Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-06-25


served the country
General Knox then is called from his grave
with has helmet on and his plume fiyinp.
like Hamlets father,to beckon us on or friuht
en- us from Some terrible undertaking. He
is made with his fresh and reeking wounds
to stalk through three and a half pages of the
heport--tor what in eXtenuation of the re-
port OF the Secretary of War, General Knox
Is cailed,a man bred soidier-born and mr-
tured IN danger, full Of a high and a martial
spirit, living in the peculiar times he dds
summoned as a witness TO defend MIR. Poin-
sett. The name Of Gen. Harrison is dragged
INTO the Report; and his name is marshalied
forth In battle array TO accompany the report,
and the name OF him who has brought for
ward the scheme which has been the subject
oil recent and general comment in the coun-
try.
Gen. Harrison, said Mr.. Preston, like Cen.
Knox and yourself, was man OF war in III,
when he brought forward his Report. He
had been in three wars-in that of Wayne-
In contest in the wilds of the West with
Fecumsch-and with yourself. lie had
been military man almost from youth up
wards, and one might, at such a time, after
an arduous struggle in which he had seen
the necessity of some improvement of the
military force, find that excuse for him which
could not now be found for sunshine man
In time OF profound peace.
But what did Gen. Harrison propose to do,
said MIR. p. What was the resemblance
between the Report of Mr.. Poinsett and the
Report of Gen. Harrison ? Why did not
the committee 90 through the likeness they
had attempted to ske,chl Why did they. as
they have done, stop short, after tracing an
unimportant resemblance
Sir, said Mr.. y. neither in the plan of
Gen. Knox, nor i'm the plan Of Gen. Harri-
son, do you hear any thing Of recruiting
10000 men, to he under the control of the
President of the United States, and ofIicered
by men belongingto the regular army. These
men, under the Report of Mr.. Poinsett, re-
| commended by the President, may be sum-
moned from distance of six hundred miles,
and then be kept under the control Of the
President of the United States for thirty
days. These men in different divisions paid
and fed by the United States, may be brought
out and called upon i'm time of profound
peace to be marshaled by the officers of the
regular army. What is this but standing
army said Mr.. Preston. What else in mil
itary, or In any language, can it be called by
any man at all disposed to understand q
scheme like that put forth by the Secretary
of War
MIR. Preston, continuing his remarks, said
there was no parallel TO the scheme of the
Secretary of War in France or in England
not in the palmiost of the conscript days of
francc-nor when England dreaded an inva-
sion. Mr.. T.. said, when this scheme was
first broughs forward, he pronounced it
standing army, and from that moment to the
present he had called it by no other name-
lie regarded it as this and nothing else, and
1t was a vain matter to represent ii by any
other name with any success.
MIR. Preston passed to the consideration of
the constltutionality of the scheme, which he
discussed with great ability, and an elo-
quence III his illustrations never surpassed by
him IN the discussion of any other question.
The closing appeal and warning were beaut-
fully eloquent and effective.
Mr.. Anderson Of Pa. spoke at some length
in defence of the Report of the military com
mittee, and for the purpose of showing that
Gen. Harrison had been in favor of calling
out the State militia.
MIR. Preston of S. G. admitted that Gen.
Harrison had been in favor of calling out the
militia, but never III the monstrously objec-
uonable manner of the Secretary of War;
Gen. Harrison after the war proposed that
Wih tie cnnSct of tie States the militia of
the States should be periodically assembled
by the Government. But they Were not to
be oicered by the regular army and brought
Out Tor thirty days at a time, in a time Of pro-
found peace, under the control of the Presi-
dent OF the United States. The PRoJET of
the Secretary of War gave the President this
power, If he saw fit TO exercise ii. Suppo-
sing time should return like that of Jelfer-
son and Burr, and 10000 troops should be
assembled in the city Of Washington, who
would trust the issue
MIR. Anderson was no more disposed to
trace the particular resemblance between Gen.
fiarrison's Report as chairman of a military
committee, and Mr.. Poinsett's as Secretary
OF war, than the report under consideration.
lie was content with finding General Harr-
son advocating the mastering of the militia
OF the U. :. by the consent OF the States
! MIR. Crittenden rose to speak, but at his
request the subiectwas further postponed I'M
I'll Friday next, in the expectation of receiv-
Ing the document connected with this subject,
and ordered to be printed on Monday
| The remainder Of the. day was devoted to
miscellaneous business. Several bills were
ordered 10 be engrossed, and among them
one to complete military roads in Arkansas.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
SUB-TREASURY BILL.
Mr. Marvin, of n. Y. spoke at length, in
| opposition ~ The bill, and made worry able
speech.
MIR. Parrish, of Ohio, commenced speech
in defence OF the bill.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
FRIDAY, June IL.
Mr.. Bolts, Of Virginia, who asked leave
to offer the following preamble and resolu-
tons, observed that he held himself person
| allV. and. aS Renraceutafivo l.