Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-01-30
LIEUTENANT GENERAL--yINDICATION OF THE
PRESIDENT:
IN SENATE-JASuARr rs.

IN SENATE-JASuARY rs.
Mr. BENTON asked the indulgence Of the Senate to make
exposition of the under which the President
had proposed the appointment of eutensnt general
mand the army in Mexico, and with which appointment his
had become connected II had been ntmaed he said,
the floor of the to be sure but not
the less ntellgby and orciby that accountha there
might be Interior and covert design in the proposition no
thing less than design the part of the President to
point his The Senator from North Carolina Mr
BADGER in his speech the lieutenant general BILL had in
dulged in that hypothesis; and supposon could be
unfounded, injurious the President the
public service, could descend from higher source and
he (M BENToS happened to be in of all the facts
necessary to the vndcaton of the President he desired
make exposition which would show the suppositon be
unounded and would the Presidents character and the
public service from the injury they would suffer if the nt
nation allowed go uncontradcted from the floor of
the Senate He asked leave for the bill for the lieutenant
general laid upon the table, and he would have it
taken up, (and would speak it was and he did
not choose commit the egulay of hanging speech
some irrelevant BILL he must throw himself upon the indul-
of the Senate for leave to make the exposition of facts
which the required and which the limitations of the
Senator from North Carolina had rendered necessary
Leave was given, and Mr.. BESToN proceeded
feel myself called upon by the remarks of the Senator
from North Carolina (Mr BADoER) to vndcate the Pres
dent from the unconstitutional and dangerous design which
the hypothetical observations Of that Senator would attribute
him and shall do so in the simplest form Of narrative re-
peang to the Senate all that has taken place between the
President and myself in relation this appointment and
thereby enabling the Senate and the People to judge of the
justice of the accusation.
1t the beginning of the month September last and
in the moment that was about setting out to the West that
the President sent for and informed that he had done
SO for the purpose OF offering me high appointment He
named it, 1t the mission to France then becoming
cant by the return of the gentleman M King, of Aabama
SO long ornament to this chamber. declined the ap-
pontment and for which had induced decline
high appointments from Presidents Jackson and Van Buren,
Mr. Polk kind enough to ask to take time consider
but answered him that there need for time that the
would still be the after any length of considera
ton and with thanks for the honor he had done me- the
appointment to the French denitvey declined
This the beginning of September last that that
time, is certain that the President could have had such
design has been attributed to him by the Senator from North
Caroinano design to make his by virtue of
military feats to be performed the low lands the table
land Of the Republic of Mexico. On the contrary, fertile
magnaion-such the Senator from North Carolina SO
happily possesses-mght have seen, thought it saw,
this proposed appointment of political deportation
something like exiting and buryng foreign Cou-for
purpose the very Of what the Senator from North
Carolina has supposed say inventive Imagination might
have seen, thought it saw all this Possessing such
such thing And taking the offer in
the sense IN which II made, emneny honorable in
ITSELF and signal evidence of the Presidents confidence in
me- and good will for me- made him my thanks for pri-
vately, do publicly; and the affair dropped.
This, repeat at the beginning of September last
only three months before the meeting of Congress that
that tme it is quite clear the President had such moment
and fearful design the Senator from North Carolina has
attributed to him. Up 10 that hme-up to the first day of
September, in the year ls46-the Republic was safe
Immediately after refusing the mission to France went
off to the West gone until the month of November
and had communication of any kind direct or indirect
upon any subject whatever with President Polk This
makes all safe again for two months returned
to this city in November, where my family was, and
where Congress to The day after my ar
rival called upon the President; and here approach the
dangerous ground For, in that first interview he actually
asked opinion about the future mode of conducting the
MnyL bo-t h,,l
of the validity of which the country will some ay have an
opportunity OF Judging the President m ask my
opinion upon the future mode of conducting the This
request did strike being any thing strange or unrea
sonable-eher unbecoming in him to make, for to
comply with In my Senatorial capacity was his constu
onal adviser questions those peace and
inclusive. In my political capacity, the supporter off
his Administration and ready give him my opinion on any
subject AS chairman of the Senates Committee on Military
Affairs and accustomed in that character communicate
military subjects with all Administrations for abou, quarter
Of century last past nothing in the of the
quest he had made to impcate either of He asked
my opinion to the future mode of conducting the
TO him, first in Speech face to face and afterwards
writing And here il is holding up roll of paper, for
chose to retain the original for myself while sending copy
him. Here il and the proper time the public shall see
+ but not for do not belong the school that makes
publication OF plans OF campagn-even rejected plans-n
lime of
The President approved the plan and it happened that
he nature of the plan required head the amyone head
the whole body-to unite and combine the whole into one
harmonious and consistent II happened also
hat enough known of the ideas of the highest
ank Of the officers of the army know that their plans
feent and is maxim of fundamental observance in
that general to be required plan which
he dsapproves new commander became indispensable
md any major general would I've subordinate to all
low in commission, the solution Of the difficulty lay in the
reaton of rank, superior to that of major general and
Inferior TO the constitutional commander-i-chef The
ion OF the rank OF Lieutenant general, had been done in
he year 1885, at the time of the expected with France
vas the solution of the difficulty. This rank appeared
he natural and regular derivation from the Presidents own
oical and military character and the proper connecting
ink between him and the army As President he both
he civil head Of the Government and the military head Of
he army. He commander-inchief of the army and
avy, and Of the militia volunteers in service They
all then in service, and in foreign country. He could
lot go to Mexico to command in person paramount duties
equired him remain here He could not send orders from
he closet in this city. That folly of which there had
example since the time that the Prince Eugene (of
avoy accustomed to return unopened the end ofhe
ampagns all the orders which the Auc Council was accus
omed to send him from Vienna
The President bound to command he could not
o to Mexico to command in person and he could not
ommand from Washington. The solution of the difficulty
hch reconcied all contradictions and permitted the
all duties, civil and military the appointment of mill
Try deputy-a legatusa ocum enensa lieutenant to take
place of the constitutional commander-in chief in the field IL
give orders in his name, and take the responsibility Of
lans and movements while the generals the heads of d.
sions columns would only have the responsibility of
uon. This for too well known require rehearsal
this chamber it thought would be entirely agreeable to
GENERALS of highest rank in army in Mexico would