The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-07-26
) 1'ERMs-$s in ADVANCE
NO. 39o

a'u ho" helc expressly taken away !;
here the latter power must be exer.
cised according to its nature and fit
be legislative power, it must be cx.
ercised with that deliberation and dis.
cret'o which Is Essential 10 the nature
OF Legislative power. %
| | have said titus fnucli upon this,
branch of the subject, hot so much be
cause considered it necessary rpon
the present occasion, as because ! de-
sired, fur one; to put upon record nv.
opinions Of thb power of this House
over the appropriation ofmoney where
it is required by treaty; and because |
cannot toreesce what may occur hereaf.
ter, and do not want to act blindfold.
ed upon this subject.
| will now, for few moments, turn
li!y atteiition to the consideration of
the paftlcular treaty now before us.
and give the feasons which induce me
to vote for the appropriations.
In tic first place, the fact that the
treaty has beei1 negotiated by the Pre-.
sident, with the consent Of two thirds
of the Senate; is d strong recommen.
dation in favor of the treaty. So far
is the President himself is concerned
| have much respect for his Judgment,
and great confidence in the correctness
of Ills PURPOSES: repeat, then, thas
the fact that it comes with the recon:
mcndatioh of the President; Is din ar
gument to My mind in its favor. The
fact that it has received the approba-
ton of two.thirds of the Senate
body Composed Of men as patriotic
and intelligent as can be found in the
country-atter mature deliberations;
and the further fact that the treaty IS
Of their own making, they having re.
fused to adopt the first treaty, which
they rejected and sent back to Mexico.
| say that these facts afford strong
argument in its favor. But ( do
not say I would yield my views to
any such authority when they COME
in conflict.
look to the treaty itself in the next
place, and find enough in that instru-
mcnt to satisfy me that ought to
vote for the appropriation. The first
point ni,sioe in it is, that it settles
the Mfssilla Valley difficulty. There
is no doubt that serious difficulty
exists between this country and Mexi-
co in regard to that territory. In run.
ming the boundary line between the
two countries, according to the terms
ofthe treaty oftho Guadalupe Hidalgo.
our commissioners and surveyors did
not agree. Our Government contend.
ed for one boundary, and Mexico for
another. The American commission
ers did agree with the Mexican com.
mlssioners in the first instance.
i haze read with some degree Of caro-
the Views ofthose who understand this
subject, and ! must confess the arsu-
mcnt, to my mind, is strongly in favor
OF the American claim. And / SO look
upon it, not because it is the Ameri.
can argument, but because it is based
upon the rule which should have gov.
erned the commissioners in settling the
boundary. But, sir, we do not want
to 60 to war with Mexico. lwould rath
er give up the Mesilla Valley than to 60
to war with that nation in her weak
and distracted condition; much rather
would yield TO her demands. u1rea:
sonable though they may be, than to
80 TO war with her I would smin
war at any time by all honorable
means, but if we must have it, fet us
60. to war with nation from which we
may win glory, with n nation equally
powerful with ourselves, and not q
weak, distracted, cohvulsed, and tot.
terIng power like Mexico. Sir, am
glad Of the opportunity to settle, by
treaty, our difficulties with Mexico, in
q manner honorable to both parties;
which will satisfy the demands Of that
nation without too great cost on our
part.
Further, | think we hare gained an
important pointin obtaining a release
from our obligations, on account of the.
eleventh article of the treaty of Qua.
dalupe Hldalgo: ! think, on referring
to the language Of that treaty, it viii
be found that there is strong ground
for giving it tile Construction which the
Mexican government claim for it,
Here is the lahguage: ~"
Arr. II. Considering that Il great
part Of the territories which BY the
present treaty are TO be coYhprehehded
for the future within the fir1ies ofsthe
United States, is now occ1pitd by
savage tribes, who willshsteafter be
under the exclusive controller ehes gov.
ernment of the United States, and
whose imcurisons within fe:tesitery of
Mexico would be pre,,,taieal in the cx-
treme, it is solemfly asfeed that all
f, such incursions shall. be. ,foroibly re-
strained by.a;tle government Sofsthe
Uuited States whatsoever this may be
| necessary and that Sflsep they cannot
be prevented they shall be puu1shed
by the said government, and !satisfac:
tion for the Same Shall be exacted all
in the same Way, and with equal aili.
gencc and energy, as ifthe same incur.
sions were meditated Ur committed