The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-11

uon was AN element In both OF these systems. All
could unite, therefore, on this measure. For years
MIR. Poinsett and all his successors urged II. The
people call for il. All agreed that there must be
mail rou 10 to Oregon, and II So we must have Sta-
tons on the route for the mail. .1..-
Mr. MeCLERNAND rose and said that the sur
prise which he had felt at the very strenuous oppo-
sition made, was enhanced when he looked 10 the
grounds upon which il had been in the main pred.
Gated. II was fact, in his judgment that the bill
had been opposed more for imaginary than real sub
stantisi reasons Gentlemen had assumed facts 10
exist which did not exist and had reasoned from
them TO conclusions adverse to the measure. Such
had been the case with the gentleman from Mlssls-
sippi, tMr. THoarsos. That gentleman had as
sumed that il we raised the proposed regiment Il
would become part Of the permanent military es-
adjustment And why sol Because, as the gentle
man SAYS we have never been able TO reduce the
army after increasing IL. Now sir, the gentiemans
premises are altogether hypotheueal-indeed, they
are contrary 10 the fact. The army Is smaller now
than the peace establishment Of 1908, 1912, 1915,
1921, or 1872 During the interval, between the two
fret named periods, il amounted TO 8, l2o men; du-
ring the next, il amounted TO IL 500; in 1912 it
amounted 10 1870; and since that, II has
been reduced TO 1888, considerably less than
1t was in 1905 At the last mentioned date, our
population was about 1000 900, and the receipts
from customs were SIC 1863 $50; now our population
for the last fiscal year were S27 100000. Since
1905 the frontier Of the republic has been extended
vest, TO embrace an empire In itself, 30 that
the decrease Of the military force is relatively much
greater than il shows TO be in numbers.
The cause OF the genteman's spposidon 10 a per-
manent increase Of the army is the fear which he
expresses that the militarymight become dangerous
To liberty. Mr.. MeC. said he had heard much OF
the danger Of standing armies TO free institutions
As an abstract proposition there much truth In
il, but he had long believed that much OF the
eamor which he had heard In this country about
the dangers Of standing armies, was mere dema,
gogueism. Might not the outcry which was raised
against Mr.. Van Buren, and his purpose more EN-
GENTLY TO organize the militia, be justly so described
Standing armes rarely, II ever become dangerous TO
people until, Ly gradual process Of degeneration
and corruption, they became rpened for military
subjugation. He thanked God that there was no
dagger Of a standing army in this country now, and
he hoped il would ever be 30. The American peo-
ple-the whole people-constitute the American
army, and il was in all free States. Here the
people were attached to peace for itself agent
TO deyeope their individual and collective energies,
and those Of their happy and beloved institutions;
and the signal for the humiliation OF any organized
force, which Congress might raise, would be the at
tempt Of such force TO subjugate the people, or
oyerturn our institutions.
There was n time in the history Of the Roman
empire, whsn long pre-exstlng corrupuons and deg
radiation had prepared the people to submit TO mil
itary yoke. The Pretoran band deprayed by a
variety Of causes, mounted the ramparts, and with
loud voice proclaimed the "Roman world was for
sale" and actually sold II to obscure but wealthy
senator for $50 drachms. But we have not arrived
at that point in the downward scale Of degeneracy
and ruin. Our flight is still upward-our course is
still onward-full Of hope and promise 10 ourselves
and TO mankind.
The gentleman from Mississippi however, says
IN has nassad hill which maj n
the military establishment from 900 TO about
~ 00a men. He must be aware that the increase Of
which he speaks is a contingent one-to be made or
not at the discretion Of the President Now il this
be the case, and il is the fact nulhes his argument
for If we raise this regiment will deduct as much
from the contingent force provided for. In effect
this will be no increase Of the army, additional to
what provision has been for either, positively or
conditionally.
Another Misrepresentation OF gentlemen, is, that
the creation Of this regiment looks towards hostility
with Great Britain. The President recommends 1t
for no such purpose. Independent and irrespective
Of the insecurity Of our relations with foreign ma
tons, humanity and sound policy require it. Con-
gress and the country seem to be fatally unconscious
Of the fact that we have d valuable and growing
commerce upon the prairies Of the Far West, and
the lives Of American citizens there to protect,
against the trcachery, piracy and hostility OF nu-
merous warlke bands Of yavages. These interests
distinct from the interests and security Of the
immediate Western frontiers. In 1888, perhaps,
the first regiment Of Dragons was raised; IN 1886
the second. The first was commanded by General
Dodge, now by Col. Kearney. The second by Col
Twiggs. They were designed, as far as he under
stood, to protect the frontiers, and to resten the
savages, inhabting the frontiers, from warning upon
each other. At the time they created, our
frontier extended only from Lake Superior to
the Sabine. Since then, il has been extended
from the Sabine, several hundred miles through
rowing and savage bands, to the Rio Grande.
If these regiments were only sufficient for the
service TO which they were originally assigned,
much less a.e they competent to that which de-
mands the attention Of the government now, and
still less, since the second regiment has been order
ed TO join the army of occupation under Gen. Tay-
lor upon the confines of Mexico.
The regiment now proposed is designed neither
for the exigency of collision with England nor for
the frontier service mentioned. 1t is designed to
protect American emigration and the commerce of
the praries, as before mentioned. The magnitude
of these interests will appear from the subjoined
extract:
"Four great trails radiae towards the west from ndepen
l. The Missouri the north into the countries of
the Crows, Blackfee Grosventres Blood Indians, As
sinbons and othersmore than forty rbesrich in urs
Wild warke and numerous The trade of the Missouri
river embraces 10000 Indians
go The Oregon trail passing by the Great Platte to the
South Pass. Along this the kanzas, Pawnees, Sioux
sheyennes. Halfbreeds, Arapahoes, Arckarees Shes
homes Bannacks, and Yutas-s5,ooO.
I'D The Mexican trail and its fork to the Upper Arkansas
Upon this trail the Osages, Pawnees Cumanches Kio
was Arapahoes sheyennes Apaches Yutasin all 1000
the territories Of the Chockaws Cherokees and other To-
Gated ndians-45 900 in number!
These Indians all nomadic tribes OF the great plains
subsstng buffalo and other gameas elk, deer ante
ope grisly bear beaver, otter porcupne Scand the
tural roots vegetables and fruits Of the country The
Yutas shoshonee Bannack Crow, and Blackeet tribes
reside within the Rocky mountains, but visit the plains
to hunt, make war, and plumber
N m n bp2