The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-08

Think, to establish this force In that region Of
country.
The gentleman from Tennessee Mr.. SrAsrosl
has proposed am amendment increasing the force
proposed by the ball from 10 two regiments and
n he can succeed in ENGRAVING his amendment on
the blll, have no doubt that he will defeat il.
MIR. STANTON rose to inquire whether the gen
ueman intended TO say that he Mr. s. had offered
the amendment with the view 10 defeat the biR
Mr. GORDON. No. do not believe that the
gentleman offered the amendment with a view 20
defeat the bill. believe thai he is the friend of the
bill, especially coming he does from the State of
Tennessee but think he misIudges | think that
his friendship for the leads him to propose
an amendment, which, in my opinion, if adopted,
will certainly defeat the bill; because the sense OF
| the House has already been taken on this very
proposition, which was decided in the negative.
Now, for the purpose Of protecting emigfants on
their way to Oregon, and Of encouraging their going
there am in favor Of having one regiment of ride.
men mounted, in whole or in part, at the discretion
of the President, for this peculiar service, between
| the Missouri and the Rocky mountains, as well as
for the purpose Of keeping the Indians in check and
preventing hostiues on their part against eur from
! tier settlers.
| 1t has been said by those who ought to know,
that the President already has the power to mount
one or two Of the present regiments Of infantry, and
detail them for this particular service. Whether il
10 so or not, | cannot at this moment say. But !
am so informed. The chairman Of the Committee
Of Ways and Means Mr.. McKAYl shakes his
head. l understand him To say that the Pres
ident can convert them into rhemen, but not
mount them. Upon this point | desire to say
that do not believe that the infantry Of the
regular army know anything more about riding
a horse than old women. They are not
| horsemen, and IL il is requisite TO have mounted
rhemen for this Indian service, do not believe that
the infantry are the men TO mount know that
the President is authorized by the bill which recent
passed this House, TO increase the rank and file OF
the regular army; and, by so increasing IT, he has in
the opinion OF some gentlemen, sufficient force for
| this service. would rather that the President
would withhold the exercise Of that power to in
crease the rank and file, and organize de moro from
among the men Of the western country, you please,
this regiment Of mounted rifemen. For, repeat,
do not believe that the infantry soldery know
anything more Of the horseback riding in the Indian
country, than so many old women. IL We need
any force at all there in my judgment, they not
| the force for this service. That a regiment OF
mounted rihemen, or some mounted force in this re-
gion, Will be Of essential service, have the evil
dence Of the President himself in his message; we
have already exhibited mounted force in that re-
gion, and we have the testimony OF the President
10 the effect which its appearance there has had on
the Indian tribes. The President says:
"Durng the last summer, the first regiment Of
Dragons made extensive excursions through the
| Indian country on our borders, a part of them ad-
yancing nearly TO the possessions Of the Hudson's
Bay Company in the North and a part as far as
the South Pass of the Rocky mountains, and the
| head waters of the tributary streams Of the Colo
rado Of the West. The exhibition Of this military
force among the Indian tribes in those distant re-
glOns, and the councils held with them by the COM
nanders of the expeditions 1t Is believed, will have
salutary influence in restraining them from hostli-
ties among themselves, and maintaining friendly re-
laons between them and the United States"
So that this force CONTINUED Mr.. G. is necessary
in order TO maintain a friendly disposition towards
the United States the part Of the Indian tribes
But ! am In favor OF mounted regiment partcu-
larly, because II is to protect and encourage emgra-
lion to the territory of Oregon. Here, in this
House, we have passed the notice TO terminate the
joint occupancy of the Oregon territory between the
United States and Great Britain IL has gone to the
Senate IL is there delayed, and there are some
gentlemen who are unwilling to send bill OF
this character to the Senate, until il is known
whether the notice will pass that body or not
In relation to that matter, have to say that we
will do our duty, and leave the Senate to do its
duty. We will not pass or withhold measures
here on speculation a. TO what the Senate will OF
will not do. II this measure, or any one of the
measures recommended by the President in relation
TO Oregon is to fail and We in the face of the civil
lied world, are to back out from position, to
quail before British power TO see all these measures
fall for Gods sake let the glory the shame Of the
failure of these belong TO the Senate and
| not to the House of Representatives. | repeat, il
these measures are to fail, if to take back all
| we have said, if we not to have stockades and
block-houses, nor mounted force, nor the passage
of the notice, let discharge duty to the con.
sutuon, to the country, and to God, taking the
sponsbity of our own measures, if they fail in the
Senate, and leaving to that body the glory or the
shame of their defeat. hope that the amendmen,
| of the gentleman from Tennessee will not prevail
hope that he will reconsider his proposition, be-
cause, as have sad believe that il will defeat the
bill. may be mistaken, but think that tie senti-
ment and judgment of this House are in favor Of one
regiment of mounted rifemen, and, in my opinion,
that will answer the great purpose recommended
| by the President .... = .s. ....
Mr.. STANTON (Mr. G. yielding the aoor) de-
sired to make suggestion. The gentleman argued
that his (Mr. $50 amendment would defeat the bill
but he desired to suggest, that if the amendment
was voted down, there would of course be end Of
| it.
| The CHAIRMAN said that amendment was no,
| now in order. &c.,.
Mr.. STANTON was understood to say, that as
| the committee were discussing the BILL he supposed
1t was IN order to. give notice of the amendment.
Now, unless the gentleman supposed that some
| members would vote for the amendment, with the
intention Of killing the bill, it was certain that il
| could not have that effect. If there members
enough willing to vote for one mounted regiment,
thoh 'hoy CtTdhly Couiu ucIeht any pfOpoSluOn,
the effect of which might be TO kill the BILL 81
| Mr. GORDON (concluding.) ! have no inten-
ton to naict hours speech upon the committee.
rose simply to state the reasons why should vote
for the Senate bill to raise one regiment Of mounted
rAemen; and why should be glad to see il pass as
! one Of the measures recommended by the President
to carry out the avowed policy Of this government,
in relation to the Oregon territory "." ~. r
Mr. G. w. JONES wished to understand this
matter before he voted upon it. He referred to the
action of the House, heretoor, taken, authorizing
the President to increase the rank and file Of the
army. II was the opinion Of the House. he believed
at the time it passed that bill, that it authorized all
| the increase Of the army that was requisite for a
| peace establishment He understood that, under a
former law, the President had power to convert al
his discretion one Of the present regiments
into raemen or light infantry. So the President
already possessed all the power proposed by the
former bill to raise two regiments. He (Mr. J.)
would like to hear the opinion ofthe gentleman from
Arkansas, Mr.. YELL on this subject.
Another reason why he (Mr.J.) preferred the
other BILL was that it did not bring into the army