Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1848-02-10


find that Mr.. SIideil said himself that Paredes
was a gentleman, and bad received him as
gentleman. Yet they were told BY gentlemen
on this floor, and by the President himself,
and by his whole party, that MIR. Slidell was
rejected by the Mexican Government, and
that the order was issued 10 consequence there
of. Now, there was nothing in the history Of
this transaction TO sustain that assertion-ior
il is mere assertion. On the contrary, he be-
Iieved that this Administration did not desire
that Mr. Slidell should be received for they
had, as ii seemed to him, deliberately resolved
TO plunge the country into war; and hence il
was that this House could not get the Presi-
dent TO give them the instructions TO Mr. Sill
dell. And, if any one was honest enough
ard bold enough TO call upon the President 10
give them information in relation TO the org
in Of this war, he was 'sgiving aid and com
fort to the enemy" Such was the language
used on the other side of the House towards
gentlemen on this, as il that oft-repeated and
stereotyped phrase could now be digniied by
repetition in this hall
They were told, at the beginning OF the
war, that we were fighting with Mexico be-
cause she owes US debts and would not paw
them. He feared, if this were SO, that some
OF the States Of this Union would be exposed
to the danger OF a war. The gentlemen from
Mississippi, and himself and colleagues. per.
haps, might get into scrape, as well as some
on this side OF the mountains, if il were So
And evenlhe gentleman from Maryland might
not escape. According to his argument, if
Great Britain should declare war because
some Of our States did not pay their debts, the
war would be just on her part aud unjust on
ours. But this was all mere preience. The
truth was, the Administration was determined
to bring on the war, and to do il they sent Mr.
SlIdell TO Mexico, with the determination that
he should be rejected. At the same time
Heet was placed in the Gulf, and the army
prepared tor marching 10 the Rio Grande re
they would look at the reasons for the ultimate
rejection Of Mr.. Slidell, i, would be seen that
they were assigned by Paroles to be that the
army was marching into Mexico on the north
while the navy was ready 10 blockade the
Mexican ports on the Gulf. 1t was not to be
expected that Mexico should treat under such
circumstances. Ii was contrary to the Mexi-
can character that they should be forced to ne
gotiate, and the President knew it, And Pa
redes did not improperly judge ii Admins
iration; for. while pretended pacifcator was
sent by our Government TO Mexico, provision
had already been made for moving our army
TO the Mexican frontier and placing our navy
in her ports, which the President must have
known would cause the Spanish spirit TO rebel
In participation" of the rejection of Mr.. Sill
dell, II was said the order was given. Yes, ii
was designed that il should be so; and, in an
ticipation Of the desired result, Gen. TAYLOR
was sent TO the Rio Grande Thus the ball
was opened. Then came that famous act,
with fa.sehood on its face, declaring the war
existed by the act of Mexico, by which the
minority here were placed in the position eth
er to refuse supplies or to swallow that false
preamble" Under the power which the the
rules gave them, the majority forced il down.
But if the fact were as the preamble asserted,
what occasion was there for the preamble at
all No such preamble was adopted l845?
Then they were content with simple declar
alton OF war. without preamble. But when
this act OF Congress was passed, under the
pretence that Gen Taylor required more men,
what did the President do2 Why, instead of
going to the defence OF Gen. Taylor, he organ
lied portion Of the forces placed at his dis
posal, and sent them TO New Mexico and Cal
ifornia. to make conquest of those countries,
in violation of the spirit OF the constitution and
of the letter of the law.
He sent forces there with instructions TO es-
tablish cicil governments, when he had only
power to hold them, even after conquest, BY.
military government The result was the
beautiful state Of things in both New Mexico
and California which now exists. The oath
OF allegiance 10 this Government was directed
TO be administered to the inhabitants OF those
countries; and, in ease of refusal, they were
to be treated as traitors, and hung. Legisla-
tors were 10 be organized, officers both ap-
pointed and elected, and the people directed
10 vote on the question of annexation to the IT,
nlted Statesf And this voting, too, be il borne
IN mind, was to be had under fear of being
charged with treason ifthey refused obedience
TO the laws thus imposed on them by the
sword. they should now ask for admission
INTO this Union under these circumstances, we
should doubtless be told that they were ex.
ceedingy ANXIOUS to be annexed, when the
whole, IN point of fact, was done BY the pow
er OF me sword--that stern arbiter. which has
settled the fate and destiny of millions before.
ms was the same power which Tamerane
overrnn the countries of the Easily which
as history prove, so many other portions of
the globe have been subdued and desola,ed -
II was Inc power OF the purse and the sword
doing that which, under institutions such as
oN'S' ""S NOHhuSu diout ~ Tue peOple-a
power, too, which was exercised in the name
OF Democracy, but which was used as dead
y stab at the vlals Of the nation. So far as
the question OF power was concerned. he
did not care whether Mr.. Slidell was or was
not rejected by the Mexican Government
The President of TIE United States was equal
~ guilty OF violation of the constitution of
the United States when he issued the order of
the 18th January, whether Mr. Slidell was or
was not rejected. Mr.. Buchanan, the Secre-
tary OF State, pointed out, in his letter 10 Mr..
olide'l, the course which the Executive ought
TO have pursued. He said, if Mr. Slidell was
hnally rejected, he should report that fact 10
The President. and il wnuld be his d,dy TO Law
It before Congress. But did he do il? The
Representatives ofthe people were then sitting
IN this hall here was the war making power
oil the Union here, by their Representatives.
were the people of this country. in whose
hands alone were these great issues placed bv
the constitution. Why, then, did not the
President; pursue the course pointed out by
the Secretary ofState, BY the constitution. and
oy Tue past practice OF the Government? Ii
did mol answer his designs to do So II would
not have comported with those secret purpos.
ees 10 which he had already referred. He be-
iieved as sincerely as he believed that we were
all ultimately responsible TO God OF Justice
mat IL the people Of this Union had moi been
cunningly, cautiously, and most studiously
deceived oY the annexation party, they never
would nave consented to annex Texas. 7,
had brought train of caamities along with
il, from the effects of which ,vo mo-, -