Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-06-13


II Games, he, (Mr H. of the representatives OF tn
which first responded to the CALL had been pain
to ascertain the facts One company the seat
before the 10 the Department but had beer
raised under equision the Governor IL could not fol
be supposed that the of the resolution
ertained any unworthy motive in seeking this inquiry Tha
entirely impossible. 1t had been solemnly discamed
He himself (hlr b. had the honor of being numbered
amongst the personal friends Of Gen. Gaines But, whilst
he entertained the profound respect for that brave and
patriotic man, he still felt il to be his duty second this in
qury into this call for volunteers hoping that Legislation
would follow to prevent in future any abuse OF military
, thority
Mr. ARCHER amazed at the course pursued this
resolution Was this question whether military officer OF
the United States sent relief portion of the army the
i frontier No On the very spot-he very of dan
gerwas officer clothed with full authority Gen.
Games had not made requstion the Executives
the States He had raised army his hook There
fore wasn view Of this unparalleled outrageo the laws
this exercise of the power of auocraha he (M A.
asonshed the tenderness with which the subject had
been handled both sides of the house. II said that
the time not ripe for discussion and yet these gentlemen
thus speaking, had fully possible into vlndicaon
OF this military officer NO man could mistake the motives
of the opposition the resolution The Senator from Ar
kansas mr. SEvIEn) had gone still further and had made
amendment altogether irrelevant bearing just much the
resolution the Oregon question He would ask if that
proposition fit to he submitted by Senator of the United
States He (Mr. A. had been anxious find for
the conduct of Gen. Gaines He had been willing avoid
this discussion but others had different notion of what
fair and reasonable and just 1t preposterous to sup
pose had argued, that the Senate Of the United
States should this authority the guar
dian of the constitution and laws Could Gen. Gaines he
indicated without the passage OF some such resolution And
for fear of touching Gen Gainess military reputation,
they be dumb legislators and deaf patriots Were
they refrain from sitting that weighter matter alluded by
the Senator from Massachusetts, (Mr. WEBSTER , To his
nexpresbe asoishment friend near him (Mr. MANGUMl
had desired 10 lay the resolution the table, and thus sfe
| all inquiry.
! Mr.. MANGUM entirely discamed any such idea He had
again and again snd that he considered the the
subject Of inquiry l'y the Executive.
Mr.. ARCHER thought that that equivalent to sitting
inquiry. What after all, the result to which
this doctrine went One Senator (Mr, Housros)
ed that this be mantle for thing
Therefore, sort OF inquiry be had into the breach of
the laws and usurpaion of the Constitution He (Mr
proud any Of the glory of the American
but if victory TO reap for their generals exemption from
the cmnaty Of violation of the laws his rejoicing would
be turned into widely different feeling. He hoped the reso-
luton would pass. The facts go-they should go-to
| the people of the United States
Mr. SEWER replied TO the Senator from Virginia who last
spoke He contended that the sole object of the resolution
10 officer who had done his duty to his
try II was true that General Gaines had not been permitted
command the forces in his district All knew that
and lest General Gaines the superior Officer should interfere,
he receives official notice desist from any control the ope
raons of the army the Rio Grande. WE'LL he submitted.
General Taylor clothed with authority to cali for militia
but undertaking the strength Of the enemy, RETAINED from
ercising it till he surrounded and his supplies off
Then he called for help And yet crisis like that they
talking about the feat Of obtaining the much
needed But gallant officer, who had gone through
wars and had received the thanks of Congress- and
sword the gift of grateful nation, promptly stepped forward
and did simply what his duty and the exgency demanded
And for this he be censured He raised the troops
What he did part approved of portion of this force
thus raised reached Point Isabel in time render the
army And for that General Gaines to be censued II
the resolution had any other object he could not it. and
had not yet been pointed out Mr. 3 then defend
the propey of his amendment which had been assaed by
the Senator from Virginia If General Gaines be
hauled, he (Mr thought il only fair TO examine into
the conduct of his superior officer He had heard Of letter
the War Department from General Scott and he desired
know something Of that correspondence
Mr. J. VI. CLAYTON here asked If the Senator would
accept the following modification of his amendment which
read by the Secretary
"And with copy OF any letter letters written by Cen
er Scott u General TAYLOR by the direction with the
knowledge of the Secretary of War And that the President
be also be requested further inform the Senate whether any
order was vt an time given President Secretary
OF War to General Scott proceed the Rio Grande
take the command oi the land, IT communicate
cow al that order i and whether he has not been daily en-
gagged in the discharge Of indispensable duties Washington,
under the direction and by the wishes OF the Secretary
War; and how he has been engaged and whether General
Scott has rendered himself the Department OF War as
ready aud willing 70 take the command of the army prosecute
against Mexico, whenever the President should
que his services and whether he has not asked that command
as due TO him from his rank in the army "
Mr.. SEWER. | accept il with great pleasure
Mr.. JOHNSON, Of Louisiana remarked that Gen. Gaines |
had called out the militia Of Louisiana with the appreciation OF
the Governor of that State expressed at public meeting
Mr.. JOHNSON, Of Maryland, opposed TO the original
resolution. The from Massachusetts, had desired
formation with the OF the 2Oh May, he
MIR ]. would desire furnish it. The order which had
originated the proposed inquiry dated the 10Th May and
its substance found in statement handed him by the
Senator frsm Mcgan-who probably had obtained it from
the Department-(Mr CASS. Certainly. was follows
The Senator from Massachusetts, desired if that had
been sanctioned by the President Mr. JOHNSON then read
from the letter from the War Department. stating that the
ca for volunteers with the exception Of the mounted gun
men, had been approved The of 1895 authorized the
President in the Of invasion, call the Executive
of the States for such aid necessary Now there
clause there authorizing the President delegate that
power So far General Gaines concerned, when be
made the call Of the 10th May, he had received commun
cation expressive Of dsapprobaton Of what he had done
The letter from the Department dated the Sth only two
days before, and could not have reached him till
eight days afterwards He exercised power which he had
exercised honest discretion former OCCASIONS for in
stance, during the Seminole war, when the Senator from
Michigan was he Mr ~ recoected Alright the head
Of the War Department. Was he censurcd then And
had lac not done the thing 1912, when Texas was
invaded Ics and was he censured then Just as II was
proposed TO him now, Ivy saying that nc had acted
egulary but the troops called by him taken into
the service AID paid by tic United States.
II very thing TO form cool judgment after the
fact has occurred The dngs Of the victories Of the 9Th and
9th Of May upon that chamber with expected
delight The whole Union beat with anxious expectation OF
the fate Of their army Men high authority conceived that
there imminent DANGER after these vcories-a all
before. If Cen Gaines had had the send
lief Cen Taylor them and had sent it. and the army
had been cut up oil would have been indignant in the
IRENE, and the Senator from Michigan acting under right
impulse would have been among the first TO call him TO ac
count Selfdecncc the first law of nature. In conflict
with foreign Power the nation Force, in
emlnyed in Of With