The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-05-28
THE WAR BILL,

anu was SeHt W Tue L leSiuS"l III MO o'S
nature:
An Act prOviding for the prosecution
! of the eGiStsmg WGr 6et1oeen the Ontted
States and the Republic Of Me1icO."
Whereas, by the act of the Republic Of
Mexico, d state Of war exists between
that government and the United States ::
Be 1t enacted By The Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States
Of America IN Congress assembled, That
for the purpose of enabling the govern
ment of he United States to prosecute said
war 10 a speedy and successful lermina-
lion, the President be, and he is hereby
authorized to employ The militia, naval,
and military forces of the United States,
to call for and accept the services of any
number of volunteers, not exceeding fifty
thousand, who may offer their services
either as cavalry, artillery, or rllemen,
TO serve twelve months after they shall
have arrived at the place of rendezvous,
or 10 the end of the war, unless sooner dis.
charged; and that the sun of ten millions
of dollars out Of any money in the treas
VI VI VI W SUltiS iutO tIC llCuou'I " WILL
erwise appropriated, be, and the same is
hereby appropriated, for the purpose Of
carrying the provisions of this act into
effect.
Sec. 2. And be IL farther enacted,
That the militia, when called into the ser"
vice of the United States by virtue Of this
act, or any other act, may, if in the opinion
of the President of the United States the
public interest requires it, be compelled
TO serve for a term not exceeding six
months, after their arrival at the place of
rendezvous, in any one year, unless soon>
err discharged.
Sec. 3. And be IL further enacted,
That the said volunteers shall furnish
their own clothes, and if cavalry, their
own horses and horse equipments and
when mustered into service, shall be arm
ed and equipped at the expense OF the u
nited States.
Sec. 4. And be u further enacted,
That the said volunteers shall, when call
ed into actual service, aud while remain
ing therein, be subject to the rules and
articles OF war, and shall be ia all respects
except as to clothing and pay, placed on
the same footing with similar corps of the
United States army; and in lieu Of cloth
ing every non-commissioned officer and
private 10 any company who may thus
offer himself shall be entitled, when call.
ed into actual service, 10 receive in mon.
ey a sum equal 10 the cost of clothing of
a non commissioned officer or private las
the case may be) in the regular troops of
the United States.
Sec. 5. Ana be u further enacted,
That the said volunteers so offering their
services, shall be accepted by the Presi-
dent in companies, baltalions, squadrons,
and regiments, whose officers shaI Il be ap-
pointed in the manner prescribed by law
in the several States and Territories 10
which such companies, ba,talions, squad.
rons, and regiments shall respectively
belong.
Sec. 6. And be IL further enaclsd,
Tha, the President of the United States be,
and he is hereby. authorized 10 organize
companies so rendering their services into
baltaIions or squadrons; ba,talions and
squadrons inro regiments regiments into
~brigades, and brigades into divisions, as
soon as the number of volunteers shall ren>
der such organization, in his judgment,
expedienl and the President shall, if ne
cessarv, appoint the staff, field, and gene
raj officers among the respective States
and Territories from which the volunteers
shall tender their services, as they may
deem proper.
Sec. 7. And be II further enacted,
That the volunteers who may be received
into the service of the United States by
virtue Of the provisions of this act, and
who shall be wounded or other wise dis
abled in the service, shall be entitled to all
the benefit which may be conferred OIL
persons wounded in the service OF the
Un1ed States.
Ste. 8. And be 1t further enacted
That the President of the United States be-
and he is hereby, authorized forthwith 10
complete all the public armed vessels now
authorized by law, and to purchase or
charter, arm, equip, and msD such vessels
and steamboats, as, upon examination, may
be found fit, or easily converted into arm
ed vessels fit for The public service, and in
such numbers as he may deem necessary
for the protection of the seaboard, lake
coast, and The general defence Of the
country.
Sec. 9. And be IL further enacted,
That whenever the militia or volunteers
called and received into the service of
United States, under the provisions OF
this act, they shall have the organization
of the army Of The United States, and
shall have the same pay and allowances,
and all mounted p~rivates, non,commis~
officers, musicians, and artifcers,
shall be allowed forty cents per day for
the use and risk Of their horses, except of
horses actually killed in action ; and if