Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 2.djvu/223

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

1871]

Carl Schurz

203

would not now take very much exception to being found in Mr. Calhoun's company.

Mr. Schurz. Does the Senator from Indiana really believe that he can pass off upon this Senate, composed of intelligent men, and upon a people composed of intelligent citizens, the preposterous notion that a simple declaration in a diplomatic dispatch informing a foreign Government that certain acts of that Government, which are apprehended, would be received with disfavor by our Government, is equivalent to a declaration of war? Is there a school boy in the United States who does not know the difference between a diplomatic dispatch specifying a certain act as unfriendly to the country and a declaration of war? I am astonished to see the Senator from Indiana with such perseverance reasoning himself into that absurdity.^[1]

↑ The correctness of the view here expressed is still further and most conclusively proven by a dispatch addressed by Mr. Calhoun to Mr. Howard, September 10, 1844, with direct reference to the quoted dispatch of Mr. Nelson to Mr. Murphy. Mr. Calhoun says: “The President approves of the construction which you placed on the letter of Mr. Nelson, Acting Secretary of State ad interim, to Mr. Murphy, and on mine to Mr. Van Zandt, in relation to the assurances to which the Texan Secretary of State refers; but he instructs you to assure the Government of Texas that he feels the full force of the obligation of this Government to protect Texas, pending the question of annexation, against the attacks which Mexico may make on her in consequence of her acceptance of the proposition of this Government to open negotiations on the subject of annexing Texas to the United States. As far as relates to the Executive department, he is prepared to use all his powers for that purpose. But the Government of Texas is fully aware that they are circumscribed by the Constitution within narrow limits, which it would not be possible for the President to transcend. All that he can do is to make suitable representations to the Mexican Government against the renewal of the war pending the question of annexation and the savage manner in which it is proposed to conduct it, accompanied by appropriate protests and indications of the feelings with which he regards both, and to recommend to Congress to adopt measures to repel any attack which may be made.”—Schurz's note in pamphlet edition.

[1] The correctness of the view here expressed is still further and most conclusively proven by a dispatch addressed by Mr. Calhoun to Mr. Howard, September 10, 1844, with direct reference to the quoted dispatch of Mr. Nelson to Mr. Murphy. Mr. Calhoun says: “The President approves of the construction which you placed on the letter of Mr. Nelson, Acting Secretary of State ad interim, to Mr. Murphy, and on mine to Mr. Van Zandt, in relation to the assurances to which the Texan Secretary of State refers; but he instructs you to assure the Government of Texas that he feels the full force of the obligation of this Government to protect Texas, pending the question of annexation, against the attacks which Mexico may make on her in consequence of her acceptance of the proposition of this Government to open negotiations on the subject of annexing Texas to the United States. As far as relates to the Executive department, he is prepared to use all his powers for that purpose. But the Government of Texas is fully aware that they are circumscribed by the Constitution within narrow limits, which it would not be possible for the President to transcend. All that he can do is to make suitable representations to the Mexican Government against the renewal of the war pending the question of annexation and the savage manner in which it is proposed to conduct it, accompanied by appropriate protests and indications of the feelings with which he regards both, and to recommend to Congress to adopt measures to repel any attack which may be made.”—Schurz's note in pamphlet edition.

[1]