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

corps Of engineers and he ocered by officers Of that corp.
At present organised They shall be Instructed IN ans
perform all the duties Of IaPpers miners and pontons
and shall aid 10 giving practical Instruction IN lhes'
branehes at the Military Academy They shall moreover
under the orders Of the chief engineer be liable 10 serve
Attachments in overseeing and aiding aborers upon for
thcatons other works under the engineer department ut
and in supervising finished ortincstonS as iortkespers
prove nting injury and apply ing repairs
Sac g. 4nd BE- Il further snGftst That the chief engi
neer with appreciation Of the Secretary Of War be
thorzed to regulate and determine the number quality
form dimensions &c Of the necessary vehicles POnons
tools implements arms ana otheI supplies Tor the use am
service OF said company as body oisspPsrs miners AM
sEo o Had BE- further enacted That for the fiscal yea
ending June thirteth thousand eight hundred and for
tysx the Of twenty five thousand dollars be- and thu
same hereby appropriated to be paid out any money
the treasury not otherwise appropriated for the pay sub
sstence and clothing Of said company and for carrying
the other purposes Of this act
Mr. RATHBUN moved reconsideration Of tn,
vote by which the bill had been passed.
Mr.. RATHBUN said if gentlemen would turn
to the 4th section Of the BILL they would find 1t pro
vdes for the permanent attachment Of this corps 10
the Military Academy at West Point, involving an
expenditure Of some SOS 900 and upwards annual
y, and Of no practical in the world, except in
cressing largely the expenditures Of the peace esab
shment This force was a very important branch
Of the public service in time of war, and he desired
the army to be possessed of IT. but he was mol
willing to give any vote for thus increasing the
peace establishment. What good could il do for us
practically the science Of sapping mining, and pom
toneering. We have a corps Of engineers al the
West Point academy sufficient to educate the cadets
there. This corps Of sappers, miners, and ponton'
could be of very little in time Of peace, ex-
cept for sapping and mining the treasury, and for
this We had corps in the rest OF the army amply
sufficient
He thought, when public forces were raised for an
emergency like this, they should bear In mind and
act upon one important principle; and that was, TO
make provision for disbandng them when the emer-
gency ceased; for this the only time when we
could get rid Of them without infinite difficulty. He
had an amendment TO this effect which he intended
to offer in the bill was recommitted.
Mr. BURT thought the objections Of the gentle.
man from New York this bill were not well taken
Ii was obvious TO those who were not prejudIeed
against the West Point Academy that the only earth
ly cOnnexlon which this corps could have with the
exercises of that academy is TO aid at particular oc-
casions in certain exercises in field works. II was
not the particular corps of engineers, but all the Ca
diets educated there, who were TO be instructed by
this corps.
He would not go into the general argument in ia
vor of this bill, lnasmuch il well understood,
as the great majority Of the House were in favor OF
it, and action demanded by the exigences Of
our country. The commander Of our army on the
Mexican border has called for corps of this kind.
lie (Mr. B. greatly feared that Point Isabel, which
is the great depot Of all our Stores Of all our NUM-
tons, commlssary's stores, quartermasers stores,
for the want OF this corps, ID now, whilst we are
cavlng about straws, in the possession of the Mex
lean army. In his estimation this was not the time
to make this objection, or raise this discussion. /
move the previous question.
The question was then taken, (under the opera =
uon OF the previous question, the demand for the
yeas and nays the main question having been re-
fused)
And the House refused to reconsider the vote.
DEFENSIVE WORKS.
Mr.. HARRISON moved that the House resolve
itself into Committee Of the Whole on the state Of
the Union, (for the purpose Of taking up the bill
making appropriations for certain defensive works.
The motion having been agreed to
The House resolved itself into Committee of the
Whole the state Of the Union, Mr.. BENTON, of
New York, in the char.)
Mr.. MCKAY moved that the committee resume
the consideration Of the Military Academy bill.
Mr.. HARRISON moved TO lay aside that bill,
in order to take up the bill he had indicated. But
he waived his motion for the present.
WEST POINT ACADEMY.
Whereupon, the committee resumed the consd-
Grafton Of the bill making appro prlatons for the
support of the Military Academy for the year end
ing on the 30th June, 1S47.
The pending question was on the amendment Of
Mr. RArHpuN, that after the cadets now there should
MIR. SAWYER (who held The floor from yester
pay) resumed and concluded his remarks.
1t is rather discouraging, The sa'd,) Mr. Chair
man, to commence speech at this stage of the
game, and when the House is very thin. But
perhaps may as well talk to the chair and to emp
ty benches, as under any other circumstances.
When | was cut off yesterday in the remarks
was making, by the arrival of message from the
President Of the United States, | was discoursing
about lecture which had been read to this House
by the Onion" | had got pretty nearly through
with that branch of the subject, but | have yet a
word to say upon 1t. l. for one, feel that this
House has done duty to the country faithfully,
and in all respects. perceive, by a report publish
ed in the lntellgencer of this morning. that might
he misunderstood in some of the remarks which
yesterday submitted. In the main, that report is
correct; have no doubt but that the reporter who
made it, reported me honestly. But it is suggested
to me, after reading the report, that | cast
on the chairman of the Committee on Military AZ
fairs, [Mr HARALsoN,l and that something | said
might be construed into censure on the chairman
Of the Committee of Ways and Means, Mr.. Nc
KAY1 disclaimed yesterday any such intention.
| believe that no men could have discharged their
duty more faithfully than these gentlemen have
done; and the same remark is applicable to all the
committees of this House, so far as their action
in relation to the recommendation Of the Executive
have been concerned. This House, if may be per-
mtted TO say so, has done its duty But whilst |
say that, must at the same time be allowed to say,
that in my humble judgment, the other branch Of this
legislature has not done it's duty | say it has not
done its duty The article in the organ states that
both branches Of the national legislature demo-
cratic. deny it. This branch is democratic; the
other is wing. The action of both demonstrates
the fact. And hope that hereafter, this body will
not be charged with derelicton of duty, but that
the blame will rest where it belongs-wth the SEN
ate. hope that in future, our friend Of the organ,
when catechizng and casgating US for dereliction
of duty will not associate this body with the other
that he will not be afraid to do his duty to that body
but that he will urge them on to correct discharge
of their Duties and to the contamination of such
legislation as will redeem the pledges they have
given, or carry out the views which the people had
in sending them here. hope that hereafter, that
body should suffer important public measures to lie
on the tables of their committees for months and
months, or should refuse to report or act upon
them Joe shall be held free from the censure, and that
the people may be given to understand where that
censure ought properly to rest. There is con-
trast between the action of this House and Of the
Senate, and Of the Senate and House Of Representa-
tives of the State Of Louisiana, which must strike
the mind of every man. Within a few minutes Of
the introduction of measures into those bodies