The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-31

word about peace. Not word about Mexico. Not
syllable about the disputed boundaries on the Rio
! Grande. 1t was a vote of unlimited confidence in
! an administration in which, he was sorry TO say,
there was very little confidence to be placed, They
| might employ this money towards buying Califor-
nia or buying Cuba. or buying Yucatan, or buy
ing the Sandwich Islands, buying any other ter
! ritory they might fancy in either hemisphere. II
we turned to the message of the President, 1t was
hardly more satisfactory. Nothing could be more
evident than that this appropriation asked for
as the earnest money for purchase of more terri
tory. The message expressly stated that it was to
be used IN part payment for any concessions which
Mexico might make to US: The President already
had the claims Of citizens TO deal with, to the
amount OF three millions or more. Here were two
millions more to be placed in his hand, in cash.
What was to be the whole payment for which five
millions of dollars wanted an advance? And
where was this territory to be? The message, If
not willing to leave us wholly in the dark, had
pointed expressly to the example of lS03-to the
purchase Of Louisiana-and this very bill Gas Mr..
w. understood) had been copied perbatim from the
act by which that purchase indirectly sane
toned The President has thus called upon US,
In language not to be misunderstood to sanction,
in advance, new and indefinite acquisition Of
southern territory. To such acquisition he (Mr.
| W.) was opposed. He had said heretofore, and he
repeated now that he was uncompromisingly op-
posed to extending the savehodng territory Of the
Union He wanted no more territory of any sort;
but Of this we had more than enough already.
| 'He cordially responded to the Presidents de.
sres to bring about just and honorable peace at
the earliest moment. Nothing would give him
more real Satisfaction tnan 10 JOIN IN measure
| honestly proposed for that purpose. He did not
grudge the payment of the two millions. He would
appropriate twenty millions for the legitimate pur-
poses OF a treaty of peace without moments hesi
tation. And he still hoped that this might
assume shape in which he could give it his sup
port. Limit the discretion of the President to a
settlement of those boundaries which have been the
subject of dispute. Hold him to his solemn pledges
twice repeated, that he would be ready at all
times TO settle the eristing differences between the
two countries on the most liberal terms. Give him
no countenance in his design to take advantage Of
the present to force Mexico into the surrender
or even the sale, of any of her provinces. If any
body wants better harbor on the Pacific, let him
wait till it can be acquired with less of national
dishonor. But whatever you do or omit, give us at
least TO be assured that this appropriation is
be applied to the annexation of another Texas, or
even to the purchase of another louisiana" Here
the hammer fell.
This, Mr.. Chairman, was my five minutes speech
on that memorable occasion. 1t "brief the
posy of lady's ring;" but it contained quite as
much substance as some that are longer 1t en-
braced three distinct ideas; first, that was op-
posed to the continuance, as had been to the
mencement. of the war with Mexico, and that ]
was ready to vote for any amount of money which
might be demanded for the legitimate purposes of
negotiating treaty of peace; second, that desired
no further acquisition of territory on any side or
of any sort; and third that was uncomprom-
singiy opposed to extending the slaveholding ter
ritory of the Union.
And in conformity with this last view, when the
honorable member from Pennsylvania, MIR. Will
MOTT offered his celebrated not long alter
wards, unhcsitatingly voted for it.
| Sir, have never regretted that vote; nor have
ever changed, in any degree, the opinions and the
principles upon which it was founded. Again and
again, have reiterated those opinions and vindi
Gated those principles; and, as my consistency and
steadfastness on this point have been artuy drawn
into question IN some quarters, must be pardoned
for few citations from speeches of my own, in
which have had occasion TO alude to the subject,
both in this House and elsewhere.
Here, sir, in the first place, is extract from
Ispecch delivered by me in Fanueil Hall on the 23d
day of September 1s46, hardly more than six wceks
after the occasion which have just described
"Sir, upon all the great points of this question
there is no difference of opinion whatever. All
agree, that this war ought never TO have been COM
menced. All agree, that it ought to be brought to
close at the earliest practicable moment. No n
present denies that 1t originated primarily, in the
annexation of Texas; and secondary in the march
ing of the American army into the disputed terri
tory beyond the Nueces. And no man present fails
TO deplore and to condemn both of these measures.
Nor is there Whig in this assembly, nor, in my
opinion, Whig throughout the Union, who does
| not deprt catc from the bottom Of his heart, any
prosecution Of this for the purpose of aggres-
sion, invasion, or conquest.
| "Ths, this is the matter gentlemen, in which we
take the deepest concern this day. Where, tphen is
this 10 end, and tchat 10 be fruits? Unques-
tonaby we not to forget that takes two TO make
bargain. Unquestionably arc not TO forget that
Mexico must be willing TO negotiate before own
Government can be held wholly responsible for the
failure Of treaty of peace. rejoice, for one, that
the Administration have shown what little rcadi-
ness they have shown for bringing the war TO n
conclusion. have given them credit elsew here
for their original overtures last autumn and shall
not deny them whatever credit they deserve for
their renewed overtures now. But, Mr. President,
il is not every thing which takes the name or the
form of an overture Of peace which is entitled TO
respect such. II it proposes unjust and unrcason
able terms; il il manifests overbearing and op-
pressive sprit If ii presumes the power of those
who make il, or on the weakness Of those 10 whom
it is oeSd, TO exact hard and heartless conditions
it, especially, it be of character at offensive
and Injurious 10 the rights OF one Of the nations
concerned and 10 the principles of large majority
of the other, then il prostitutes the of peace,
and its authors only entitled TO the contempt
which belongs 10 those who add hypocrisy to injus-
tice.
"Mr. President when the President of the United
States, on a sudden and serious emergency, de-
manded Of Congress the means Of meeting a war,
into which he had already plunged the country, he
pledged himself, in thrice repeated terms, to be
ready at all times to settle the existing disputes be-
| tween and Mexico, whenever Mexico should be
willing either TO make or 70 receive propositions to
| that end. To that pledge he stands solemnly re-
| corded, in the sight of God and of men. Now sir,
it part OF our existing disputes at that time
of any other Territory beyond the Rio Grande
And tho President, in prosecuting plans OF invasion
and conquest, which look TO the permanent acquisi-
tion of any such Territories will be false to his
own pledges he is To the honor and interests OF
| his country.
al believe that speak the sentiments of the whole
| people Of Massachusetts know speak my own
| in saying that want no more territorial posses
sions TO become the nurseries of slave States.
| IL goes hard enough with us, that the men and
money of the nation should be employed for the de-
| fence Of such acquisitions, already made; but 10
originate new enterprises for extending the area OF
slavery by force of arms, is revolving TO the moral
sense Of every American freeman.
"Sir, ] trust there is man here who is not
ready 10 stand by the Constitution of the country.
] trust there is no here who is not willing TO
hold fast to the union of the States be its limits u
timately fixed little side, or a little on the
other side, of the line Of his own choice. For my
self, will not contemplate the idea OF the dissolu-
tion OF the Union, in any conceivable event. There
are no boundaries of land, of rock or river,
Of desert or mountain, 10 which will not try, at
least, TO carry out my love Of country, whenever
they shall really be the boundaries Of my country
II the day of dissolution comes, II shall bring
the evidence Of its irresistible necessity with
il. avert my eyes from all recognition of such
necessity in the distance. Nor am ready for any
political organizations platforms less broad and
comprehensive than those which may include and
| uphold the whole whig party of the United States.
But all this is consistent, and shall, in my own
| ~ llu ,,,fth itfat Of he