Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-08-30
CALLING OUT THE MILITIA.

General GAINES, and the mystery under which Is |
left the Government sanction or disapproval OF 1t
.MrLrrA ORDxRKD Isro SERyIcE.-The New Orleans
papers which reached yesterday inform US OF has pro-
cednr Of General Gaines and the Governor of Louisiana
calling into the service Of the United States regiments
militia The assigned for this that 10000
Mexican troops within eight days march Of Gen. Taylor
So sees that these militia called for the protection
of Gen. Taylor We had the Of the march Of these
900 men days ago. but believe that few people
credited II is TO be hoped that this act will be dsavowed
by the Government and that these troops will be sent home
until called into service by regular authority
was sufficiently questionable whether the President has autho
rity 10 send troops Texas But the claim authority by
an officer of the army call for militia merely the
Of the advance of Mexican troops towards the Texan frontier
is still questionable assumption Of power troops
can be lawfully brought into the field in this Manner there
can be little doubt we shall soon find ourselves
of war"
AS to the questionableness of Gen. GAINEs's
act, we need hardly say that never was there any
thing more entirely unquestionable, as an illegal
assumption Of power. To explain it, we have had
repeated notices in the government organ here but
not one word Of any thing that intmates dsapproval
disavowal. The following, on the contrary, from
the latest Union that has appeared when we write,
is specimen Of the general manner in which the
Administration speaks through its press to the
country of this matter
80 We understand the War Department has been officially
informed of the modification which Major General Gaines has
given his original requsion for militia volunteers from the
Governor of Louisiana He has called for companies of
artillery, to be Immediately mustered into the service of the
United States and to be despatched the army Of General
Taylor He has requested Governor Of Louisiana to
have four regiments Of infantry and emen be organized
and TO hold themselves ready for immediate service
observe by the accounts have received by this
evenings southern mail and the details of which submit
to reader) that the companies Of artillery have already
sailed for the American ranks with the gallant Gay their
head" E
The following, from the same paper Of day or
two before, contains, in its first sentence, more
positive intimaton. But il refers only to General
Taylor as "authorized to call under the wing of
his eagle the volunteers of Texas or of Loui-
siana." Whether this means authorized" by the
Executive, merely by the discretionary faculty
which General GAINES and so many others employ
in Texas, we know not how to divine. We are
almost compelled to suppose the latter. For, in the
first place, the law which permits the President to
call out the militia in certain cases does not allow
him to delegate that faculty.: secondly, he cannot
use ii himself in mere expectation of an invasion
thirdly, this. if it happen, will be but constructive
invasion, inasmuch neither we nor Texas have
ever been in possession Of the soil from which it is
proposed to drive off the Mexican forces: and,
fourthly General TAYLOR is said to be authorized
to call out the volunteers Of Texas also--a power
which he certainly cannot have derived from the
United States, and which we cannot imagine that
any law in Texas could confer upon AN officer in
our service. Be all this incomprehensible business
it may, the phrase in the Union, unless utterly
unadvised, is a strong negative pregnant against
the Presidents having delegated like authority to
another besides General GAINES; and accordingly
the Executive journal has spoken, from the first
with an air of some surprise las it strikes us) and
clearly of complete ignorance of what General
GAINES was doing which goes very far TO show
that the Government here had given him no such
orders. But observe what the Union SAYS:
"a little longer time, and General Taylor will be able to
muster than 5000 picked regua-without saying
word Of the volunteers Of Texas Of Louisiana, which he
authorized, If necessary to call under the wing Of his eagle
With and ammunition, and with provisions sufficient TO
support them, there to believe that they will be able
cope with and conquer any force which the Mexicans
may attempt to throw this side the Rio Bravo. Their
troops too, will be compelled to march through country
which has to subsst them and the transportation
OF their provisions if they able to obtain them ut ALL
will ncumber their progress and delay their arrival at their
point of destination
point from various quarters of country it yet somewhat
doubtful how many volunteers will go from Louisiana. II
certain that Gen. Gaines has modified his original reQus
ton but it yet doubtful in what he has modified his
call upon Governor Moutonwheher reduce the number
Of volunteers change absolute call to the field into
bare order TO hold themselves in readiness"
AS offering some very just remarks upon various
parts of this business, we may here embody, from
the Baltimore Patriot of Thursday evening" the fol-
lowing:
:" letter from Washington gentleman in Baltimore
says There Is nothing here except that somebody,
has been frightening hoaxng General Gaines with a sha
dow Of ten thousand Mexicans marching into Texas And
the Old gentleman has forthwith made equison upon the
Governor OF Louisiana for thousand militia wonder il
the Texans intend to leave do all the fighting il there is
70 pc any and remain themselves quietly n home
rink OF steamboat being paid ST. 900 for starting one day
sooner than Its usual time, carry important desa,cbes 10
Texas II is monstrous We shall have the Flor;ds War
again. with such improvements in a. have
been suggested by experience"
TO all this, we will add an article from tho pa
tersburg hafeHigencer Of the same day--because
it excellenty explains great part Of our feeling,
and purposes in all that have lately urged upon
those in power:
The National Intcligencer Of Monday last, commentng
the late reputation made by General Gaines upon Governor
Mouon, Of Louisiana, for thousand volunteers march
five six hundred miles to aid and assist the American
General Taylor against immense Mexican force which
General Gaines enjoyed the exclusive privilege Of learning
their way attack General Taylor and only eight
days march from the American camp, observes
sExcep as heretore amended nv General Gaines the