Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-12-14

the President, IS now going on, through
the agency of commissioners appoint.
ed for the purpose. Their report NAV
be expected during your present sess-
ion.
The difficulties apprehended in the
Cherokee country have been prevent
ed, and the peace and safety of that
region and its vicinity e~fIectually Sc.
cured by the timely measures taken by
the War Department & still continued.
The discretionary authority given TO
General Gaines 10 cross the Sabine,
aud to occupy a position as far west as
Nacogdoches, in case he should deem
such a step necessary to the protection
OF the frontier, and to the fulflment of
the stlpulatlons contained in our treaty
with Mexico, and the movement subse-
quently made by that officer, have been
alluded to in a former part of this mes.
sage. At the date Of the latest intelli-
gencc from Nacogdoches, our troops
were yet al hat station /; but the off.
Ger who had succeeded General Gaines
has recently been advised that, from
the facts known at the seat of Govern
ment, there would seem to be no ade-
quate cause for longer maintaining that
position, and he was accordingly in
structed in case the troops were not al
ready withdrawn under the discretion.
airy powers before possessed by him, to
give the requisite orders for that pur-
pose on the receipt Of the Instructions,
unless he shall her have in his poses
sion such information as shall satisfy
him OF the maintenance that the post is
essential to the protection of our from
tiers, and to the due execution of our
treaty stipulations, as previously ex-
planned to him.
Whilst the necessities existing during
the present year, for the service of mi
litia and volunteers, have furnished new
proofs of the patriotism of our fellow
citizens, they have strongly illustrated
the Importance Of an increase in the
rank and file of the regular army
The views ofthe subject submitted by
the Sec. Of War, in his report, meet
my entire concurrence, and are ear
nestly commended to the deliberate at.
%tention Of Congress. In this connection
1t is proper TO remind you that the de-
fects in our present militia system are
every day rendered more APPARENT
The duty of making further provisions
by aw, for organizing, arming and dis
cIpllning this arm of defence has been
repeated so often to Congress by N.Y.
self q predecessors, that | deemit suf-
~ficient on this occasion to refer to the
last annual message, and to former Ex-
%ecutiye communications, in which the
subject has been dicussed.
1t appears from the reports Of the Of
fcers charged with mastering into SER
vice the volunteers called for under the
act of Congress of the last session, that
more presented themselves at the place
Of rendezvous in Tennessee than was
sufficient TO meet the requsition which
had been made by the Secretary of
War upon the Governor of that State.
This was o%ccasioned by the omission of.
the Gov'r to apportion the requisition
to the different regiments of militia, so
as TO obtain the proper number of
troops and no more. 1t seems but just
to the patriotic citizens who repaired
to the general rendezvous, under Cir
cumstances authorizing them to be-
lieve that their services were needed,
and would be accepted, that the expen-
SEES incurred BY them while absent from
their homes, should be paid by the
Government. | accordingly recon-
mend that a law to this effect be passed
by Congress, giving them a compensa-
ton which will cover their expenses
on the march to and from the place of
RENDEZVOUS, and while there +; in on
nection with which it will also be pro-
per to make provision for such other
equitable claims, growing out of the
service Of the militia, as may not be
embraced in the existing laws.
On the unexpected breaking out of
hostilitfcs in Florida, Alabama, and
Georgia, it became necessary, in some
cases, to take the property of individu-
dis III puDhC use. TONlSlOu SiIOuIu
be made by law for indemnifying the
owners F.; and | would also respectfully
suggest whether some provision may
not be made, consistently with the prin-
pies of our Government, for the relief
of the sufferers by Indian depredations
or by the operations of our W troops.
No time was lost after the making
ofthe necessary appropriations, in re-
Stunning the great national work ofcom-
plcting the unfinished Notifications on
our s~eaboard, and Of placing them in a
proper state of defence. In conse-
quence, however, of the late day at
which those bills were passed, but lit
tie progress could be made during the
season which has jus. closed. A very
large amount Of tie moneys granted at
your last session, accordingly, remains