The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-03-24

r %
sIhe President had Paraaeo Doioie u ~ ~
statement OF these claims -,
And he proceeds, among other things, to ask
bs resistance or neglect pay, on the part OF Mexico
- com parable to that which we have experienced a.
eson c stronger nations and ask, If becomes us &c
IN, one rule Of OF justice In REGARD 70 m
tion and another rule oil Hsu'S III 'ss"N
naughty peopef M -. L,, o,a rvla
answer no; emphatlcally We have put one rue
Of right or Justice for all nations ana lhdl ls laa
inl6l those duties towards us winch we pave n u"
ash and which we, in our turn, must rehuer h.o ulis
s our rule as well with England or France ana Mexico'
"a with San Marine or Monaco, or The great empire
which embraces large portion oil Europe anu slte'cneS
through Asia to the Frozen Ocean anu tbe e gbs with the
smedv The one is Independent OF circumstances, ana
the other depends upon ourselves why; ms own Nus
ration clearly exhibits this difference ne says we haa
ranses enough of war against France and England and
Ss eenoac6 is that these not followed by
.gainst the former power "a great and mighty people
H. saws "and yet talk of violated honor; and the
PRESIDENT rants about our claims against Mexico" beg
70 assure the Senate that this language Is the language of
The honorable SENATOR and not mine. shall never talk
aho,t the raning OF the Chief Magistrate when he
spreads our public grievances before he representatives
NOR shall ever taun my country by ntimahng that her
course has been pusllanmous that Tor her to talk OF
violated honor solemn farce. But were all thus
!, ;s ouie time that policy were changed We are
well cbastlsed for the want of self respect we have
hbted if we have lost our honor and If we do not stop
IN this carec5 OF humilaion the procvity will become
u,
Nh we shall have neither rights to assert, nor honor to
defend nor disposition to do either
This catalogue raisonnte of our acts of humiliation
have heard before but never think, with such strong
lbe Neapoitan, the Dane, the Gau and the Anglo
Saxon is brought before II were in staring capitals,
and some of these characterized as
"Commlued in the wantonness Of power-in the very
orn OF our nghswhon the slightest Justification and
persisted in, repeated, and boldly defended with
offensive ehronery and yer endured by this country
through successive administrations from 1906 to 1871
regret sir to hear all this not for its own sake for
we have nothing to eproach ourselves with, but
neyon with the subject before regret to hear that
TOO much torbearance-if too much there was, the
gentleman seems to intnate-is now made the preteXt
Tor more that must suffer from Mexico, because we
have suffered from others; and that we must go thus
mtemnaby exposed TO the attacks OF the strong and the
weak, and TO the contempt OF all.
But sir the people OF this country have never been
deficient in patriotism or national pride. During the
period when these aggressons, TO which the honorable
gentleman audes were committed, the moral and poltI
cal world was IN commoon, the foundations OF society
in Europe uprooted and mighty revolution
sweeping that region which occasioned greater
changes in the world than did the five preceding centu
RES Tremendous military establishments formed,
and the rule of might became the rule of right These
injuries commenced under the administration of General
Washington and were continued through the admins
hatons of Mr. Adams, and Mr. Jefferson, and Mr.. Mad
on but their principal weight fell upon during the
presidency OF Mr. Jefferson and portion OF that of Mr.
Madison. And everlasting honor is due to those two
eminent patriots and statesmen for the firm, prudent
and dgnhed they pursued under the trying and
perous circumstances which they and their country
were placed. History has set its seal upon their meas
ures and in all time hereafter their memory will be held
In honor by grateful people.
But, sir, went to with France in 179S, and
with England in 1912, two of the mightiest powers
earth, and with immense military establishments at their
disposal, ll then unknown in modern times. And it was
the conviction in France, that the firm character and de-
cded course OF General Jackson, and the responsive
feeling oil the American people, would lead to awar with
that country if justice not done u.s. and not the inter-
ference OF England, which produced the arrangement of
$780, and its execution, by which our chapter of COM
plants against France was closed, and hope forever
Here, SIR, were two wars within fifteen years. and both
prosecuted when we were comparatively feeble IN num-
bers in strength and in wealth and third barely avoid
ed by the satisfaction of claims Now sir, deny
that Justly liable to the reproach of puslanmity
or that we have forfeited claim to talk of violated
honor or that Mexico, or any one for Mexico, In this
country, or elsewhere has right to say, You had estab
hed your character for tame submission and you have
therefore no right to ask indemnity of me for wrongs
such as you have suffered from Others and which your
own 1obearance III former years induced me to refuse.
There are two incdents-episodes, may call them
IN the great action going on, which, though they neither
give direction to its movements, nor certainty TO its ter
minaion, are yet worthy of remark as they exhibit if
not the faults OF the administration at any rate the ac
ty with which their measures are assailed. One of
these charges have never heard confess it with be-
coming gravity the other is new, at any rate to
me- and has been presented by the senator from Mary
land Mr. Johnson with his accustomed ability, which
sometimes makes ''he wrong appear the better reason
shall content myself with touching rather than consid
ering them.
One great grievance alleged by the Mexican govern
ment and repeated here, and for which minister
was udey driven IRON the republic, that sent her
Plenpotenlary and not commissioner, to effect ami
cable arrangement of the difficulties between the two
countries Really, sir, in the whole history OF national
ntercommuncaon no such frivolous reason as this was
eyer gwen Tor involving two countries in war, that
higher grade OF diplomatic agent sent by one power
than the other demanded The reverse NAV have han
pened when the most idle questions were grave subjects
OF investigation and remonsrance Mexico must have
had lew substantial causes Of complaint and the oppo
nents OF the administration few Just grounds of anmad
Ve!s'on' When such measure assumes important po
sihon IN Their respective lists OF grievances But how
stands the TACT Anxious to restore the diplomatic rela
IONS between the two countries, which had been inter-
upeu oy the Mexican government, the President directed
lha our consul Mr. BLACK should communicate this
desire to the Mexican authorities and say to them that if
they
would receive an envoy from the United States adj
Just all the questions in dispute between the countries
ewiu immediately despatch one TO Mexico"
10 this proposition the Mexican Secretary of State an
swered: 49,
my government is disposed receive the commissioned
H me United States, who may this capita with
powers from his government to settle the present dis
Pu'o III peaceful, reasonable and honorable manner"
Here is the acceptance of the proposition, and the
agreement 10 receive the commissioner whom the govern
nent of the United States proposed 10 send under the
ue Oh envoy to settle the present dispute" Well the
envoy sent commissioned for this very purpose and
when he arrived, he refused recognition because he
came as envoy and because his powers extended to
The adjustment of the whole dispute between the two
.oamnues, and were not confined to Questions relative
10 leNas AS to the mere title il does not merit mo-
ments serious consideration Ii was an aferthought n
suoteuge, fesorted TO in order to Justify what the Mex
can government was determined TO do but what il was
ss 70 10 than to defend 1t is evident that our popo
suoh was accepted made and that envoy and commits
convertible is oh h., ,t,a