Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-20
4 DECLARATION OF WAR.
But One Has Been Made in the History Of the
United States.

| But One Has Been Made in the History Of thu
United States.
THAT WAS IN 1S12-PREsrDExr MApIsoS's MES
sAaE REcIT1Sa THE WRONGS DONE THIS coUN'
TRY By GREAT BRIrAIN-MR. CALuouN's BILL
CONGRESS AWAITS THE PREsIDESr's MESSAGE.
declaration Of war is q serious thing blu,
| unless all the signs fail there will be such o
declaration before the passing of the present
week. This business Of declaring war is not
one to which the United States has become
accustomed. Great European powers. par
ticularly England, have little wars on hand
about all the time, but this country has never
declared war but once in all its history, and
thatswas on June:1s, 1912. On the first day Of
June President Madison sent to Congress q
message, in which he recited the wrongs done
this country by Great Britain. In summing up
the situation. he said: I'VE behold, in fine, on
the side of Great Britain, a state Of war
against the United States. and on the
SIDE OF the United States q state of peace to-
ward Great Britain. Whether the United States
shall continue passive under these progressive
usurpations and their accommodating wrongs or
opposing force to force in defence Of their ma
tional rights shall commit just cause into the
hands OF the Almighty Disposer OF events,
avoiding all connections which might
entangle it in tho contest or views
OF other powers, and preserving a
re-establishment Of peace and friendship, is a
solemn question. which the Constitution wisely
confides to the legislative department of the
government. In recommending it to their
early de!lberation am happy in the assurance
that the decision will be worthy the enlightened
and patriotic councils of q yirtuous a free and
a powerful nation"
A BILL DECLARING WAR
But in spite of the warm language Of the
message there was a good deal of opposition to
doing anything. Mr.. Calhoun, in the House, led
in support of war, and he it was who reported
from the military affairs committee the bill
declaring war. The bill passed the House on
June 4, the vote being 79,ayes 40 nays 1t did
not pass the Sepate until June IL, the yeas be-
ing 10, the nays -. The measure as approved
by President Madison on June IS was as fol-
lows:
An act declaring war between the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and tie
dependencies thereof and the United States of
America and their territories.
BE 1t enacted by the Senate and House Of
Representatives ot the United States in Con-
gress assembled, that war be and the same is
hereby declared to exist between the united
kingdon OF Great Britain and Ireland and the
dependencies thereof and the United States of
America and their territories, and that the
hereby authorized to use the whole
land and naval force of the United
states to carry the same into effect and to issue
to private armed vessels of the United States
commissions or letters of marque and general
reprisal, in such form as he shall think proper
and under the seal of the United States, against
the vessels, goods and effects of the govern
ment OF the said united kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland and the subjects thereof"
NO FORMAL DECLARATION AGAINST MEXICO.
This country did not declare war against
Mexico. Some people think it did and perhaps
some people are more than half right, but
the official records put the declara-
ton into the mouth of Mexico. On
Monday, May II. 1876. President Polk sent
message to Congress, in which he told the story
OF diplomatic and other strife between the
United States and Mexico In that COMMUNE
cation he said:
The existing state of the relations between
the United States and Mexico renders it proper
that should bring the subject to the consid-
Grafton OF Congress. In my message at the
commencement OF your present session the
state of these relations. the causes which led to
the suspension of diplomatic inter-
course between the two countries in
March, 1S45, and the long continued
and unredressed wrongs and injuries commit
ted by the Mexican government on citizens Of
the United States in their persons and prop
erty were briefly set forth After giving a
complete sketch of the difficulties and dis
agreements between Mexico and this country
President Polk went on to say: "Our forbearance
mas gone to such an extreme as to be mistaken
In Its character. Had We acted with vigor in
repelling the insults and redressing the inju-
ries inflicted by Mexico at the commencement,
we should doubtless have escaped all the diff
culties In which we are now involved. Instead
OF this, however, We have been exerting our
best efforts to propitiate her good will =
furthar IF oh \
fense OF our territory, l invoke the prompt
action OF Congress to recognize the existence
OF the war. and to place at the disposition of
IN executive the means OF prosecuting the war
with yigor, and thus fastening the
restoration Of peace. To this end /
recommend that authority should be
given to call into the public service a large
body OF volunteers to serve for not less than
SIX or twelve months, unless sooner discharged.
A volunteer force is, beyond question, more
efhcient than any other description of citizen
soldiers. and 1t Is not to be doubted that a
number far beyond that required would
readily rush to the field upon the call of
their country. l further recommend that a
liberal provision be made for sustaining our
entire military force and furnishing it with the
supplies and munitions of war. The most
energetic and prompt measures, and the i'm
mediate appearance in arms of a large and
overpowering force, are recommended to Con-
gress as the most certain and efficient means of
bringing the existing collision with Mexico to
speedy and successful termination
THE SENATE DID NOT HURRY.
There was nothing hasty in the Senate's &C.
ton; that body wasted all of one day before it
decided what committee the message should be
referred to-whether foreign relations or mill
tary affairs. Senator Calhoun argued against
anything and everything but the utmost DELHI
GRAFTON. In the House they settled down to
business at once, in spite Of opposition. As
soon as the message had been read Mr.
HARRISON, chairman of the military
affairs committee, introduced a bill, which
supported the Presidents position. Repre-
sentatives HARRISON, Brinkerhoff Broken
borough, Jacob Thompson and Jefferson Davis
talked for while of the distinctions
which could be drawn between war and
hostility. There WAS a strong sentiment
averse to putting the onus of declaring war on
in relieving the administration considerably,
Garrett Davis, however, insisted to the last
that the war was not commenced by Mexico,
but by President Polk.
THE ACT FINALLY PASSED.
The title of the act. as approved, was Gan
act providing for tho prosecution Of the ex-
listing war between the United States and the
republic of Mexico" The preamble read:
Whereas. by the act of the republic OF
Mexico state of war exists between the United
States and the republic of Mexico" Authority
was given the President to prosecute the war
to a speedy and successful conclusion" and
the sum of $40, 000, 600 was voted.
The naval section of the act authorized the
President s'forthvith To com rlete oil thu rpbl;o