The Arkansas advocate., 1830-05-19


 bill will give Us that deience. They will make d corps ol hegulal-isangers, ol i.aad-.E Eenci5les; such as all tt,,esefii-1 ments have used, and such as we need more than any government ever dld. Livery post and every garrison, from the Guit of Mexico to the LaKes--iroHl Louisiana to Ganada-should nave Its proportion of this mounted cofps.- When necessary, the companies at d1t- ferent posts may De united, and form an expedltlon9 either to meet and repulse expected incursions oi the indians or to pursue and chastIse marauderss or to visit hostile towns. 'Ihe service to which the corps can be applied IS gene ral and indefinite; 1t can go wherever the public interest requires. The wes. tern frontier now demands it; but the southern, Of northern frontier may re- ceive its aid when necessary. The horses may form the basis for calvary, of which the army IS now destitute; the men may be learnt tie use of the sword and pistol, of which our magazines now contain a useless supply. Some compa- nies of flying artillery may be trained. It will elevate the character of the ser vice, induce better men to enlist, and diminish assertions by giving active and attractive employment. The President may mount the whole corps at once, or less; he has discretion; he may mount part now, and the remainder as neees- slty may seem to require. lie may do as he thinks best; but, in my opinion, the whole ten companies will be little enough to guard the extended frontier of the West, and to perform tho variety of service for which they are intended. Every year American blood Is split upon American soil. Every year American citizens are killed and robbed, pursuing lawful commerce, upon the soil of their country. The road to Mexico Is stained with their blood; savage Indians are loaded with their spoiis, families are reduced to want. In the region of the i stI Fade, where the Indians ;sie excited by the British, the destruction of lives and property is horrible. The report ot Gen. Cldrk and G0D. Cass. made at the last session of Congress, es- innate the loss of lives, in this trade, at upwards of four hundred; the loss of property at about five hundred thousand dollars. The destruction of lives and
 
 property is still going on, and will go on, until the troops of the Federal Go- YerafHeiitt shall make sn appearance be- yond the Mississippi, calculated to in- press respect and fear upon the savage mind. Horses alone wlA enable them to make that appearance. Gen. Ashleg, with his mounted men, trayerses the continent in safety-goes to the Blsena- ueatara and .M0ltaomah, and returns in safety. For want of horses our soldiers are pursued, surrounded, insalted, har- rassed, and assassinated. Read the re- port of Major Riley, and see what his detachment suffered for want of horses. The mounted force is indispensable; it is the appropriate, and the only appro- priate, defence for the West; it is the true and adequate, and the only true and adequate, protection for the Fur trade, the Mexican trade, and the whole line of the Western frontier. It is the security, and the only security, for the tranquility of the frontiers, the prcser- vation lives, and the protection of two great branches of western commerce. This being shown-the great fact of the necessity of this species of force being establshed-I feel confident that the consideration of the expense that may attend it, which is the next point to be examined, will present but little difi- culty to the Senate. The mounted force being necessary, the cost of it l feel persuaded, will not be an oyer- ruling consideration, although that cost should be large, when, in point of fact, it will be small, and, in comparison tos its object, inconsiderable and iasignifi- cant. Five hundred horses will be want ed for ten companies of fifty men each; the price of these horses, and their mag inpunu price, viii be S56 each. 'i'ii fili5 will make S25,000 for the purchase of the horses. Their equipment in sad dles, bridless halters, &c. will not exceed ST or IS each. Seven or eight thou sand dollars will defray the expense of equipment; so that the sum proposed for filling the first blank, S353,750, will meet the first and greatest expense 10 be in cured. Subsistence Is the nextitem in expense. The Quarter Master Gene ral, (Gen. Jesup) estimates tiHs item at Al1 {. year for each harse. which is