The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-28

He could not conceive why Joint resolution, goiD.
through with three several readings and with ali The
soIemnty of bill, should not be To all lntenls and
purposes a law.
lie hoped, (he repeatedly that this suggestion Of
division would not be adopted and that the com.
mIttee would insist these resolutions going ia
gether, In order that all branches of the army NAV
receive that tribute which they richly merit
| Mr.. b., in concluding, inquired of the Chairman
whether he intended permanently to decide that A
Joint resolution was not a law' He had not so un-
derstood the Chair
The CHAIRMAN replied, if it appropriated
money he believed It was not law-Chief Justice
| Marshall TO the contrary Notwithstanding.
Mr.. BRlNKERHoFF appealed from the deci-
sion.
The decision of the appeal was not pressed at
this time.
Mr.. SAWYER said the resolutions which had
been presented would receive, he trusted the unan-
lmous vote Of this committee. He would prefer now
to see the question of the vote Of thanks taken
which he believed no on this floor would be
opposed to- and at the proper time the other ques-
tIon-that OF comPensation-called upj and he hoped
It would be put into such a form as that no one
would object to il.
But from the remarks of the gentleman from
Mississippi, Mr. DAVIS this House would be led to
infer, and the people of the United States would be-
led 10 infer that there was not soldier or an officer
in either OF these battles bur who emanated from
| West Point. The gentleman asked him (Mr Sl to
! take back what he said the other day in refer.
ence to that academy. He told the gentleman he
would not take back one syllable, one sentence, one
denunciation, or one appreciation which he then
uttered. He stood on the ground still; i, was
just then, and it was just now.
! He expressed doubts then as he had right TO do
Of the policy of the manner in which our military
movements In that quarter had been conducted. He
believed from the reports that our army was suffer
ing, hemmed NJ and surrounded as IL was by a Mex
lean force vastly superior in NUMBER and he sug.
gested that it was because General Taylor had not
called out the troops from the different States as he
was authorized to do. But probably he was misin-
formed in his intelligence If the gentleman from
Mississippi had read his speech, he would see that
he cast no censure on General Taylor; and that
whatever remarks he had made about his move
menls and his position, he had right to make.
The gentleman had told them that an educated
soldiery had done this work. He denied this asser-
ton IL that was the case no man could be edu-
Gated, or efficient, but who had emanated from West
Point. He (Mr. 81 reiterated all he had said and
with more confidence, because they now heard il
charged that blacksmith or tailor was not COM
petent to take charge Of our army, or TO lead our
army in the fight. Why let him tell that gentleman
that good soldiers came from other casses-from
the walks of civil life-as from those who were edu-
Gated at West Point. A tailor may lance as
well needle and OF all the captains in that rexi-
ment, he wished it to be observed, there was but
one from West Point; he was the only one that was
spoke Of Lieutenant Haldee as being the only cap.
tain in that regiment who came from West Point,
and he was taken prisoner. He asked If Captain
May was a cadet Did he emanate from West
Pon4 Did General Taylor emanate from West
Point No; neither Of them. Nor did Captain
Walker. All Of those who had sbone most bril-.
antly, came from the ranks Of the peopie-from the
blacksmths' and tailOrs shops.
A voice understood to intimate that General
! Green was a blacksmith . ... IT. H|
Yes, (said Mr.. S.,) was just about to come to
that, because II Is part Of my business, beng
blacksmith myself With pride refer To the fact
that General Green blacksmith. Where is
your cadet from West Point, | ask, who has ever
shed ustre on the arms Of the country State me
one instance Of this kind, and will state you hun
dred where men who came from the common walks
Of life have distinguished themselves by their brave
and patriotic services in the field of battle.
Mr.. DAVIS Gin his sea) said if the gentleman
wished Instances he could name them.
! Mr.. SAWYER, declining to yield, proceeded TO
say that General Jackson was not a cadet from
West Point; General Harrison was not; General
Scott was not; General Jesup was not. There was
whole list Of brave, gallant officers who were none
of them cadets He did not say that good officer,
a gallant, brave soldier, could not come from West
Point But he repudiated and condemned the idea
that all the great, the noble patriots of this country
came from West Point and except they pass
through this institution that they have no IDEAS
of bravery and efficient service in defence Of their
country. He willingly rendered TO these men the
credit which their due. They had fought well,
CALAMITY; they deserved the gratitude and honor Of
their country; but that account he was not will
ling to say that no man fight well unless he
comes from West Point.
mr. MORRIS interposed, and was understood to
inquire of his colleague if Lieut.. Deas was from
| West Point, who deserted the army and went over
to Matamoras
No doubt Continued Mr.. S., apparently not hear
ing the remark of his colleague there were some
gallant spirits that have emanated from West
Point He did not pretend to object to this all he
took exception to was that the whole credit Of this
victory is to be given to graduates from West
Point. He had seen some fighting, and if he was
again to go to war, and his friends at home with
him, he believed they would be entitled to just as
much credit for any services they might render
though they had emanated from West Point; and
although the gentleman hailed from West Point, he
could not convince him that all the gallant spirits
came from West Point; but it rather proved what
Mr.. s had before said, that gentlemen educated at
West Point came back, and were prepared for the
civil Offices of the government and some of them
were sent here That was what he had said
AS to the resolutions, Mr.. S. repeated in conclu-
ding, he hoped they would be passed.
Mr.. SEVERANCE obtained the floor. and yield
ed 1t at request for purposes of explanation to Mr.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
| Mr.. SEVERANCE said he concurred in the pro-
priety of the pending resolutions very heartily; and
ne held that the gallantry of our officers and men
deserved the notice of their country. He also con-
CURED with the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr.
DAvsl in the opinion that service was necessary to
the efficiency of a soldier. Neither he nor the gen.
tleman from Ohio Mr.. SAwYERl had the advan-
! tage OF an education at the West Point Academy
but it did not follow that he and the gentleman had
derived no benefit from that and other institutions
Of education. Education was dfused through the
whole community by colleges and academies He
believed that war could not be carried on success
fully without the aid of science and he inatanced
the fact that scientific officers of the British ar
my, avaing themselves of the services of ma
tive troops, have conquered and held in subsection
an empire in the East. 1t was to their military SCI
ence that this result was due. But it was not to
that alone. 1t was partly owing to the fondness
Of the British race for fighting. He feared that the
military spirit which prevailed among US would be
carried too far He had hoped that with the aid of
thirty years of peace, and the cxerons of The peace
societies, the military spirit had been somewhat sub