Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-07-20

Of the States Of this Union and when other developments
showed concusivey that bis am by means OF Execu
tive patronage and the question Texas annexation alb
from the Wing and Democratic parties materials for
third political party, by the support OF which ne hoped to be
high station To which an accident had him.
treaty being concluded and submitted to the Senate for M
ratification that body after long debate, refused to raty it. II
supported and opposed indscrminatey BY Wings and
Democrats Ii disturbed but did not desroy the existing party
organizations TIE period was approaching when the poi-
cal parties of the country were to assemble IN convention for
the purpose of nominating candidates for the Presidency and
Vice Presidency For this purpose the Whg party and the
Democratic party, respectively assembled in convention
Baltimore and Mr. Tyler mustered assemlage there ALSO
about as and respectable that famous company
with which Fasta ashamed to march through Coventry
Previous to assembling of the conventions, the universal
sentiment of the Wing party had designated Mr. Clay their
candidate for the Presidency and with equal unanimiy Mr.
Van Buren, had been indicated the favore Of the Demo-
cratic party Each Of these distinguished gentlemen
quesed make known to the public their views the
policy of anne1ng Texas to the United States and both Of
them proclaimed their opposition that The De-
mocrac Convention, seeing that without question
capable of unsetng the opinions and purposes of the people
with respect to political parties and public men, they
doomed to defeat repudiaed Mr. Van Buren, and nominated
Mr. Polk because he had expressed himself in favor Of
neIing Texas. The Whig Convention, without dissenting
voice, nominated Mr. Clay Mr.. Tyles Convention per-
formed the work for which they convened by
him but when that gentleman discovered that the Demo-
cratic party had robbed him Of the hobby with which he had
expected to ride tiumphany into the Presidency, he with
drew from the The Democratic party entered upon
the with the motto inscribed upon their party ban
ner, "THE WHOLE OF OnEsoS AND THE ANNEXATION OF
TEXAS" ,..~ ....s.. 49,. ..#. - ...
Mr. Chairman, | am endeavoring to exhibit the causes
which have brought the country into It's present difficulties,
and to fix the responsibility for the existing state Of things
where truth and justice require TO be fixed Want of time
will not permit to present all the facts neediu to full
comprehension of the argument beg gentlemen
Der all that the iron rule of this House prevents from de-
failing. They will remember the position occupied by the
Whg party with respect to the annexation of Texas, when
hova
party question in the Presidential of 1874 They
will remember the views put forth by the Wing candidate
(r. Cay) in his Raleigh letter. They will remember that
the prominent men of the Wing party with few exceptions,
every where opposed that measure upon the ground that
annexation would be breach of faith with Mexico: that
would probably involve the United States in with that
Government that it would create among people ap
petite for territorial aggrand cement that would be Unsuitable
that would engendr between the States sectional anmos
ties, and imper destroy the Union. What pro-
phecy then is history Their warnings unheeded
Mr. Polk elected to the Presidency, and under his
pices the Of annexation was consummated Mr.
Calhoun, who Secretary of State when the treaty with
Texas was negotiated placed the policy Of that upon
the ground that necessary Of giving additional
security to slavery, by increasing the political power OF the
States The Northern States opposed in SEN
men slavery, and unwilling concede peponderance of
political power the Southern States naturally hostile
to annexaton and although they sueny acquesced in the
consummaon OF that measure, obvious to all that
deep feeling Of discomfort ranked in their bosoms.
The with Mexico followed close upon the heels of an
nexaion, and manifest that the President re-
solved upon the acquisition of territory and when bill ap
propriatng three millions of dollars to enable the President
negotiate treaty of peace was under consideration the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. WILMoT) moved to
amend it by attaching the proviso, which has figured
prominently in our political discussions. This House, by
large majority, sustained his notion but the Senate failed
for want OF time to upon the bill and did become
law. When Congress assembled at the succeeding session.
armies had defeated and destroyed those of Mexico and
commanders in California and New Mexico were in
quiet possession OF those provinces They had issued poca
nations announcing the people of those provinces that
they "annexed to the United States thus disclosing
beyond the possibility of doubt that the President had from
the beginning prosecuted the with Mexico for the pu
pose OF conquest In his Congress, he assumed
that all who questioned the proprey of his conduct in this
respect in effect opposed to their country and
"givng aid and comfort to the enemy On the motion
refer the Presidents message debate arose. during which
his supporters on this floor reiterated the idea Having
participated in that debate, and inasmuch what said
that occasion supports the position which endea
vorng to establish, hope will be pardoned for reading
shor, extract from the speech which then delivered.
the duty of Congress- and invoke the performance
OF that duty to limit and ro the discretion of the Pre
dent in relation TO the further prosecution of the Ii Con-
gress believes it to be expedent and wage
quest Tor the acquisition oterrto let that fact be declared
and Congress believes to be nexpedent let the
constitutional right of the legislative branch of the Govern
men b saying to the President thus far shalt thou and
1t is moral cowardce, when the great interests Of the re-
public are in peril to shut and shrink from
temptation OF the dangers with which threatened.
He must be blind to all the signs of the times who does
not perceive that there fixed and almost universal
minaton in the Northern States acquiesce further
extension OF territory without attaching the
prohibition to which have referred How shall we over
come this dfeuy when the question shall before Con-
gres permanently annex the conouess Of the President
We have already by this House that the nom
avehodng States will upon prohibiting slavery in those
territories Will the Southern States consent to the adms-
SION OF Tree States south and of Texas What will Texas
say What will Louisiana say What win the whole South
All the dangers growing out of this question of slavery,
which we have met and heretofore are as nothing
compared with those which will when that shall
come up as the Of Mr. Folks and an
nexaohs ~ "
"Mr Chairman in my opinion there are bad men in the
North and the South who desire dissolution of the IJnon
and who without their object are aborny
to produce that end The President is driving the shin Of
state into most stormy and dangerous and if Congress-
ais to act IN the lofty spirit OF patriotism which the occasion
demands-t 1t fails to assert the constitutional rights and
form the constitutional duties which properly belong and ut
tach to the legislative branch of the y pung
limit to Executive discretion the further of
war with Mexico, IN my opinion the day 10 distant when
II will require all the virtue intelligence and of
the country to preserve the Union and public liberty
Mr.. Chairman these remarks brought down upon me a
storm OF denunca,lon Among Others my colleagues on the
other side Of the House made themselves in
ing my They impeached my patriotism They ar
ragned for introducing the eband slavery into the
councils Of the naon for the purpose of mpang its energy
in the prosecution of and glorious war;" This storm
of denuncaton was hurled against for weeks and until
rescued by Of the honorable gentleman
New York, (Mr PREsToS KING, who sits before me- Or
the morning Of January 5h, ls47 that gentleman entered
this hall with roll Of manuscript in his hand, and ob,ann.
the 3or proceeded to deine the position Of the Democa
TIC party Of the Northern States with respect the will
Mexico Want Of time will permit me TO read that i'm
nn VtantV I. H.