The Congressional Globe, [Volume 17]: Twenty-Ninth Congress, Second Session Page: 40
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40
THE * CONGRESSIONAL GLOBE.
Dec. 15,
ments and difficulties in the way of the Govern-
ment while administering and prosecuting the war
now? Members would comc here and vote, and
go honrfe and say, "0! I voted for supplies,55 but
do everything in their speeches, and by proposing
resolutions, to paralyze the strong arm of the Gov-
ernment, and thereby give the enemy more confi-
dence and support. This was treason—moral trea-
son. Where was the difference between assisting
the enemy with the arm, and producing disunion
and division among the people, thereby giving the
enemy confidence to prosecute the war with in-
cieased vigor and energy? There seemed to be a
great desire on the part of some gentlemen to re-
ceive some important information from the Presi-
dent. They must know from him something
which they say he has kept behind the curtain—
something which he was afraid to make an axpose
of to the American people. What did these gen-
tlemen wish to know? They wish to know for
what purpose this war had been prosecuted—
whether it had been to dismember any province of
Mexico, and annex it to the United States. But,
he would ask, was it possible that any member
who had read the history of this war from its
commencement, had known the cause of it, and
had heard the discussion which had been going
on on this floor, had yet to find out what the war
was prosecuted for? If any such there were, let
them hear the words of the President:
" The war will continue to be prosecuted with vigor, as the
"best mean* of securing peace. It is hoped that the decision
of th* Meucan Congress, to which our last oveiture lias
hoeu refWied, may ic&nlt in a spetdy <uid hono<able pjace.
With our experience, however, of the unreasonable couise
of the Mexican authoime?, it the part of wwioin not to
relax in tne encicy of our nnlitaiyopeiations until the result
1.3 made known. In this view it is dtomed impoitant to
hold nuht'iiy pos-jc.^ion of all the provinces which have
been ta'<eu until a definitive treaty ot peace fchalMiavc been
concluded and latilicd b> the two couiuiieh.
" Thp wai 1m< not heyn waged with a view to conqne^t;
but having been commenced by Mexico, it has been carried
into the enemy'*: country, and will be vigoiously piosecuted
there, with a view to obtain an honorable peace, and theic-
hy secure ample indemnity for the expenses of the war, as
well a-5 to our much-injured citizens, who hold large pecu-
niary demands against Mexico."
Is not that plain, (inquired Mr. J.) The Presi-
dent has fully proclaimed his motives, intentions,
and objects, in regard to tins war. He had declared
that it would be impossible to have an honoiable
peace till the expense of the war was indemnified,
and oar citizens remunerated for their losses, and
for the outrages which had been inflicted upon
them. Who here—was the member fiom Ohio—
prepared to say, as he (Mr. J.) understood him
to say, that the war should stop here; that the
troops should be withdrawn from the east side
of the Rio Grande; that we should lose the money
which had been treacherously taken from our citi-
zens, and conclude to make peace at once? Was
that gentleman, or any member of the House,
prepared to go home to his constituents, and, reeol-
Iccting that Mexico was the aggressor—that she ■
was the cause of the war—and say to those con- j
stituents, alter Mexico had crossed the line, and '
brought the war into our own territories—after 1
many of our bnue soldiers had been compelled to
bite the dust—was any member prepared to go
home and say that we ought to withdraw the
troops to the east side of the Rio Grande; that after '
incurring all the expense of a war, we should not I
have redress for the wrong; that we should pay j
all the expense of a war brought on by a foreign !
enemy? He hoped none weie prepared to take I
such a stand. He (Mr. J.) had said much more
than he had intended to say on this subject;'he
felt like making a reply to the remarks of the gen-
tleman from Ohio when he had concluded his
speech; but on reconsidering the subject, and look-
ing at it in all its bearings, he had been driven to the
conclusion that those who make long speeches de- i
nunciatory of the war, and introduce resolutions for !
the same purpose, were trying to cripple and impede 1
the Government in its effort to prosecute it to a sue- ,
cessfui termination. They were the enemies of their \
country: they were opposed iothtlr country. He that I
would stand up and pass eulogy after eulogy upon [
the army, admire the valor of the troops, and talk ,
loudly of their triumphant marches and glorious !
victories, and then throw every possible obstacle !
in the way of its prosecution to a speedy and hnn- |
orable termination—he must be opposed to the '
war; and, being opposed to the war, was opposed j
to his country. It had been alleged by some in I
tins House that we ought not to go for the war, I
right or wrong—that we ought to consider wheth-
er the war was just and necessary before giving
heart and hand to it. In reply to such, he would
remind them that most of the members have fami-
lies; they sometimes get into difficulty. Now, he
asked, whether the head of the family is the cause
of the difficulty or not, was he not bound by
every tie that is binding upon the family relation—
admitting that the isolated act of getting into diffi-
culty was wrong—was he not bound to use every
exertion in his power to settle the difficulty ? In
like manner, this country was now involved in a
difficulty—a war with a foreign nation; and he
(Mr. J.) was for his country right or wrong. If
there was no way of getting out of the war—if it
could not be avoided honoVably—he would say,
light it out till the enemy were compelled to make
an honorable peace, and indemnify the Govern-
ment for the expense of the war; and furthermore,
we should h'ave a condition inserted in the treaty
that they will preserve the peace when they make
it. The war ought to be prosecuted with suffi-
cient energy, and for a suitable length of time, to
make the Mexicans feel their own weakness and
inability to cope with the American republic in
arms, and their consequent ^dependence, so that
they may hereafter be disposed to preserve reli-
giously and scrupulously any treaties which they
may make.
Mr. GENTRY then obtained the floor, but
yielded to a motion that the committee rise, which
prevailing, the committee rose and reported pro-
gress.
CHAPLAINS TO CONGRESS.
Mr. HOPKINS submitted the following reso-
lution:
Resolved, (the Senate^ concurring,) That two
Chaplains to Congress, of different denominations,
be electcd, one by each House, to officiate during
the present session, and that they interchange
weekly.
Mr. PETTIT opposed the resolution in the
form in which it had been presented. Religion of
some kind was natural to all mankind; all worship
somebody—either the devil or the Lord; butit was
not for Congress, in a Government like this, to
prescribe the form of religion. He had said be-
fore, and now said, that he was not moved by ill
will or ill wishes towards any kind of religionists.
If the resolution could be put m the proper form,
he should be happy to give it a hearty support; but
as designating any particular denomination from
which a chaplain should be elccted, he did not ap-
prove of such a course. The different sects and
denominations were getting to be almost innumer-
able. Some one had estimated the number of them
at six hundred and thirty-nine. Of course there
could be but one right one; therefore the House
would stand just one chance in six hundred and
thirty-nine of getting a chaplain from the right one.
And if one of the chaplains should happen to be of
the right denomination, of course, if the chaplains
were to be chosen from different denominations,
the other would be wrong. JNfow, he asked, if the
{-louse should prove to be right m their selection,
why should they deprive the Senate of the privi-
lege of electing a chaplain from the same denomi-
nation? He, for one, could not consent to do so.
He was unwilling to have morality and right
preached one day, and immorality and wrong the
next. But he (Mr. P.) had another objection to
make, upon which he should be brief. Congress
j had not power to appropriate one dollar from the
| public purse or treasury to any religious purpose
j whatever. The solecism did not exist in this
! country, that an appropriation could be made to a
\ purpose upon which Congress could not legislate,
i They could not control the chaplain by their legis-
! lation,and he might pray to the devil, the Trinity,
i or the Unity, or juggernaut, as he pleased. If
| Congress could legislate upon this subject, they
j should have power to appoint a committee to su-
I pervise these matters—to prescribe the code, and
| designate what kind of a prayer the chaplain shall
\ make, and what he shall preach about. But Con-
| gress had no such powei. He repeated, he enter-
! taincd no ill feelings towards the clergy, or any
! sect of religionists. His was rather a settled and
J decided hostility against all attempts to rob the
| treasury without legislation. He would venture
■ to say that he would pay as much again as any
! member of Congress for the support of a chaplain;
1 and he wished the members to pay them; for he
believed the very loudest crier among them for re-
ligious performances would not give over two dol-
lars and fifty cents for all the blessings which the
birth, life, death, and resurrection of the Sa\uour
had conferred upon the world. The very best of
them valued his two dollars more highly than any
blessing conferred by his Saviour. Mr. P., in con-
clusion, moved to amend the resolution by striking
out48 of different denominations,"and inserting at
the end of the same the following:
44 Provided, Said chaplains shall look to the
membeis of the two Houses of Congress for their
compensation, and the United States shall not be
liable for the same, or any part thereof."
The question was taken_on the amendment, and
it was rejected.
And the resolution was agreed to.
Mr, PILLSBURY gave notice of his intention,
by leave of the House, to introduce " a bill to au-
thorize the building of light-houses, and for other
purposes."
The SPEAKER laid before the House a letter
from the Secretary of State, transmitting, in com-
pliance with a resolution of the House of the 10th
of August last, a report upon the consular system
of the United States; which letter and report were
laid upon the table.
Mr. CAMPBELL, of New York, submitted the
following resolution; which was agreed to.
! Resolved, That 2,500 extra copies of the report
| of the Secretary of State upon the consular system
! be printed; 250 of said copies for the use of the
j State Department, and the balance for the use of
] this House.
! The SPEAKER laid before the Houseacommu-
j nication from the Commissioner of Public Iluild-
| ings, transmitting, in obedience to a resolution of
| the House, copies of all contracts made in his of-
i fi.ee, from the 8th of December, 1845, to the 15th
! December, 1846, with the names of applicants for
said contracts, and the amount of their respective
bids; which letter and copies were laid on the
tabic.
The SPEAKER also laid before the House a
letter from the Secretary &f War, transmitting the
annual report of the Commissioner of Pensions, in
obedience to the joint resolution of May 29, 1830;
which report was laid on the table; and,
On motion of Mr. McKAY, the latter document
was referred to the Committee of Ways and Means,
and the usual extra number of copies was ordered
to be printed.
Mr. STEPHEN ADAMS submitted the follow-
ing resolution: which was agreed to:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Post Office
and Post Roads inquire into the expediency of es-
tablishing the following mail routes in Mississippi,
viz: Prom Fulton to Houston; from Houston to
Columbus; from Columbus to Hopewell; from
Louisville, via Starkville, to Houston; and from
Mobile, Alabama, to Jackson, Mississippi, by
way of Paulding.
The House then adjourned.
PETITIONS, &c.
The following petitions and memorials were
presented under the rule, and leferred to the ap-
propriate committees:
By Mr. McCLEAN: The petition and accompanying
documents ot Nicholas Jauios, of Yoik county, Penile Ka-
ma, a soldier of the revolutionary war, asking for a pension :
refencd to tiie Committee on kcvolutionary Pension*. The
petition and aecompanjing documents of Michael Weidncr.
ot \ ork county, Pennsylvania, a soldiei of the revolutionary
war, a=kins for a pension: referred to tlie Committee on
^evolutional y Pensions. The petition and accompanviM
document* ol Margaret and-Agnes Bigham, heirs-at-Uw of
1 nomas Ammin, piaying the rounbursvoment of advance-
ments made and payment for services rendered hv him du-
Jing tne rcvohitionaiy war: refeired to the Committee on
involutional y Claim?. Tlie memorial ot 2SI citizens of the
Mate of Pennsylvania, asking for the establishment of a mail
ro.ite fioiij[ \ oik to Carlisle: lefcried to the Committee on
the I o?t Ufhce and Tost Roads. The memorial ol 391 citi-
zens of the fetatc of Pennsylvania, asking for the establish-
ment of a mm! route from Yoikto Yoik Springs, Peter*-
buig- retired fo the Committee on the Post Ofhce and Post
koach. The petition and accompan>ing documentsof Cap-
lam Jacob Lultman, of Yoik county, Pennsylvania, a soldier
of tne war of 1812, asking for arrears of pension : referred
to tne Committee on Invalid Pensions. The petition and
accompanying documents of Jacob Stonecipher, of Adams
county, i ennf-jlvania, asking for compensation for a mare
lost by inm whilst engaged in the service of his country in
the Ian war: referred to the Committee of Claims.
?^r CAMPBELL: The petition of Lieuten-
ant William E. Stark, of the United State* marine corp>,
piaying for the allowance made to assistant quartermasters
of the army, for the performance of duties similar to those in
the marine corps.
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United States. Congress. The Congressional Globe, [Volume 17]: Twenty-Ninth Congress, Second Session, book, 1847; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30814/m1/72/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.