The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-03


and hasten il to a speedy and successful termina-
ton, and secure a lasting peace, Il becomes
necessary that we have force sufficient 10 bring
them TO terms even through an invasion OF
Mexico itself IL Gen. RaIedes keeps himself
within the walls Of Mexico, who can tell but il
might be necesssry-ndeed, is It not probable, that
II will become necessary TO go into the interior OF
Mexico from MatAmoras, at some point on the coast
farther south, even at Vera Cruz perhaps at Santa
Fe, and other points, In that event il would be ne
eessary TO have men Of military skill TO conduct the
different detaehmenis OF your army, and prepared
to discharge all the duties and meet all the eontln-
gences that might befall them. Much therefore
would depend upon the character Of the warfare
which the government should determine TO carry
on. Let aus give them the proper means, and
hold them responsible for the manner in which il is
conducted. lie trusted that It might be brought 10
a speedy termination.
Ia the war Of 1919 and 1914, (Mr II. proceeded
TO say) 65, 900 troops were at the disposal Of the
government; and with this force had, according
10 the Army Register Of 1913, (Which he had be-
fore him. six major generals, and sixteen bnga-
der generals, besides two breVet bngadier generals
And now it complained that we were in
creasng our officers too largely, when two adj
dltlonal major generals only were asked-makng
three in all, and four brigadier generals-makng
with the present establishment, six brgadier gene.
rails IN all by right, though It was true we had
few others by breyet.
again. IL calu ny tue gentleman from Men
lucky that the object was to supersede the gallant
Tayler. Mr., IL should feel himself unworthy Of
the station which he occupied could he consent to
be the instrument Of such design SO far from H.
the tact was that not even the gentleman himself
felt any greater disposition than he (Mr. HI did TO
honor him for what he had done for his country.
The President had given every inumation Of his
pleasure and Of his readiness not only TO honor
him, but to give the complete and entire command
Of that army, let It be increased ever so much to
General Taylor but how he do it now Mr..
H. wished the gentleman and the House to under.
stand that he MIR. DAVIS was warning against the
object which he wished % attain. General Scott
was the only major general Of the army-the only
one we could have under the law as it now exists
The number Oftroops now ordered TO the field will re-
quire the aid Of other major generals and the whole
force authorized should be raised and Mexico were
to be invaded by different divisions Of the army
from different points, might be necessary for the
purpose Of procuring supplies, if for nothing else
still more would be required.
General Taylor now only breyet major
general, but If II was intended that he should con-
duct the campaign, every question about rank
should be settled by giving him the commission Of
Il major general.
DAVIS, HARRISON, and BOYD upon this
point, involving also the question Of the rank which
brevet officers take IN command and also the COM
parative rank Of major generals OF the militia and
bTeyeAmajor generals of the regular army when
brou M together IN the army. In the course Of
Mr. HARRISON said the rule was that III.
commissioned officer always takes rank above bre.
vet officers either IN the army or the militia But
when the militia and the regular troops came to-
gether, State officers Of equal rank gave place to
United States officers, and it was the same with
brevet officers.
Mr. BOYD said that he desired to inquire of the
chairman whether General Smith of Louisiana is
not major general of the militia Of that State and
whether he has not gone to the Rio Grande in com
mand Of the Louisiana troops, in that capacity,
and If such be the case whether he (Smlth) as
major general Of militia, in commission will not
rank Taylor, who is ajor general by brevet only
Now, sir, If this be so, then trust my colleague,
Mr. DAVIS, will 90 for the bill as the only means
Of securing Gen. Taylor the prominent command Of
the forces against Mexico.
Mr. HARRISON (resuming) said he would not
attempt to arrive at conclusion upon a subject
which had distracted the army for twenty years and
which perhaps was destined TO distract il for years
to come. He referred to an unsuccessful attempt
two years ago, 10 settle it in this House But he
proposed that the opportunity be given to the Presi-
dent, by our action, of settling the question far
as Gen. Taylor is concerned, by giving him full
commission major general OF the United States
and that was one, among other reasons, which had
influenced him (Mr. III J a member OF the Com
mltee on Military Affairs, in reporting the bill now
under consideration. There were also other gallant
officers under Gen. Taylor he should delight to
honor with some of these commissions. But there
other reasons why this should be done He
had shown very great disparity between the num-
Der Of officers in the ny of 1912 and now; and his
only object was to have officers sufficient for the
forces mustered into actual service. He had said
that would require the services of mao generals
by commission from the different States; we should
also require the services of brsadier generals and
1 WOuld he aCtuav fhatu should do 90
from those States from which we draw greater
force than regiment.
But he wished to show to the House the actual
necessity of the second section of the bill. Mr.. H.
said the second section of the bill authorized the
President to organize the militia of the States into
brlgades and divisions; and he proceeded 10 explain
the object Of that provision. He had (he said)
shown the necessity Of the frat and second sections
Of the bill. He would call the attention of the gen.
tleman from Kentucky Mr.. DAVIS to one point in
the bill: a proposition to be made, as he had
understood, to limit the term Of the appointments
under this bill to the existence of the with
Mexico. He was willing that, when there should
be no further necessity for the services Of the officers
of the army, they should be dsbanded but he
thought 1t improper to make the provision at this
time, anJ in this bill. Officers holding commissions
in the present service would not give them up, even
to take higher rank under this act it, at the end of
the war, they were to be disbanded. They would
not like TO exchange n permanent commission for
one that to terminate with the war Ample
provision could be made on this subject when the
time should come. Those who had most distin-
guished themselves in the service could be retained
IN it, but it would be premature now to provide that
the commissions of all should expire when the war
was ended. II might prevent us from having the
services of many valuable officers at the present
time.
In that view Of the subject he hoped that all pro-
visions of this sort would be left to those who come
after US in these seats. He had designed to give
reasons in support Of the different sections of the
bill in the order in which they come; but it would
perhaps be an unnecessary consumption of time
The several amendments offered by the committee
would be well considered before they rejected
He would explain that it not by any means
the object of this bill to supersede Gen. Taylor, but
on the contrary, he hoped that the President would
put him at the head of any war that should be car
ried on in Mexico, and enable him to complete what
he had so gloriousy commenced,
Mr.. III. went on to explain that we could not
have army Of 90 900 men in the field without -four
major generals They would constitute four dv-
sions, of four or five thousand men each, and each