The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-03-30
General 5nteIIinruee.
WAsHINGToN, March 10, 1948.
ANIMATED USSION--PASSAGE OF THE
TEN REGIMENT BILL.


The proceedings in the Senate yesterday
upon the Ten Regiment Bill, we're quite in
teresting. At an early hour of the session,
Mr.. Berren led off in the discussion; he
spoke at great length, and in manner unu.
sually interesting and eloquent. lie exam
incd the subject Of the war in all its various
aspects, and proved the utter folly of the pass
age of the bill under consideration.
Mr.. Webster followed, and exposed the
course of the Administration in relation to its
action in raising revenue in Mexico. He
proved conclusively that there was no author
ty for it in the Constitution, the rules of war,
or national law. He also spoke at length
against the bill before them; and before he
closed, intimatcd his intention of giving his
views in full next week, when the loan bill
came up, on the war; and the present state Of
the country.
After Mr.. Webster closed, Mr.. Cass under
took to reply to those who had preceded him
He occupied some two or three hours in de-
fence Of the bill, the war, and the Admins
tration. lie doubtless hal prepared himself
fully, as he was capable of doing, previously
for as usual he read the greater portion Of his
speech.
Mr.. Webster made a few remarks in reply
to him, utterly annihilating his argument upon
the right of the Executive to raise Il revenue
in Mexico to support the army. He said that
any one at all familiar with national law
would not presume to defend this act of the
Executive. He said there was no authority
for it., and he hoped that gentlemen would
not debauch their minds so much as to argue
that it was right.
Mr. Calhoun followed Mr.. Webster, and
fully sustained him in his opinions, and sale
further that the only correct course for the
Administration to take would be to withdraw
the army in case the treaty was not ratified
within the territory embraced in the treaty
and defend it. He said that one half the
force that we have now in Mexico would bt
able to do this with all case, and it would les
sen the enormous expense that is now being
made to conquer peace. A peace, said he
neccr can be conquered Of that nation. lie
had contended for this proposition from the
commencement, and the results Of this strug-
gle are now proving its entire correctness.
Mr. Davis, of Mississippi, next obtained
the floor, and undertook to reply to Mr.. c.,
but it was an abortive effort. lie said thai
there was necessity of the immediate passage
of the bill, as the NleXicans were again rein.
forcing. lie had not much faith that the
treaty would be ratfied-said that he had re
ceived letter recently from Mexico, which
confirmed him in this belief.
Mr. Wescott also spoke in defence Of the
President, and in favor of the passage of the
bill. He also had no kind of confidence in
the ratification Of the treaty, AMI the only
true policy was to send troops into Mexico ia
subdue her fully. lie believed that she was
now, as she had done before, only dipping lis,
in order to gain time to recruit, and that we
were no nearer peace now than we were at
the commencement of the war.
After further remarks by Mr.. Butler, Clay
ton, and others, the main question, between
eight and nine in the evening, was taken and
resulted as follows:
Yeas-NIcssrs. Allen, Ashley, Atchison,
Athcrton, Bagby, Benton, Bradbury, Bresee,
Butler, Cameron, Cass, Davis, of Miss, Dix,
Dickinson, Douglass, Downs, Fetch, Footc,
flanagan, Hunter, johnson, Of Ga, Lewis,
Mason, Moore, Niles, Sturgeon, Turney,
Wescott, and Yulec--29.
Nays-Nlessrs. Badger, Baldwin, Berricn,
Bell, Calhoun, Clarke, Clayton, Corwin, Crit
tondcn, Davis of Mass, Dayton, Green, Hale,
johnson, of La, ManGum, Phelps, Under
derwood, Upham, and Webstcr-19.
A resolution passed the House yesterday,
to print ninety thousand extra copies Of the
Patent office report which will cost $40, 900
There is more call for this document from
the farmers and agriculturists of the country
than for any and all others This will fur
nish each member with 400 copies to distri-
butte among their constituents.