The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-26

any similar communicated from any officer OF the army on
the subject unless he be Of opinion that commun
cation o. the same be Inconsistent with the public interests
! WASHINGTON MONUMENT
The Senate proceeded to consider, as IN committee OIL
the whole, the resolution authorizing the erection
the public grounds IN the city of Washington of
ment 10 George Washington; and amendment being
made was reported to the Senate, read third time
| and passed
| MEXICAN TERRITORY.
The Senate proceeded TO cossiaer the following resou
ton, submitted on the isN instant by Mr.. BALDwIS:
ResoveG That the President of The United States be
anes,sd TO communicate the Senate any information he
may possess in regard the and value OF the public
domain III any) belonging to the republic OF Mexico anu
also In regard 10 the of that republic nLder the nun
damen'a laws thereof to cede to any fosist government
minon over any OF the Smbets oil that coniedeacy or the
people thereof ,.
| Mr. HANNEGAN remarked that before TIE vote OF
the Senate taken the resolution, he should desire
to have some explanation Of II offered by the mover
Mr. BALDWIN will state, Mr. President, in few
words the object which have in view in moving that
resolution The President OF the United States in his
message the opening of the session. has informed Con-
gress that the republic of Mexico has means OF ndem.
nfyng for the claims of citizens, except by
OF her territory, or portion thereof He has also
stated in his message that II must have been the nten
ton of Congress- In their act of the last session. and
ticulariy IN the appropriation Of Three millions with
view TO negotiate with the government of Mexico 10
acquire cession of territory from the republic and
to ar urd probably, the cessoh of territory of create
value than the amount of the claims which iAht be due
to our citizens. Now sir the ch,es. OF the first part of
the resolution is to incnse whether the President pos
sesses any and if to request bin to COM
muhTae IL TO the Senate regard to the extent and
value OF the public domain OF Mexico which is in the
power OF that government to cede to the United States;
whether Mexico has any public domain whatever
whether she has any land, any means. any available
property which may be converted into the means of nav
ing the United States claimants or whether the Presi-
dent IN ms Recommendation to pursue the war for the
acquisition OF dominion over the people, or any part Of
the Mexican republic. And, sir, if the latter be the
oblect-li Mexico has no public doman-if we are not
seeking the acquisition of property SUCH but are seek
ing simply for the acquisition OF dominion sir, the
object of the second part OF the resolution is to inquire Of
the President whether he possesses any information,
and, so, TO request HIM 10 communicate the inoma
non TO the Senate n reference to the power of the Mex
lcan republic TO cede either to the government of the
S nea Sa aa OF 70 any foreign either Of
1aSs OF tnat coniederacy the sovereignty either of
the States OF that confedeacy or any portion OF the
pie thereof. r.
ask THE iniormation sir, TO enable me 70 act ntel
sp, anu 10 enable lhe Senate to act nteligenty not
only upon the recommendation of the Presidents but upon
the resolutions which are pending before The Senate
the resolutions offered by the senator tion Indiana,
IN VIC asserting the right Of the United Sae
become necessary To acquire the dominion ever the re-
Puohc OF Mexico ask it for the purpose of enabling
Ie % act nteligentiy upoa those resolutions. ask il
a1so IN reference 70 the resolutions OF the senator from
New forE, Mr. DICKINSON, asserting that il Is tne true
Pocy OF the government tbe United States To STRENGTH
en- us commercial relatcns, and its political relations ALSO
ny me ahnexa.c OF contiguous territory wherever NAV
De Justly acquired. wish to know, also whether Mex.
leo has the power of cedng to the United Ststes ay
porom OF me sovereignty over any Of NE members Of
that rePubhc-whether we can lawfully and Justly ac-
quire the sovereignty, either by demanding treaty of
cesSe Of ii. any other way for it must be Known to the
members OF the Senate, that when Mexico was an en-
pre- under the government of lturbde he was re-
70 take an oath, on entering upon the adminstra-
uon OF the government, that he never would cede or
aema'e any portion OF its territory We all know that
wnen tho government was overthrown, and con-
federated republic was established in its room by the
union, iof That purpose, of the nineteen States com
posing le republic OF Mexico that union based upon
inc same principles on which government is found.
ed; the constitution Of the United States having been
adopted as the model of that of the Mexican republic
Ana ST. need ask whether any authority could be de-
rved IRON constitution modelled after our own for the
cesson TO foreign government of any portion of the
sovereignty oyer any OF the territories of States compos
ing that repu6c' Does any citizen Of the United States
suppose mat 1t would be competent for this government
TO cede, in payment of the claims of foreign govern.
men against u.s. any one OF the States of this Union
Dd me State Of Maine or the State of Massachusetts,
hold to any such doctrine. when the northeastern boun-
Diary Question was in agitation before the country Did
the government of the United States suppose that they
could for the purpose Of settling that great national con-
troversy ccde ID Great Britain any poron of the State
o. Mano without the assent of that State first obtained
H. them these are the doctrines Of this republic wish 10
know whether, when the President of the United States
recommends to Congress obtain cesson oferriory from
the Mexican republic and pursue this war into he very
viias OF mat republic until thereby such cession is OBJ
FAMED wish to know whether the Mexican republic
has the right TO make this cesson before can decide
nteihgently the question whether this republic can in
honor make the demand of Mexico? | wish first 10
know whether Mexico has the power to comply with
mat demand, consistently with the fundamental principle
upon which that government is based' We ali know
that by the general principles Of the law of nations it is
not competent for government to dsmember itself by
the ceeslon OF the sovereignty any portion of its peo
pie to foreign power and that if it attempts for the pro-
monon OF It's own interests to make such cession is
OPTIONAL by the law OF natons with that member of the
government which 1t Is attempted to cede away to for.
eign JuTlsdlctIon to assent TO such cesson and Weld
obedience, or not as 1t may be able to sustain position
independently or not But sir, who are the parties in
the present case What the principles upon which
our government is based, and upon which the Mexican
own and to what result do the considerations deduct
Die from these institutions lead u.s. other than have sta
ed unless there be the possession OF the President in
formation which he may have it in his power to commu.
ncate to the Senate which would change the result Our
government is based sir all know upon that great
declaraon that the right OF sovereignty is naenaby in
tne people Inc Mexican government was as have re-
markell based upon the same principle and are We who
sent forth this declaration of popular ght-a declaration
war with the then existing Institutions OF the world and
uuery AT variance with the great dogma upon which
they were based of the divine right of king, to govern
and the duty OF the people TO obey-are We ask who
claim to have discovered and promulgated for the first
hme the inaenable right of sovereignty in the people,
now about to ask OF sister republic that she shall trans
Ter 10 announcer government portion of her people, loyal
10 their own government and DESTROYS of remaining under
It's protection! The object of my resolution is to seek
TOR such information the President may possess other
than that which we can derive only from knowledge
OF the Institutions OF these two republics which will ena
bic us to Judge OF the propety of demanding and en-
deavoring by force of to compel that republic to
make cesson OF part of itself, with portion of its