The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-05

mont, he had hardly recsived mir treatment; al
though the superior u General Taylor, none of the
orders 70 the latter had gone through his hands, ln-
stead Of transmitting their orders 10 the senior, the
War Department had communicated with the junior
officer. Was ID then remarkable that there should
be conflicts and purposes in regard 10 this mat
teri He thought not. He wished TO know the OBJ
ect of the resolution To remedy the law They had
got no law nobody pretended to say that Inc
crisis was a peculiar one-like that in which jack
son acted, and the country would approve oil lhe
manner in which General Gaines had met the CRISIS
| Ii would be seen, from the public prints OF LOUISE
ana, that public opinion had pronounced us Judg-
ment most emphatcally in favor OF General ualnes'
| What had been the result Of his conduct why,
the very men sent by him 10 the relief OF General
| Taylor had manned Point Isabel and enabled lay
lor TO encounter the enemy and win the victories
the fame of which now rang throughout the land
| Mr.. CASS here made remark not audible IN the
| gallery.
Mr.. SEWER said that, in his swn State, in Ken
lucky, Tennessee, and, indeed, in all the border
States they had not had time 10 organize the forces
called for by the PRESIDENT and 1t was only TO the
timely succor sent by Gen. Gaines, that Cen lay
lor was indebted for the means of maintaining his
| position,
Mr.. MoREHEAD begged to ask the senator a
question. Was he to understand that a portion OF
the troops raised by Gen. Gaines had been received
by the President
Mr. SEWER replied in the affirmative, and added
that he UNDERSTOOD thht they huu auNcu AZ RUM
Isabel in time TO give essential aid to Gen. Taylor
Mr. CASS said he could give some information
| on this point.
| Mr.. SEWER hoped that he would give il now.
Mr. CASS then handed to the senator an extract
from the letter of the War Department TO Gen.
| Gaines, informing him that "the Secretary OF War
disapproyed of his call for several regiments Of
mounted gun-men, but approved his previous re-
| IuisiIons for volunteers reported, the number OF
which could not be ascertained with precision"
Mr. MoREHEAD inquired the date Of that
| lie tier
Mr.. SEWER replied, the 18th Of May, and then
went to say that he very much disked to see, at
| a time like this and without any proper motives,
that he could discern, call for General Galness
presence here. Without questioning the disclaiHl-
| that had been made, he Mr.. s. must say that,
in his judgment, the only object appeared to be to
| cast censure upon general for doing act which
| he (Mr. 81 thought would be approved by every
| impartial man. General Gaines had acted prompt
", and that IN most important CRISIS when promp-
| utude was essential. He would not detain the
Senate longer but they had gone into the subject
he would 60 into it fully, and move to amend the
proposition Of the senator from Michigan by add
ing to it the following resolution:
Resolved further That tbs President be requested to fur
nsh the senate with any eorresPondense which may have
taken place between the Secretary oil War and Major Gen
sl Scott Of the United states army upon the subject Of
his taking the command Of the army Of occupation the
| frontiers Of Texas.
Mr. CASS then said that he supposed the senator
| from Arkansas did not call in question what he
Mr. c.. had stated with reference to his motives in
offering the resolution.
| Mr. SEWER. Certainly not-of course not
| Mr.. CASS proceeded. The law might be vio-
lated with the best motives, but inquiry there
fore precluded' Ii acts like this that led to
dangerous effects. The House Of Representatives
had promptly met that portion Of the which re-
lated to the acquisitions upon governors Of States.
But another point remained and that was the direct
If ,xxth an H..
orable senator had read portion of the report OF
| the War Department approving of the raising OF
| volunteers by General Gaines but FIVE sixths ofthe
! force had been raised since then. He would ask
the senator from louisiana Mr.. JoHxsosl when
the news that General Taylor was surrounded
reached New Oreans'
| Mr. JOHNSON. | don't know.
| Mr.. MANGUM. Ii was seven days after.
| Mr.. CASS. General Gaines had issued orders
for less than six regiments after the danger was
| intention of censuring the motives of General
Gaines; but as this was a very grave matter, he
| had felt II his duty to inquire into il.
| Mr.. JOHNSON, of louisiana had been under
the impression that the whole of the force Of Gen.
sral Gaines had been received into the service OF
the United States.
| Mr.. CASS. Oh, mol
! Mr.. JOHNSON, OF Louisiana. The regiment
commanded by Colonel Peyton was received into
| the service at all events and from the New Or
leans papers he perceived that the governor had ap
proved Of the course of General Gaines The i'm
preston was that General Taylor had been sur
| rounded, and that the Mexican army had received
| large reinforcements. The dangerous position OF
| the American army occasioned great anxiety and
| the universal impression that General Gaines
had acted with commendable promptitude and dis
cretion. He saw that, at public meeting General
| Gaines had received the applause of the people
IL he transcribed his authority he was responsible
to the Executive government. No doubt he acted
from the most patriotic motives and the men raised
by his activity and exertons had rendered essential
aid to the operations of Gen. Taylor.
| Mr.. WEBSTER. Where did he get the COM
missions !
| Mr. JOHNSON, of Louisiana, could only state
that the government had approved of his conduct in
raising the troops with the exception of the regi-
ment of mounted gunner.
Mr.. WESTCOIT was opposed to the resolution,
and would state fact which had no little weight in
| influencing that opposition. Although censure was
dlsclamed by the of the resolution the effect
would unquestionably amount to censure. The peo-
| pie of his (Mr. WIS., State, would not forget the
fact to which he alluded. Directly after the Semi
| mole war broke out, the honorable senator from
| Michigan, being then at the head of the War De-
partment, Gen. Gaines acting in the true spirit of
the patriot soldier acted precisely he has done
now. When his country called him to the rescue
without waiting for leave from the War Depart-
men, he appealed to his felow-citizens Of Louisiana
raised 100 men, and placing himself at their head
that old veteran with his knapsack on his back,
marched seventy miles on foot, through the swamps
| Of Florida, to render aid to the American army.
| A SENATOR Did the government approve of
| his conducti
Mr. WESTCOTT. Certainly, and the troops
commanded by Gen. Persifer Smith lately appointed
! colonel of the new regiment of mounted riAemen,
(under Gen. Gaines0 were paid by the United
States Had Gen. Taylor been defeated on the Rio
Grande, Gen, Gaines having remained inactive, the
latter would have been censured, and censured de-
servedy 1t was all very well, for senator's sitting
two thousand miles and upward from the seat Of
war, to talk about the necessity Of formal orders
from the War Department, but they who lived on the
frontier-they who have some practical knowledge
OF these things regard the matter in different and
ulster light. Suppose foreign government
should now step forward to the aid Of Mexico
suppose that in carrying out the principle announced
in the French chamber by the minister that he
would not suffer Mr.: Polk to take too large slice
Of Mexico, that fleet should be sent to our coast,
and was lowering about the Balize, or Pensacola,
what would be thought of the naval commander on