The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-12
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

The journal of yesterday having been read, lex
cept as to so much embraced the reports from
committees, the reading whereof was dispensed
with,J
Mr.. WINTHROP rose to correction He
found himself reported (he said in both the morn
ing papers having voted against the motion to in
crease the pay Of the infantry &c, from eight dol.
lars to ten dollars per month. He had voted in the
Affirmative and as he supposed that the lists Of yeas
and nays had been taken from the journal, the En-
ror, he presumed must have originated there.
The journal having been ordered TO be 80 amend
ed TO conform TO the fact stated by Mr.. VIM
rHROP, was approved
The Chair was occupied by Mr.. HOPKINS, Of
Virginia, the Speaker being present in the hail. but
suffering under severe indsposition.
sAPPERs, MINERS, AND PoEroMERs.
Mr.. BURT, under instructions from the Commit.
tee on Military Affairs asked the House TO take up
and dispose Of another bill which, he said, was ne
cessary in the exigeney which had arsen., With
that view he moved that the House resolve itself
into Committee of the Whole on the state Of the
Union.
And the motion having been agreed to,
The House resolved itself into Committee of the
Whole on the state Of the Union, tMr. NoRRIs, of
New Hampshire, IN the chair and took up the bill
from the Senate) to provide for the organization
OF company Of sapPers, miners, and Ponton-
iers.
posed by tae Committee on Military Affairs Of this
House, substituting in the 9th section the figure
lin the year, instead of 7, so TO read 1876.
The amendment (afer word Of explanation by
Mr.. BURT) was agreed TO-
MIR BURT moved that the committee rise and
report the bill and amendment to the House.
Mr. GlDDlNGS said the object OF this bill was
to increase the standing army Of the United States.
The House had yesterday passed bill authorizing
increase in the military force Of the United States,
to the extent Of fifty thousand volunteers. From
the very commencement Of his term Of service in
this House, he had opposed any increase Of the
standing army; and he was opposed to it at this
time.
Mr.. ANDREW JOHNSON raised a point Of
order, which was overruled by the Char.
Mr.. GlDDlNGS proceeded to say that he was
opposed to a standing army, because he believed
that the founders Of our government intended this
nation to embrace within itself the inherent prInc
pie Of self-defence. Our institutions had been
based upon the hypothesis that nation of treemen
contained within itself the power to repel foreign
aggression; to maintain the rights of the sovereign
people; and TO sustain the institutions which they
had themselves established He regarded a stand
ing army foe to free institutions. IL was OF.
posed to the exercise of that freedom which
our national boast. We had had a signal illustra-
lion of the danger Of a standing army on the Rio
del Nore where American soldiers, as much emit.
tied to the protection OF the law any American
citizen, had been shot down in cold blood, without
charge trial, investigation, Defence conviction, or
Judgment.
Mr.. BURT here desired Mr. GrpprsGs to yield
the floor to enable him Mr.. b. to change the char
acter Of his motion.
closed his remarks. He had yesterday (he pro-
ceeded to say) heard it stated from a high source,
that American blood had been shed upon Ameri-
IAN soil;" yet we had the documents before US to
show that the first blood which had been shed was
that of our own ssdiers-shed by the hands of
heir brethren in arms, without trial investigation,
Or conviction. He objected to the increase Of any
body Of men who would thus bathe their hands in
their brothers blood.
We had had another illustration of the danger of
A standing army. We had an American
President, who by the constitution the comman-
ier-n-chief Of the army and the navy, well the
mi tia, invade a foreign soil, plant the American
standard there, subverting the rights of foreign
people, and extending military despotism over
hem. In the progress ola revolution which was
fast verging towards dissolution ofthis Union, we
mad seen an American President, without provoca.
ion, and without right planting the standard of the
United States foreign soil, and using the mill.
AIRY forces of the United States to violate every
principle Of international law and of moral Justice
Mr.. BRODHEAD called Mr.. G. to order on the
ground of irrelevancy.
Mr.. J, P. MARTIN said that the gentleman
was conversing about his brethren-ihe .Herieans-
which Mr.. M. submitted it was perfectly in order
for the gentleman to do
Some conversation followed on the point of or
der; after which,
Mr.. G., not being arrested by the chair, pro-
ceeded with his remarks. He entered upon the
the question of territorial right, contendIng
that the movement of General Taylor was as
much an invasion of the Mexican territory, as if
that officer had planted his guns in the public
squares Of the city Of Mexico. He adverted to the
probable consequences ofhe war, TO the prospect of
its long duration, to its heavy expenditures, its dis
astrous results upon the Interests, and, as in con.
nexlon with slavery, upon the harmony and per-
petuiry of the Union.
Mr.. G. had not concluded when the hour ex-
PRED
Mr. BURT now changed the motion he had sub
mted to motion that the committee rise, with a
view to the Introduction Of a resolution, in the
House, to close the debate.
The motion was agreed to.
Whereupon the committee rose.
But the CHAIRMAN reported the bill and amend
tsnt land not the progress Of the commttee) to the
House.
Considerable conversation followed, in which
Messrs BOYD, J. q. ADAMS, BURT, TIB-
BATS, GORDON, RATHBUN, JOSEPH J.
and the CHAIRMAN took part.
The result was that the question was stated to be
On concurring with the Committee of the Whole on
the state of the Union in its amendment, and on Or
ierng the bill to third reading,
Mr.. BURT moved the previous question: which
was seconded.
And the main question was ordered to be now
taken.
The amendment was concurred n.
And the bill was read a third time by its title.
The question then being "Shall this bill passf'
Mr.. HARRISON demanded the previous ques-
lion, which seconded.
And the main question was ordered to be now
taken.
And the bill was passed in the following form, to
wit
BILL for the organization Of company Of sappers mi
ers, and pontoniers.
Be Il enacted BY the Senate and House of Representa-
ices of the United States Of america in Congress aSubid
That there added the corps Of engineers company
IF sappers miners and pontoners to be called engineer
,oldiers; which company shall be composed Of
reants or master workmen ten corpOras overseers
wo musicians hir ynine prvates Of the first class ar
icers thirty nine Prvates Of the second cnss labor
srs; in all one hundred men.
SIC .4nd Re further enacted That the pay and rstions
the sergeants master workmen OF said COMPANY shall
the same az those allowed by law to the master
orkmen employed by the ordnance department except
ing engineer sergeants shall receive one ration
per day, instead OF ration and half OF the corpo
rails overseers the those now allowed by law
10 the carriage makers and backsmiths employed