The North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1834-1850, 1850-09-11


nortion Court Orders and Judicial Advertisements vii
be charged twenty-five per cent higher than the abov
rates. reasonable deduction will be made to those VIII
advertise by the year.
Letters to the Editor must come free of postage.
SPEECH OF MR.. ASHE,
OF NORTH CAROLINA,
Delivered in the House of Representatives Of the Unite
States, .August 6, 1850, on the Presidents Messag
concerning Isras and Ne,v Merieo:
The House being in Committee of the Whole Of
the state of the Union and having under considera
tion the Civil and Diplomatic Appropriation bill
will be submitted by me the present occasion to
the committee, will be confined to an examination o
the principles, political and CONSTITUTIONAL contain
ed in the Presidents late communication, on the sub.
ect of our difficulties with Texas and will observe
that it is as fortunate for him is unfortunate fol
the country, that this communication is possessed of
close and powerful affinity with that agitating sub.
iect which has been we'll described as " whirline
vortex" ingulng every consideration of public bus
mess and public convenience. Its influence is SO
paramount, so controlling, that believe it is only
when we called to mourn for the loss of so
of our companions that We enjoy respite from its
contagion. l intend no consorious reflections by
these remarks, and Notwithstanding deeply dep!ore
this agitation, yet as it regards the peculiar policy
which some of the friends of the South have thought
proper to adopt and put into practice, of using dila
tory plans either for the purpose of gaining time, OF
with hope of arousing in the breast of our northern
oppressors dormant sentiment of justice and equity,
by the aid of which final judgments might be
arrested am ready to acknowledge my full partici-
patton in the oence-to take my fair share of GEN.
sure, if any should be justly due. But deny the
offence; repudiate the censure. My constituents
have their rights under the Constitution, and sense
of duty to them has compelled me to all the
fufio tho rnos Of
place in my hands for their protection. This policy
has been denounced revolutionary if it is, it is
vet boodless and being boodless, it is far prefera
Bile to sectional strife-to civil war. 1t is sort
of revolution, the consummation of which involves
not the destruction of American liberty. is quiet
peacedbIe remedy. have indulged in this episode,
in order to exonerate myself from any censure which
the unrefectng be disposed to cast on my con-
duct. / will now come to the consideration of the
Presidents message, and reteate, that is fortunate
for him and unfortunate for the country that it is pos
sessed of affinity with the great and leading sub
ect of Congressional agitation Sir, 1t is this affinity
which shields this communication, as protecting
agis, from that burst of indignation which its high
toned Federal character so richly demands.
hwas remarked in my presence, few days since,
by friend of the present dynasty, " that now our
country would oe blessed with Homogeneous Whig
administrations If by the term Whig. Federal was
meant, the remark was superfuous, as this message
nasty. The arrogation of undelegated authority has
invariably distinguished the course of that party. it
has never been in power, however ephemeraly,
but that it encroached upon the Constitution. Twill
not detain the committee by an enumeration OF its
msdeeds in this respect but will proceed to examine
the reasons which the President informs induced
him, in time of the most profound peace, at time
when the Congress of the United States. the war
declaring power,' in session, to declare and es-
tabsh the military authority as paramount to the
civil authority declare to sovereign State of this
Union. that if she attempted to execute her civil
process in territory which she claims as her property,
and portion of which she has in her possession he
would oppose any such attempt by the use Of the
military authority of the United States. This is the
sum and substance of the Presidents reply to the
Governor of Texas. The Democracy of our country
has always maintained the subordnation OF the MILL
tary to the civil authority one OF the lnestlmabe
blessings of constitutional berty and so strongly
has this sentiment seized on the public mind, that to
assert the contrary would have supposed required
more bodness, more recklessness of popular feeling
than has fallen to the lot of any of modern poit-
cians; but in this supostion have been mistaken.
Our acting President has most boldly enounced the
military dogma {" inter arn,a leges siLenk.''
Sir, would be deaf to the voice of all history if
my mind did not entertain full conception of the
allurement of war on the imagination of the chief Ex
ecutive of a great nation. Success in the field is
the neverfaling steppingstone to ambitious aggran-
dizement. The patronage connected with its prose.
cution is grateful to the human heart and indeed all
then and there free scope for their unridled ndu'-
gence. Sir, state of war strews the path of the
ambitious with strong and irresistible temptations.
These reflections have deeply impressed on me the
truth of observation made by Mr.. Madison: "fhat
the highest praise you can pronounce on an execu-
tive officer is that he is the friend of peace" The
same distinguished statesman likewise informs {:
"That if free people be wise people, they will
lever bear in mind that their dangers never be
great as when the advocates of the prerogaves of
war can sheathe them in the symbol of peace" Sir,
greatly apprehend that this is the source of our
present danger. The President makes manifesto
ton Of peace, but accompanies it with declaration
OF war War is made to wear the symbol of peace.
But as am not disposed to cast uncalledfor censure
on him, let us examine the facts.
AS understand the position assumed by the Pre-
sident it may be thus stated: By the Constitution
OF the United States is made the duty of the Pre-
sident to have the laws of the Union faithfully
cuted and as by the second section of the sixth ar
lcle of the same instrument the Constitution and the
treaties made in pursuance thereof are declared to be
the supreme law of the land, they, he assumes, are
to be executed through his agency. This position
being assumed as correct. the President conceiving
that the treaty of Hdalgo stipulated to extend
lection OF life, liberty, and property, it becomes his
duty the Executor of these treaty stipulaons to
resist any interference made with their rights by the
authorities of the State Of Texas. have endeavor-
Cd to represent the position of the President fairly and
justly now let us examine the consequences he woud
deduce from it it regards his responsibility. Is
ue, that the President is bound execute the stp-
oa'ions Of treaties, independent of any action Of
Congress giving him power to do sol On the con-
nary, not such Congressional action indispensable
@glve force and vitality to such stpulatons! Trea-
ses the emanations of the executive power. The
Senate in giving Withholding its assent to treaties
scss quo ad hoe," not legislative, but ex-
eeutlve council. And now, if the President is cor