The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-31
HINGToN: FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 81, 1850

| ''And where, too is to be our doaesfic peace
! II this policy Is to be pursuedf According to
the Presidents plan of obtaining ampb indemnity
for the expenses of the war; the longer the war
lasts, and the more expensive il is mad, the more
| territory ives shall require to indemnfyus. Every
dollar OF appropriation for this war is bus the pur
| chase money Of more acres of Mexican soil. Who
! knows how much Of Chihuahua, and Coahua and
| New Leon, and Durango, it will take u remuner-
ate us for the expenses Of these ten regiments of
| regulars, who to be enlisted for five years2
| And to what end we thus about add acre to
and field to field? To furnish the s1ject of that
great domestic struggle which has already been fore
| shadowed in this debate?
MIR. Chairman, have no time to discuss the sub
ject of slavery this OCCASION shosd desire
TO discuss il in this connexion, If had more time
| But must not omit q few plain wotdson the mo-
| mentous issue which has now been rtstd. speak
| for Massachusetts, believe speakthe sentiments
of all New England, and Of many Other States out
| of New Engand-when say, that upob this ques-
| tion our minds are made up. So far as we have
power--constitutional or moral pover--to control
political events we are resolved thai there shall be
further extension of the territory vi this Union
| subject to the institutions OF slavery
| :" / believe the North is ready To sand bv the
Constitution, with all its compromises, it now is.
do not intend moreover, to throw out any threats
of disunion, whatever may be the result. l do not
intend, now or ever, to contemplate disnion
cure for any imaginable evil. At the sane time |
do not intend to be driven from firm oppression
of purpose, and steadfast adherence to lrinciple
| by any threats of disunon from any othcrquarter
| The people Of New England, whom have my priv
| ege to speak for, do not desire, as Understand
| their views-I know my own heart and ny own
principles, and at least speak for them to gain
one foot of territory by conquest and heresut of
| the prosecution of the war with Mexico. do not
believe that the abolitionists of the North
though am one of the last persons who vpuld be
| entitled to speak their sentments--wo be un-
| willing to be found in combination with Suthern
! gentlemen who may see fit to espouse this doc
| frin a Haair Ma holia thott. J.
| ought never to have been commenced, and we do
not wish to have it made the pretext for plundering
Mexico Of one foot of her lands. But il tlc war is
to be prosecuted and if territories are to be con
| quered and annexed, we shall stand fast and for
| ever to the principle that, far as we are con-
cerned, these territories shall be the exclusive
abode of frecmen
"Mr Chairman, peace, peace, is the grand COM
promise of this question between the North and the
South. Let the President abandon all schemes OF
further conquest. Let him abandon lis plans of
pushing his forces to the heart of MeIico Now,
before any reverses have been experienced by the
American arms, he can do SO with the highest hon.
or. Let him exhibit spirit of magnanimity to-
wards weak and distracted neighbo Let him
make distinct proclamation of the terms which
he is ready TO negotiate; and let those terms be
such as shall involve no injustice towards Mexico,
and engender no sectional strife among ourselves
But, at all events, let him tell what those terms
are to be. proclamation OF Executive purposes is
essential TO any Legislative any national harmony
The North ought TO know them the South ought to
know them the whole country ought To understand
for what ends its blood and treasure are to be ex-
pended. 1t is high time that some specific terms of
accommodation were proclaimed TO Congress, to
Mexico, and to the world II they be reasonable,
no man will hesitate to unite in supplying what
ever means may be necessary for enforcing them. -
come lastly, Mr.. Chairman, TO a speech which
made IN this House on the 22d of February, lS47
and from which ! shall venture to quote a still
longer extract. II this OCCASION sir and in
connexion with these remarks, that offered the
bill then pending-which was bill making an ap-
preparation Of nearly thirty five millions Of dollars
for the single item of supporting the army-a pro
uiso in the following words:
" "Prorided, further, That these appropriations
| are made with no view of sanctoning any prose
cution of the existing with Mexico for the ac-
QUESTION OF territory TO form States to be added
70 the Union, or for the dismemberment in any way
of the republic of Mexico"
That, sir, was my proviso. And if any body
shall ever deem my name worthy of being associa-
ted with any Legislative proposition, hope this one
will not be forgotten. am willing that il should
be known In all time TO come as the Winthrop
proviso.
II was indeed almost identical with a resolution
proposed in the other branch Of Congress- by an
honorable Senator from Georgia, (Mr. BERRIES, }
and it shared the same fate with his resolution.
Every Whig member present at the time, except
one, voted in favor Of its adoption. There were
seventy-sx Wings in all, from all parts of the
country, North and South, East and West, whose
names inscribed the journals in favor of this
proviso. But no Democrat voted for IL not one
And among the names Of the one hundred ano
twenty four Democrats who defeated il, t,may be
seen those of the honorable member from Pennsyl
vania, (Mr. WILnor,) and of the honorable mem
Der from New York, (Mr. Preston KISG,) side
by side with those Of the present Speaker Of this
House, (Mr. CoBB,) Of the present chairman Of
this committee, (Mr. BoYD,) and Of all the other
Southern Democrats Of the day.
II ON this occasion, sir, that expressed my
self follows:
"Mr. Chairman, have intmated on another oc-
casion that do not go far some of my friends
in regard 70 the propriety or expediency OF with
holding all supplies from the Executive. While a
foreign nation is still in against us, would
limit the supplies 10 some reasonable scale OF de-
fence, and not withhold them altogether would
pay for all services Of regulars volunteers al
ready contracted for. would provide ample means
to prevent army from suffering, whether from
the foe or from famine, as long they are in the
field under constitutional authority. Heaven for
bid that our gallant troops should be left to perish
for want OF supplies because they are on foreign
soil, while they liable TO be shot down by the
command of their own officers IL they refuse 70 re-
main therci But cannot regard Il as consistent
with constitutional or republican principles, to pass
this bill as II now stands Even IL approved the
war, should regard such course of Legislation as
unwarrantable. Disapproving IL, as unequivocally
and unqualifedly do, am the more induced to in
terpose these objections to its adoption.
Sir, this whole Executive policy Of over
running Mexico TO obtain territorial indemnitics
for pecunisry claims and the expenses OF the
war, is abhorrcnt to every idea of humanity and
of honor. For one, do not desire the acquisition
Of one inch of territory by conquest. desire
TO see no fields of blood annexed TO this Union,
whether the price Of the treachery by which they
have been procured shall be three million pieces of
silver or only thirty want no more areas OF free
dom. Area, IL remember right, signihed thrash
ing floor in my old school dictionary. We have
had enough Of these areas, whether of freedom or
slaveryi and trust this will be brought 10
close without multiplying or extending them.
lrepeat this the more cmphaucally, lest my vote
in favor Of tho Three Million bill should be misin-
terpreted. Nothing was further from my inten-
ton, in giving that vote, than 10 sanction the pol
icy OF the Executive in regard 10 the territories OF
Mexico II he insists, indeed, on pursuing that
policy, and If majority of Congress insist on Civ
ing him the means, prefer purchase TO conquest,
and had rather authorize the expenditure of three
millions 70 pay Mexico than Of thirty millions TO
whip her. But everybody must have understood
that the proviso a virtual notification Of the
BILL for any purpose of acquiring territory, in the
hands of a southern administration.
cit was for that pvopiso that lvoted. wished to
get the great principle which 1t embodied fairly on
the statute book Tbelieve il TO be perfectly con-
sttutional principle, and an cminently conserva-
tive principle.
"sir, those who undertake 10 dispute the consti-
tutonality Of that principle must rule out OF exist
ence something more than the immortal ordinance