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

Mr.; COBB. | move that the motion be laid or
the table.
And the question having been taken, and decided
IN the Affirmative without division,
line mouon to reconsider was laid on the table.
THE PEA-PATcH ISLAND.
Mr.. j. X, lNGERSoLL now asked leave to sub
init the motion he had indicated
Mr.. HOPKINS hoped that the business which
had engaged the attention Of the House for two OF
three days past would be disposed of before any
other proposition was entertained
And objections having been made, the motion OF
Mr.. lEoERsoLL was not received.
TWO REGIMENTS OF RuFLEMEN
On molten Of Mr.. BRINKERHoFF, the House
resolved itself into Convnltee Of the Whole on the
state of the Union, (Mr, MCKAY, Of North Caro-.
lima, IN the char,) and resumed the consideration
OF the bill TO raise two regiments Of riaemen, and
for other purposes.
Mr.. MCCONNELL moved that the bill be laid
aside, for the purpose Of taking up bill No. 49, lin
relation TO the appointment of certain oficers)
The CHAIRMAN instructed the clerk to read
the order of the House, under which the committee
were acngi which having been read
The CHAIRMAN said the motion Of the gen.
tleman from Alabama, MIR. McCoSNELL,l was no
in oSeri as, under the order of the House the com
mlttee must first act on the bill under considera.
ton.
MIR. J. A. BLACK now offered the amendment
Of which his colleague, Mr. HOLMES, had hereto
fore given notice, to amend the bill by adding the
following proviso:
"PrOpidsd, That all appointments of officers il
the two regiments shall be made by transfers OF
promotions from the officers OF the line of the pres.
ent army Of the United States"
Mr.. COBB inquired whether this was an amend.
ment To the original bill, (notce of a substitute
hereinafter referred to, having been given by Mr.
| HUNoERFoRp.)
The CHAIRMAN. 1t is; and the vote bill be
taken upon ii first.
Mr.. RHETT On the substitute for the original
bilR
The CHAIRMAN. No; on the amendment to
the original bill.
Teers were ordered, and the vote being taken
! stood-ayes 81, noes so.
So the amendment was agreed to.
Mr.. HUNGERFORD then moved to amend the
BILL by striking out all after the enacting words and
inserting the following;
THAT the President of the United States be and
IL hereby, authorized, by voluntarily enlistment 10
increase the number Of prvates in each or any of
companies of the existing regiments of Dragons
artillery, and infantry, to any number not exceed.
ing eighty, whenever in his opinion, the exigencies
of the public service may require the same"
Mr.. G. s. HOUSTON moved to amend the said
substitute, by adding the following words:
"Propidsd, That said enlistment shall be for the
term Of three years, and no longer, unless sooner
Mr.. HUNGERFoRD accepted tie amendmen,
as modification of his substitute
Mr.. TEOMASSON moved to amend the substi-
tute by striking out 100" and inserting go"
Telers were ordered, and the vote being taken,
stood, ayes "a, noes 5Oi no quorum voting
Another count was ordered.
Mr.. THOMAS B. KING asked that the sub
stitute might be read.
The CHAIRMAN said it had Just been read.
Mr.. KING said there was much noise that
no man could tell what was going on.
MIR. YELL rose to propose an amendment, which
was not now in order
A second count was taken and the vote stood
ayes IS, noes not counted.
SO the amendment of Mr.. THoMAssos was re-
jset,d
The question then required, and was taken (by
tellers) on the modified substitute Of Mr.. HuNoER R.
FORD, and the vote stood, ayes IS, noes IA.
So the substitute was adopted
And no further amendment being in order
The committee, on motion of Mr.. s. ADAMS
and Mr.. RATHBUN, rose and reported the bill as
amended to the House.
And the question now being on concurring in the
substituted amendment Of the committee
Mr.. BRINKERHoFF demanded the previous
question.
Mr.. MCKAY appealed to him to withdraw it,
Mr.. BRINKERHoFF. Will you renew il
Mr.. MCKAY. will.
Mr.. BRINKERHOFF. Then withdraw it.
wv eS"'o'a III u'0 HpS'ious iucsuOi was
Withdrawn.
Mr.. MCKAY said that as the Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union, by decided
vote, had adopted the substitute of the gentleman
from New York, Mr.. HUNoERroRD,J and as he
(Mr. Nick being in the chair, had not had an op
portunity of saying anything, he desired now to
submit few remarks in support of an amendment
which it was his intention to offer. He was most
decidedly in favor Of the substitute.
We have ever since 1921, when the army was or
ganized, preserved what has been called a skeleton
| establishment. We have had a larger number of
officers ain not going into any general remarks,
| [crIes of " 60 on, go on,'] We have kept up a
larger military establishment far as regards off
GERS than absolutely necessary, and it has been
expressly with the view that if, at any time, any
great public emergency should arise requiring any
addition to this force, this skeleton should be so
framed as to be capable of immediate enlargement.
We have at present, and have had since 1921, part
tcularly with the additions made during subsequent
years to this skeleton army, great number of Off
cers-a greater number than is absolutely necessary
to command the prvates authorized by existing
laws. And he, therefore, was glad when the mo-
ton made by the gentleman from New York
Mr.. HUNGERFoRD to strike out the whole of this
bill, and insert in its place the substitute moved by
him. But he thought this substitute went entirely
too far
But permit him to make one two remarks in
regard to point that might have some bearing on
the mind of the House. 1t was said that this was
the recommendation of the President. 1t was true,
in his annual message he does ask that the raising
of regiment of mounted rihemen should he author
led This was his recommendation-not i,po regi-
ments of rihamen. One regiment only of mounted
rhemen is the recommendation of the Secretary of
War.
Mr.. BOYD said the recommendation of the Pres-
dent was that competent military force should be
raised.
Mr.. MCKAY resumng waived this point, with
the single remark that he not now going into
any reasons for the purpose of convincing the
House of the propriety of this increase. AS he had
said, the great object, when the army organized
in 1920 or 1921, and all it was now needfu for
them to do, was to give authority the President to
increase the rank and fle if any increase is neces-
sary. We want no epauIets at all; we have
enough of them; all we want is bayonets--men
who carry your guns, your muskets, and rifles, to
do our fighting. These are the men want. Now
what he proposed was, that ten privaes be added
each company Of Dragons, and twenty to each
company Of artillery and infantry. He also pro-
posed to give the President contingent authority to
increase the number of privates in any regiment.
He did not require him to made the increase in all.