Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-01-29
CONGRESSIONAL.

TERRITORIAL ACQUISITION.

a Y.
TERRITORIAL ACQUISITION.
The Senate having resumed the consideration its third
reading, be bill to raise for limited time additional
military force
Mr. BUTLER. ask the indulgence of tho honorable Sc
naio from Rhode Island whilst make some explanation OF
statement made the Of my remarks the other day,
relative march of General Taylor from Corpus Christi
to the Rio Grande On that occasion, distinguished friend
from Mississippi (Mr DAvIs from the kindest motves di
verted my attention by reference to facts upon
which Intended have founded somewhat elaborate
argument than presented TO the Senate Since that me
have found that would be but just to myself that should
advert again the subject especially have to be-
eve that both my friend and myself labored under de-
gree of msapprehension with regard the real of the
facts have had opportunity Of receiving from several
officers of the army very detail Of all the facts
neced with the transaction to which have referred Gen.
Taylor received his orders to from Corpus Christi in the
month of January These orders published to the army
they known the traders between Corpus Christi and
the Rio Grande and, my inormants give to under
stand it notorious Matamoros before General Taylor
moved ALL that he intended take up position upon the
Rio Gande On the lh of March the army set in mo-
ton the 22d 23d Of that month reached the Little
Colorado ll0 miles from Corpus Christi and only forty miles
from Point Isabel AT the Colorado General Taylor heard
the sound of buge beyond the western bank. There
parey and Major Mansfield dispatched the other
side of the river learn the of the buge being sound
ed. The Major informed by person at the head OF
very small party who represented himefto be the Adutant
General Of the Mexican troops but who undesand
men, and who had doubt sounded the buge very magnf
Gently and went home loudly procamng that he had driven
back Gen. Taylor that his object ell to oppose mill
tay resistance to the march of Gen. Taylor but only
him against crossing that river if he did it. would
be deemed open act Of hostility Well, General Taylor
continued bis march, and as he approached Point Isabel the
cusomhouse and other public buildings consumed by
fire, and settlement of about fifty inhabitants broken
up from which the American forces occupied the
try from Point Isabel Fort Brown, opposite Maamoros.
Well now, the inference which intended TO draw and which
shall not now take the liberty of drawing in any thing like
argument simply this that General Taylor had given
notice Of his march under orders of his Government that
there declaration Of hpstes the part of Mexico
all until that march commenced and that in solemn
vcton there would have been any attack the forces
Corpus Christi had General Taylor under the order Of
the President of the United States the disputed ter
ritory.
Mr.. DAVIS, of Mississippi thank the honorable Senator
for the very kind and complimentary language which he has
employed in reference to myself cannot however, agree
with any of the ineences which he has drawn. have
nothing TO say to the minute details which he has given
with respect to distances and on the only vital question
being who acted s-who gave the first order That order
from Mexco-not to fight with General Taylor for the
country between the Nueces and the Rio Grande, bot to in
wade and reconquer the State OF Texas That order first
mated at the seat of in Mexico before any order
issued from the seat Of government in the United states
And now, sir to the time at which the Mexican forces
moved 10 take possession Of the Little Colorado. believe
they had been there for months Their emssaes had been
in Gen. Tayors campn order to learn his position and
ments. Gen. Taylor gave notice Of his march, He
made his preparations for the march, and doubt the spies
and recommending officers cognzant of his intentions
But believe the Mexicans had been the Colorado for
months and when they gave notice that he crossed the
Little Colorado il would be considered Of war; the Mex
but took the initiative they have always taken for
Mexico has always struck the first blow every battle field
on which we have her. On some other OCCASION
ever, may dwell at length this pent sha
espass longer the time Of the Senator from Rhode Island
Mr.. BUTLER. Though may i'm measure encroach
upon the time OF the honorable gentleman from Rhode Island
vet suffer myself be thus far mrepresened The
information which acquired obtained from officer
merely but from three four who happened to be in the
They knew this much, that from January, when
Gen. Taylor received his ORDERS until the m Of March when
he put his army in notion there had elapsed period Of forty
days. and that during that time only the officers in Gen.
Tayos camp spoke Of his projected movement upon the Rio
Grande, but the traders who there by implied license
attached to the army, had opportunity learn the
information, and IL notorious that he would march Not
that he advertised the enemy, because the gentleman will
derstand that at the time General Taylor marched the Rio
Grande il with purpose Of meeting enemy. The
Administration had not assumed there for the purpose
Of making General Taylor received orders disguise
his movements and the intelligence well known in
Ma,amoros four five days after he received his ORDERS
in his camp am very far from questioning the
military sagacity OF the honorable Senator from Mississippi
and may have been that orders had been issued by Parede
the Rio Grande and attack General Taylor Corpus
Christi but the act rest conjecture II
reduced 10 any thing like historical certainty.
Mr.. CLAYTON. / am reluctantly compelled also TO
solicit for the indulgence of the Senator from Rhode
vaons made by the honorable chairman Of the Committee on
Foreign relations during this debate had taken occasion 10
remark that the resolutions introduced by Mr. Ross in the
Senate Of the United States in 1903 supported by
the Jeesonian Democrats Of that day by any Of egsa-
ton their part and that the whole Of the Admins
raion Of that period adverse TO directly in conflict
with the policy which 10 have been adopted by
those who claim TO be the followers Of Mr. Jefferson The
honorable chairman Of the committee undertook show that
in erro and sent to the Secreay table the Of Sd
March, s03 authorizing the President Of the United States
TO call out eighty thousand militia for certain purposes author
lied by that act and the honorable chairman inferred from
the act itself that was 10 when said that the Admin
tfaion Of that day had sought conquest seizure Of any
portion OF the territory Of Spain France Sir
nreiy night IN what said in reference this subject,
think the Senator viii admit when he looks al the fourth
ton OF the act TO which he himself referred That section
s face explicitly declares that act was passed auhoz
ing the President TO call militia for the security of the
territory Of the United States not for the nuvpose Of cznr
upon the island of New Orleans where the eht o depose
had been denied not for tho purpose Of onouernp or
sezng any portion Of the Spanish territory bu, as The act
expressly, and many WORDS declares or the security
Of our own possessions.
will be recolcced by gentlemen converson with ,be bs
tory of that PERIOD that by the treaty with Spain of October
1885, ratified in 1885, the right Of deposite at New Orleans
had secured for persons trading the Misssspp; The
insendaat Of New Orleans violated that treaty. by prooams
ton denyfog the right Of depoe Western traders
afterwards conceded by Spain that this was downright
violation OF clear treaty right beyond all doubt il was
Bot what the Of Government in relation 10
that case have before the correspondence which
took place this subject and il beg call the attention
OF the honorable chairman Of the Committee Foreign Re