The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-03-04
we are now making malerials for

since. We are now making materials for
history; and the gentleman from New
Hampshire has maintained that, instead Of
returning our thanks to the officers and men
for their good conduct, gallantry, and skill,
in the operations of,this war, not under the
orders Of the President, but under the Ma.
tional flag. they should be regarded by us
as deserving the lasting reproach Of history.
Where does the gentleman learn his les
sons upon subjects of this kind Am /.
here in the Senate Of the United States. 10
be told, that those who have fallen, in con.
sequence Of yielding obedience to the die
tates OF patriotism, are to have reproach
and iniamy cast upon their graves? Am
to be told, that those who have obeyed. per
hsps reluctantly obeyed, the orders of the
Commander-in- Chief, in embarking in this
war, are not entitled to our thanks for
maintaining the honor, the historical repu-
tation OF this country abroad And vet.
such are the sentiments Of the gentleman
from New Hampshire. solemnly believe
that Gen. Taylor, more perhaps than anv
other single individual in this country. Is
entitled to our thanks for saving the lives,
not only Of his own troops, but the lives Of
those sent on this expedition. Every battle
that was fought, it seems to me, resulted al
most in miraculous escape from the over.
whelming disaster which seemed to be i'm
pending over our army. If he had failed
at Buena Vista, it is almost certain that the
troops under command Of Gen. Scott would
have been destroyed by the Mexican hosts
which surrounded them; and | am vet told
that those who saved the lives Of our troops
who went forth under our national flag
are by the solemn judgment of the Senate,
to be condemned, because, when ordered TO
pass into the enemy's country. with craven
indifference to hOnor-in traitorous viola
ton of their duty-they did not retire and
give up their commissions Yes; the gen.
tleman would have had those officers 10 re-
sign in the face Of the enemy. | believe
his doctrine goes 80 far; and that il would
be consistent with his notions, that the Off
GERS and men should receive pay whilst they
are guarding ganisons, but retire the mo-
ment that the order TO encounter the perils
Of war was issued. According to his idea
they are to be Judges of the justice and pro-
Priety OF the war. | do not know, however,
that the ideas which the gentleman has Just
now expressed are at all different from some
which | heard the other day, and to which
| shall now take the opportunity to advert.
The very first remark which | heard
from that gentleman, in this Senate-house.
was to maintain, that whilst science, in adj
venturous experiment, was soaring to heaven;
and making discoveries in the bowels OF
the earth, reiuting the Mosaic cosmOgony,
he was not allowed ID present memorials on
your table for the suicide of this Confed-
eracy.
Such was the doctrine then maintained
by the gentleman-that lac was forbidden
to present on your table memorials and pc
titions which, if they had been acted upon,
would have resulted in the immediate inla-
nae.s S'.ioido OF this Confederaey. What
did the gentleman then maintain: Moth
ing at all different from that which he now
asserts that one portion Of this Conleder,
acy should have the liberty of presenting
memorials Of that kind, to alter the Consti,
tuition, so that one portion of the Confed-
eracy should be deprived Of those guaran-
tees under which it entered the Union.
recollect one Of the remarks made by the
gentleman on that occasion, and hope he
will pardon me for quoting his classic Ian
guage He said that he had learned in
Yankee school books, not only to spell
words, but to understand their meaning.
believe he said, that so Ear as regards one
portion of the Conlederacy-at least that
was the tendency Of his remarks-it should
be put under ban Of the condemnation oil
the other and that it was correct in a rep
resentative Of the Federal Governments
mean the Secretary of State-to protest
against the interference Of British power, SO
far as it affected only thai portion Of the
Confederacy. Let me ask him, suppose
the proposition had been made to Introduce
slaves into New Hampshire, to the exclu-
sion Of others, and to settle the Maine boun
dairy with lview to do 50, would he, OF
would he not, have invoked the Federal
powers to protect that portion Of the Con
iederacy! But, perhaps, sir, am now 60
ing beyond the legitimate limits Of the pres
ent question. protest against this attempt
TO cast contumeIy and reproach upon the
officers and soldiers who have obeyed the
orders of this Government, and who deserve
the lasting appreciation of the country.
Mr.. HALE.-The honorable Senator from
South Carolina says, that | have underta.
ken to cast obloquy upon the officers OF the
American army. certainly have said no
such thing have intended no such thing.
| said that the officers engaged in this wal
could never have my thanks. could not
thank them for anything they had done,
because it was impossible. in my mind, to
separate the actors iu the wal from tho wal
itself Then, SIMPLY, with the view Of
showing that was not without precedent in
my course, referred 10 fact in history
drawing no differences whatever from it,
The severe philippe which the honorable
Senator has thought proper to pronounce
upon the precedent which l have cited
must be directed against the HONORABLE,
Statesman who stood up in the Parliament
of Great Britain, and maintained that III,
cause of the American colonies-the Gauss
Of human liberty and human rights-agains
the arm Of that Power which was then en-
deavoring to crush the spirit Of freedom
bursting into life in these colonies. have
not undertaken to mark out for single in
dividual the course he is to pursue ON TIN.