The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-14

ertaned or expressed any doubt regard TO the resoa
aon IN ITS present orn ne ne T % MOI bs snS
ject resolution OF inquiry as 70 the expectancy OF
the propositions and the extent OF the increased pay
| this course was thought desirable.
! Mr. ARCHER expressed his entire concurrence with
the view which had been taken by the senator from
Missouri, that this resolution had better take the form,
not of positive requson but OF inquiry on the part OF
the Senate The matter entirely one, and Il
involved an important principle lnhis opinion, itwoud
give efficacy and dignity to the adoption oil the
resolution il this course Were pursued by the Senate II
the resolution should be adopted at once, the Senate
would stand committed TO the object OF the resolution
and il might be said that the subject was disposed OF
with precpancy; that the members did not have sulil
cient time TO consider the subject and that more time
had been allotted to this purpose they might have been
reluctant to give Their assent to the ProPosTIad me
the suggestion Of the senator from Missouri and change
the resolution.
The reading of the resolution then called for and
after the request had been complied WITH
Mr.. CRIfrENDEN rose and said he must confess that
his preference very decided TO the form OF the res
olution. This not new subject with himself. In
his own view, the adoption OF the resolution by the Sen
ate in the form in which it offered, would be
the best testimony which they could bear to the merit of
the army He did not believe there nation IN Eu
rope which would not have honored with increased pay
any army which had performed the same serylee-not
one The British army India had been very literally
rewarded for the services which they rendered in achey
ing their recent victories over the Skhs and in every
victory by the armies OF the different nations OF Eu
rope he believed reward usual. II was not only
the pT1vatlOnS 10 winch the troops were
il was not only the increased expenditure which attended
the soldiers lfe-bu the merorous and great services
they rendered which claimed at the hands OF the coun
try an increase OF compensation, The resolution did
not propose permanent increase, but only increase
during the continuance OF the war. This was not sub
ec for inquiry, but one concerning which he believed
that the Senate entertained fixed and determined views
He (MT CO was unwilling TO make II subject OF inquiry
Inquiry implied hesitation, doubt He thought our troops
had right to expect q Congress, not hesitation and
So ought sense OF il to be. There was no ground
for doubt. The resolution was only to provide some
brave soldier who had hazarded his life for his countrys
honor There was not army in the world where
private soldier had not some hope OF obtaining higher
honor than in That great soldier Napoleon, made
the OF the Legion OF Honor to glitter the breast OF
the humblest soldier, well that OF the proudest
marshal This government could confer no such honor
Ii not with the institutions OF this country
TO do So All that we could give was mere certificate
OF honorable merit and esteem; but which the humble
soldier could hand down to his children with pleasing
and grateful recollectons He hoped the resolution would
be adopted in the form the Committee Military Affairs
shall make provision for increase of pay &c. He could
not, therefore, accede TO the request OF the honorable
senator, however DESTROYS he might be- as he always
was, to accommodate himself to his views. For the
present. therefore, he should insist upon the adoption Of
the resolution IN the form in which 1t had been first pre-
sented
Mr. WESTCOTT said he was opposed to the resolu.
ton in its percent form, and unless modified suggest
ed BY the senators from Missouri and Virginia he
should vote against IT, He had no objection If il was
altered so as to make 1t resolution OF inquiry He
was behind no senator on that floor in admiration OF
the glorious deeds of our brave army CIRCULARS and vol
unteers) in Texas and Mexico, sincere gratitude
and he would express that gratitude by increasing their
compensation and adding to their comforts while
vice, and by liberal donations to them OF public lands
when they left it. lie would make every one in that
army independent freehoder But he did not fear to
avow that he opposed to the mode proposed by the
from Kentucky, in the second clause of his
luton, of acknowledging estimation OF their services
by giving them certificates of merit" The reference
which the honorable senator had made to the Legion
b Lib al h,r a,I Tho ,,l,.l
modes adopted by European monarchca powers, OF
waring their soldiers, was sufficient for him orr WI
on this point. He was for avoiding such examples He
did not believe our citizen soldiers would themselves
approve of it. Ours (said Mr.. W. is a republican
government. To preserve its democratic character we
should be careful to resist the first steps towards estab
lie services. Especially should we resist the slightest
appearance OF establishing any military order of merit
sir, (sad Mr., W. if this is mere matter OF form, ii
will be worthless to the citizen soldier. The certificate
of merit will not restore frame eneebled by disease
Incurred in service, or the wounds received in bat
tie Give them (sad Mr. w ) something more substan-
tal-something of solid benefit make each of them
an American reeholder give them lands out OF the mil
ally huxtering out to little public advantage mere
piece of paper called certificate of merit" however
elegantly worded will Of itself be bitter mockery to the
suffering soldier Mr. w. said he would not only oppose
the resolution if modified, but bill framed according
to its instructions far it liable to the objections
Mr.. CRIfTENDEN was very sorry that his friend
from Florida had taken such view of the question. He
gentleman from whom he should have suspected
ready support to the resolution He sorry to
that the sterling democracy of his friend from Florida
at all alarmed by the creation of what he supposed
to be distinctions in this country contrary to its laws
He thought that if the gentleman would reconsider his
views, he would find no cause for alarm What the
granting OF brevet but what is now proposed What
was the granting of testimonial Of honor to the victo
general but the chief reward which the country be-
slows upon her sonsi The gentleman is ready to pay
out of the treasury how much better is provision Of
this kind than pecunary appropriation He was sorry
it had been proposed to convert the question into
luton of inquiry He thought it ought not to be made
matter Of inquiry. II was subject beyond inquiry
None had stopped to inquire whether soldiers had ia
ken Monterey, fought at Pao Alto, Resaca de la
Palma; all knew it. Why then, should there be in
qury about the poprety OF increasing the pay of those
gallant troops! lie would ask the yeas and nays the
question Of amendment ~"
Mr.. BENTON regretted that the senator fron, Ken
lucky [Mr CRITTENDEN] had asked for the yeas and
nays on the motion that he had made The motion was
only to change the instruction from order to
qury and the ormaty of yeas and nays might present
members as arrayed against each other matter of
substance, when it was only matter Of form. The
resolution submitted by the senator is in the absolute
purposes the amendment he proposed to instruct
the committee to inquire into the expeliency OF bringing
in bill for the purpose. This conformable
parliamentary practice, which requires consideration
to precede discussion and gives to every member time TO
mature his opinion before he gave vote upon the
its. The inquiry was the usual way; and the mode
which he (Nr b had this morning adopted in similar
case Mr. B. had this morning submitted resolutions of
inquiry, the object OF which to accomplish part OF
the same ends intended by the senator from Kentucky
and he would read them BOTH to show the form and the
substance Of his resolutions, and thereby to show that