The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-05-31
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF MR. CALHOUN,

In the Senate Of the United States ay 49, s4s-On the
proposed occupation OF Yucatan
The Senate having under consideration the bill to en-.
able the President OF the United States to take temporary
military occupation OF Yucatan--
Mr. CALHOUN said: The President in his message
recommends to Congress to adopt such they
may deem expedien to prevent IN the first place, Yuca
tan from becoming colony of any European power and
in the next place. to prevent the white inhabitants of thai
territory IRON being exterminaed or expelled In sup
port OF the latter, he informed the Senate that there is
now raging cruel and devastating on the part of the
Indians against the whites and that unless some foreign
power should aid, they will be destroyed driven from
the country. In support of the other recommendation
he that the government of Yucatan has offered to
the governments OF Great Britain, Spain and the United
States the dominion over the country in order to obtain
aid The President also informs the Senate that unless
we grant aid, some other power wills and that ultimate
y may assert its dominion and sovereignty over the
terrtory-a result which, he informs us, would be in
conravenhon OF Me declaration OF Mr.. Monroe, and
which must, on no account be permitted. The Commit
tee Foreign Relations in order to carry out these rec
concentrations, have reported b! which is now before
us, the first section of which provides for taking military
occupation of Yucatan, recommended by the Presi-
dent
Such are the recommendations of the President and
such the recommended by the committee. The
subject is of great magnitude Ii is pregnant with
consequences, both and remote, which may deeply
affect the peace and interests of this country 1t demands
the most serious dellberaton. have bestowed upon il
full attention. and have arrived at conclusion adverse to
the recommendations of the President and the report OF
the Committee propose to show in the first place. thai
the Of Yucaan, stated by the President him
SELF does not come within the declarations of Mr.. Mon
roe and that they do not furnish the slightest support
the measure reported by the committee.
In the message referred to--hat of 1S23-Mr Monroe
makes three distinct declarations The first, and by far
the most important, announces that the United States
would regard any attempt the part of the Allied Pow
to extend their system TO this country dangerous to
peace and safety To show that the case OF fucaian
does not come within this declaration, all that will be
object Of their alliance, and the circumstances in which
the declaration itself was made. The Allied Powers were
the four great continental monarches Prussia
Austria, and France. Shortly after the overthrow OF
Bonaparte these powers entered into alliance called
the 'Holy Alliance, the object OF which was to sus-
tain and extend the monarchca principles as far as
possible, and to Cypress and put down popular nst-
buttons. England in the early stages of the alliance
favored it. The members of the alliance held seve-
raj Congresses, attended either by themselves their
ambassadors, and undertook to regulate Abe affairs
OF Span for the purpose OF putting down popular doc
rines. In its progress the alliance turned its eyes to
this continent in order to aid Spain in regalnng her SOW
eregnty over her revolted provinces AT this stage Eng
land became alarmed. Mr. Canning was then Prime
Minister. He informed Mr.. Rush of the project, and
gave to him at the time the assurance that,
tanned by the United States, Great Britain would resist
Mr.. Rush Immediately communicated this to govern
ment 1t received here with Joy; for great was
the power of the alliance that did not feel our
selves safe from its interpositons Indeed it antici
pated, almost certain result that, il the interference
took place with the governments OF South America, the
alliance would ultimately extend its interference
selves. remember the reception of the despatch from
Mr. Rush distinctly if all the circumstances had
occurred yesterday well recollect the great satsfac-
ton with which it received by the cabinet 1t
late in the year, not long before the meeting of Congress
AS was usual with Mr. Monroe upon great occasions
the papers sent round to each member of the cab
net so that each might be duly apprzed OF all the cir
cumslances, and be prepared give his opinion The
cabinet met 1t deberated. There was long and care
full consultation; and the result was the declaration
which have Just announced All this has passed away
That very movement the part OF England, sustained
by this declaration, gave blow to the celebrated ai
ance from which it never recovered. From that time
forward it gradually decayed, till il utterly pershed The
late revolutions in Europe have put an end to all lis work
and nothing remains of all that il ever did, Now, by
what ingenuity Of argument by what force of sophstry
it be shown that this declaration comprehends the
OF Yucatan, when the events which called it forth
have passed away forever!
And yet, the President has quoted that very declaration
| in support OF his recommendation; but in manner
changing entirely Its meaning by separating it from the
context It stood in the message and which referred
to the Allied Powers and placing it in connexon with
portion OF his message which made it refer TO Great
Britain Spain, other European powers. The change
has made the declaration inconsistent and absurd that
had it been made by Mr.. Monro it stands In the
Presidents message, it would have been the subject Of
the severest animadversion and dlcule instead OF re-
ceivng, it did, the appreciation and applause Of the
whole country Ii would have placed Englan in the
false position of acting against and with the Holy AL
lance in reference to the Spanish American republics
and would also have placed us in the position of oppo
sing Spainin her efforts to recover her dominion Owe
those States and, finally it would have involved the alb
surdity of asserting that the attempt OF any European
State TO extend its system OF government to this cont
nent the smallest well as the greatest would endange
the peace and safety OF our country.
The next declaration was, that we would regard The
nterpositon OF any European power to Cypress the
ernments of this continent which we had recently recog
Missed independent TO control their destiny In any,
manner whatever, manltesng an untendly disposition
towards the United States This declaration, also, belongs
to the history of that day 1t grew out of the STATE
of circumstances and may be considered appendag
to the declaration to which have Just alluded. BY thu
governments on this continent, which we had recognised
meant the republics which had grown up after hav
ing thrown off the yoke of Spain They had jus
emerged from their proracted revolutionary struggles
They had hardly yet reached point OF sodity; and IL
that tender stage the administration of Mr.. Monro
ton in reference to the Holy Alliance, but 10 make
specific against the interference of any Euro
power order to countenance and encourage thes
Young republics as FAR we could with proprety This
like the other belonging TO the events OF the tme ha
passed away with them but suppose that not TO be th
case, ask, Does the case OF Iucatan come within TIN
declaration Has there been any Interposition in TIT
affairs of Yucaan the part OF any European power
with the design Of Expressing her. or changing her des
| nvi II not, how the OF iucatan be compre
hended in this declaration
But it may be said, although the case of Yucatan i
not expressly compehended in the declaration, yet it
| 80 by implications it is meditaed by England for
after ALL that the government which is meant in tn
message, under the general term g European pewers.
The message indicates that England medates such in
reference, and the chairman OF the Committee For
eign Relations distinctly avows that opinion. Has Eng
and them manifested any disposition to interfere in
der Cypress the people OF Yucatan to change tn
character of their government from a republic to a
archy2 We have evidence whatever on that pon,
is that the commissioner from lucaan, Mr. Sierra
would insinuate as much He speaks of the Indians VIII
are IN hostility 10 the white people OF fucatan as havn