, 1860-07-20

how legally transferred, which had never been
done. Mr. Lincoln ulonght tie act Of sending |
An armed force among the Aexicaos was u""ee-
e,,orv. iua.much as Mexico was in no way
mo!estipg or mepacing tha United stases OF
the people thereof and that It waa u1co"sasa-
tional, because the power Of levyinE war VA
vested in Congress, and not IN tho ffee'oen.
He thought the principal motive Tor no acs
was to divert public attention from the sur
render. by tho De- mocratic party, Of " Fifty.four
forty, or fight to Great Br tain, On the oregon
boundary question. He also, doubtless, De"
lieyed that it WAS an Intentional bid Of the
Democratic party for Southern support, mas.
much rs the conquest Of all or any portion oi
Mexico would be hailed by the South as IN
ASSURANCE Of the e1tansion Of slavery, and az
increuse Of the political power, in the federal
government, Of the slaveholding interest
The adoption Of Ashmun's amendment was
not the first occasion tho Wing party, through
itsrepresentativesi in Congress, had condemned
tho act Of the President in involving the coun-
try In war with Mexico. On the l1th Of
May, 1876, as will be aeen by reference 10 the
House Journal, PIP. 1923, tho following action
was had:
son motion to amend bill for an act pro-
riding for the prosecution Of the existing war
between the United Ststes and the Republic Of
Mexico, by inserting the following preamble:
"Wherea.. By the act OF the Republic Of
Mexico, state of war exists between hat gov
eminent and the United States
'1t was decided in the alfrmatiTe-yeas 1873,
nays 67."s
Tha Northern Wings voted solidly in the
negative, as we'll as tho following Southern
! members:
| "Daniel u. B.rringer {N. C.l. Thomas Il.
Dayy {yA), Henry Bedineer {va.), Arn,isted
| Burt IS. J, John e. Crozer Tenn. J, Garrett
Davis tky.). Alfred Dockery H. c., Henry
Order {kY.), Henry ". IIiiard (Ala.) J, Isaac
i. Holmes Is. c J, John ". Houston (Del),
ter {Ta.), r. Butler King (Ga), John T. Nc
Henry (ky,), John S. Pendletcn Wal, R. Barn.
well Rhett Is. C j. James A. Ssddnn Iva. }, Alex
under D. Sims Is. g., Richard F. Simpson Is.
C.), Alexander II. Stephens (GA), Robert
Toombs (GA.), Joseph A. Woodsard IS, C.),
r. ..;,1 ho aaen .ha, tia oho,.a 1;,t ;n,,,,,7..
II WIZ 20 aA % '".| ~ :s Ar -ss .r
numoet o. luz 1uost pso"'4eot VI tue ieao'
ers OF modern democracy. Like III. Ltncoln,
they believed the war to have been "unneces-
sari,y and unconstitutioIally begun;" but }.k,
him th.v also Disseminated between the hon.
~ ,bo conn,rr and The Gallant servicee n
~ W 49, ,.',.. ~, ia .,., h..5 ,a :. =
tne ams.u as Pn,s;dsp, w 80 o,,.r aa s.a
act OF tne I1es'oen' on sne otne'. LUIS Phnt
was brought oa. Yery ctatly % Af. Lincoln
in a speech delivered in t Q House Of Repre-
septat,vcs, July 9th, 1s43, Of which the fol-
loxur is an extract;
..TSe decarat1ou that We hare al4avs onnos.
ID the war ia true or false accordingly - va
NAV nnder.tand the term sopp 7siu1 The war.
II Il aev tthe war Has unnecessarilv and nm,
cons,;tntionalIy commenced by the Prestdent.
he onnosinp the war. then the Whjes have rery
oenars1tv nnnosed it. WhenereF thev hare
snoten 1T ri tbey hara said this. and thar
hase mid it On what has appeared good reason
To them. The marching m armr into the midkt
tha nh .bitants away. leaving their prowine
r-ona and other nronsfty to destruction' to uot
rn.F .nnear a neffectly amiabie. neacrfu1 in.
nrcvoting nrocedure: bat il does not auuenr &C
. = ~ 80 to call sucn an act. 70 Us apnears nc
o,her thaaa naked, impudent ab,urrity. and
W. sneak of il accordingly, But II. When ahf
war hsd herup. aud had BECOME The cause O.
| tha conn,ry' The Giving OF our money and on,
} h1ood in commoa witb yourr. was suopnrt O
/ tha wsr than il IA not .rue that We have nlvay,
t | on,osad The war With few jndiyilust ex
capt;ons vou hare constantly had our votx
hare for all the necessary suppl es. And ,luor,
than this. YOU hare had the srrvicea, the blood
, and the lives Of our political brethren IN ever,
trial. and IN every field, TIE beafdless boz
i and the mature man-the humble and the dis
+ tipcuished-you have bad them. Thsougl
/ sutfsripr and death-by disease and in battle
q | they have euuurf1, and 1oug1tr aud ial!en VIII
you Cl1y and Webster eaen gave 500, neEs
T. 10 he returned. From the Stale Of my own res
J, | idence, btsides other worthy but less know
L Wing names, we sent Marshall. Morrison, b.
: ker, and ua1dln; they all fought, and one fell
aud in the fall Of that one We lost our best Viii
man. Nor were the fnE8 fe" IN nnmoet, Q
n lagaard ia the day of daseer. In that teariu
!, bloody, breath!ess stEuA'e at Buena tts''
n where eact. mans hard la.k was to beat hac
five foes, NJ die himself, or the five high oiictl
~ who persisted, four were Whixa-
" t" In speaking OF thls, ! mean m odious con
l. parsson betwte an the lion hearted " hlgs an
g Democrats who fought there- ., other occ;
E. slons, and among tue lover ofncesa anu pr
H. Yates on that occasion, dorht not the 2ropo
n ton Was ditf.reat. wish to do justice to a