The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-12-19

the various Indian tribes Withiii our IlHl!Is
or upon our borders. invite your atten-
ton TO the suggestions contained IN That re-
port in relation to these prominent objects OF
national interest.
When orders were given during the past
simmer for concentrating military force
on the western frontier of Texas, our troops
were widely dispersed and in small de-
tachments, occupying posts remote from
each other. The prompt and expeditions
manner in which an army, embracing more
than half our peace establishment, was
drawn together on an emergency SO sud
den, reflects great credit on the officers who
were inirusted with the execution of these
orders, as well as upon the discipline OF
the army itself To be in strength to pro-
tect and defend the people and territory of
Texas, in the event Mexico should com
mence hostilltes, or invade her territories
with a large army, which she threatened, !
authorized the General assigned to the
command of the army of occupation TO make
acquisitions for additional forces from sever
al of the States nearest the Texan territory,
and which could most expedliously lurn-
ish them, if, in his opinion, larger force
than that under his command, and the aux
iiary aid which, under like circumstances,
he was authorized to receive from Texas,
should be required. The contingency up
on which the exercise OF this authority de-
pended, has not occurred. The clrcum-
stances under which two companies of
State artillery from the city OF New Orleans
were Sent into Texas, and mustered into
the service of the United States, are fully
stated in the report Of the Secretary Of War.
recommend TO Congress that provision be
made for the payment OF these troops, as
well as a small number of Texan voun-
,eers, whom the commanding general tho'l
it necessary TO receive or muster INTO our
service.
During the last Summer the first regiment
of dragons made extensive excursions
through the Indian country on our borders,
part of them advancing nearly TO the pos
sessions Of the iiudsons Bay Company iii
the north, and part as far as the South
Pass of the Rocky mountains, and the head
waters of the tributary streams of the
CoIorady of the West The exhibition
nlthis military force among the Indian Tribes
in those distant regions, and the councils
held with them by the commanders OF the
expeditions, it is believed, will have a sal
unry influence III restraining them from
hosilltles among themselves, and maintain.
ing friendly relations between them and
the United States. An interesting account
of one OF these excursions accompanies the
report of the Secretary of War. Under
the directions Of the War Department, Brc-
vet Captain Fremont, OF the corps OF topog-
raphical engineers, has been employed since
1912 in exploring the country west of the
Mississippi, and beyond the Rocky noun
tains. Two expeditions have already been
brought TO a close, and the reports of
tina, scientific and cn,erprislng officer have
furnished much interesting and valuable
information. He is now engaged in a
third expedition; but it i, not expected
that this arduous service will be COM
plcted i'll season TO enable me to com
municaie the result to Congress at the
present session.
The successful use of steam navigation
introduction of war steamers in great and
increasing numbers into the navies of tho
principal maritime Powers of the world.
A due regard TO our own safety and 10 an
efficient protection to our Increasing COM
merce demands corresponding increase
on our part. No country has greater
facilities for the construction ofvesses OF
this description than ours, or can promise
itself greater advantages from their employ
ment. They are admirably adapted 10 the
protection ol our commerce. TO the rapid
transmission of intelligence, and to the
coas! defence. In pursuance of the wise
policy of gradual increase of our navy,
large supplies of live oak timber, and other
materials for ship building have been col
iected and are now under shelter and in a
state of good preservation, while iron stea-
mers can be built with great facility in va
rious parts of the Union.
The use oiiron as material, especially
in the construction of steamers, which can
enter with safety many Of the hatbors along
our coast now inaccessible to vessels OF
greater draught, and the prac,icability OF
constructing them in the interior, strongly
recommends that liberal appropriations
should be made for this importan, Oh.
ject
Whatever may have been our policy in
the earlier stages of the government, when
the nation was in its infancy, our shipping
interests e. commerce comparatively small
our resources limited, our population sparse
and scarcely extending beyond the limits
>oi the original thirteen States, that policy
must be essentially different now that we
have grown from three to more than TWEEN
ty millions of people-,hat our commerce
carried in our ships, is found in every
sea, and that our territorial boundaries ant
settlements, have been so greatly expanded
Neither our commerce, nor our long line o
coast on the ocean and the lakes, can bt
successfully defended against foreign ag
erosion by means of Notifications alone
These are essential at important CONNER
cial and military points, but our chief reli
ance for this object must be on well or
ganized, efficient navy. The benefits result