The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-25


ported bill TO meet the contingency In that even,
| they should propose TO raise fifty thousand yolun
| teers, or as many more as might be necessary For
his own part he would vote for one two, three hun
dred thousand, or million, If necessary, TO sustain
the rights OF the country or to yindicae ila bnnor
And he felt that this was much the better mode Of
proceeding than TO increase largely the standing ar
| my. He did not make this remark with reference
to any increase Of the army, to such as was pro-
posed by the original bill. And he referred TO m.
statements made yesterday by him, in his remarks
mot yet published) showing the aggregate Increase
ofoffcsrs and men under this bill 10 be 1856 Thi,
was no more than was requisite for the peace estab
tshment, which was less than il had been in the
time Of Jefferson or Madison.
What was the Recommendation Of the President
| thsbilt On the supposition that stockade forts
would be erected the route TO Oregon the Presi.
dent had recommended that an adequate force
| should I've raised to guard and protect our en-.
grants on their way to that territory. What did
Inc amendment OF the gentleman from North Carol.
ma propose To dor To add ten to twenty men, he
believed, TO the present existing compenies of naD
try, dragons, and artillery. And where were tbs.
forces, or two'thirds of hem nearly at present On
| the Rio Grande, whence It probable they could
not be withdrawn for some time to come. He was
rather inclined TO think that AN addition TO thai ss,
vice. rather than decrease Of it, might be REQUIRED
| But we had the specific recommendation OF the
President for at least regiment for particular
service on the line Of emigration. IL gentlemen
were disposed TO disregard this recommendation en-
! tIrey, let them do so; II was their province and
their right. But that recommendation had consider
able weight with him in determining what his course
| of action should be.
He regretted to be under the necessity of making
remark in which he apprehended there might be
! too much truth, in regard To these two regimen.
| He feared that some Of the members of this Houss
might have been drawn aside from the strict line of
their course by the appre hension that applications
| for nominations to these Offices commissions might
have been ndelicatey pressed. He intended no re-
! Fiction upon any man; but he would take occasion
| 10 say inasmuch a number OF applications had
been made to him fer commissions in prospect, that
he had not felt at liberty to present one of these ap
i picauons 10 the President, because il would be
asking in advance a nomination for an Office in
the creation Of which he had himself to give his
vote. He wished TO make this statement in order
that those who had applied to him might under.
stand that he had not submitted their applications
to the President; though if the bill became law,
| he should feel 1t his duty TO present them. II any
feeling Of this kind had operated on the minds Of
members, he trusted that they would raise them
selves above all such considerations, and that they
would put upon the President the responsibility Of
making selections as he thought the best interests Of
the country might require He had Yesterday submit.
ted the reasons why he was in favor Of this
course, and why he was opposed to the amendment
! of the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr
l
be selected from the line ofthe army alone. He had
no charge TO bring against the army. On the con-
trary, he thought it had lately done much to com.
mend itself fayorably to the nation But he though,
tina, the discretion of the selection should be lef
| with the President Whatever opinions might be
entertained on minor points by gentlemen, he knew
that there was on both sides of the House dspo.
sluon If difficulties were TO ensue with any foreign
power, TO make all requisite preparation TO meet
| them. The question was as TO the best mode.
| IL AaH tk.f - 4
largely to the standing army. He should there
fore infinitely prefer the original BILL because was
best calculated to attain the desired object and be.
cause IT compored more with the recommendation
Of the President and Secretary of War than either
Of the amendments proposed.
Mr.. MCKAY said that when he was last on the
floor, he did not go into the merits Of the question
because he was under pledge not to do il.
he believed there was great misconception on
the part of many members of the House as to the
nature Of the amendment he had offered. He wish
cd to make brief explanation oft II did not pro.
pose as large an increase of the standing army the
bill Of the Committee on Military Affairs That would
effect an increase of about 1900 men; his amend
men increased the rank and file, getting clear of all
offisers, only 1900 men.
| And by the second section he proposed to give
| contingent authority to the President, who knew
more about our foreign relations than the members
| of this House could be supposed to know, to make
an increase, if he thinks proper, to the amount
ted. 1t was only contingent authority, and only
to be exercised when emergency requires.
| Mr.. BOYD said, as he understood the recon-
mendations OF the President they were about these:
| There was a distinct recommendation in reference
to an increase of the standing army under certain
| contingency. There was another recommendation
equally distinct in reference to the service the
route to Oregon. He had thought they were about
meeting the recommendation of the President in the
| passage of the bill from the Committee on Military
Affairs He thought so still. By the increase Of
the army, as proposed by the gentlemen the
| way, [Mr. HuNGERroRp and Mr.. MCKAY, it seem
ed to him (Mr. B. y that we could not meet in the
| best form, the recommendations of the President,
or the exigencies of the case.
Mr.. GARRETT DAVIS inquired whether his
| colleague-when he referred to the views of the
Presldent--meant to be understood as having refer
ence to the message or to those secret, confidential
communications of which they had heard
Mr.. BOYD replied that he knew nothing Of any
secret, confidential communications; he knew moth
| ing OF the recommendations of the Executive
anybody under him, except what the gentleman
was equally acquainted with, if he had looked into
the communications made from the Executive to
this House.
The very best force upon the Oregon line, he be.
lieved, would be the acceptance Of volunteer rcgi-
ments, with power to choose their own officers; and
he would make it their duty to carry the mail across
to Oregon. 1t would then be carried safely; and
whilst portion were thus engaged, and portion
| in the sockade forts proposed to be established
they would furnish complete protection to our emf
grants to Oregon: He preferred the bill from the
Committee on Military Affairs to any of the prop.
ostons offered in lien thereof. He had been Of the
opinion that one regiment was enough. He still
thought so; but he would vote for both under the
circumstances. He thought it expedient and proper
that the President Of the United States should have
the discretion to mount such portion Of them as in
his opinion the service should require. 1t mo-,
his purpose to make speech; and he would merely
further express the hope that they would vote down
the various propositions, and travel back to the orr
ginal bill, and pass it.
In conclusion, Mr.. B. demanded the previous
question.
The question was taken, and the demand was
| seconded: ayes "a, noes 81.
And the main question was ordered to be now
| taken.
Mr. BRlNKERHOFF asked the yeas and nays
on the main question: which were ordered.
Some conversations followed between Messrs @,
S. HOUSTON, CULLOM, G. w. JONES, and the
SPEAKER, to the effect of the vote on the vari-
Gus pending propositions.