The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-14
Senate in favor Of David Shaw and Solomon I
Carser, were read twice, and committed.
ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL.

Senate In favor Of David Shaw and Solomon T.
Carser, were read twice, and committed.
ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL.
On motion of Mr.. J. j. MCDOWELL, the House
resolved itself into Committee Of the Whole on the
| state of the Union.
The SPEAKER invited Mr.. GEORGE w JONES,
| OF Tennessee, TO the chair who, at his own re-
| quest, was excused.
Mr.. 4ANCEY Of Alabama was then invited, who
excused himself on the ground Of his entire want of
| acquaintance with the rules
Mr.. COBB Of Georgia was then invited, and took
| the chair.
| Whereupon the committee resumed the conside-
ration Of the bill making appropriations for the sup
port Of the army, for the year ending on the 30th
June, IS47.
| The state of the question was this:
| Mr. J. A. BLACK had moved the following as all
| additional section 10 the bill:
nd il further enacted That from and after the passage
this to the end Of the present the monthly pay Of
the oncommiGsonrd officers musicians and priyates Of
the artillery infantry and rhemen who may be- IN the sir
vice ofthe United states shall be the as the allow
ed the commissioned officers, musician and pr
Yates OF the Dragon regiment Of the United States
And Mr.. TIBBArrs had moved to amead the
said amendment, by adding thereto the following
And that pay private soldiers the service OF the
nted States shall be $40 month provided that nothing
N TINS act shall be construed 10 make the pay oil any non
commissioned officer musician less than the pay Of Pr'
| vale a. hNed BY this act
And the pending question was on the amendment
| TO the amendment
! Mr.. THURMAN was entitled to the floor, and
| addressed the committee at length, in speech of
| which full report will appear hereafter. The re-
marks Of Mr. T. were directed mainly to a reply to
the speeches of his colleagues, [Messrs. GIDDRGs,
| DELANo, and TILDEs, and to demonstration OF
the identity Of the arguments and denunciatons now
| employed against the and the administration
with those made use of for similar purposes in the
war OF 1919.
| Mr.. L. II. SIMS addressed the committee. 1 feel
| very conscious, Mr. Chairman, (sad he,) that this
| committee will bear with me patiently; not that in
dulge the hope that shall enlighten them upon the
question under their consideration, but for the
reason that have not heretofore troubled the COM
mlttee or the House by any remarks this or 9th
er subjects, am also very conscious, sir, that my
rhetoric and my grammar may be at fault; but that
| TO me- sir, in the discussion Of any subject where
my country has an interest, and where my heart
throbs for that interest, IL Of very little importance.
IL IL the educated man who is the best patriot,
il is not the educated man who feels the strongest
for the perpetuIy of the institutions of his country,
or that feels the strongest IN his rejolclngs at
the Of his country, and her escape from all
| reyerses Of fortune
| The bill pending before the committee Mr.. Chair
man. has for its object the raising the funds to de-
fray the expenses of the army Of the United States,
Of which large part at present is the army Of occu
patton on the Rio Grande like TO see individuals
honest IN their transactions and Of all things do |
delight TO know and to see, from the action of my
government, that she il just She owes the money
TO our army; let US pay it. do not entertain any
| hope never entertained hope for a moment
when the present President Of the United States de-
| feated the Taleyrand of Kentucky-l never believed
| for a moment that the followers Of that gentleman
| would universally subscribe to anything the Presl-
dent of the United States might think proper to do
in the discharge Of the duties Of the high station to
which the people have called him
| The point is made by some of his political oppo-
nens that it was improper on the part of the Exec
| uuye 10 station eur army on the banks Of the Rio
Grande. Ii Is said it wrong for him TO have
pointed our cannon across the river opposite Mata
moras that he did wrong in ordering the removal OF
| our army from Corpus Christi to the Rio Grande.
II he had done less-if our army had remained at
| Corpus Christi until the army of Mexico had
| crossed the Rio Grande, and traed through the
desert to the NueCes and had cut off our troops at
Corpus Christi expect il might have been charged
even then that he had acted improperly. Yes, Mr..
| Chairman, whatever course the Executive and the
| administration may take, it is to be condemned alike
| by these gentlemen; and now after we have become
involved in a war with that nation, from which we
i have received so many insults, and which we have
| treated with SO much forbearance, they come out
| now and declare our country in the wrong, and
Mexico in the right! 1t is said by distingu shed
men at both ends Of the Capitol that no war exsts
| and discrimination is drawn between hosttes
| and war. Suffer me 10 say there is just about as
much difference between hosites and war when
il comes to shedding the blood Of our countrymen
| as a very scrupuous gentleman might make when
he inquired for "coored men" instead of "negroes {"
| when he was purchasing slaves. What is in
| the common acceptation of the term' What is
/ as known to this government 1t is meeting in
| deadly conflict with the enemies Of our country
Have met them' We have sir; and | fear that
before this time disasters may have befallen
| army the Rio Grande that none of US may desire
Itn haaT ha ,hn fhaft hatt.
| is "unholy." If the Executive has done wrong
if he has acted mproperly-f our country is in the
wrong in having sent our soldiers to the Rio
Grande, it is not very patriotic in gentlemen who
believe this to be the fact TO speak and promulgate
the Of their country to the world. No, sir,
say it is not patrlotc it is not wse it is not such
course gentlemen sincerely devoted to the protec
ton of the rights and territory Of the country against
| a foreign invader would pursue. The famy-the So
cia relations and intercourse of family and the obi
cations resting upon its members-are apt illustra
ton of the relations and obligations of the citizens
of government; and that man who is so unknd as
be willing to nhict any injury upon the character
Of his father, mother brother sister, is unfit to
hold the social relations. So that man that hunts
up the errors Of his country, exposes them to the
gaze of the whole world and hides her virtues is no
patriot in my estimation
| am of those, Mr.. Chairman, who believe
that the marching Of our army to the Rio Grande
was strictly in accordance with Justice TO ourselves
believe that the State Of Texas--hat the republic
Of Texas-has been at war, virtually speaking, with
the government Of Mexico since the battle of
San .Jacnto, with the exception of the nerposon
of the treaty made by Santa Ana and the constitu-
tued authorities of Texas; and some gentlemen say
that that act was nvald-that he had no authority
to do it from the fact that he was a prisoner Of
war. .
Mr.. SEVERANCE interposed; but
Mr.. SIMS refused to yield, remarking no, keep
| cool. You shall have chance Just sit down.
suppose Continued Mr.. S. that if certain gen
tlemen in this House had the right and the power,
they would ask of this government go forward to
search out what is the government of Mexico-and
| committee despatched from this government would
have great trouble in finding it out. General Am
pudia would tell you that it was in Arisa, and Ars-
ia would tell you it was in Paroles, and Paroles
would tell you it in the deputies and representa-
tives Of Mexico. Her government changes its form
often the cameeon its color from blue to green
and from green to black 1t is not for us to know
what the government of Mexico is; it is enough for
us to know that she has made war upon our citi-
| and han, 20 ,r