The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-03-02

ing war before 1t is declared by Congress,
because there may be good and sufficient
ground Of war, any more than sheriff is JUS
! tilted in hanging a murderer, however guilty,
before he has been regularly tried and con-
demned by the court and jury. II, therefore,
we had Il catalogue of grievances against
England, which would well justify war, yet
the President cannot therefore be justified in
setting up some pretended claim to land, and
send our army to lay seigc to Quebec, be-
cause that is waglng war without its being de-
clared by Congress0 and yet that war, though
so commenced, should not subject this coun-
try to conquest, and our people be deuied the
right of defence, when England thereupon
invaded u.s. Indeed, a war might be entirely
justifable to another nation, and yet the Pres
dent be subject to impeachment for having
commenced it, without authority. Hence, all
that catalogue Of grievances committed on the
part Of Mexico put forth by the President in
| his message, after he commenced the war, as
excuses and causes for the war, even if they
were founded in truth, as they were not, was
but an attempt to rouse the angry passions Of
this people against Mexico, and divert atten-
ton from his own unauthorized conduct
What paradox they involve. A list Of
causes to justify our declaring war against
I Mexico. when at the same time it is insisted
that the war was never commenced by US,
either for those causes or any other, but begun
By Alerico.
The army having thus been ordered, pro-
ceeded to take possession Of tho east bank of
the Rio Grandc. The Mexican villages and
settlers are alarmed. Their town at Point
Isabel is abandoned and burnt, and the can
non of our army are planted opposite the city
of Matamoras, and within point blank range
of its public square; and this is called peace
able. This t6rciJle possession Mexico pro-
cecded to repel aciM force, and our army be-
comes in extreme peril, and is soon environ
ed with superior force, and its detached
parties resisted, and blood is she'd On the
18th of May, 1916, this perlous condition of
our army is communicated by the President
to Congress, and this was the first official in
formation Congress ever had in regard TO this
proceeding. Ii was not my fortune to be here
on that eycntful day; sickness detained me
from the city, and all l know Of its proceed
ings is what appears on the records. 1t is,
however, quite obvious, that all were DESTROYS
to afford all necessary relief to our gallant lit
tie army in peril. A bill was entertained for
that purpose, but, as the President asserted
that war existed, by the act of Mexico, that
was inserted in its preamble and though eX-
erton was made, and vote given by great
majority of the Wing party, to strike out such
preamble, the great majority Of the Democrat
ic party, then here, resolved to echo this ale
CATION of the President, and it was done.
Then most of the Wing party, rather than
be charged with abandoning the army in per-
il, voted for the bill, against the preamble of
which they had voted and sill protested. |
have little to say of this proceedings but it
seems to me that when the President, who
we'll knew all the circumstances, in his late
message, claimed that war was declared by
so large majority, he was almost disingenu-
Gus.
The full career was now attained. The
army having thus been pressed forward and
supplies demanded and voted for its relief,
when relieved, and the nemy driven over
the Rio Grandc, we do not stop, but the army
is pushed forward over the river, and Malta
moras is taken. Place after place is occupied,
and Monterey is taken by storm and capitu-
ation, when another session of Congress oc
ours. Again supplies Of money and men are
demanded to sustain the army, but all designs
of conquest is expressly disclamed, by the
President They are voted. The army is
now to be pushed forward to the capture OF
Vera Cruz and the city of Mexico, and so to
conquer a peace; and supplies are demanded
for this, and they are voted, the Executive
repeating, constantly, that no designs of con-
queM are entertained. The army proceeds
: with the expeditions successfully, and gallant
ly does its duty, as an american army always
will. Another session of Congress comes, and
no peace is conquered; but the Executive
calls for more supplies How stands the pur-
pose of conquest now? 1t seems to me that
it has now assumed new aspect, and con-
quest is distinctly avowed.
; What understand by conquest is, not the
l mere taking military possession of the cities
or forts Of an enemy in time Of war. That
5 may be done by us as a mere mode of prose
; cutting defenSiee war, by weakening the
f enemy for the existing conflict. Conquest is
!, the taking military, forcible possession of the
enemy's country, to retain 1t permanently tc
c ourselves. NoW, such purpose regard a,
e one uhich cannot safely be entertained By us
G and as utterly Inconsistent wM our prosperity
| and putting in Jeopardy our national charactc,
: and existence.
1t is true, sir, did indeed declare here
: when the Texas annexation was under con
sideration, that, if adopted, we should be en-
III
d been the vice and the ruin of nations. Anc
y when saw n war brought on as it was, ant
forces sent to California to take possession o.
u country which in no way weakened the enc
$, my, for this war, and understood that, in tho
r orders, this was directed to be done, anC
y governments ordered to be formed there, will
!, !, a view to its being ultimately holden; anC
e when heard the President congratulatin!
h Congress on the ca enSion Of oar territories il
Is New Mexico and California, | did indeed
y strongly suspect that conquest was in hand
=. But as we had the repeated asseverations o
$, the President, diSclaiming all purpose Of CON
quest, by the war, | could not show, from
ID official papers, this was SO. But how is
Id now?
NJ NJ When n msn avows what he intends to dc
ns it is of no use to dtSa0oW the consequence
s. which must necessarily result. 1t is Of littl
in l