President Polk writes about the passing of the bill that made a formal declaration of war against Mexico in the House of Representatives.
TUESDAY, 12th May, 1846.--The Cabinet held a regular meeting to-day; all the members present except the P. M. Gen'l, who was understood to be engaged in his office in examining the bids for mail contracts at the late letting in the Western & S. Western States.
The Mexican question was the subject of conversation, and all had doubts whether the Bill which passed the House on yesterday would pass the Senate to-day. Should it pass, the course of operations was considered. Mr. Bancroft at my request brought from his office all the orders and letters of instruction to our squadrons in the Pacific & Gulf of Mexico, and they were read. This was done 1st, because I desired to refresh my memory of what they were, & 2nd, because they may be called for by Congress.
Some other business of minor importance was considered; & the Cabinet adjourned about 2 O'Clock P. M.
At 7 O'Clock P. M. my Private Secretary returned from the Capitol and announced to me that the Bill(1) which passed the Ho. Repts. on yesterday, making a formal declaration of War against Mexico, had passed the Senate by a vote of 42 ayes to 2 noes, with some immaterial amendment in its details. He represented to me that the debate in the Senate to-day was most animating and thrilling, and that Mr. Calhoun, who spoke in opposition to the Bill, but finally did not vote, had suffered much in the discussion. Mr. Crittenden and other Whigs, he informed me, had made speeches against portions of the Bill & made indirect opposition to it, [but had] finally voted for it. He represented the whole debate as a great triumph for the administration. The Senate, he informed me, adjourned as soon as the Bill was passed. The Ho. of Repts., he informed me, had adjourned to meet this evening at 7 1/2 O'Clock with a view to receive the Bill from the Senate, if that body should act upon it to-day. At 8 1/2 o'clock P. M. I learned that the House had concurred in the amendments of the Senate to the Bill, so that when the Bill is signed by the President War will be declared against Mexico. This was reception evening and more than 100 persons, ladies and gentlemen, attended. Among others Mr. Bates(2), formerly a member of Congress from Maine, with whom I served, with about twenty others who have charge of insane hospitals in different parts of the U. S. attended. Mr. Bates informed me that he was himself at the head of such an institution, and that a convention of those who also had charge of such institutions in different parts of the U. S. was now assembled in Washington to consult together on the subject of their respective charges.
(1) For the passage of the War bill in the House, see Globe, 29 Cong. 1 Sess. 795; for its passage in the Senate, ibid, 804.
(2) James Bates, Representative from Maine, 1831-1833; at this time he was connected with the Maine Insane Hospital.
