Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-03-20

the time, is too good TO be wholly suppressed
HoUsE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, JANUARY &c, ls47
After some remarks by Mr.. Mcdowell, of Ohio, and Mr.
HARMASsoS, of Louisiana
Mr.. WICK took the floor and, referring to the speech
made last evening by Mr. THoMAssoS said that that gentle
had admitted that what he said addressed the
tire Democratic party body, and that he asked whether
any could believe them serious and sincere in the appa
support they gave to this bill for large majority Of
their party had voted the last session against raising the
pay of the volunteers And the gentleman had conrasted
that refusal with the present fowardness add pay
both Of volunteers ad regulars Mr. w. said he was not
himself the great Democratic party Of these United States
but he member of that pay and he these
marks of the gentleman from Kentucky far himself and
he did without offence II the province of the gem
teman, good Wing, to break down that party il he
could both Individually and collectively 1t was his duty
whenever he could get fair rap them avail himself of
it, All Mr. WIS regret in the was that all the aps
they received did not make them united and more
| worthy to govern the country .~
Mr. W. said he had voted against suspendng the rules
receive the proposition of gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr. STEW ARr increase the pay of the volunteers and
he should do again underfhe like circumstances Gentlemen
the Wing side of the House not in any way espon
sible for the of the Administration but Mr. w
was far he constituted member of the party which
supported il. Mr. w. could afford to give a vote for
such the effect of which must have been Grip
pie the energy and efficiency of the army but the gene
man could. Mr.. w. now speaking of political and
party responsibility alone and not Of any further and higher
because this latter sort OF responsibility did
much effect with gentlemen the other SIDE The proposition
of the gentleman from Pennsy Mr. STEWART
to raise the of the volunteers aone gave nothing
soldiers of the regular army. Now it well known
that at that time the ranks of the regular army by
means ul-he companies did not average more
than thirty two EACH Congress had then passed law
increasing these companies to eighty hundred
Surely would have been dsparagng the branch of the
public service to raise the pay of the volunteers and of
the regular soldiers 1t well known that volunteer
win he
the put up the pay of the volunteers and
the regulars nothing, would have been add this dis
parity, and to cast dspaagement description of force
which all our generals, from Washington down, had
relied than upon any other for things though not
Tor all lie did not speak simply Of fighting There the
untees fully their equals perhaps for attack their
supeo account of the greater enthusiasm which usually
animated them but regulars were more TO be relied upon
when steady obedience and discipline concerned and
especially in the artillery sort of service espe
cialy needed in with Mexico In the memorable bat
ties of the sh and 9th Of May, inadequate had been the
numbers OF the artillery companies, that when the battle
over The men thoroughly exhausted that they fell
down upon the grass and their guns had be taken charge
OF for time by the infantry 1t state of things
like this that the House had been called upon still further to
increase the dsparagement Of the regulars comparison
with the volunteer service Mr.. w. could not do it. The
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr THoMAssoS) and his poll
teal friends might afford do this because they profess
sedy opposed to the They considered it of
duty to oppose and they willing the hazard of every
thing to give aid and comfort the OF the country
by oaming the weakness and the divisions of the country
and declaring the itself be unjust rnd unconstitutional
Gentlemen who prepared at this hazard break down
the power OF dominant party, might afford to give
the practical result OF which must be injurious the
ment and efficiency of troops in but the friends of
the Administration and of the war could not
Mr. STEWART wanted the floor TO ask Mr. w. why then
he had not proposed amendment his proposition SO as to
include regulars with the volunteers
But Mr.. Wick would yield the floor He
considered the little increase in the pay of the soldier by
tyeIy matte ofl
small consequence. He to be sure, entirely willing TO
raise their monthly pay proposed but he for waiting till
the time OF heroes and their completed
and then giving them liberal reward in degree worthy
OF the dignity and character of this Republic Republics had
long been reproached ungTate he for epeng that
repoach at least in our by showing that this Govern
ment and people knew how realize the value of
performed by their brave soldiers There had been land
bounty IN the various propositions rejected the last session.
But few days after the refusal suspend the rules Mr. W.
had himself submitted resolution calling on the military COM
mtee OF the House TO consider the proprey of providing
reward in land The military committee, in compliance with
this resolution, had accordingly reported BILL which would
have passed that me but every body knew how
and pressing the occupations Of the House had been every
body knew how the majority here had been harassed petty
unworthy divisions among themselves and how vigan alert
and wordy unseepng minority in opposition had been and
how ready to catch at the slightest fractions fragment of
traction which could at time be broken off from the
body of the Democratic party here and last the mea
sure had failed like many another good measure, for
time
having mus set himself night as to this NATTER he
said that he prepared to for this bill Stood
or in any other shape il might assume.
Mr. HARALsoS here having had the floor welded to him for
that purpose wished 10 state, chairman of the military
committee that he had repeatedly moved suspension Of the
rules IN order TO go into Committee of the Whole the BILL
but found that it could not be done.
Mr. Wick said that in giving the vote he purposed give
on this OCCASION he in nowise influenced by Of
gentlemen the other side of the opinion in his own
districts but because he held the right in itself Now
was the proper time to act before had been this was
measure he could approve that offered before was not
But was objected that the passage of this bill would
the necessity for additional taxation. Mr.. w. said he had
stood here and admired the philosophy of certain politicians
whom he should not however, further designate than by re-
latlns short anecdote in point certain individual who
had retained seat III his State Legislature for long course
OF years. was asked by friend how he had contrived re-
tam ms seat so long while others in the time
lost theirs His that he had always voted for
the lowest possible amount of taxation and the largest possible
amount of expenditure" Mr.. W. now understood the tao
tics OF certain gentlemen that floor they were ready TO
vote down the tax tea and Coffee though called for by the
Secretary of the Treasury and recommended by the Pesi
dent but at the same time they could pop upon the House
harbor bill appropang millions millions Of dollars and
were ready to vote the largest Of pay that body
could be found TO propose to the volunteers, regulars or
any body else. They were, in word in favor of the most
restricted taxation and the most enlarged expenditure they
supposed the people would not stand and coffee
That duty had been proposed and rejected by public SEN
hment and therefore they afraid Of trying again bu
they forgot that when proposed before had proposed
peace measure II asked a war measure which
was quite another thing When protested friend TO the
Democratic party refused to give the Administration his sup
shadow which he had himself created He believed the
mpp taxa ,Lo