The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-03-09
or America.

The Volunteer 81 50. m-The Standing Army
or America.
When state OF war was decreea by Congress
10 exist between the United States and Mexico,
by the Congress of the former country, the mill
tary enthusiasm OF our people was at its height.
Our soil had been invaded, and the blood of eur
countrymen had been split by the soldiers of a
neighbsrng republic, from whom we had sus-
tanned insult and injury to a degree never before
submitted to by powerful country from weak
one.
To repel the invaders and re-estabsh the
peaceful relations of the two countries, as well as
to recover the expenses of SO doing, the Congress
OF the United States placed at the disposal OF the
President, the sum OF ten millions of dollars, ana
authorized him TO call into service an army OF III
ty Thousand volunteers. The moment these
measures were promulgated to the people, my
riads OF our fellow citizens enrolled themselves
among the defenders of their country. The Pre-
s;dent and Secretary of War were beslegeo high'
nd day by an army of officers, soliciting permits
sion TO take part in the war; and we are crediby
Informed that within two months after the pas
sage OF the ten millions bill, the names OF over
two hundred thousand men, composing the bono
and sinew of their respective places of residence
were entered on the books of the War Depart.
part in the war. Business was laid aside, and
nothing but the war thought of. The carpenter
forsook his bench-the anvil no longer resounded
TO tbs stroke Of the blacksmith's hammer--the
farmer forsook his plough, and with his rifle
in hand, eagerly joined the ranks of volun-
tsers, and nervously awaited the summons
that would call him to the wars. 1t seemed, in
deed, as If the whole nation were willing to ha-
~ &Aa;r live ,v.A bn,r Iv,x th.r
ders Of their country from soil, and revenge
the lives of their fellow citizens who mad been
slain by our mi-barbarous enemies
As a matter Of course, the President could not
employ ali who desired to volunteer.
We mention these circumstances only for the
purpose of showing the intense enthusiasm for
volunteering that existed the moment war was
ack no~ ledg et to exist between the United States
end Mexico. But while this mania for
lunteerng existed. the recruiting officer of
the regular army experienced great diff
Guilty in enlistins men, All were ready
and willing to volunteer and march at days
notice, but none, comparatively speaking. would
cnlis, in the regular service. We alluded to
these facts at The time Of their occurrence, for the
purpose Of showing that the American people
disliked the idea Of fighting for any master for
pay; bur that when their country was invaded,
they would volunteer to reprl the enemy, and
defend their homes and fresdes.
With these facts before us, it may be asked
why did not Congress authorize the enlistment
of volunteers, instead OF regulars, by the ten re-
gment bill recently passed? The number autho.
rized could have been obtained in this State
ulonc, within week after it passed, and ten
times the number could have been obtained with
,,,t in tha Enit Q,oyo
raj Houston and other members of tho Senate,
exerted themselves to this effect, but in vain. The
bill passed, and included regulars
We think we can account for the reason, and
we have no doubt that our readers will agree
with us that it is the right The fact u.s. that
the conduct ofsome of our volunteers is not what
1T SHOULD be. We credibly informed that the
volunteers who were encamped short time on
Governors Island, in this harbor, committed
great many indscretions, and destroyed and in
juIed much of the public property there. The
newspapers mentioned instances of unsoldierly
aad riotous conduct by the Philadelphia Bouncers
and Killers, as they were called in New Orleans.
Some of the Western volunteers, too, are not ex-
empt from this charge, if report speaks true.
These acts, although perhaps committed by only
a few, injured the character of the whole body
gress to prefer regulars.
We regret this very much, because it implies
a censure on the volunteering system of the coun-
try-a system which we must, from the nature
oil our institutions and government, always place
reliance upon for the defence of our country. II
the penalty could be inflicted on the guilty alone,
and not on all Unfortunately, the guilty alone
would suffer; but in regiment of volunteers this
&c next 10 an impossibility.
We would, therefore, impress On our volun-
teors, fox their own sake, as well as that Of their
country, the necessity of good discipline and well
regulated conduct. They have a double duty to
perform. They have not only to fight the battles
ortheir country, as soldiers, but they have to up
hold their dignity citizens of this great country
AMERICAN SYMpArHY-RKLIEF OF IRELAND AND
ScoTLAND.-Just at the close OF the late session,
the following resolution passed the Senate and
became laws
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
Of as United States OF America in Congress assembled,
That the Secretary OF the Navy BIO and he is hereby
thoIea to piece at the disposal of Captain george G
De Kay OF New Jersey, the United States ship Aacedo
man, Tor the purpose transporting to the famshipg
poor of ireland and Scotland such contributions may
he made for their relief and that the said Secretary be
sO authorised to place at the disposal Of Capt Robert
IL Forbes of Boston, the United sloop of war jamestown
for the like purpose if the Secretary shall be OF OPT
thereby he authorised to despatch said vessels upon
ths service aforesaid as public ships
That is sympathy which will carry blessing
wit it. Many heart will be made glad at the
sight, and, better still, at The taste of the food
which will 20 out in the Macedonian.
Captain DE Kay, whose name is mentioned in
the resolution, has been chiefly instrumental in
bringing about this excellent measure. The
Captain is an American by birth and education
His life has been somewhat evenilul. He former
ly held midshipman's warrant in the navy o
the Unired States. Leaving the American ser.
wee about 1926, he entered the Argentine navy
and fought his way from an humble rank to thai
OF commodore. His family connexions are good