o to war to recover the money you owe us,' That is one of the
questions which we must settle if we go to war, but which we might
otherwise, at least for a time, stave off. But, if we go to war,
what must be the effect of the peace that follows? We must pay our
two hundred millions, with the interest. As to our debt from Mexico,
I believe the way to recover it is not to go to war for it; for war,
besides failing to recover the money, will occasion us the loss of
ten times the amount in other ways.

"As to war producing a suspension of interest on a national debt,
let the gentleman look back a little to the wars of France. In 1793
France was at war with almost all the countries of Europe, and she
immediately confiscated all her debts to them. But what happened
thirty years after, when the reaection came? The allies took Paris,
and, in the settlement which then took place, they compelled France
to pay all her debts, with full interest on the whole period during
which payment had been suspended. That was the consequence to France
of going to war to extinguish debts. And, if we go to war with Great
Britain to-morrow, she will make us, as one of the conditions of
peace, pay our whole debt of two hundred millions, with interest.
And what shall we gain? Spend millions upon millions every year, as
long as the war continues; and, unless it is greatly successful,
have to pay our debt at last, principal and interest. This would
depend on the chances of war, or the issues of battle. And, as our
contests would be chiefly on the ocean, we must first obtain a
superiority on the seas before we can put her down and vanquish her;
and this to save ourselves from the payment of two hundred millions
justly due from our citizens to hers!

"There is a second reason given by the gentleman from Virginia in
favor of war. He reminds us, with great warmth, that there are some
ten or twelve citizens of the United States now prisoners in the
city of Mexico, and dragging chains about the streets of that city;
that a British subject taken with them has been liberated, while
they are kept in bondage. Now, if I am correctly informed, one
American citizen, a son of General Coombs, has been liberated on
the application of the minister of the United States, who was as
fairly a subject of imprisonment as the British subj