The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-07-31

regulars and about two hundred Texans assaulted the
thrdthe hill lndependenca- where, says Gen. Worth,
" a well directed and destructive fire. followed by the
bayonets OF the regulars and the rush OF the Iexans.
placed in possession of the work" But the Bishops
palace could not be taken until after part OF Duncans
battery had been brought and opened on the massive
walls
have given this detail sir, because willing that
any shall fall into the mistake of supposiOg that all
the aares were won by Texas when gallant men from
every part OF the Union ha large share in the danger
and the glory OF these operations. very sure that
the senator has had desire to derac from the merits OF
the troops from other quarters of the Union but in his
10 MAINTAIN his attack upon General Taylor, he
has banshed from view the without whose efforts
these victories would never have been boasled Of
The senator complains OF letter dated the 10th June
is47, and addressed by Gen Taylor the Department OF
War, in which he the ourages committed by
the returning volunteers the peaccable inhabitants
But these were not Texan troops. They had been dis
banded in October ls4o aud the only sentence in the
letter applicable to HIS constituents is the in which
he says " The mounted men from Texas have scarcely
made an expedition without unwarrantably killing
Mexican" The Senate must remember with what thea
trcal effect tie senator spoke OF this killing Mexi-
can" He seemed to think i was the same sort OF
pasme shooting bear But the General does not
speak of the shock OF battleof that unhappy necessity
where il is the soldiers stern but sad duty to kill He
speaks OF unwarranfably killing Mexican; that is of
numbering defenceless, unessng or peaceable people,
who, IN the practice OF civilized not regarded
enemies believe the fact TO be undenabe that
these bemshes did rest on the reputation OF the Texan
iroopsat all events, such the reports made 10
the commanding general; Aud one striking instance
is set forth in the official papers Mexican lancer
bad been sent into Monterey by his commander,
with a message to General Worth. Scarcely had be
executed his efand and left the presence OF that olcer
when he shot IRON his horse, and fell dead iii the
street The smoke of the discharge to issue
from the window OF house Two Texan oihcers--one
OF whom was Col Hays-enlered the house, and found
Texan riheman with his gun just discharged Their
statement to be found among the congressional docu
mens. fully proving the fact While we cannot but con-
demn such in the strongest terms, may find some
pallia,ion in this They were frontier men. leading
hard ltfa fran than natl 10
which, in the long settled and more maurey civilized
portions OF the country supposed to soften the charac
ter They had been engaged Tor many years 10 fierce
border warfare with the Mexicans, marked with mutual
and extreme evaporation, is usual IN such contests
They remembered the wrongs which they had suffered,
the deadly strife in which friends had fallen, and the
terrible vengeance wh!ch had sometimes overiaken cap
tive Texans. II natural therefore, that men drawn
from this portion OF the country, whose mole OF life had
habtuated them to sudden and summary revenge should
indulge in forbidden by The discipline OF
General Taylors camp, But il was not the less the
duty OF the commander 10 repress such disorders and
outrages, and to bring them TO the knowledge OF his
government. 1t will be remembered that besides the
general obligation to conduct the war with humanity,
and 10 spare the unoiend'ny, was the special duty
all peaceabe Mexcans rhe Department Of War had
furnished him with proclamation to the people OF
Mexico, in which they were told that the army OF the
United States came ito overthrow The yrans who have
destroyed your Liberties, but come TO make war
on the people of Mexico" SC. :" We come among the
people OF Mexico as friends and republican brethren
&C. So the Secretary of War writes TO General Taylor,
al different times, follows " The counteractlon OF
these injurious impualions will be your particular Duty
first BY continuation OF your Just and honorable con
duct towards the people, their property NC Aud again
" The instructions heretofore gve0 have required you to
treat with great kindness the people, Nc Fhe object oil
the government not merely the observance oil all the
laws OF justice and humanity but the Cancellation oil The
people, who to be won TO our Interests by Kindness
and that protection OF person and property which only
could induce belei IN the sincerity o our declaTa oDs
Blu, the laws of war; the rights of humanity and the
ders of the General dsregarded and violated by such
ourages a. have mentioned and by others OF not less
atrocly The complaints OF General Taylor on thus head
founded on SPECIAL evidence the reports OF
his officers and such information was his duty TO CON
mun'cate to his government He does not swell and
magnify these charges by sort OF exaggeraton, or by
much comment He states the facts or The complaints
simply and briefly, and just his duty required Sir il
is not to be supposed that he intended 10 describe all the
Texans marauders and murderers. We know tina, a
few lawless who know touch OF pity, and IN
duge in unbrjed license, enough to bring d,scfedit
upon whole corps 1t is no wonder that there should
have been sufficient infusion OF such characters aio the
Texan regiments TO bring reproach upon them regret
that so, and that the senator from Texas thought
proper bring the Sube TO the notice Of tue Senate,
1t was buried among Inc congressional documents and
would not have been alluded to by il the vndcaion
OF General Tay lor from the senator's charges had not
made II necessary.
think have shown, sir, thai, the people of Texas
deianed by the President, and that IN regard TO
them his conduct was marked by the simplicity, esndor,
and truth which marked his whole character.
feel obliged now 10 notice another portion OF the sen.
aiors speech, because find tha, when arguments
made here, and claims advanced, and senators remain
silent that silence construed into acqucscehce IN The
argument, or submission TO the clan-that which was
only argument grows into demonstration, and mere
claim rpens into right We have seen the evil OF tins
silence IN many cases, and especially as to this
Mexican war; which might have been ayered. had the
Senate been bold and prompt 10 resist the st movements
which led it. not willing, by my silence, to sane
ton demands give authority t. acts which DO not ai
prove | viii not be compelled to argue the question OF
the title of Texas TO the whole country lying the Rio
nnde which has often been discussed here, and IN
which have participated But ind demands made and
positions assumed which ! think nnwafrantabe, and
which prefer TO contest al once The senator comedies
chat orders given. while were in state o war
with Mexico, for the occupation OF Territories and per
haps OF States by military force" NC. He admits that
this fully justified al The time, but denies that It can
be so in peace And then he says; Daring the war
the States were situation 10 give that security
and projection the citizens that they were previously
enabled do ami under tha circumstances consldera
bic portion Of the Stale OF Texas occupied by the
forces of the United States, and placed under military
government"
Now sir ask what was that considerable portion OF
Texas to which peace she had extended her protection
and which, consequence OF the occupied by the
forces o the United States and placed under military gov
ernment II in August 1916 believe, that General
Taylor directed 10 take position upon the western
side OF the Nueces for the purpose Of resisting an inva
OF Texas then anticipated IRON the other side OF the
Rio Grande That at all events, was the reason assigned
by the then President OF the United States But when
had Texas extended protection to the people on the
Rio Grande, north south Where was there Texan
settlement the whole course OF that river OF 1000
miles When had her authority been exercised over Santa
Fe? What jurisdiction had she exeed square
inch OF that terntoryi What function of government,
the most insignificant had been exercised in the