The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-05-14
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF MIR. CAss,

IN the Senate of the United States May 10, loiS-On
the bill TO enable the President 10 lake temporary n
itary possession OF fucaian.
Mr. CASS addressed the Senate as follows;
Mr. President Before proceed to the direct con-
alteration OF the subject before the Senate peg leaye 10
recall remark made by the honorable senator from Con
nerc, IN the discussion of yesterday and to correct an
error into which think he has fallen. In deprecatng
he promp, action of Congress in this natter the honor
able senator justified delay by the delay OF the Exec.
ntye and thought with appearance OF harshness, II
not of severity He said the subject had been before the
President for weeks perhaps for some months, with
ont any decisions and he seemed TO draw the conclusion
that we might now require an equal time to determine
mon our legislative course There is an essential differ
snce however, between the action OF the executive and
of the legislative departments upon this subject be-
eye is about two months since the melancholy state OF
things in Yucatan first made known to this govern
men and its nterpositioa impored It was new ques.
non involving very serious considerations We all feel
every step of our progress However urgent were the
claims OF humanity the necessary information for dis
Greet action not in the possession of the Executive.
The commissioner OF Yucatan had indeed made his rep
resenaton but required TO be fortified by less partial
Internationally the reports and opinions of our own
officers, who were acting upon the coasts OF that coun
iry and who acquainted with its present
condition. and the that led TO it, Well, sir it
took time procure these facts through this channel and,
as they were procured the President determined
upon his course and transmitted the message under
delibeaton Certainly gentlemen do moi desire the
time to discuss sHch question as this, as was necessarily
consumed in the collection OF information The great
the before us, ana Inc applCaOn now
comes not merely from the Yucatese commissioner but
from the legislative department OF the government
solemn decree, and from the Executive of the country
is case of overwhelming, overpowenng necessity.
While celebrating, the sad action Is going
and however prompt we may now be, we may not be
prompt enough for the circumstances The fate of the
country may be decided before we can send any relief
AT any rate let redeem ourselves from the repoach Of
indifference unnecessary delay This is of those
great cases for human action, where to do well is to do
promptly, and where too much caution will show that
unequal to the position IN which we Ind our
selves placed.
need not recall the condition of Yucatan. The mes
sage itself, with the accompanying documents the nor
nation which daily reaches us through the public Jour
nails and the discussion here have put in possession
Of the true state of things in that unhappy country 1t is
divided between the two races OF Spanish and OF abort
gnal descent and the Indians have obtained the superb
ony--have descended from the high. country upon the
low and driving the white race before them to death
or to the ocean. 1t is war; if that can be called war;
where the lighting TO be all upon sde OF destruc
ton and determination Not guravely because here and
there man is killed or plantation LAID waste, but lite
lly rgidy for nothing is spared, neither man nor his
works, and fire and the sword accompany the Indian
army, and do their work without pity without remorse
Aid, under such circumstances is duty OF humanity,
which no one in this country calls in question. But,
owing to the peculiar features OF our own constitution,
many doubt whether this government has the power to
grantit Though believe, sir, may clearly nterpose
in such an extreme of national suffering,
done many since for Caracas; yet, this ques
ton does not lie in my way shall not turn aside to seek
it, All may hold the claims of humanity to be strong
inducement for action, when conoined with other mo-
tves for legislative nterposon, which render our action
equally constitutional and eypedent. This question init
matey connects itself with the prosperity and had al
most sad) the safety of country We have reached
one OF those epochs in the progress OF nations to which
the historian looks back with interest," and whence he
much of the good evil they encounter in their
caecr,one of those epochs which impress themselves
upon the character OF country, and when vigorous
counsels are equally dictated by justice and by wisdom,
while timd and uesolute measures to be fol-
lowed by political weakness and by the contempt OF the
world,
The principle advanced by Mr. Monroe, many years
since, in two of his messages to Congress, which de-
nounced any future attempt OF the European powers to
establish new colonies IN this country, has been brought
INTO this discussion and in fact, necessarily connects It
present Executive upon the same general considerations
which influenced the action of his predecessor. was
wise measure, fully justified by received principles OF
the law of nations and by the actual circumstances OF
our country. The honorable senator from Connecticut
Mr. NILEs] considers the reeration OF the principle by
The present Executive, and perhaps its original annun
cation BY Mr. Monroe, the claim OF right to regulate
all the affairs OF this continent so far as respects Europe
ans But this, entire misconcepon OF the whole
subject It has, however, prevailed somewhat extern
vey both here and elsewhere, though IT seems to me
that The slightest consideration of the messag referred to
would have corrected, rather prevented, this fragrant
error Neither of these Presidents, the past nor the
present. assumed to interfere with any existing rights OF
other nations upon this continent Neither Of them
called IN question their right to hold and improve the
colonies they possessed at their pleasure. Such an
"u"ipuoH Wouu nave Deen equally ODTuslVc anu III
eneclu and how the opinion could have prevailed that
has been advanced no one can tell, for the docu
nenls themselves the true doctrine s cautiously guarded
and existing rights considered unassailabe. The OBJ
ect which these statesmen had in view to prevent
lhe recoonzaon of any portion OF this hemisphere; to
announce to the world, that when any OF the colonies
painted upon 1t escaped from European thraldom, they
should not be again subjected to that comparatively
Illuminating condition. The Spanish colonies had sha
ken OIL the yoke OF Spain, and had asserted their
independence The struggle had been going on some
llme, and It was apparent to all the world, except
70 lhe world OF Spanish obstnacy, that, if no! pre-
vented by external force, it would terminate, it has
terminated, In their admission into the great family OF
hauons, II was obvious that European complications
might arise, IN consequence of the necessities OF Spain,
ana OF her recklessness in pushing the contest, which
might affect the fate of these countries French Eng
st assistance might be asked for and rights conveyed
Wnch would induce these powers to take part in the
Struggle, with view to take part the spoils that might
result from it. This the evil forescen and the dec
adtoh OF This country OF the remedies to avert
oh ms as upon many other occasions, we halted in
gul course and did not come up to work. Such
ecaatons as those referred to- when made by the head
p European nation, made auhoritatively because
VINO pronounces them has the power to enforce them
iey become settled maxims of policy, and other nations
aware that they cannot be nterered with, except
e hazard OF war But II tar different here. Great
reipes OF conduct depend essentially upon public
meni and can only be enforced by the action of Con-
sess Public sentiment in this country has believe with
UNUSUAL unanimity, approved this principle; but Congress
mas never, by action or declaraon given it the sanction of
us authonty IL has rested therefore, barren among our
archives, only to bear fruit when the legislature Of The
Country adopts its own. MY honorable friend from
oho, Mr. ALLEN, with that sagacity and energy which
mark HIS political course, seeing this of things and
loeseelng Its consequences endeavoed two wears
since to draw the attention of Congress to this subject and
to procure its authoritative action But he faed-not
however, from the want of those exertons which ought
70 have insured success; and we have come down to the