The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1848-02-24

,uie var; It 10 like the act Of an indvit
). ual striking blow, &c it bs not resented
no contest, no battle, no eight is the result
The blow 10 an act Of aggression i, is a
d act commencing a contest, but i, does nc
u amount TO perfect contest. Wheihe
!, this act on the part Of the President vas q
i act Of war, Of hostility, OF aggression, de
s ponds not at oil upon the question, ~helhe
We had q right to the territory Of ~hlch h
took forcib.e possession. War, between
. nations, prc.supposes contest obovt rights
s The pubicisis, wto speak of contests be
7 tween nations. never suppose them 10 con
tend except about rights. War lei Goa
test about rights. Public war is a conies
between nations obou, rights, carried en- By
force and no: by argument. u. therefore
II were assumed IA clear and unquesliona
bic tina, The title Of Texas and the Uoiiel
States extended TO the RIO Grande, It /.
still beyond all doubt, that Mexico possess.
ing the left back Of thai. stream. having q
setIlemen, there, having officers there. and
exercising jurisdiction ,hese-sny move.
peni TO dlspossess Mexico. TO occupy what
she thus occupied and what she claimed TO
be her own. Is an act OF war. II 10 an oct
oil var, Just aud rigblful II Territory be cure
just and rish,fu If The territory be IN
justly and improperly w.hbeld-JIsi and
rightfu, If. also, the act OF war be directed
by those who represent the sovereignty of
the nation. Well, SIR, this sc, was di.
rected BY the Pfesden! OF the L. Safes.
tie ordered the troops TO the Rio Gfcude.
They advanced. When they cane iulo
the Mexican settlement, tbs inhabitants fed
before them IN dismay; the oliicers ebin
doned the public buildings and set Gre to
them, and under such circumstances, our
forces under the command Of officers Vi The
uaned States, took from Mexico that which
she vas 10 possession Of, and by force kept
possession OF the territory and placed /, 90
der the jurisdiction OF the L. States.
Nov. sir, on this subject had The hon
or OF the last session to brIng TO the a,ien.
ton Of the Senate, tho case Of ,he action
of Mr.. aefson. during his administration
of this government, under circumstances OF
a very similar character, With ihIs d,1sf.
ence, that the title OF the territory with.
held from Us vas truly and clearly ours.
In every ether respect the case was like
this. The territory wac withheld by an.
other power. aud disposition manifested +
by that power 10 deprive Us Of what We
held. Under these circumstances. Mr., JET f
Ierson conceived iba, he had no right 10
use the military forces Of the eouutry to ob. .
tain possessicn Of that which va. withheld /
from Us. But, hs states as reason for re- /,
ierrlug the suhl"c, 10 the determ,ns,,on Of
Congress, that matters relating TO peace
and war belong exclusively TO Congress
and as this movement might ehsngt the re-
lalien Of the tao countries ftom pence %
var, therefore. il belonged to Congre.
determine whether tia movement should De
made CT not.
But, Mr.. President. have other author.
iiy. | certainly shall not say that Il - more
respectable in ITSELF, than the authority Of
Mr.. jefferson. doub, very much whe,h
er with . large portion OF the American
people, and Of the Senate. /, would he
thought quite equal TO Mr.. Jeilerson'-.
But upon Til. question, with respect TO The
President Of the United States, the auIhorl'
" is conclusive and overpower'ng. |. ere.
s.cs uron hin. What lawyers call an taop
p.I. fos | am able to show that the Pie.l-
den, OF the United States has himself re-
cog a zed that such en nc, as this Is an act
Of hostility .-of ogeresNon--oi var. on
the nth OF July, ls45, the Secretary O.
the Navy writes a confidential commun'ca.
lt,ou 10 Com. Conner, an officer in the u.
=. service. then 10 the Gulf of Mexico.
lie says:
! aThe unanimaus vote Of the Texan
Coppres, for annexation leaves no doubt o.
the consImmaton Of tina, measure. when
YOU ascertain, satisfactorily, that the Tex
an convention, which assembled ON The Al
ha, also accedcd 10 annexation, you WI
regard Texas as par, Of your county
be defended like any other part OF 1t.
"a. the same time, every honorable ell
fort is TO be made to preserve peace VIII
! al, nations. The restoration OF our bound
: ary on The southwest, by the consent an
e choice Of the people OF TEXAS, is due
= The strong alNactoh o' fHe P'"eP'e'
. liberty, which eudear America to every on
OF lis sons, and - tribute before To
y world to tho policy OF peace, oi politics.
T. freedom, and Of union on tho principles
freedom. II 10 the Pfesdenrs desire In
Oh this great event should he consummaie
y, without, the tff1son Of blood, aud ~'tho'
e. lhe exercise OF force believing that w
oi institutions, in their own right, will achie'
all that can be desired"
~ read this par. Of the communicate
- sir, for the purpose OF calling distinctly u
" attention Of the Senate 10 the TACT, ~
~ though this paper wac written on The ~
o Of July--some months prior to the sc'u
/" consumption Of the act OF annexation
Nv We, tho instructions TO which propose
ID call the attention Of the Senate, are CAV
i's prospec,i,ely--csu,iously and w'tha '"
oy 10 tho actual completion OF that messu
'e' when, as appears from tho 'ns"ucu'
''n the useives, the Offices TO whom 'hey VI
'oo directed was required to consider 'esa'