The Arkansas banner., 1846-05-13
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| ploymeut proves their fitness to receive. | would further remark, in defence of the army from the charges which have been mate against it, that the first regiment of drsgoons 1 has performed more aftluous duty in the course of the last few years than almost any other corps in the service. Tine comnIan- ding officer has been with lis regiment for the last twelve months, under canvass, ex- posed to all the hardships and dangers which are common 10 the wilderness through which they passed on their tour to the South pass of the Rocky mountains, cncountegiug the dangers oI attack from hostile Indians, the cold blasts from the snowy inounan,s and the exposure to hunger, and the depiiya- ton oi all the comforts of lfe This duty has been performed by Col. Kearncy and hls command without murmur, while those stationed upon the sesboard and ths lakes have been in good quarters, and in the en- joyment of the comforts of life Are these the holiday services of supernunersry aud supelannuated officers
 It is due also to the officers and soldiers of the 2d regiment of dragoons to state that they too, shave seen some service.o lis not many years since this regiment returned from Florida. where they were employed ia l hardships, tolls, and dangers, of the Florida war, need not speak--a thankless, yet most arduous service, where fatigue and danger were certain, and glory most remote. Where a naked and amhushed foe was not mora fatal than the diseases and malaria whioh formed the atmosphere of his hiding placo--
 where fiore fell through fatigue, exposure, and the fatal malignlty of the climate, than
 from the rifles oi . ihrce5 crafty, mud activs enemy. Those who have served u campaigp
 in Florida will bear witness that this was a service little to be coveted by those who de-
 sired either comfort or disnctlon.
 Mr. Chairman, what have said in refer ence to the dragoons, applies with equal
 u ice to one-hall of the infantry regiments
 now in the service. The late prompt move
 menIs made by the several corps who now
 form the. army of occupation in Texas, while
 they refec. tIle highest credit on the officers
 and men, eHtitle them to the thanks of the
 government. These movements, Mir. Chair
 man, would vie with the most active opera
 tions of the best troops of Napoleon, in the
 paImiest days of that great general. No
 troops, either In this country, or m Europe,
 have moved wlth more prompttnde and des- patch than the command of General Taylor.
 His command constitutes half the available
 force now in service and, sir, hear of ifo "superannuatedo or sapernumeiary officers there. l imagine, SIT, they 9ra not to be l found.
 Let gentlemen go to the departments here
 in Washington, from that of the commander in-chiei To his subordinate bureaus, and los
 them pont to all the ldlcrs and ,.superlmm- ..,,.11 d.. I say, Mr. Chairman, they will look in vain. They are not to De found there either.
 IL is undoubtedly true that in time of peace
 the army are not generally popular with the people They are apt to be regarded us a separate and distinct class of men, having
 neither occupations nor sympathies lr com
 mon with their fellows Their services in time of war, which has gone by, are forgot
 ten. Those which are constantly carried on
 in time of peace are overlooked and dsre- garded. Their importance to the country is neither appreciated nor understood. An un-
 just prejudice has laid hold of the public mind against this arm of our national de-
 fence,
 But the time may come, and that at no distant period, when all eyes will look to
  their temporal salvation, as the arm out
 stretched between our homes and families, and a vindictiye hostile force. Let LIS now, l then, do them justice here, where they have [ no means to protect themselves from assault. 1 Mir. Chairman; some objections have been C raised to the bill now under consideration, on |. the ground that by it the appointment of the | officers who are to cemmandshe proposed
 new reeinenis, is left in the hands of the ! President, who is requiredsfo select fiiem' from the citizens, ifistead of selecting them il from the line of the army. do not consider such objections tenabe. 1t is my belief , Mir. Chairman, that for such service as is contemplated by this bill frontier men should be selected to command, as well as to form ranks. We want young men of good char acer and of temperate habits, accustomed to the hardshlps ol d frontier life, 10 make efii-
 2icnt troops for the service forwhch the two proposed regiments of rihemen are designed. The same principle applies to the selection of
 intelligent young men To officer the regiments
 who should be capable of commanding, and , familiar with all the hardships incident, to- the pee uliar service in which they would be engaged.
  , against the officers of the amy--far other wise; but have no doubt that many of them who have been long stationed m good quar- , ters. in the enjoyment of the polish, and fash ion, and ease of life, would be but poorly
 qualified to be thrown on the frontiers, ex. posed to cold and hunger, and the diseases | incident to such life. As regards this mat ter, however, am, for my part, perfectly willing to leave Il to the sound discretion of the Executive, who, l am sure, viii look alone to the good of the service in the selee- tions that he may make. This provision Of { the bill l am perfectly willing should be pre-, served, or modified, to suit the wishes ofths , House. My principal object is to obtain sn increase of the army commensurate with the :. extent Of our frontier, and sufficient to send an adequate force to the southwestern, wcs- z tern, and northwestern borders, and to man our contemplated forllfcations on the route
 to Oregon with number of troops sufficient to insure to the frontier settlements that peace and security which they have alright ; to demand of the government, and which, I