The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-06
CONGRESSIONAL.
Speech OF Mr.. Calhoun,


In the Senate Of the United States, January 1885, upon
has resolutions.
Resolved, That conquer Mexico and hold it, either
a. province or TO incorporate II in the Union, woud be
been prosecuted; departure from the settled policy Of the
government; In conflict with It's character and genius
ana IN the end, subverve OF free and popular usu
tons
Resolved That line of policy in the further prosecu.
on OF The war should be adopted which may lead
sequences so disastrous.
Mr.. CALHOUN said In Offering senators, these reso-
uuons for your consideration have been governed by
the reason which induced oppose the war and by
the same considerations have been ever since guided
In aluding to my opposition to the war, do not intend
to notice the reasons which governed on that occa
further than is necessary to explain my motives upon
the present. opposed the then-not only because
considered il unnecessary and that if might have been
easily avoldednOt only because thought the President
had authority to order portion of the territory in
dispute and in possession OF the Mexcans be occupied
by our troops-not only because believed the allega
tons upon which it sanctioned by Congress were
unfOunded truth, but from high considerations of rea
and policy, because believed it would lead to great
and serious evils to the country and greatly endanger its
free institutions
But, after the declared and had received the
sanction OF the government, acquesced in what could
not prevent and which 1t was impossible for me to ar
rest, and then felt to be my duty to limit my
to give that direction to the conduct of the would
as far possible, prevent the evil and danger with
which, in my opinion, it threatened the country and its
institutions For this purpose, at the last session Il sug
gesed TO the Senate defensive ne and for that pur-
pose, now offer these resolutions, This and this only,
PERSONAL s nor party My Object
TO sustain the Executive, 10 strengthen the oppos
tion but simply to discharge an important duty to the
country But shall express my opinion upon all points
with bodness and independence such as becomes sen
aor who has nothing to ask, either from the government
or from the people; and whose only aim is to diminish
to the smallest possible amount the evils incident this
war. But, when come to notice those points in which
differ from the President, shall do it with all the de-
corum which is due to the Chief Magistrate of the
Union.
When suggested defensive lne at the last session.
this country had in its possession through the of
its arms ample territory and stood condition to force
indemnify Before them the successes of had
gained all the contiguous portions OF Mexico, and our
army has since held all that it is desirable to hold
that portion whose population is sparse, and that
count the desirable to be held For ! hold it. in
reference to this fundamental principle that when
we receive territorial indemnify it shall be unoccuped
territory.
In offering defensive line, did il because believed
that, in the first place. it the only certain mode of
terminating the successfully. did it, also, because
believed that would be vast saving of the sacrifice
of human life; but above all did because that
any other line OF policy would expose to tremendous
evil, which these resolutions intended to guard
against The President took different view. He
commended vigorous prosecution OF the war-nOt for
conquest that was disavowed-but for the purpose OF
conquering peace; that is, to compel Mexico to sign
treaty making sufficient cession OF territory TO ndemn
fly this government both for the claims of citizens and
for the expenses OF the war; Sir opposed this policy
opposed it, among other reasons because believed that if
the war should so successful there was great haz
ard at least that the object intended to be effected by
would not be accomplished Congress thought different
ample PROVISIONS IN men and money were granted or
carrying on the war. The campaign has terminated 1t
has been successful the Executive of the country
could possibly have calculated Victory after victory has
followed in succession, without single reverse. Santa
Anna was repealed and defeated with all his forces;
Vera Cruz and the castle carried Jaapa, Perote,
and Puebla ell and, after two great trinmphs of our
army the gates Of Mexico opened to us Well sir what
avowed object Of the war been attained? Have
quered peace Have we obtained treaty. Have we
contemplated has been effected and what is worse, our
difficulties greater than they then; and the
objects, forsooh, more difficult to reach than they
before the campaign commenced
Now, senators have asked what has caused this COM
pete discontinue of the views of the Executive, for
which men and money were granted' 1t is not to be
gallantry capable of cfecting 1t must be charged
somewhere and where is it to be charged, but upon the
fact that the plan of the campaign was erroneous that
the object pursued was mistake? We aimed at indem-
nifty in a wrong way If we had aimed directly to it.
we had the means to accomplish IT directly; they
our hands But sir, we aimed at indemnify through
treaty. We could not reach it by treaty with MeXco
and Mexico by refusing to treat simply could defeat the
whole object which we had in view. We put out of our
own power, and in her hands, to say when the war
should terminate.
We have for all our vast expenditure of money--lor
all the loss of blood and have nothing, but the
military glory which the campaign has furnished.
We cannot presume estimate the expenses OF the
paign less than 100000 of dollars Q cannot com
pua the with any degree of precision, but believe
may say about that y and between the sword and
disease, many thousands of vesprobably five, six,
thousand-have been sacrificed and all this for
thing at all
But it is said that the occupancy of defensive line
would have been expensive the campaign itself
The President has assigned many for that opn
ion and the Secretary of War has done the have
examined these with This not the proper
occason-to discuss them but must say, with all posi-
BILE Difference, they to my mind utterly falacous.
will put the question in general point of view, and sat
isfy the minds OF senators that such is the
The line proposed by myself, extending from the Pa
cifc to the Paso del Nore, would have been
cred by the gulf of California and wilderness, peoped by
hostile tribes of Indians; and for its defence nothing
would have been needed beyond few vessels-of- war
stationed in the Gulf, and single regiment. From the
Paso del Noe to its mouth, readily estimate the
amount of force necessary for its defence 1t from
tier between Texas and Mexico when Texas had not
more than 100000 OF population, without any standing
army whatever, and very few troops. Yet for seven
when Mexico was far consolidated than she now,
when her revolutions were not frequent her
in money were much greater and Texas her only oppo-
nent Can any believe that Mexico, exhausted as
she is-prostrated she has been--defeated-
any believe that it will cost much to defend that
frontier as the last campaign has costs No, sir will
hazard nothing asserting that the very interest of the
money spent In the last campaign would have secured
that line for indefinite period, and that the who
have lost their lives would have been than sufficient
to defend it.
So much for the past. We NOW come to the commence
ment OF another campaigns and the question Ia, what
shall be donel The same measures proposed Ii is
still ga vigorous prosecution Of the war; The
are idencaly the same. 1t is not for conquestha is
now emphatically dsowned it in the first IN
stance The object is not to blot Mexico out of the list
thup hattie in