The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-26

i
trusted that the President would discharge his duty
with all fidelity. fT
Mr.. ALLEN had no doubt that the President
would do 30, not only in making the appointments,
but also IN melting out the due award of honor TO
each who earned IL on the field Of battle. He could
no earthly objection in allowing the discretion Of
| the President 10 comprehend the whole Ameri-
can people. Let him select on his Responsible
| ty. II he selected incompetent man, the
error would soon manifest itself But there
was another argument in favor Of the bill; A
large draft had been made upon the citizens OF the
country. The war was one not to be conducted
| solely by the regular troops, who had detached
| themselves more permanently from the body OF the
people II was war to be prosecuted by the great
public arm Of the country-by the citizen soldiery
Il was meet that the citizen sodiery should be COM
manded by citizen officers, Experience had taught
them that considerable jealousy existed between the
regular troops and the citizen soldery. The only
| way 10 consolidate and nationaze them was TO APP
point officers from the citizens to command the vol
unteeTs. Ifonly for the moral effect was desira-
BILE to allow the President TO make these selections
| from the body Of the people. He should therefore
! vote against the amendment.
Mr. MANGUM had but few words to say.
| He would move TO strike out The first section, If
the motion could now be entertained. He regretted
that the gentleman In this chamber most exPe-
renced in militia matters Mr.. BEsrosl had not
condescended TO favor them with some explanation
| Of the views the committee.
| MIR. BENTON. Does the gentleman alude 10
| mel
Mr.. MANGUM. Yes,
| Mr.. BENTON. Oh then il was altogether
owing TO our relative activity in getting the floor.
| Mr.. MANGUM proceeded. IL struck him as
wholly unnecessary to increase the general officers
at the present crisis. IL was not only unnecessary,
but il was unwise. Ii had been stated by the
sor from New York that they had but three general
n officers. But they had more than enough generals
by brevet And was II just that those men who
not only by bravery, but skill and science, had dis
covered themselves TO be peculiarly compe tent TO
lead the army, should be superseded by men taken
from the ranks Of private life 1t required pecu-
liar talent to control large armies. He admitted
that few men might have great natural talents for
the conduct Of an army, and he admitted that upon
an occasion calling forth the power and might Of
| the nation, II might be necessary TO select
general. But no such crisis had arrived. II
! was hardly expected that even fifteen thousand
| regulars should be concentrated the Rio Grande.
| Was there not already adequate provision for the
command OF such an army And as to the yolun-
teers, they TO be commanded by officers chosen
in the respective States Was there not talent
enough and grade enough in the army already To
| lead the two columns which were all that probably
would be employed in making demonstration upon
| MexcoI The military men most distinguished in
| the annals Of the country were those who had ac-
CURED experience and skill in the field Wsshing-
ton himself was in the continental service and there
| exhibited the germ of all that afterwards shone so
| brightly IN the Of the revolution. So was it
with Greene, relative of the senator from Rhode
| Island. So was it in the last war. Amongst the
| greatest names were those who had served in the
militia How the qualities of those great gen
| erals first discovered In the military service of
| the States. A like discretion would be given the
| President now. Experience, observation alone
| could discover the general. High military skill
like the diamond for which they had TO dig in the
bowels in the earth, to be obtained only in
| the hard struggles Of actual war He would
| again appeal TO the senator from Missouri GMr
| BENTON. He would ask him if in the army there
was not now the skill and material adequate for the
present CRISIS. IL they were TO push these columns
| into Mexico, they would be sufficiently provided
with leaders. In detailed operations, no service in
the world could exhibit greater skill and daring than
that Of the United States. Let them look at General
Taylor. He would not advert seriously to the ru-
moi rife IN the streets that in both houses of Con-
gress there were aspirants after the fame of the
"Old Rough and Ready,"as they called him. One
| summers campaign would be quite enough for any
| such asprants-sltting there with their venuators
| and talking so valianty about the dangers of war
As'to the popular suggestion Of the senator from
Ohio, he would carry il TO the utmost if adopted at
ALL Throw open all to the keen competition of
| every soldier. When the results Of that compeu-
ton seen, then let the President select As to
the details of the BILL he was opposed to the restric-
ton ofhe officers to the line of the army 1t was some
what nvidious. He desired the competition for hon.
In the great arena TO be freefree ALL Hedesired
that all the officers should stand on the same footing
He hoped that they would never have standing
! army They were, however, forming the nucleus of
such army. Now he was willing to see the mill
tary spirit displayed in all its fury, but he desired to
make provision for nterposing proper check at the
proper time But when the time had come to disband
the army, he would not consent to dismiss the gal
liant officers of the regular army. But he thought it
was best to make provision for the dismissal Of the
leaders of the volunteers when their services should
be no longer required. If another Jackson should
arise, public opinion would secure to him the full
reward of his merit. The case would take care of
itself. His whole view was this-he would vote
for the amendments with the modification he (Mr
NJ had suggested. If not accepted, he would move
to strike out the first section.
Mr.. BENTON then rose and said, that in his
opinion the Senate was not acting wisely in going
beyond the appointment of the officers, and legis-
latng with respect to their reduction and discharge
The only way to do business in this world to
do what at the present time required, and to
leave to those who to come after that which
properly belonged to them. The reduction of the
officers would come up in it's time and place.
and ought to be left to the patriotism and wisdom of
the day when action was necessary. As to the nom-
nations they would be sent in to the Senate and then it
would be time enough to argue about their propriey
The Senate was weakening itself by it's present
course, by thus proceeding beforehand. When the
time for reduction came it would be found that some
desired to retire. There were examples of that at
the close of the last war. General Jackson was one
of them. Others might be called to high Office in
the State; to others civil appointment might be
quite agreeable. Abundant means of etfecting a re-
duction, equitable and also agreeable to the feelings
Of all parties, would present themselves at the time
when reduction was necessary. He hoped, them
that the present controversy about the mode Of get
ting rid Of the officers at the end ofthe would be
dropped, and that the Senate would confne itself to
the propriety of appointing them now. The num-
Der Of general officers recommended was the small
est possible. There were now fifteen thousand reg
ular troops; and supposing only half of the voun-
teer force authorized were raised and brought into
the field, there would be in all an army of forty
| thousand men, forming twenty brigades, and for
twenty -feur brigadier generals. Mr. B pointed out
the extreme Inconvenience Of giving the command
of brigade to the senior colonel. His own reg-
| n,ent had his sympathies---the men were his chill
dren. II would be impossible to expect that he
should administer equal justice to both regiments