Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-01-28
CONGRESS-.
MONDAY, JANUARY 25. lsl7.
Senate.

generat to command the IN Mexico, aud with which
appointment his name had become connected. IL had
been minated he said the floor OF the Senae-hypo-
thetcay be sure but the less intcgbly and orc
bly, on that aeeoun-ihat there might be Interior and
covert design IN the proposion-nohing less than do
the part the President appoint his successor
The senator from North Carolina MIR. BApaIRl in his
speech the lieutenant general bill had in that
hypothesis and as no superstition could be unioundcd
injurious the President the public service
OF could descend from higher source aud he mir
BENTON happened % be IN possession ot all tho facts
the NindieatiOn ct the President he desired
make exposition which would show th, suppoz,tion TO
be unounded and would the Presidents character
and the pubic service from the injury they would suffer
the inumSuon allowed go uneontradiced from
the floor OF the Senate lie asked leave the bill Tor
tho lieutenant general laid upon the table, and he
would not have II taken (and would speak II
was,) and he did choose the irrcguariy
Of hanging speech irrelevant BILL he throw
himself upon the indulgence OF the Senate Tor leave make
the exposition OF facts which the required and which
the intmaons OF the Senator from North Carolina render
ed necessary.
myself called upon by the remarks OF the senator from
North Carolina Mr.. Badger vindicatc the President
from the unconstitutional and dangerous design which the
hypothetical observations OF that senator would attribute
to him and shall do in the simplest Of narrative
repeating the Senate all that has taken place between
the President and myself in relation this appointment
and thereby enabling the Senate and the peop IN ndg,
the justice OF the Ii at the beginning
OF the month of September last and in the moment that
about setting the west that the President 80
for ana informed that he had done for the put-
pose OF offering me high appointment. He named it
IL was the mission TO France, then becoming vacant by
the return OF the gentleman Mr. King, OF Alabamal SO
long this chamber. declined the appoint
men and Tor which had induced me TO decline
high appointments from Presidents Jackson and Van Rp
MIR. Folk Kind enough ask me TO take time
to consider but answered HIM that there was no need
Tor time, that the would still be the same after any
length OF consideration and with thanks for the hon
OF he had done me- the appointment 10 the French mission
was dshnitvey declined This the beginning of SEN
embet last that, that time certain that the Pre-
sdent could have had such design a. has been stbu
him by the North Car
10 make me his by virtue of military ieats 10 be
performed on the low lands the table land the repub
lie OF Mexico. On the contrary. a fertile Imagination
such the senator from North Carolina happily
might have seen, thought he saw. proposed an
pontment, sort OF political like an
exiting and buryng IN foreign court-for purpose the
OF what the from North Carolina has
supposed say an inventive Imagination might have seen
thought saw, all this Possessing no such imapina
ton, saw no such thing. And taking the offer in the
in which II made, emineny honorable in il
self and signal cVdenco uf the Presidents confidence IN
me, and good will for me- made him my thanks for it
privately, as now do publicly; and the affair dropped
This, repeat at the beginning September las-on
ly three months before the meeting Of Congress: that nj
that me is quite clear the Presden, had no such mo-
and fearful design the from North Car
olna has attributed 10 him. Up that time-up 10 the
FIRST day OF September, in the lS46the republic was
safe Immediately after refusing the mission Franco
went on 70 the west was gone until the month of Novem
Der, aud had communication Of kind, direct or IN
direct, nor upon subject whatever, with President
Polk. This makes all safe again for two months more -
returned to this city in November, where my family was
aud where Congress meet. The day after
my arrival called upon President: and here VIC an
poach the dangerous ground! For that first interview
ne actually asked me my opinion about the future mode
OF conducting the Mexican For reasons not proper
be stated, but of the validity Of which the coun
try will some day have opportunity of ,udying IN,
President saw ut 10 ask me my opinion upon the
mode Of conducting the This request did not strike
being anything strange or unreasonable-either
unbecomng IN him TO make, for me to comply with
In my senatorial capacity was his constitutional adviser
many questions those vi peace and war inclusive
In my political capacity the supporter OF his admin
israuon and ready give him opinion on any subject
As chairman ct the Senates Committee Military Al
fairs and accustomed, in that character to communicate
military subjects with all administrations for about
quarter OF century past nothing the nature Of the
request he had made to impcatc either Of lie asked
Tor my opinion the future mode of conducting the
gave Il 70 him. fret in speech. face face and al
forwards writing. Ana here Holding up roll of
sending copy him Here and at the proper time
the public shall see 10, but for do not belong To
the school that makes publ cation OF plans Of campaign
even rejected pans-in time OF war. The President APP
proved the plan and happened that the nature Of the
plan TcuTeda head % the head the whole bo
dyto unite and combine the whole into harmonious
aud consistent IL happened also thai enough
known Of the IDEAS OF the highest IN rank OF the
officers oi the army % know that their plans different
and TITS maxim OF fundamental observance IN war that
no General Is 10 be required to execute plan which he
dsapproyes. y new commander became indispensable;
and as any new major general would be subordinate all
now IN commission the solution OF the difficulty ay IN
the creation OF rank superior 10 that OF roipr
general aud inferior to the constitutional commander in
chIcf. The creation OF the rank OF lieutenant general
had been done IN the year 19S OF the OK
peeted war with France, was the solution OF the dit
hcuy. This rank appeared be the natural aud re-
gular derivation from the Presidents own political and
military character, and the proper connecting link
tween him and the army. As President he was both
the civil head o the government aud the military head
Of the army. lie was commander-n chief Of the army
and navy, and oi tue militia volunteers m service
They were all then ia service, and IN a foreign csun-
Try. lie could not 60 20 Mexico 10 command in per.
sou; paramount duties required HIN remain here lie
could not send orders from the closet city. Tha
folly of which there mad been example since the
Time that the Prince Eugene lot Savoy was accustomed
20 return unopened a. the end OF the campaigns all the or
dors which the AuN Council accustomed to send him
from Vienna. The President bound 10 command
he could not TO Mexico command IN person. and he
could not command from Washington. The solution OF
the dhcuiiy' which reconcIcu l contradictions and per-
mited the exercise OF all duties civil aud military was
the appointment Of military dcpuy--a leRans-a ocum
tcnens-a Lieutenant 10 take the place the constitutional
commandments in the field; give orders IN HE
name, and 10 take the ,pousbiiy of plans and move
mens, while the generals, the heads OF divisions or
columns, would only have the responsibility Of execution
lh Tor reasons too well known require rehearsal IN
this chamber, thought would bc entirely agreeable
TO the generals o. highest rank army IN Mexico; II
would secure Their rear at home, aud leave them free o.
contend with the enemy front IL not intended 20
diminish the lighting vocation Of the two generals, bu,
10 reconcile and accomplish desirable objects name
~ the execution OF the Presidents Plans and the re-
lease Of the MAJOR generals from responsibility for ulau,
and movements This was the view of the office of
Lieutenant general 20 the proposed officer there was
no breach Of military rule, law. etiquette, or prupcty
10 lhc proposed appointment. Tho office org n,l
and belonged to no person. The President had a night
20 nominate and tho Senate % confirm from they pleased
Personally, would take IN it, / only asked
the President 90 make known the name intended for
the place 10 tho members of Congress- that all obcc
lions 10 tho officer, well the Office should be-
open 10 full inquiry. forbade my friends o. say word
on my account ] would not say word Tor myself
would not even obvate promincn, objection by remind
inR any ono that, ne 1912. the military superior
every general now 90 the service, and had night g.
nave commanded the whole o them i we had CHANGED
10 serve iogcb her was then colonel m the service Of
Tue United states Commissioned by President Madison
under law OF Cnn.rcss, aud led a regiment Of
my own raising from Tennessee % tho lower Mss.ssp
p under General Jackson 90 meet hc British then *
pac'od a' New Orleans, but who did not como 900 1871
j was then % rank, aud in POSITION 20 have com.
manded' % ne had met every general now in service
Even in The regular army, 90 1913, WIS Lieutenant colo
mol Whio most of the present generals were company
ghcor, oad only one Of them Of tho rank Of colonel