its height, and not yet counterbalanced by the excitement of
the victories of 1847. During the first weeks of the session
many series of resolutions in favor of and against the pol-
icy of all of Mexico were presented. Several of the latter
were offered by Southern Whigs like Botts of Virginia and
Toombs of Georgia, and illustrate the point that the slavery
and expansion interests were not identical. ^ Similarly, as
Calhoun made the ablest speech against the absorption of
Mexico, so the most outspoken advocates of it were Senator
Dickinson of New York, a Hunker Democrat, and Senator
Hannegan of Indiana. Hannegan offered the following
resolution, January 10 : " That it may become necessary and
proper, as it is within the constitutional capacity of this
government, for the United States to hold Mexico as a ter-
ritorial appendage. "2 Senator Dickinson, who at the Jack-
son dinner on the 8th had offered the toast, " A More Perfect
Union embracing the entire North American Continent,"^ on
the 12th made a speech in the Senate advocating expansion,
in which he declared for all of Mexico and asserted that it
was our destiny to embrace all of North America. " Neither
national justice," said he, "nor national morality requires us
tamely to surrender our Mexican conquests, nor should such
be the policy of the government if it would advance the cause
of national freedom or secure its enjoyment to the people of
Mexico."
Calhoun at the earliest opportunity, December 15, had offered these trenchant resolutions : " that to conquer Mexico or to hold it either as a province or to incorporate it in the Union would be inconsistent with the avowed object for which the war has been prosecuted; a departure from the settled policy of the government ; in conflict with its character and genius, and in the end subversive of our free and popular institutions."*
1 Cf. the letters of Wilson Lumpkin, John A. Campbell, and Waddy Thomp- son to Calhoun at this time. Correspondence of John C. Calhoun. Ibid., 1135, 1140-42, 1150-52.
2 Cong. Globe, 30th Cong., Ist Session, 136. 8 Niles's Register, LXXIII, 336.
- Cong. Globe, 26. Calhoun wrote his daughter December 26 : " The prospect
