The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-01-13

\
MIR. G. offered for consideration the follow
inh resolution
f<esctued, That the committee on Militia
rs Affairs BE- Instructed 20 enquire into the
acts RUSS and regulations by which fur
lnughs or leave of absence firm the armies
OF thS u. StA.cS are Obtained for the officers
thereof, ana whether said acts, rules or re-
guia'ions, ought to be revised. altered or =
'"ehded. aud that they have leave to report
Ibf hill or otherwise.
Nj Troup objected to this motion rs ira
Yelling out of the province OF the Legislature
into that of the Executive. To Congress
was granted the power of raising armies s.
granting supplies for them but to the En-
ecntive was ccnhded the exclusive control
and direction of the armies when raised. Tc.
enable hIm properly to execute this duty,
me president had +, en- vested with the most
arbitrary powcrs---,te power of dismiSsne
without assigning cause. and, Jointly with
the military cour,, Of cashering and iSHic.
u s on officers other punishments, ever un-
20 death The power then of Controlling
riiitary movements. said Mr.. T is nos with
u. ont the Executive. He may 6ismiss any
o'hce' OF the army, & even the Sec'y OF war
Tor misconduct and the power of control
possessed tpy this House is the power of in
peachiHS tAe President fine fail in the rer
'hrmarce q tns duty. True it was, the me
NV had, or : fecent occasion, surprized US,
found us slufnbering in our beds. in a
'0onght,ess n,anoer- but il was not for him
20 say where the blame lay nt that occur
renee: In relation, TO the officers now alb
| sen. from the army, be could only saw that.
ne mad heard-and he had heard because
III MS capacity as Chairman of the Mili,ar,
c'ih"ittee. 1t had become his duty to en-.
iuNe INTO the matter-that when the army
| iately
| 'ouno 10 be considerable number of sinner
aumerY officers attached 10 IL. An order
'ad been issued by The Commanding GENE al
~ cohSohoate the troops into fsn and com
p,e'e regiments, and al!ot to each Of the re
Sshsh's SO formed its proper complement
Oh oNcers. That order being property eg;
ecuted, the supc rnumerary officers wers.
THROWN out of emDloy-and orders were o;
! ven to them to repair to the different recrn;-
| ing stations, where unquestionably th.v
w@ul be occupied more beneHciallv To tb-
service than IN any other way. This was
"e FAC IN relation to the absence Of the Of
noe'' Se"erai.V WAC were not with the ar
nay. II strdck him, Mr.. r. said tha. IN a,e
was something Objectionable in the object Of
the resolution. j, is proposed to make ,ba
Inanner ct granting furlaughs matter of
'ee'Siaeve proNision, when in fact it was 4
''ihS WHICH could not properly be Ieeisla-
'eu upon oerending so entirely, as it did
on clrcnn tances and on the sta-e ~ q, ,r
my. i Congress were to make a Isw ,ha,
no inrl uehs should be granted there wos
NOT aF honorable man in the coun,rv WIZ
wou'n accept a military office. This being
ms v'cw OF the subject, he hoped the rtso
i"'ron would no. pass
Mr. Grcsvenor said he had offered this
eSoiu'ioh from no oaptious feeling, but from
sincere no h. &
lect to destruction from the absence 81 tb."o
ofhccrs. lie could not have positive IN Cos
NATION that such was the oxposed s;t,,stir,
o' the army, bat he was Informed Iette,s
ead been received in this civ from ,be cff;
| GERS stationed there importing that thev
were kept constantly on fa,igue duty. AZ
conservators, in part at least OF the interes,
81 me ''1'iseh States, he wished ire House
10 MAKE enquiry into these facts. nos thai no
u'N'reu h'nselt to propose any regulations
or modihcatipn of existing laws RI r.,oa5,,
the evil, but he wished to refer tba e,.h;y
to the proper military committ-e "a ~,
qu're whether any abuses exist &c Tho ~;
! V'ese on fur!ough. and, IF so. whether :,
was possible to provide a remedy. He did
not "Ish 70 lnpeach any officer IF a brescb
Oh DUTY he DID not even know yh,t we've
me rules aud regulations ON the srh;s.,
ms was what he desired the cor,n;t,aa
saouid enquire into. Congress- had tha
power to make rules and regulations Sow ~
government of the Army and w;,hon, sn',
INVASION on the functions of the Executive
the granting Of furloughs might he 49,. y
suhIect nj iegls' ation-and he rer1Iy -
co TO enquire whether such legislation w.s
necessary. " as
Are gentlemen satisfied. aek ri NJ r
with the present state of things ON The 81
TER Do they know that orr 4 nm :; - e.
~ mere were officers enough ON tie from
t'er' the supernumerry officers might indeel
De wen employed in recruiting. Bn. i vac
not into the absence ofsuch officers he vy;sh
ed TO enquire, but into the cause NJ fbe ah
sence OF those who were merely seeL;n.
their own personal convenience. A, lsa.3
ne "isheq the Honse to permit an enou;rv
| we cannot, said Mr.. c. hope to en- 1,,er
Canada IN way like this. The conquest
OF ne British provinces is not the business
or single campaign. Your army is in the
| neignborhood of the enemy and This &c !.
moment when your troops sbouId he go.
tui'y taken care OF and disciplined. For this
! PJrpose' it ls desirable, rs far as possible
mat your officers should be with the armies
MIR; U. concluded by saying that he did mo-
| WISE TO insinuate that any particular officer
was 70 blame for the present stare Of thing
--bot that an evil exists, which in his oni =
! mon required a remedy. P'
| Mr. lfoup Deprecated the disposition
Which appeared TO prevail in this House to
| interfere m The management Of the army
III the Members Of this House underfonl,
| 10 make rhemsFl iuJa,eS of ,ha ,s,-l...--