
that they attempted awaken the attention of the country
it, they bad deemed it pregnant with evil Perhaps the
President of the United States might have sad with
propriety-
ssHadst thou but shook thy head made pause
When spake darkly what purposed,
Or turned eye OF doubt upon my face
AS bid me tell my tale in express words
Deep shame had struck me dumb, made me break oil,
And those thy fears might have wrought fears in
But thou didst understand me by my signs,
And didst in signs again parey with sin;
YEA without stop, didst thou let thy heart consent"
The gentlemen opposite would not find sufficient
in alleging that their only sin sin Of omission The
President Of the United States their agenhe the
Executive power of this Government to execute the
laws and constitution Of this country and they supposed at
the moment that he had gone beyond the letter OF the law
why did they subsequently, confirm his acts He need not tell
gentlemen, for they had many lawyers in their ranks that
approval of the act Of their agent made it their with all
its responsibilities Gentlemen told the House and the coun-
Try that they voted under proesihey assumed that they
voted against the preamble which states that the was
brought by the of Mexico but they did vote for with
that preamble That incontroverble fact and to use
the language Of old distinguished leader of their party,
before he would have voted deliberate and damnabe e the
bones of Gen Taylor and his army might have been left to
whiten the plains Of Mexico Bu did they deny that they
had the majority in this House Would they then be
deferred from voting supplies They could not succeed in
making the country believe their sincerity by the utterance
1 Of M nd m
tive of the Union and the minority in this House. They
could only satisfy the country of their sincerity by efforts to
stop this "unhoy aEd damnabe He had often heard
gentlemen make speeches side and vote on the other
but he had known first and talk after. The
gentlemen opposite that they intended to vote the sup
plies Why then would they endeavor to lessen the force o
this Government by nssaiing important part OF tits
Chief Magistrate He would repeat the accusation tina
they giving aid and comfort the enemy" II per
mited to question his motives and he questioned
But could il be denied that they permitted this
by opposing il They had the power and yet they dar
ed stop this II vain tell him, "you have
majority the other House. They could stop the
days if they sincere, and with their power and
pressed opinions he would do It, Their Committee OF Ways
and Means could report bill making certain appropriation
and moe which they could pass with the declaration thai
the unhoy, unnecessary, and unconstitutional and
Mr. Polk would dare dsobey. Unless they did this
could they expect to believe in their sincerity
Now, while he did not think that this fatal order, which
bad been often repeated that familiar TO the whole
country really the Of bringing hc war; yet he
IL
made The suggestion of Gen. Taylor He thought the
correspondence which had taken place between the
Of War and Gen. Taylor showed that the Secretary of War
oil occasions deferred 10 the better judgment Of Gen. Tay
o and every order that given given carry out the
views suggested by him. But there another for which
the Chief Magistrate Of this country responsible
which, the contrary made BY Gen. Taylor not only
bis responsibility, but in defiance o the suggestions
the Secretary OF War; Gen. Taylor of the supplies
Mexcans by bockadng the Rio Grande while the President
and the Secretary Of War desired him let the navigation
the river be free Yes, and the first thing the Government
knew Of il from communication written by Genera
Taylor in which he said he had bokaded the Rio Gande
and of their supplies, which would either the Mex
abandon their position and fight him.
He did say that Gen. Taylor desired bring war,
but he gave the ORDER blockade the Rio Gande defiance
Of the will Of the Executive, when he knew would bring
Gen. Taylor positively instructed 10 do nothing
he desired be concatory he simply told take
position on the Rio Grande But when Gen TAYLOR was
ordered take such position, he told plant his bat
,eres with his guns pointed to the windows Of Maamoos
Were there no. other points which Gen. Taylor could have
chosen, rights and prevent the Mexican army
crossing the territory Of the river without selecting
position opposite Matamoros,
He proposed to make few observations in relation TO the
seemed be desidcmtum, honorable peace He would
say TO bis friends opposite let US know the you intend
to pursue II you sincere in the views you have
ed conjuc YOU in the Of humanity stop this war
He desired TO hear how the host OF unredessed wrongs
injuries committed by the Mexcans could be wiped out, In
any event he appealed to the majority relieve them from