Speech of Mr. Winthrop, of Mass,, on the Mexican War: Delivered in the House of Representatives of the United States, January 8, 1847 (Classic Reprint

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Excerpt from Speech of Mr. Winthrop, of Mass, , On the Mexican War: Delivered in the House of Representatives of the United States, January 8, 1847 The House being in Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, and having under consideration a bill to raise for a limited time an additional military force, and for other purposes Mr. Winthrop said, that if he could have selected his own time for addressing the committee, he would not have followed so closely in the wake of his honorable and excellent friend from Georgia, (Mr. Toombs, ) who had just taken his seat. But, after watching and struggling for the flour for three or four days, he could not forego the opportunity of saying what he had to say now, even to avoid the disadvantage of placing his remarks in immediate contrast with a speech which had attracted so large a measure of attention and admiration. I am not prepared, (Mr. W. proceeded to say, ) to vote for the bill now under consideration. I certainly cannot vote for it in its present shape. I doubt whether I can be brought to vote for it in any shape, under the present circumstances of the country. But, before dealing with its particular provisions, or with the principles and policy which it involves, I desire to submit a few considerations of a more general and comprehensive character. I am not one of those, Mr. Chairman - if, indeed, there be any such in this House - who think it incumbent on them to vote against all supplies in a time of war, because they do not approve the manner in which the war was commenced, or the spirit in which it is conducted. Regarding war as an evil which no language can exaggerate, deprecating nothing more earnestly than a necessity of rendering myself in any degree responsible for its existence or continuance, desiring nothing so sincerely as an opportunity of contributing in any way to the peace of ray country and of the world, I vet acknowledge That there are many cases in which I should feel constrained to vote men and money for prosecuting hostilities, even though they had originated in measures which I utterly condemned. I may say, in a word, and without further specification, that I am ready to vote for the defence of my country, now and always, and, when a foreign army is on our borders, or a foreign squadron in our bays, I shall never be for stopping to inquire into the merits of the quarrel, or to ascertain who struck, or who provoked, the first blow, before doing whatever may be in my power to drive back the invaders, and to vindicate the inviolability of our soil. Nor do I forget that it may be sometimes necessity for our defence to carry the war into the enemy's country, and to cripple the resources and crush the power of those who may insist on disturbing our peace. When such a necessity exists, and is clearly manifested, I shall not shrink from meeting its responsibilities. And here, Mr. Chairman, let me say to the honorable member from Ohio, (Mr. Giddings, ) that I cannot acknowledge the entire applicability to the present issue of those British precedents which he held up for our imitation a few days ago. I am not ready to admit that there is any very close analogy between the struggle of the American colonies in 1776 and that of the Mexicans now. Still less analogy is there between a vote of the British House of Commons and a vote of the American House of Representatives. A refusal of supplies in the Parliament of Great Britain is, generally speaking, equivalent to a change of Administration. No British Ministry can hold their places in defiance of such a vote. A successful opposition to supplies in time of war is thus almost certain to result, in bringing forthwith into power a Ministry opposed to its further prosecution, and the kingdom is not left to encounter the dangers which might result from a conflict, upon such a subject, between the executive and the legislat