Term lhc Watchman.
.Uh 'mt year. Two Dollars paysb'.e in
,PW Sd h advance, Two dollar,
i. Will be rbH-
irCW- i
if "1. K'r iKati thratr. A liberal deduc
in-rtri at 81 for the nr-t.and 25cts
Court order marked
' b.aJvertise jy ihe yrnr.
ile riiitoM mint be 'postpaid.
"TBI ' CAROLINA ..WATCHMAN!
-flrtfl-McLEAN AND THE WAR.
fla fuliowlbg rlctter hs been furnished to.
i fSazette. Iiv the gentleman lo
u i lfln"r d
' j was addressed, for publication. I he
;, poiiiion df Judg McLean, as well as.
igh character, and the uniform moderation
.political course imparls interest and will
-rtVcighl td his opinions :
, Washington, Jan. 7, 1848.
ii r' Dear Sir: To all human appearance
f termination oi . Xn miserable war with
' i nwirrt rcmfitrt than whpn thft first
KfllCO, .r,w. -
ii struck In my judgment it was unnc-
itrilf tnd unconMitutionally commenced,
f marcmn! out , army jnio aispuieu lerruory
'jwsscswon'of Mexico. And, I think, that
Citirrs unquestionably nave uio over,
frii put ari end to the! war on just and hon
4 - Wier agreeing upon the terms on which a
ut7 hi'K,: ,) rnaoe, iney notjid can upon me
1 i-tfCUtire-hy'reslution to iffeia peace to Mex.
lc0UMd tHal basis, and during the negotiation
jjiifi shoulul be suspended. If the Pres.
jjfll ibaltTiintet to1 do this, in the military ap.
frnpftfttion bils,tho arirp) should be required
giike I'ich positions as shall carry out the
of Congress. These bills the President
&M wt Tfioland he Would be bound by their
jrqtjirfme nts; This may He done by the House.
bf! Congress will refuse to issue any
port treasury notes. 1 he notes demanded, in
liliiioii to thoje already,, in circulation,! would
dfte country! with that description of paper.
Such sii erriiswoh would constitute a govern.
cvAi link, controlled and managed by a party
tdranwrtfion.j We hate now fifteen millions
tljrttwj notes' in circulation, and authority
iiiu fire tr illions more. I would not in.
trfie this 'circulation a "dollar, but reduce it as
P1: '''h? u5n ytem would be
iflf(wiparaly more dangerous to the public
Mrals. and; th j public liberty, than any other
(tiie.rrt of ban ling that could le devised.
To meet-any deficiency of the revenue to pay
ie current ei pense s of. the war, I would au.
Wise loans i t par, paying not more than six
eent, interest, ana it j loans cannot be made
it this iaiel lei the! administration resort to a
irttepi of Inxation.J which shall cause the peo.
pli feel the expense of the war. All wars
iWM, be accompanied by a system of direct
tni internal taxation. Nothing short of this
ris ihow, n addition to the sacrifice of life,
that we pay (or military glory. This was the
policy in the better, days of the republic.
The late war with England was nobly sus
u'medby the people, not only in the field but
lthe payment o( taxes. And they will sus.
'tin eTeryjjuit war in whichueuj; country shall
involved, j But I fislc nothing in saying that
in attempt to adopt such a system of taxation
vould wind up this Mexican war in 60 days.
nd this nhou (fiat the war should be put an
nd to. This may be done by Congress in 90
and pray Ood that they may do it.
Very truly Yours,
; I JOHN McLEAN.
BRUNER & JAMES,
I"
Editors df Proprietors
" Keep a check urox Toca
Rulers.
Do THIS, XSD LlBF.RTT IS SAFE
GerCl. Ilarriton.
NEW SERIES,
NUMBER 41, OF VOLUME IV.
SALISBURY, N. C, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1848.
'TUG RUMORS OF PEACE GOVERN.
) ORS OF CALIFORNIA AND NEW
MEXICO, c.
Correspondence of tkeuCoOirier ! Enquirer.
r. .A: Wasminctox, Jan. 26th, 1848.
-The news contained In mv last letter is con.
Qo-ay ; and you I may rest assured that
.'if. iniMuas ari-cu upon a ireaiy, running
vptbe Rh Grande to the Pacific. The ques.
tion it, will this line secure the harbor of San
iPii"? Icaqnot speak of this with certainty
pj iii ,ihw jirvic language useu Uy itir.
Triitin; 'the treaty, but I think San Diego
ill' be included. lhe question is on every
Vajue, will Mr.vPolk submit lhe treaty lo the
cottlAq ration of the Senate ? Yes, he certainly
iU.fwr now. that the existence of the treay is
known lie cannot get another dollar or another
tun (join cither IloUse of Congress if he
iihholds the treaty.' : This is now an acer-
A large: inajoriry of both Houses of Congress
ould Larc preferretl (Jen. Taylor's line, run.
ting fj the Sierra Mad re ; but they will take
Mr. Trie's jather than! continue the war. But
MR. BADGER'S SPEECH,
In the Senate, January th.
(concluded.)
Thus, it seems to me, that not only did
the President bring on, the war by an un
lawful and unconstitutional act, but that
he prosecuted It for the purpose of coil
quest, and of conquest alone. But this
purpose the President did not make known
to Congress. He did not submit (as he
should have done) to the judgment of Con
gress, whether; they were willing to pros
ecute the war Xor; the purpose of making
a permanent qonquest of the territory of a
neighboring republic: On the contrary,
he seems carefully to have concealed his
design from Congress. In his special mes
sage of the j4th of August, 184QQto the
Senate, he says expressly :
MThe chief idifficulty to be anticipated
in the negotiation is the adjustment of the
boundary betVeen the parties by aline
which shall at once be satisfactory and
convenient to both, and such as neither
will hereafter be inclined to disturb. This
is the best mode of securing perpetual
peace and good neighborhood between
the two republics. Should the Mexican
Government, in order to accomplish these
oojects. be willing to ceae any portion ot J
their territory Stp the United States, we
ought to pny ihem a fair equivalent : a
just and honorable peace, and not conquest,
being our purpose in the prosecution of
the war." J !
Now, what notion the President attach
es to the termh conquest," I do not know !
To me it seems plain that what had been
directed to be ' done before this message
was written. Hnd what was afterwards
done by the military and naval officers of
the bovernmetit, not only without rebuke,
but with the express recognition of the
President of the United States, is direct,
clear, and unquestionable conquest. I un
derstand conquest in this connexion as
meaning the seizure of the territory of an
other nation by force ; whether it is to be
held by force, jo r whether a consent to our
retaining it is Jo be extorted by the power
of our arms.
Again, sir, the Presidents message, at
the last session of Congress, expressly de
clares that " tfee war has not been wag
ed with a view to conquest that 4 the
war will continue to be prosecuted with
vigor as thebejst meansof securing peace;"
and that 44 it is deemed proper to bold wi?7--itary
possession of all the provinces which
have been taken, until n definitive treaty
of peace shalj have been concluded and
ratified by the two countries." And I re
collect well, sir, at the last session, when
a resolution Was moved by a member of
this body (Mr. Westcott) directing the
Committee of Territories( to consider as
to the propriety of establishing some spe
cies of legislative authority over the ter
ritories of the! enemy which had been ta
ken into our possession, the honorable Se
nator from Missouri, (Mr. Benton.) who
is not now in his seat, in his strong man
ner denounced in his place the proposition,
on the ground that it attributed to the
President of the United States the assump
tion that those portions of Mexico were
territories of the United States. This the
honorable Senator characterized as an
absurdity. j ' ..
M r. WESTCOTT. Monst rosi t v.
is opinion that Congress should not con
sent, under any circumstances, to surren
der any portion of the Mexican Republic.
The Secretary of WaK in -hisl report,
speaks of three plans- Why,, there
are but two in fact, if 1 ain capable of
understanding what seems to be tolerably
plain language. Human ingenuity can
not make, of it more than two plans, al
though he has numerically divided it into
three. What are they ?
"Our further operations must,: in, my
opinion, be conducted in one of the three
following modes : First, to take and hold
an indemnity line ; to recede from all
places and positions now occupied in ad
vance of it, and cease from all aggressive
operations beyond that YineY seevnd, to
overrun the'whole country, and hold all
me principal piaces in it ny permanent
garrisons ; and, thirds to retain what we
now possess, open the lines of communi
cation into Jhe interior, and "extend bur
operations to other important places, as
our means and the prospect of advanfa
ges shall indicate, keeping a disposable
force always read', within approachable
limits, to annoy the enemy, to seize sup
plies, enforce contributions, and frustrate
his efforts to collect means and assemble
troops for the purpose of protracting the
" Nor florid prose nor honeyed, lies of rhyme.
Can blazofTevil deeds or consecrate a crime."
I am not willing that my country should
now commit this irreparable wrong, and
soil herself with this ineffaceable stain.
I am opposed to the seizure and annex
ation of Mexico, because it is as unwise
as unjust. I know there are some who
entertain a different opinion, but it does
seem clear to me that the accomplishment
of such a measure as the incorporation of
Mexico whether her people are to be
introduced into a community of rights
with us or to be held as a! degraded and
conquered province whether they are to
sustain towards us the relation of the ter
ritories we have heretofore had, or to re
main in a state of perpetual pupilage
whether the mode and form in which their
ftiture condition and character are to be
established must inevitably, in, the . hour
of its completion, doom the Union to cer
tain destruction.
1 1 was glad to hear the Senator from S.
Carolina farthest from me (Mr. Calhoun)
take strong and decided ground against
the absorption of Mexico and the destruc
tion of her nationality. I was glad to
hear his voice raised against what in my
vfew would be one of the greatest of
crimes, one of the greatest of political
blunders. But I wonder, Mr. President,
that it did not strike the honorable Sena'
tor that the injustice of seizing upon the
whole by force was an injustice but in de
gree superior to seizing upon any part by
force ; that, though the enormity of ab
sorbing the whole of the Mexican terri
tory strikes us with astonishment and hor
ror, it is but because the human mind is
more strongly affected and impressed by
subjects which appear large, yet that in
truth the seizure of one foot of Mexican
soil is just as much an invasion of the
eternal principles of right, as much a sa
crifice of the claims of justice and the ob
ligations which we owe our fellow-men.
as the seizure of the whole. I am opposed
to the conquest, by arms, of Mexico. I
am opposed to wresting from her one inch
of her domain by the exertion of any force
which shall control her will and compel
an apparently voluntary surrender, while
in reality the soul of the country tenacious
ly adheres to that with which it parts. I
am opposed to the commission by this
country of such an act of injustice for the
attainment of any object, be it great or
small, believing, as I fully do, that a pure
unsullied reputation amongst the nations
of the earth is of more importance to us
than any acquisition that the wide world
can furnish.
It has been said it was said on this
Mr. BADGER. Yes, monstrosity. But,
sir, this year lhe tone of the message is
materially chanced. The President has
towloi.kjo.ut for a probable explosion in the j got a new phrase. He now savs, lhat
wuHil-jifor there arq some of its members he is not carpyjng on tne war for the put
pose of conquest, but " it has never
S could more, easily digest tenpenny nails
Mr.Trist's boundary. -
Jto after, all, one halj of Mexico is something
' lbs way tif annexation, and those who go with
Snutor Dickinson, of )our State, for his more
perfect union, embracing the whole 4 North A
ncan Continent,' having just obtained by
Triil's Treaty a region larger than France
uridine: in fine harbors and rich' in precious
nlay wait for another slice until a more
w.ntnieht occasion, i
! (
pur-
been
war.
Well, now, sir, is it not strange that
numbers two and three shall be consider
ed separate and distinct plans ? The se
cond is to overrun the whole country and
hold all the principal places in it by es
tablishing garrisons therein. What is the
third ? It is to retain what we possess, to
open a communication with the interior,
and to take other places, according as our
means may enable us. Does he mean un
der the second plan to take more than our
means will enable us to take ? Under the
first of the two latter of the Secretary's
plans, he proposes to take all the princi
pal places in Mexico; and, under the se
cond of them, he proposes to keep what
we have got and get all we can. Well,
now the President has adopted tHe third
of the plans reported by the Secretary, as
enumerated by him, upon which the war
is to be carried on, and it is upon that ba
sis that supplies are asked, and particu
larly the ten regiments proposed to be
raised by the bill, to assist in carrying out
the operations of this war, in accordance
with the views of the Secretary.
Well, sir, believing as I do that the ne
cessary consequence of furnishing the
means which are required by this bill will
be to enable the Secretary of War, under
the direction of the President, to make a
permanent conquest ot the whole i)f Mex
ico, 1 cannot vote for it. I am opposed to
augmenting the forces for such a purpose.
How is the conquest of Mexico to be
effected ? How is a peace to be brought
about, under this mode of prosecuting a
war, except by the seizure and subjuga-
tion of the whole country ? 1 cannot vote,
sir, for anv plan by which Mexicd is to be
conquered and annexed. Because, in the
first place, it would be grossly unjust. It
would, in my judgment, according to my
convictions of right, be a high and fla
grant wrong for us to seize upon and in
corporate the territories of that Republic
into our own. 1 believe it would fix a stig
ma upqn the character of this 'people
which all successive ages would not be
able to wipe out.
No oblivion that thousands of years
could throw over it, no darkness with ! further prosecution
I which the lapse of ages could surround it, that he has proceeded from a disavowal
would prevent the .flagrant enormity of j of all intended conquest to a simple inti
a i
mind. I consider the further prosecution
of this war upon the plan proposed by the
President of the United States as danger
ous to the liberties of the country. 1 was
Struck by the remark made by the honor
able Senator from South Carolina, (Mr.
Calhoun.) that no one now hears, as in
the early days of the republic, the ques
tion, 44 How will this measure affect our
liberty V Now we sit down and calcu
late calmly what amount of military force
or means it Is necessary to put into the
hands of the President to accomplish a
certain object. We ask whether we shall
send him further into Mexico, at the head
of an hundred thousand men, with all the
means of this country at his command, by
our voluntary vote, and all the means of
Mexico by military and violent seizure ;
and yet, as the honorable Senator said,
there is no inquiry as to the effect of all
this upon OUT liberties. That rpmnrL-
excited in my mind a train of thought
which led me tolheconclusion that there is
great and just ground of apprehension, if
this measure is adopted, that the liberties
of the country will be seriously endanger
ed. Recollect what the President claim
ed on this subject in his messageof last
session. AU that has been done hereto
fore in Mexico inthe prosecution of this
war, the President claims the right of do
ing Decause we are the conqueror. But
where, I ask, does he find any authority
for exercising the rights of a conqueror!
If he has them, it must be irrespective
and independent of the constitution of the
United States. The conqueror has cer
tain rights, and the President claims that
these rights belong to him. For one, I do
not admit that proposition. It is the Go
vernment of the United States and the
people of the United States represented
in that Government who are conquerors
in every war in which we are successful.
Therefore, the rights which belong to the
conqueror, according to the law of nations,
belong no more to the President than they
do to the lowest officer who leads a band
of men against the enemy. These rights
belong to the country to those who rep
resent the sovereignty of the nation who
hold the war.power of the nation to the
Congress of the United States. The Pre
sident has no other power than as he is,
by the constitution, the chief military com
mander, whose duty it is to carry on war
for the purpose and to lhe ends declared
by those who represent the sovereignty of
the nation. But the President claims that !
he has a right to take possession, and that I
having taken possession, he has a right to
require from persons within the territorv
the oath of allegiance ; submission to the
xv uaa Ltii boiu- lb W13 3A1U Ull bills i r . . . , . rr,
n. . .l. i f. regulations of his military officers; sus-
iiuor ixi uic nine wuen ine resolutions oi cm . . l-
,r i ii o . c c, t, n, pension of all resistance to his
contemplated by me, as an object of the
war, to make a permanent conquest of
the Republic pf Mexico, or to annihilate
her separate Existence as an independent
natfQB.tSfSiW is H"'110 consistent with a
Mesign aCiefrwpranly conquering the u.7toe
andu pcrmahTnjly conquering a part. In
deed, hPeprM.ssly informs us lhat New
Mexicotiindcpe Californias 44 should never
PUB XlrtMIK' til HI6H.U i- " , o. J
to me qjjr Ujwas the duty ot tne rrest
dent of tfieunited States to have explain-
ed to Congress Irom the hrst what his re
pension ot all resistance to his militarv
authority, under pain of being treated as
traitors, and made liable to punishment in
' .. .. , But. I pray vou, is this the way J
i ripi r irnniiK unit in kprn n inn nun w npn. - i . -
b , w... .... I ' " " 1" w
the honorable Senator from South Caro
lina were before the Senate that the
proposition contained in them, which con
demns the conquest of Mexico and the
destruction of her nationality, was a pro
position the assertion of which would be
idle and fruitless, because the destruction
of the nationality of Mexico is contem
plated by no one. At the time when I
heard the statement made, I entertained
the same opinion, and expressed that opin- j
ion to the Senator himself. (Mr. Calhoun ;
here nodded assent.) But, an attentive j
consideration of the report of the Secre- ;
tarv of war. and the means demanded lv I
tKo v.A.r, ., c;,i0.; r ; ! come to the propos
nnrtant fWr rlilnH this ,Uv. tht th We are called upon to place at the com-
war-making power of the cour.ir
ded from all knowledge of I the
the prosecution of the warf 1
Well, sir, jwhat is the time::-:
military force in Mexico, )o w!
proposed to make this formidable
Without going into detail in v
say that that force at prrsent a:r
round numbers,toforty-five!tbou
Under existing laws, twppty 1
may be raised to complete; the
ment of regulars and volurUeer. ;
an aggregate of sixty-five Ihous
Deduct from that fifteen thau :
count of the casualties to Uhich
: ator from Michigan so ofirn rc l
you have an army of fifty jbou r.
et, it is now proposed to add tot!
icn regiments oi regulars, vith r.
hind it to put at the disposal of t:
dent twenty thousand volunteers
including the sailors and marines
rating with the troops, of not I
se vcrUy-fi ve thousand to eighty 1
effective men. What is it to I
plished by that force! Are tin r
to be fouzht? That is llistin"
vowed. There is no expectati ; .
any more battles to be fought. F
then, sir, do you ask thesufmen?
the honorable gentleman from M
says, that he wishes, by tlm cxhii
a larre force there, to nrnrhirn '
moral effect." How? AVfiv. !
to convince the Mexicans that i
unable to resist us! elr, sir. u :
able to resist the logic of such
Buena Vista, Churubusco.Contn .
uerro Uordo, think you, sir.1 that t
credulity will yield to the mere
a large body of men? What, 1
you intend to do with this immc :.
tary force ? They are to take j
and occupy the country, it is .s i:
when they are there, vhatrgreat
it intended that they should acc
which this country desires jo sc
plished ? Do we want peace ?
obvious to every one that; pcac
in this way be obtained ? If p
be coerced, we have done et
that genius can contrive,; Vind :
gallantry execute to accomplish
lieve it may be said, without e
tion, that the history of no country
sented such n succession ol' bril
tary achievement as we have ;
Mexico. As a single battle, no;
be produced equal to thbjj last t
Taylor ; and, as a succession of
operations, where can you iinJ
to the advance of Scott from Y
to the city of Mexico? Ifl cha-'
defeat overpowering, ovcrwhrl.
feat were sufficient lo bnn ?!
a disposition for peace, slip wc
been brought to that disposition !
How, then, do you propose to a
it by our troops? Why, ih'ey m.
possession and occupy the wholo
or, as the Secretary of War says
that portion of it which we have
occupy all the rest of wbih c,
will allow us to take possession
when you have got possession, v.
Posts and fortifications, I sOppn
be established every whenv Y
maintain all the strongholds c!
and her valleys arc to befever
marked by the signs of military
tton. How long is this stale oi t
continue ? Until Mexico fna!.
1 .l All
perty ana revenues oi tne country. All i
llllD ll A A 1 r 1 I WYI C OO r kir.I...BnM . . - 1 t.tlw.lla. !
. 1 ...... r " ! ican bosom:
irrespective oi any responsioimy 10 con
gress. I protest against any such doctrine.
t . i .a t
the gentle sentiments I oi, uc
and peace are to be instilled into
ican bosom ? True, you may c
to submit ; you may prevent h r
teringa word of complaint ; vou t
i . c... 1: ...lit. , ,
. w . . . n . urr lu iri 11 Luiiiiinaii.u in .
Having now stated my views ol the;. ,k , .
fo . r ., . 3 ,. ' her active resentment may i;;a
commencement of this war-the manner j. d f XQ. . .
and purposes of its prosecution and the . J fMe urI.
dangerous tendency .of the Lxecutivc t t,, f 4. , i ...'i,
, . c i . i . The Latin poet has said, wiai
claims of power and projects of conquest and force ?
I come to the proposition before us. . I f
' C . t. T)..,r.!.1n.. C 1 r . I., n n l.tall.t-n All'n 'nit'. I
1 resident has refused upon this subject to i -i-. . r t .r .
communicate his views and plans in the reM addition to the present milita- : nature, ,n virtue of which that
r ,i f . ry torce. ror wnai purpose r 10 carry : ty wnicii nemanus ouraumirair
of the war the fact J ... J TT . . A J . ... , , . i .,
on tne war wun iMexico. upon wnai
,' Si if rolo Sxtr nnn ami!,y.
al purpose wfts. If he intended at the
last session to actually conquer and retain
' "jr the, bye, there are already several a post-
nrfof: the post of Governor of California, arid
H JvewjYorihas a regiment there, it is thought
1 chizeo of tho Empire State ought to be. se-
'ctfd, ;Gov. Marcy it is said, is for Col. Ste.
.n?0n1??U' Buchanan for Col. Forney, Mr.
V a ke for (;. f.c-' i
. - i . ' jirrnrrpii. iii ii is in Mini nnn i - .
C.;e Jnson ow d the 'i rcc-to tain. under all c.rcumstan.
0ir.ee. The; choice of the Secretary of the Na.lces' ihe tcmW then acquire Jfrotri Mex
V d Attorney General is not known - but rco he shou d have so told Congress.
' rrcsident ii said to U hesitating between But he tqjld us no such thing. On the con
Brown, of Misi$siPPiwnd q pillov.. trarjs hj leaves us to suppose that though
Thero must be aGtivernotVir.nrN?.. flf-w' these.nrtieeedmtrs seem to look like con-
C I tooj iwhich some of" the ouappointed appli. quest, yet stifl; in the Presidential mind,
Pnts m4y take, fur no one wants to co to Sn. 'th- nnnnpst Uf nnv nart of Mexico was
Jf Kthty can snufThe Breezes of he great fnnt Ws rAirnose. Now. sir. we are dis-
UCl'ic: ! There are two names that nro m k k- .ia- rSii.i .i.. u h..:a : r
I , , . j - .. jr.";""" I tincuiuiuriiiru iiini uio hcsiucih ia ui
opinttn that we snoutu retain, at an naz-
ards, New Mextcoand the two uaitiornias.
-wn arsnair-wine aavocais ra ihA' i v hn..
WiUnot Provisos for all cnancei now of4
rjin?' the ffarhe of shuttle coclc with the slave.
7l''tsion, between the abidition agitators on
oot'Kand, and the ultra Calhoun s(iiveocra.
V tbe Other! it nnw omliHnnH flulifiirnia
J H' Mexico -will .become free Slates, be-
it. it so willed b their inhabitants.
Ckailtoyakt.
. a mil A i.:.-. , i ; .
V Mtington correfpondent of the New
M Courier . Wy. f 1 !
Vr ?1 ,C,!menl f ti,U amonS Narl
r 'his morning, in consequence of a pr
men
prevail
CI t I ilbe of ,he iGuU Sluad-
ifei'StP!? circular from thejCommodore
CJWllon oii'.the lubject, have re.
CKn,we' thai -the conduct of a post
JESfi lhe before Vera Cruz, was
3 ? f'in the presence of an
ti
The next proposition which strikes me
as being material to a just determination
of the course to be pursued in reference
to the bill now under the consideration of
the Senate is ibis : that the present plan
of the war, as! announced by the Secreta
ry of the Wki Department in hiscommu-,
nication to the President, if carried but.
must irresistibly lead to the conquest of
the whole of Mexico ; and I think we may
reasonably conclude, judging of the fu
ture by the past, that if at this session
Congress shall place in the hands of the
President al ihe means he has asked, we
shall the next session find the whole of
Mexico entirjely overrun and at the mercy
of our troops i and we shall then have a
message informing us that the President ever,
such a measure from being apparent to
posterity. How could our future histori
ans and poets be able to relate the tale of
this country's doings in regard to t his fee
ble, unfortunate, degraded Republic ? In
vain would the attempt be made to close
the eyes of mankind against the gross in
justice of this procedure, by throwing a
rountf it the flimsy pretences which pat
riotism might suggest. Sir, now we have
the dazzling blaze of military glory cast
over these operations, and behold them in
a light which may mislead land deceive
us, but when the excitement of the pre
sent day Shall have passed away, and
they shall be looked at in the clear light
of history, and their character pronounc-
ed by the voice of truth, there will be sl
universal verdict of condemnation given
by mankind. My deliberate conviction
is. that in the judgment of posterity, if we
should consummate such a wrong as this,
the crimson guilt of the partition of
Poland would pale into absolute white
ness in the comparison. The one. it
would be said, was an act perpetrated
by monarchs, hereditary rulers, men born
to govern, and who had been taught to re
gard others merely as the ministers of
their power, &in whose behalf it might be
urged that they only followed the example
of their predecessors in seeking, by what
ever means, to increase their power ; but
in the other case it would be declared that
the act was committed by a Republican
Government, based on principles of equal
rights, and pofessing friendship atd good
will to all mankind, seeking for national
happiness and national glory in the pur
suit of the peaceful arts, engaged in the
establishment of justice and tranquility,
and regarding the whole human! race as
brethren in blood, entitled to tneir numan-
nirWntinn. The writers of
mation that he has never desired to con
quer Mexico or destroy her nationality
these things, sir, have convinced me of
the probability that the Government is
now thinking, at some no distant day, ac
tually to make the movement which the
resolution of the Senator from South Car
olina denounces. I was struck, sir, with
the account of a recent celebration in this
cfty of the anniversary of the battle of
New Orleans. It was held here on the
11th instant, and I noticed that an honor
able and distinguished member of this
body (Mr. Dickinson) made an address on
the occasion to the company then assem
bled, concluding with a sentiment which
goes far ahead of the annexation of the
vhole of Mexico. He gave as a toast,
"A more perfect Union, embracing the
whole of the North American continent."
I did not observe that the sentiment was
received with disapprobation. I saw no
mention of any qualification of the senti
nient by him or others; but there it stands
as the declared opinion of a representa
tive of the great 44 Empire Stateupon
this floor a State which, of all others, is
able to succeed by physical force in the
accomplishment of such a design a de
sign looking to a more 44 perfect union,"
not in the closer association of the mem
bers of this republic not in a strength
ening of our social relations not in an
increase of mutual attachment but a
more perfect union which is to embrace
in one with us the whole of the American
continent, including Mexico on the south
and the entire British provinces on the
north. When I see propositions of that
sort coming from gentlemen of such high
character, known intelligence, and dis
tinguished position before the country, I
cannot resist the conclusion that such sen
timents may have an echo in the hearts
plan? Sir, the President declines to in
form us upon what plan.
Mr. MANGUM, (in his seat.) His
friends here decline.
Mr. BADGER. A few days ago. when
this subject was under consideration by
; the Senate, and my friend from Kentucky
(Mr. Crittenden) stated in his strong and
forcible manner the present condition of
Mexico, and the utter and absolute want J
of any necessity for this additional milita
ry force, a part of a communication from
General Scott was read -by the honorable
chairman of lhe Committee on Military
A TV ; uc irk ihp nmnnnf nf fnrt llmt
would be required. Gen. Scott express- maiDS of he vitality I J 1 bop-.-ed
the opinion that if certain purposes but, even if you do, yoa do n it r
us to withhold our love. IF tl
tendency of that moral cot-re;
may we expect from awe far,
Do we really expect, by r'vxw
4 I... .1 I... '
qutTM. uy u'ttsu;u iiciu?, jj.ij
lages, by stormed fortresses; by
ing such positions that! no M
look forth without bchoUingUhf
of the fall of his country and ihf
of her conqueror, that a true j
be restored ? Sir, no man fchon!
it. What is the situation of ?!
this moment? She lies atyo'ir I
ding, exhausted, panting. D j
to ttample upon this enemy njn
dust ? Do you wish to crush t!.
r... l
iy a 111 buiiiuviuuvn. " ' i
.iT- .!:.... rA.,1r1 finrl thnt thn. as Ol tllOUSandS.
mat uiawuifc "WuW . , j.fl..nit: ; mv
j ; Out lucre aic uuivi uuuvuiMVi. ... j
were contemplated it would be necessary
to raise his force to fifty thousand men.
I myself asked the honorable Senator on
what plan, system, or basis of operation
for conducting the war that estimate was
made. The Senator declined to answer.
Resolutions have been proposed in the.
other House making inquiries, and to these
the President has declined giving any an
swer. A resolution was introduced in
this body asking the President to commu
nicate to us information on this subject,
such as he might deem it consistent with
the public interest to communicate to us,
either confidentially or in open session.
The President was asked to communicate
to us information which would enable us
to understand this monster project for the
war, which requires this great addition to
our military means ; and this morning,
by a vote of the majority of this body, it
was determined that the question should
not be put to the President, whether he
has in his possession any information on
this subject which he could, consistently
with the public interests, communicate to
us, either in open session or confidential
ly ? Thus, by the action of the President
in the one case, and his friends in the oth
er, all information is denied us, and the
additional force.
Wc received yesterday the c
general order of the I5th De c
sued by General Scott, the firi t ;
which proceeded to inform thn :.
it would spread itself over the
of Mexico ; and which goes en
lish a system of internal rr J.
the government of the! country,
collection and disbursement of t:
ue. If, then, it be right and rr.
nrpnt rrinntpJ condition CI .
destroy her nationality you hv.
means" to do so. But ere you ,
the accomplishment of fcuch-r.
will you not pause lor a mojr.f :.
fleet upon the consequents v. :
inevitably follow l II sucn a .
carried out, the destruction cf
ties is certain. You send fori::
dent with his eighty thousand :
is told that he can support the
meet the other expenses of tn
. -i i
levying contriuuuuns iu ui-. .
thus, clothed with such nether;:
a foreign country to form his
carry them into execution. I- 1
invested with all the power ar i
a prince, free to obey Ihev cic: .
jOvn arbitrary will at the "hen !
ll