The Arkansas advocate., 1830-04-28
TsvENTY-FfRsP CONGRESS.
------------- GrNT INN
 GGE hZsEe


 yHareh 23.-0n motion of Mir. Be,a- lon, the Senate resumed as in Commit tee of the Whole the bill to authorize the mounting and equipment of 2 part of the army of the United States.
 This bill authorizes the President to mount such number of troops as the public service may require, not exceed 1 ing ten companies; and appropriates S33,750 for the purchase of horses and the necessary equipments, and $i8,750 for forage for the present year. These troops are intendedto protect the inland frontier and the trade with Mexico.
 Mir. Benton stated the reasons which induced the Committee to report this bill. Various petitions have been pre- scented to Us, and the Memorial of the Legislature of the State of Missouri, praying protection againstthe ineugsions of the Indians on the Southern Frontier. The Committee to which these petitions were referred took more extensive view of the matter than the petitioners. The Committee have thought itnecessa- ny to report a bill making appropria- tions for the entire defence of the West ern Frontier from the Gulf of Mexico. to the Sabine---a country which is en- tirely covered with Indians who make their attacks mounted on horseback.-- The Reports we have from our Military Officers on that station state that the in- fantry IS incompetent to meet them, as the Indians on horseback are too rapid in their movements. The Committed Ihas therefore provided an appropriate kind of protection for the Western frontier.
 1 The bill provides, that the troops to be mounted, shall not exceed ten com. panies. This provision is required, not only by the statements which are before US, but by the actual occurrences in that part on the country. The infantry now stationed there, when called out on any occasion, involves considerable expense for its transportation in steam-boats.- Mir. B. adverted to the heavy expenses incurred by the transportation of the in fantry, when the disturbance amongst the Winnebagoes took place. Ende- pendently of this expense, an appropri- alton had to be made of S40, ,G00 for the payment of volunteers who turned out to assist the infantry, from the State ol Illinois. Last summer, he said, q simi- lar expense was incurred on the Mis- souri, and bills were still coming in foi the payment of the volunteer troops.- The assistance of the infantry was, irl such cases, futile; they could not pur- sue the Indians, and Government was obliged to pay the young men who mounted, volunteered their services in the defence of our citizens.
 Under these circumstances, the Com mlttee were of opinion, that there ought to be more effectual provision for de Ifending this frontier. The expense would be trifing; it would not exceed that incurred by paying, when any alarm lis given, the volunteers, and the expen. ses of transporting the infantry. The expense, he said, would be less than gen. tlenen might be inclined to suppose The horses required for this service car be purchased cheap; they live on the lgrass, and require no fodder; they Cal be had for 40 to 50 dollars each; and as 800 are all that will be required, the whole expense will be but 25,0OO dol lars. These expenses, with others of 2 smaller character will rot exceed g, COG dollars.