The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-03-12

he Clerk called the ROLL aud the following is the
result: Yeas 65, nays lU3
SO the House refused TO reconsider
Mr. MCKAY renewed his motion 10 resolve the
House into Committee Of the Whole on the state
Of the Union, and il decided in the affirmative.
MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT.
Mo. DROMGOOLE.was called to the Chair, and
the committee took up the bill making an appropra.
ton for the Military Academy at West Point
The question last pending was the substitute Of
MI. HALE, abolishing the institution when
MIR. HUNT, Of New York, rose aud advocated the
appropriation, aud opposed The substitute which he
said would abolish the institution, If II pre-
vailed. lie said the Institution which the gentleman
from New Hampshire proposed TO abolish, was adyo-
Gated by General Washington, whose opinion should
have It's due weight and II went into operation under
the administration of Mr. Jefferson who was fully
convinced of lis national importance for the educating
of scientific for the Army, and II should be os-
tered and maintained by the Government for its use
iul system of education.
Mr.. SEYMOUR, of Connecticut, said he was ir-
structed by the Legislature Of his State to vote
against the continuation 81 the institution and under
fiat instruction he would give the committee his
views. lie said where IN the Constitution can be
found the power TO create the institution; but IN va
rious parts of that instrument be found the power
10 organize and discipline the militia of the country,
which had been neglected The advocates of this
institution always lin its vlndcation) drew invdious
distinctions between the regular Army and the citl-
institution was fosered, the militia of the country
would be neglected but he could find power in
the Constitution which gave the Government the
power TO educate young men for the dplomatc
corps CT Europe, or for judges of the judicial couts
OF the country, and this was his objection to the
Institution. He then gave statiscal view Of the ope-
ratons Of the institution and said the farmers IN his
State better able to educate their children Than
the mel chant, who trades borrowed capital, and
who were always standing on the precpice of some
w al mi N
It's because not one third OF those grad
uate remained in tie Army AMI during the Flo
rida war large number Of them threw up their
missions and retired to private life lad he hoped the
day not far .h when he people would have
stored to them that which had been aiken away.
Mr.. HUNGERFORD next took the floor, and gave
isical statement of the actual expenses of the
institution, and said that he had made the statement
nr the information of the committee that they ght
vote undersandIngy.
Mr.. J. r. INGERSOLL said the gentleman was
mistaken in some of h statistics, and that the eH-
penses oil the institution were not great stated
and that no institution since the formation of the
Government, had passed through the ordeal Of op-
| p ston and come through the crucibi. perfectly
| unsca thed this. No gentleman had gone TO this
institution with e, lngs OF hostility but who had
away, after investigating IFS regulations, with his
views changed. he then passed a meriied
! pliment to the young men who hal graduated from
that institution and aid that they discharged their
duty faithfully in the Flopida war, and appealed to
his gallant friend from Georgia general CLNcHD
to sustain him in his declaration In the battle OF
| the Wlthlacooche, commanded by his gallant friend
the regulars beat back three times their numb r. and
crossed the river while the militia faltered. Among
| the officers who commanded on that occasion, were
graduates from West Point He then corrected va
rious statements which had been made against the
institution, and hoped gentlemen would dvest them
selves of all prejudice on the subject, and meet il
fairly. He called upon the Chairman of the Com
mttee on Military Affairs (Mr. Haralson,) TO state 10
the Committee the information which had been pre-
scented to that Committee by Col Totten.
Mr.. HARRISON rose and read the statistical
statement alluded TO.
Mr.. INGERSOLL said let gentle men go TO
Georgetown, as statesmen, and view the work across
the Potomac, erected under the superintendent of
graduate Of this institution and they will then the
value of West Point. He said the Military
Academy conducted upon the same principles Of
the Polytechnic School of France under Napoleon,
and alluded 10 some remarks which fell from Brink
erhof.
Mr.. BRINKERHOFF explained, and said he
was in favor of reform in the institution, and that
it was not similar entirely to the Polytechnic School
Of France under Napoleon, because in France the
graduates were confined to the scientific corps, and
the Army Offered by the promotion OF merto-
rious soldiers, which not the in the Amcri-
can Army, because the graduates of West Point mo-
nopolized the whole This system OF emulation no
wished TO iniuse into the American Army.
MIR. lNGERSOLL proceeded, and flushed his
marks m favor Of the institution, contending that
was necessary TO educate officers for the Army.
| MIR. HOPKINS moved that the committee rise
which was decided in the affirmative.
Mr. DROMGOOLE, the Chairman, reported that
the Committee of the Whole on the state of the
Union had had the Union generally under considera-
ton and particularly the bill making an appropris-
lion for the Military Academy, and had come to no
conclusion thereon.
And then the House ad journed
Mr.. CALDWELL presented the petition of Ran
doiph Lawson, Of Cumberland county Kentucky
praying for pension for services in the Revolution
ary war. Referred TO the Committee on Reyolu.
,ionary Pensions.
Mr.. HUGHES presented the memorial Of cizsn-
Of Herman, Missouri, in favor Of the improve nent OF
The Missouri and Upper Missis.ipi rivers and Of tie
protection Of St Louis harbor