"Mr. M'Clernand. 'I did not base my observations on any imputation of coalition or combination between the gentleman and the British minister on the question of Oregon. I spoke of the fact that the gentleman had submitted a series of resolutions, in which the proposition subsequently made by Mr. Pakenham was embodied, as a remarkable fact of coincidence. Far be it from me to impeach the patriotism of any man, unless I have satisfactory ground for the accusation. But I will say that, while the gentleman is so free to criticize the conduct of those who differ with him in political opinion, he should be careful so to comport himself as not to lay himself open to retaliation.'"

We have referred to the character of the hostility manifested toward Mr. Winthrop in his district in consequence of his vote on the Mexican War Bill. Condemning the policy, and denouncing the objects of that war, he still voted for the act, approved the 13th of May, 1846, recognizing its existence. The principal charges against him were these:

"1. That, in voting for the Mexican War Bill, he voted for a preamble which contained a false declaration as to the origin of the war, and for which, as an honest man, he had no right to vote.

"2. That, in voting for the War Bill at all, he was false to the sentiments and principles of the people of Massachusetts, who condemn the war because of its alleged origin, and the alleged purpose of its origin, viz., that it was commenced for the purpose of adding slave territory to the Union..

"3. That, in thus voting for the War Bill, he identified himself with the war, its origin, causes, and effects."

As we shall have occasion, in many parts of our history, to refer to the declaratory act of war, we avail ourselves of this opportunity to give an outline of the proceedings connected with its passage. We copy from the Congressional Globe the fol lowing record of the 11th of May:

"A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by the hands of J. K. Walker, Esq., his private secretary.*

This message called upon Congress to recognize the state of hostilities which, it asserted, then existed by the act of Mexico, and to authorize the President to raise volunteers, &c.

The message, by unanimous consent, was read.

"Mr. Haralson said the correspondence was very voluminous; a large portion of it was from our minister recently at Mexico, and to read it would, perhaps, be delaying the action of the House longer than gentlemen desired. The general facts of the correspondence had been detailed in the President's message. He had referred not only to the correspondence with the minister at Mexico, but also to the correspondence between General Taylor and the department; and as the reading would take a considerable time, he (Mr. H.) moved that the message and documents be laid on the table.

"Mr. C. J. Ingersoll was understood to say he was not sure but that we knew a good deal of the correspondence between Mr. Slidell and the Mexican government, inasmuch as it had been published by that government. He did not know whether this was that correspondence or not.

"Mr. Haralson moved that the message and documents be laid on the table and printed, and he demanded the previous question.

"Mr. G. Davis suggested that at least the correspondence between General Taylor and the department should be read. Mr. Haralson. I have made my motion.'

"A conversation followed on a point of order between Mr. Schenck, Mr. G. Davis, and the speaker.

"Mr. Schenck called for the reading of the documents, which led to a point of order, and an appeal by Mr. Schenck from the decision made by the chair, which decision the House sustained.

Mr. Delano asked the yeas and nays on the motion to lay on the table and print.

Mr. Ashmun called for the reading of the papers.

"The speaker decided that, until the motion to lay on the table (which was a privileged motion) was withdrawn, the gentleman could not make a motion for the reading of the papers. "Mr. Rathbun submitted that the previous question had been demanded.

The speaker said yes; but, in addition to that, the motion to lay on the table was not debatable.

A conversation followed on a point of order between the speaker and Mr. Winthrop.

"Mr. Winthrop asked a division of the question, which was ordered.

"The question was taken, and the papers were ordered to be laid on the table.

"The question recurring on the printing, Mr. Winthrop called for the reading. "Objected to.

"The speaker put the question, and declared the decision of the House to be that the papers should not be read.

"Some conversation followed on a point of order between Mr. Schenck and the speaker.

"Mr. Schenck moved a reconsideration of the vote by which the reading had been refused, and asked the yeas and nays, which were ordered.

"Mr. L. H. Sims moved to lay the motion to reconsider on the table.

"Mr. Schenck asked the yeas and nays, which were ordered, and, being taken, were, yeas 116, nays 69.

"So the motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

"The question recurring on the demand for the previous question (on the motion to print), after some conversation between Messrs. Preston King, Haralson, and the speaker, Mr. Haralson (explaining that his object was, that such portions of the correspondence as might be deemed necessary should be read in Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union) moved that the papers be taken from the table and referred to that committee.

"Ordered accordingly.

"And, after some further conversation, the previous question was seconded. The main question was ordered, and the papers were ordered to be printed.

"Mr. Brodhead indicated, but did not press, a motion to print an additional number of copies.

"On motion of Mr. Haralson, the House resolved itself into Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union, and proceeded to the consideration of the following bill:

"An act to authorize the President of the United States, under certain contingencies therein named, to accept the services of volunteers, and for other purposes." "

Here follows the bill. It does not appear to have been preVOL. I.-C c

pared for the particular emergency with Mexico, but rather as a sort of general provision "for all comers;" for it is declar ed, on the face of the bill itself, to have been reported by Mr. Haralson, from the Committee on Military Affairs, so far back as the 27th of the previous January—a time when the "clear and unquestionable title to the whole of the Oregon Territory" bloomed in all its freshness. And its first section authorized the President "to resist any attempt which may be made on the part of any foreign nation to exclusive jurisdiction over any part of the territory of the United States, or any territory in dispute between the United States and any foreign govern ment, as well as also to sustain the rights of the United States to, and to repel invasion upon, the said territory," &c.

In fact, the bill, though afterward altered and made appli cable to Mexico alone, was drawn up by Mr. Haralson, then chairman of the Military Committee, in conjunction with the late Colonel Archibald Yell, who fell, gallantly leading his reg iment to the charge, at Buena Vista; and, as originally drawn. was intended to prepare for the worst, both as respects Great Britain and Mexico. The number of troops was left blank, and was subsequently filled up with the number of fifty thou sand; but one hundred thousand would have been proposed, if thought necessary. A comparison of dates will show that the bill was reported to the House several months before the receipt of the news from General Taylor's army which led to the declaration of war. On the receipt of that news, the Military Committee were notified to attend at their room in the Capitol at half past eight o'clock the next morning, which was Sunday. They then acted upon the subject, and the next day, on receipt of the President's Message, the bill was passed.

The record then goes on to say:

"The bill was read, and considerable conversation followed on a call for the reading of the documents.

"The committee, on motion of Mr. Brinckerhoff, then rose and reported progress.

"Mr. Brinckerhoff offered a resolution to close the debate in committee in two hours.

"Mr. Darragh moved that the resolution be laid on the table, and asked the yeas and nays, which were refused. And the question being taken, the resolution was not laid on the table.

"The demand for the previous question was then seconded, and the main question (on the adoption of the resolution) was ordered.

"Mr. Schenck asked the yeas and nays, which were refused, and then the resolution was adopted; whereupon the House again resolved itself into Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union (Mr. Hopkins, of Virginia, in the chair), and resumed the consideration of the said bill.

"The reading of certain portions of the documents was ordered, and about an hour and a half was occupied in the process. "The reading having been concluded,

"Mr. Brinckerhoff (a member of the Committee on Military Affairs) said he had a substitute for the first section of this bill, which he desired to be read, and to say a very few words in explanation of the object for which he offered it.

“Mr. Haralson. 'Will the gentleman allow me to state to the committee the amendments which I intend to offer from the Committee on Military Affairs?"

"Mr. Giddings rose to a question of order.

"In the first communication from General Taylor, he spoke of the protest of the civil authorities of Tamaulipas which accompanied that paper. Mr. Giddings wished to know if that protest had been read.

"The chairman replied that all the papers had been read except those the reading of which had been dispensed with by vote of the House."

It will thus be seen that, though the message was read in the House, the documents constituting the evidence of the existing relations between the two countries were not read; and that, after passing into committee, and listening to the reading of the bill, the committee rose, and the House adopted a resolution terminating all debate in two hours; that the House then went back into committee, where certain portions of the correspondence that is to say, the military dispatches, of dates subsequent to the march to Corpus Christi, and the instructions of the Secretary of War-were read. These dispatches made it certain that the Mexicans were concentrating their forces toward the American camp; and a dispatch from General Taylor, dated the 26th of April, sent by express, made known the fact that Arista had taken the command of the Mexican army, and had