The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-23

revenues OF this country for the two or thru.
past, We should see that they were not 40 b
large as to justify measures Of this opposite en-.
acter. Sa
We were told that this measure was sn,Ir,lv Al.
unet from any consideration connected viii a.
Oregon controversy, and 90 he regarded h ~.
had not had an opportunity OF assigning the reason
for the vote he had given in favor Of the notie, S
ne would now say that he had so voted, from a H.
sire 20 place the two powers in such position AZ.
they would be bound 10 settle that eontroyersV u
saw that IL was question affecting materially ~
interests Of the people whom he represented ,nS
he wished il settled speedily as possible 40 ,h,,
il might not lie over, and become an element /, ~ !.
political campaign Of l64s,
Mr.. MEG. then referred TO the operations Of II.
new post Office law, as reason why no ms,.urss
should be passed chat could with proper r,g,L
for the public interests be dispensed with 10 IN
crease the expenditures Of the government Nal
man Of ordinary intelligence could be so ignor.n,
and so soddsn, and 80 brainless, as not 70 know
mat Congress must appropriate a large sum al
money TO meet the expenditures Of this department
he dsayowed all inteslion Of making war upoo
ms administration; all that he desired was that M
carrying out their measures they should 80 se
as not TO involve the country in debt.
Ailer referring to one or two points in IN, n,
marks OF MT YELL, (Which called up that KeplIA
man IN explanation, Mr.. MEG proceeded to say IN,
he wished TO examine some Of the arguments 49,
had been brought forward in favor Of This BIN nj
was said that this was peace measure. Thsv b,S
been told that the notice was also peace mssnr.
and as such he had voted crit Since then h ~
been regarded IN some quarters war messpr,
But this was peace measure; and he wanted nj
know what necessity there was for increasing m.
standing army in time Of peaeel IL was a trosb,
some TO get rid even Of the common soldiers A.,
they had once been raised and il was eonfoupd,J
Iy more troublesome to get rid Of the ofiesr, w.
once, like leeehes and vampires, they began hi
suck the blood out Of the treasury there was scarce
ly such thing as getting rid Of them. There ought
TO be a provision inserted in this bill prohbiln1
members Of Congress from taking commi,.op,
under il; that the makers Of these Offices might non
themselves take them.
Some conversation followed between Mr. MIC
and Mr.. BRlNKERHoFF as to the relative fore. ID
the standing army under the Administrations Of M
Jefferson and Mr.. Madison.
Mr. NEG then proceeded. He wished To know
land he was himselfs western mani what necessity
there was for protecting the western frontier Al IN
time. He spoke adyisedly when he declared th.I
there was no necessity for IT, He knew that W,
were al peace with all the Indian tribes. He knew
mat the western people went among them; lhs
they sold to them, and bought from them; and lh,
they passed to and fro with as much safety and y
eurty as through our own territory. We might al
well require that when man went TO Great Britain
to trade there, he should take portion Of the arms
force of his country to protect him, as that he NEED
ed it with the Indians on our frontier. When h,i
we heard Of any murdersi What had created IN.
necessity for this increase Of the army Mr. MEG
was understood here to refer to the Black Havt
war as an evidence that standing army was mol
needed with reference to the Indians. Whence,
an attack should be made, the men were there, with
courage and rifles TO protect themselves without Ii,
Intervention Of a standing army. They were able
TO defend themselves. He had been raised amongst
the western people and the indians, and he knew
tina: the western people asked not the protection Of
the arms Of the United States. They would much
rather that the money should be retained in the treas
ury, or applied TO some legitimate object Of appro-
priation. This was the feeling Of the western peo-
pie. He denied the existence of the necessity for
the increase Of the standing army either with refer
ence TO this purpose, or to the line Of stoekade forts
And until that necessity could be demonstrated, he
would vote against il. He was not one of those
who believed standing army necessary or proper
IN a republican government. Did gentlemen desire
that this country should be brought finally to the
condition of South America, or OF Mexico, where
the civil authorities were ruled and awed and over
turned from day to day by standing armies They
had been the ruin Of all republics. He did not
wish, however, to. be understood as ga wing tha,
he would not vote for an increase Of the ar.
my If there was any necessity for IT, Le,
gentlemen show him that necessity, either as
against England or any other power, and he would
vote not for two, but for five hundred regiments.
and for proportonate increase Of the navy. This,
we were told, was peace measure; il was the frs,
time he had ever heard Of raising a standing army
as measure of peace. In addition TO this we were
in few days TO be called upon to erect stockade
forts for the sole purpose Of protecting emigration
on itsway to Oregon; and after it once gets to Ore.
gon, 1t was to protect itself.
But this bill ought to be looked to in financial
point of view. The expenditures of the presen,
year would be equal at least to the income of the
government; yet 1t WINS proposed TO increase ihoss
expenditures. He believed that the gentleman now
in the chair (the head of the financial committee Of
this House, Mr.. McKAY,) was one Of the principal
guardians OF the public treasury. 1t was his duty
see that the income of the government was at least
as great as its expenditures. Before these warike
measures, which were intended for "piping times Of
peace" were adopted, it should be shown how they
could be carried out, and yet the expenditures Of
the government not exceed its income We were
not in a condition to be extravagant We ought
not to pass any bill until we saw our way clearly
and were satisfied that it would not involve us in
debt. He regarded apublic debt as one of the mos,
ruinous things that could befall country; nor
would he for any purpose, except to meet invasion,
vote single additional dollar.
He had not risen for the purpose of discussing
this subject with any hope Of preventing the passage
of this, or any other BILL that might he asked for
But he had felt il to be his duty to call the attention
of the committee to the fact that all appropriations
of money required by these different bills must ul,i.
mately be provided. And he wanted gentlemen
before they gave their votes for them to look to the
mode and manner Of providing the funds. The
South was in favor of low rate of duties. He
wished their scheme carried out. To some exten.
he should aid them. He wanted to see which Of
the two sides was right; both could not be so on.
must be wrong; he wished the matter tested. BuI
he did not want an accumulation of debt to follow
He wished TO see the expenditures of the govern
ment curtaed and cut down-not increased H,
should not believe in the sincerity of the South,
he saw them voting to reduce the rate of duties
and then voting for bills which rendered it necesss
ry that the expenditures of the government should
rather be increased than diminished. He wanted to
see where the South stood; to see it coming up to
it's own notch.
Mr.. ISAAC E HOLMES. Did you vote for
the harbor b'
Mr.. McGAUGHEY. Yes; and il YOU wan, my
reasons, will give them to you.
Mr.. HOLMES. No; not your reasons, I only
wanted the fact.
Mr.. McG, after few more words, took his seat
Mr.. BAKER was opposed (he said) to the whole
fhoupb he L.. Ill -, l.