Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-06-17
TwENTY-sEvNTn CoNGREss--2d Session
SPEECH OF MR. GlLMER, OF VIEaisIA,

1~o'o6ed IN We rouse OF heprsSendHrES, IN
Of The Whoic, May &c and 80 1912.
The Army Appropriation Bill being under consider
alton
MIR. GlLMER rose and addressed the Chairman, a
follows
MIR. CHAIRMAN ] have listened with profound al
tentlon 10 the gentleman from Massachusetts, mi
CushingD who has just taken his seat. He has sal
much, in which it affords me pleasure to concur Til
general principles which he has avowed sound, an
shall appeal to many Of them to sustain conclusion
very different from those which he has announced.
shall rely on them to furfy my own views, as to tn
propriety and necessity Of an extensive retrenchmen
and reform. can my friend, that this "tempes
OF retrenchment, OF which he has spoken with SO muc
apprehension, a very harmless and wholesom
tempest. 1t will not canse the desoation and rui
which he apprehends. On the contrary, it will re
novaIe and adorn institutions, and avert that ruiz
which would be inc vable from The continuance of tn
ABUSES which it proposed to reform. 1t not propose
to cut down the either OF liberty or law, but mere
to lop off the decayed and useless branches not L
touch living fibre root, but to clear away the rub
bush and the weeds which hinder its growth that ii
trunk muy rise majestic TO the clouds, and its wide
spreading boughs may shelter the oppressed of the
earth. We can then reposc securely "under our owl
vine and our our own fig tree, and there will be nom
TO make afraid " Let the gentleman dismiss hi
fears and take courage in the great cause of REFORM
The symptoms which he regards as fatal only signs
of returning health and strength.
strong argument and tender pathos but he has
to the tctons of poetry also, and beautifully invoked
Shakespeare to sustain the existing military establish
nent He has sketched the mels ncholy spectacle o.
fallen royalty-reduced and BUNDLED by folly and
travagance, TO sue for small favors at the hands o.
unnatural offspring. The Imagination OF my friend
has enlisted the crazy king with his cruel daughi
TO plead against the reduction of man or gun from
the army in this "tempest Of REFORM Sir, it is very
clear my friend will give it up, that neither Lear nor
Regain nor Goncr the fair Cordelia herself, are
the best authority on this question. But maintain
that they the side Of the militia and against the
standing army, and prove il by quoting, with poet
licence, Iear's language, altering single word
which may not be spoken here "Let commerce thrive
for Lear wants soldiers. Let peace let commerce, let
ORDER let economy and husbandry thrive for the
try wants soldiers, and that is the way to get them.
listened with more than usual attention 10 the
marks of the gentleman from Massachusetts, who is a
member ofthe Committee on Foreign Affairs, partcu.
hrly to that portion of them which touched our To-
reign relations. anxious to discover if the gen.
teman had any information which ] had not, 10
the prospect danger Of foreign war; for, Mr. Chair
man. let me tell the gentleman from Massachusetts,
for myself and hope for every member this floor,
thai, in the Of foreign war; this question set
tied Much Of the argument of the gentleman might
be understood 10 imply that those who desire re.
duc,ion either Of the army or the navy, in time OF
peace, are enemies of their country, and opposed
10 national detences in time of war. | wish 10 be dis
lncly understood that meet this peace question,
as the gentleman from Massachusetts, haa himself adj
mitted il to be- Does he any other member OF the
committee oppose the reduction of the army on the
ground of necessary or probable with any foreign
power, By no means. They have all argued in favor
of mere peace establishment But with the ingenul-
" and ability which the gentleman from Massachusetts
generally displays in debate, while he talks of neace
he hints at war. What war; nobody knows
where. or with whom We are told of the large
amount of unsettled American claims on Mexico; but
does nv one dream Of going to war 10 enforce their pay
mcnt' The gentleman does not think OF war, but he
saws il may be necessary TO menace Mexico, in order
10 obtain Justice And, Sir does the gentleman sup
pose that necessary 10 keep up army of IL 500
men 10 umennce" Mexico Are they to be marched
across the Sabine through Texas, and beyond the Rio
Grande on to the city Of the Montezumas, to "menace
Mexico The gentleman IS a better statesman, and
soldier too, than TO think Of such plan of ope-
Mexico il can be done speedily and cheaply than
bv this process Either OF those beautiful
the Missouri the Mississippi, now lying with gun
shot of this Capitol, would only have TO anchor of
Vera Cruz, 10 cause Mexico 10 tremble from one ex-
tremity 10 the other Mexico has power, moral, in
teIlectua or physical. IL is the impotcnt and
imbece Government, that is permitted 10 occupy the
lowest rank among civilized States. 1t has been con
yulsed with constant of revolution, violence
and ignomlnious treachery, since 1924.
But the gentleman has alluded to the pending ques.
lions Of negotiation between this Government and
Great Bri,a,n-a Power Of different magnitude and
character the most formidable nation the globe, and
one who seems he stretching her fast around It,
THOUGH England is thu, powerful, she will not be pro-
voked into war with the u States on any slight consl-
deratons. The gentleman from Massachusetts has
s,oken of six points in controversy with England
three Of boundary and three involving, more or less
questions of national right national honor. do
not deem proper this time to discuss either OF these
questions here They are all pending between another
branch of the Government and a special envoy and
of England now in this city The ex-
nresson of any opinion feeling, therefore, the
paIt Of this House with regard subjects Of much
delcacy and importance, might have an injurious IN
eueoce on the result of this negotiation. | repeat,
however that England will not easily be provoked 10
war with u.s. find guaranty of peace in the wisdom
and political sagac,y which have long controlled the
licv of that counlry-in the talent and experience OF
her ishburton her Peel, and her Aberdcen-but more
than all, Sir, in the true interests of the English peo
ME and might add in the interests OF our own peo
,is The time has passed, Mr.. Chairman, trust for
ever when the masses OF men in two friendly nations
ne kindred origin, will permit handful OF politicians
IN plunge them into unnecessary The blood which
ia she'd great that is, not the greatest OF the ca
amities Of war England is in no condition for wal
anv more than ourselves II is true she has power
fu army and the largest naval force in the world but
Sir the trace is not TO the swift nor The battle TO the
strong" England will look we'll TO her own internal
condnn 10 that of her colonies 10 her rel ations with
the great Powers of the Continent before she strikes
bow which will call for a return from us
The cry of rerenchment and reform has risen up "
Enoland Till it now reaches the throne itself 1t
heard in popular assemblies, in her colonies in parl'a
ment and in the royal councils. 1t calls in tones o
,hndsr for reform in the State and in the Church, fol
equality of rights, for civil and religious liberty. i
comes up from Ireland, too where oppression orofe
,e conscience and s,arves the body; where ml!lIont
Of brave men and beautiful women anguish and die IL
country which they dare not call ihe! own, The
soiri, Of revolt only sumbcrs in the British colonies
il will easily kudle 10 revolution. No, Sir, Englant
has nothing gain she has much to lose ~ war T!l
this country The condition of her domestic and TO
reign affairs may appear smooth on the surface sh'
NAV 90 on conquerng abroad and suffering at home
but the first gun which is fired in war with the u )
will be signal for questions and scenes more serious
than any which have ng,ated that proud realm Tor cen
uries.
There is no purpose OF hostility cherished by the peo
nile of Europe against the people or institutions oil th
country. There is very natural hostility, Which,
too often manes,s itself on the part OF European 90
IL, a., OF the lInltel