The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-09
GEN. GAINES.

THE INTERFERENCE Of GENERAL GAINES WITT
THE COMMAND or GENERAL TAYLOR LIES N
| A NUTSHELL.
| General Gaines commands the western depart
ment, as it is called in the military orders, which
does not include Texas, and never did. Texas ha,
not been annexed to it, General Gaines, therefore
has no military authority in Texas.
But besides, General Taylor was specially as
signed by the government to command in Texas
and General Gaines specially informed of the fact
and told, IN substance, to let General Taylor conduct
his operations IN his own way. And it may be add
ed that the result has beer credtable 10 the sagacity
Of the administration as General Taylor has shown
himself nobly fitted for the station.
Besides the force he took with him, Genera
Taylor was authorized to call upon the governor.
OF Texas, of Alabama, Of louisiana, and Of Mis-
sssiPpi, for any additional force he might deem ne
cessary; and Of this authority General Gaines wa.
fully informed by the War Department, and
when General Taylor thought he required NOR,
force he called upon the governors Of louisiana ant
Texas for what he needed, being four regiment,
from each. He did not call upon the governors o
Alabama or Mississippi. This force was sent tc
General Taylor, bnt before il reached him, he hac
defeated the enemy, and almost annhated his army
General Gaines knowing the power of Genera
Taylor, and knowing, too, that that general had
called for all the force he wanted, ordered $4,000
additional men to be raised and to be sent to him
General Gaines, therefore, undertook gratuitous
ly to determine that he, at the distance Of almos
1000 miles, knew what General Taylor wanted
1 better than he knew il himself And he did
this moreover in the very teeth Of the orders Of
his government, thereby setting most dangerous
precedent, and throwing heavy pecuniary burden
upon the country.
These acts are defended the ground Of ne
cessity. 1t isa dangerous plea at best-but in this
case it is wholly inappcabe. What was the
necessity, and who was to Judge it's urgency
The result has shown the fact that no such me-
cessy existed for the enemy beaten without the
addition Of a man, and General Taylors required
quota have joined him, and have given him all the
force he wanted. But if the necessity had exist
cd, the government had foreseen the possibility
of Its occurrence, and had provided for it BY
giving all proper authority 10 General TAYLOR.
Who made General Gaines judge of this neces-
sity, any morethan any corporal in the army Tex
as did not belong to his department, nor was Gen.
eral Taylor under his command; nor was General
Gaines any more responsible for operations there
than in the moon. The government had said to
him, eve take this matter upon ourselves. Let
General Taylor alone; we have given him all he
wants. You have neither power nor responsibility ~
1t is said that necessity excuses many strong acts
1t does So The circumstances must be Judged
when they occur. No general rule can be laid down
But necessity for whom' For him. certainly, who
has the responsibility. In this case, for General
Taylor. Had he extended his call beyond its pecu-
liar limits, or had he deemed any other measure
necessary for offensive or defensive operations not
provided for in his instructions, who can doubt tina,
the country would have borne him out in his con.
| duct
There is no parallel between this case and the
course of Gen. Jackson at New Orleans. The par
ellel would be between Gen. Jackson and Gen.
| aylor--not between Gen. Jackson and Gen.
Gaines. Gen. Gaines was in his own department
out Of the way Of the war, with of Judging
what was necessary, and expressly ordered not TO
Judge.
And besides, when he did Judge, what did he do;
He passed by the President on one hand and the
governors Of the States the other, and levied a
force Of 900 men by his own authority appointing
the colonels directing them to raise their regiments
and ordering the officers of the field and staff quar-.
tormasters, commissary, and ordnance officers to
furnish supplies Of all kinds, provisions arms and
ammunition, and transportation, upon the orders
of his colonies; and appointing for all that is known
here the other officers; for the government does not
know who appointed them. II he had to call out
troops why did he not go to the constitutional au-
thority--to the governors of the States'
The volunteer act passed before the government
acted upon his first calls, and they were thus ena-
bled to legslize his first calls before the LIST Of May
His last call for 5000 men was after he had re-
ceived full knowledge Of the victories OF Gen. Tay
lor, probably more than a week after.
But there a rumor-for this is one Of the pleas
Of justi6cation--that Paroles was coming on with
large force! And if he was, what them This was
rumor for the consideration Of General Taylor, GER
tsinly in circumstances to judge far better OF il
than Gen. Gaines. A rumor indeed And upon
this rumor he evies an army 1t is to be hoped
there will be no umor that the moon will fall
for if there 10, he may direct the quartermaster's
department to provide the necessary scanting to
keep her off, ....n
An immense sum Of money has been not only
uselessly expended immense quantities Of supplies