The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-22

knew that the people throughout the country fethat
Congress had not afforded the President that support which
the exgencies OF the country required All this hesta-
ton to support the of the Executive was but too
well calculated TO proong the There were no
treaties now existing between the two countries possess.
| ing any virtue Nothing cond produce peace that
would endure for forty-eIght hours, but an army at
the capital There alternative left them but to
march upon the capital and public eXgency there,
apparent that all would seek speedy peace All tina,
would do No party in Mexico would dare to
make peace till the capital taken. He would give
the President, the director OF the war, athe
ney and officers which he might ask for, provided his
quest within the pale of reason and made under the
high sanction of his oath. lie would vote the requisite
force, and say to the President, Take the responsibility
The President had the power by the act OF the 18th OF May
last to extend the military force OF the country by call
ing out $1,000 volunteers to serve for one during the
war He had called only for small part OF this olce
at which call OF volunteers rushed to the standard
Thirty thousand had been called out leaving twenty thou
sand which he could at any moment summon to the field
Well he asked Congress to give him the power to m
crease another branch OF the army Let him say that,
had he the direction OF this he would not have ask
ed for that force He would have called out at least for
ty thousand the next day after that bill passed The
President, however, knew better than himself what was
needed He asked for authority to employ that descrp
ton of force which he believed the service required, and
he r Al was ready to acquiesce in his desires; and to
show that he as much disposed as the honorable
senator from Texas to call out volunteers he proposed to
give him power to raise ten thousand volunteers. He
would not detain the Senate with lengthy speech, but
would content HIMSELF on this occasion, by submitting
his proposition, and repeating that, II II succeeded he
|
vidng for volunteer force OF ten thousand additional
men, having the effect the honorable senator
from Texas expected his own proposition would have
In conclusions Mr. A. modified his amendment so as to
retain the provision for raising the ten regiments OF regu-
| lars, as provided for by the original bill.
Mr. CRITTENDEN then proposed further amend
ment, providing for the election OF company officers, and
the appointment by the President OF field officers lie de-
sired say few words in support OF that amendment
He had supposed that an increase OF the regular force
would have been necessary if the war was to continue
The President had asked for it, and he would have grant
ed upon the general principle OF supporting the measures
of the President in this emergency He wished however
to dissent from the amendment OF the senator from Texas
far as allowed the regiments to elect their own oices
They were to elect soon they together and
being previously unacquanted with each other would
have no means OF deciding who the proper officer.
officer How long since this idea OF converting the
camp into busting, and the soldiers to electors, had
sprung up in the country Anything further than to
permit the troops elect their company officers would
be mschievous in the extreme. Ii would subver all
the customary usages of the country in times OF war
Was IT not contrary to reason to turn then army INTO
little democracy, like Athens, instead OF having order
and subordination among the troops. Gentlemen who
advocated this plan pretended that they advocated
it from principle; Why. not, then, extend it to
the selection of brgaiier and major generals J
Were gentlemen prepared to go to that extent! ODE
dence the life and soul of an army, without
which army would be the most turbulent and roious
| body in the world. While they had armies-whe they
talked of the danger OF standing armleswoud they rem
der them ten thousand times more dangerous by intro
duclng INSTRUMENTATION and disorder INTO the ranks !!
They had Pratoran guards and the niquitous &C
compartments. 1t was the example which they afforded
which taught their fathers TO obviae these evils Final
y he would any dangerous precedents nor force
upon these volunteers duty which they unable to
discharge The proposed, he was convinced,
would lead a relaxation of all the principles of order.
Parties would spring up and they would have fierce
contentious about the election of officers The one
party succeeds. Would the defeated party entertain
the same respect and subordination TO the colonel
How long before the party feeling would subsde and
how long would the officer elected be able to throw OFT
all feeling of partiaty towards the two parties, and be
qualified to command as he should do Upon every con
sderation, it the most eXpedien coirsethe most
advantageousthe most harmless course to adopt the one
| he had proposed.
| Mr. HOUSTON regretted that he had not made him
self Ineligible to the gentleman, and added few fur
Their remarks explanatory of his previous positions
| Mr.. CASS remarked that there were two courses
for completing the organization of the army pre-
scented to them; and after reading extract from
the constitution referring TO the subject, proceeded
For the several companies to elect their own officers
seemed to him directly contrary TO the constitution. 1t
took from the President prerogatve which the consu
ton gave him They all felt the crisis in which they
placed He had not heard sentiment advanced by
any gentleman on the other side of the chamber which
was not honorable to the speaker. They were all anx
lous for the welfare OF the country. lie was well aware
that they ought to look around He did not wonder
| the discussion deliberaon which had taken place
The last advices from Mexico brought intelligence of one
of the most singular exhibited in the record of the
Spanish character alone Their President had taken an
oath that he would not treat with this country while
troops upon one foot of Mexican soil 1t showed
what they had to contend with They should therefore
address themselves to the shock and make all the
rangements necessary to carry the war to successful
termination unless it be--and he trusted there were
very few who prepared to abandon the warsitting
down as they up with all the wrongs which they
had suffered from Mexico unaoned for after immense
expenditure of blood and treasure, he did not believe
there many prepared to advocate such As
had been well said by the gentleman from Ohio,
stutiona management of the belonged to the Pres
idcnt Congress could neither give him the power to
carry the war, control that power As to the
method in which it to be carried on, whether by
land II seemed to hun reasonable confidence should
be placed in the Executives the nation He had the ex-
perience to guide him He knew what the country
quired-what forces necessary. He had informed
them of it, 1t did that reasonable confidence in
the discretion of the EXecutivein the experience of the
administration should lead them to vote for the
he had called for unless there reasonable
objection. lie saw none. He could moi approve of the
course pointed out by the senator from Texas. His
experience exactly the reverse; for thar honorable
geneman--whose experience in the service OF his
try had put mperishable aurels upon his brow-no
who heard him had higher respect than himself But let
HIM tell him that their sl3 different from the
which he proposed Then they called Tor twenty reg
mens of regular troops. To the colonel in Ohio, he
remembered they said "There is blank piece of paper
go to men of talent and enterprise-men in whom the
public have conlidence-select to be captain and
say TO him, 'if YOU will produce fifty within two
months you shall have commission Then then let A
shall be lieutenant " and so with others In that way
regiment raised in two months. Those colonies
around and selected an officer. Ii confidently
properly gven-propery exercised They did not vol
unfairly throw away the power. They found men of
character, who raised such crossed the lake with
where the difficulty He did not know what course
they would ajoDt when they had bill