The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-23
CONGRESSIONAL.
TWESTY-xISTH CONGRESS,
Second Sessaon.
FRIDAY, JANUARY. %, fs47.


rMDAfs JANUARY 225 fs47.
1859 n4 SENATE.
(Coaouded from yesterdGgl
Mr. BADGER did no, desire 10 enter INTO any extend
ed discussion Of the subject before them could he
readily follow the honorable senator who had as ad-
dressed them He WISHED SIMPLY % very briefly the
view be took of the difficulty which existed in the propo
son q The senator iroa Iesas Their ooles. was 70
States and to have officers appointed command that
force, who'll he understood the question--were un-
doubleday officers OF the United States IL had been sand
he dld not decide whether If true MOTT had
been said that gentlemen disposed 10 look lightly
upon the constitution Ii, he had not been there long
enough 10 understand the restraints which imposed
upon them BY that instrument lie would sugges, 10 his
honorable friend from Texas whether his proposition
not in violation OF the provision OF the const
ton of the United State HIS amendment did pro-
pose call the militia service but raise force By
the denomination OF a volunteer force Ii was, all
tents and purposes, 10 raise additional army under the
OF volunteer force and then the officers OF this
force to be elected By the men themselves, and
commissioned BY the President The extract from the
constitution which had been read by the honorable
senator from Michigan unquesuonaby established the
fact that all officers TO be appointed by the President
of the United States By of law or By the heads
Of departments BY the President OF the Senate How,
them could be that Congress had power to decide that
they should thus be elected By the companies themselves
and then commissioned BY the PRESIDENT He could
see how To HIM this circumstance afforded an insuper
able objection TO the proposal OF the honorable senator
nom Texas He admitted there force IN the
suggestions of that SENATOR but surely the
power of Congress 10 authorize the officers to be chosen
by popular election The provision OF the act Tor the
s;men OF volunteers passed at the last session, not
call for the militia. They under the authority OF
the States Congress had control them In only
three had Congress any constitutional authority for
calling them ous-nameiy to repress instructions,
cute the laws, repe lnvasons In other IN which
the military force called out, the constitution stated
explicitly how the officers be appointed He
ders;ood that, IN the last war, the system was
adopted which obtained the last session OF Congress.
That was fair precedent for their guidance The meas
the Texas had Ia urprelpnt
ton il, and ne could not that allowed by the
constitution However convenient and efficient the
might be, he for one, could favor prohibited
by the constitution. To his friend from Kentucky he
would say he did not how the amendment he pro-
prosed got the constitutional difficulty Ii seemed
him involve the difficulty. He also proposed
that the companies should elect theirown officers.
| Mr.. CRiTTENDEN- did not propose anything. !
only suggested the proprey OF striking out an objection
Texas.
Mr. BADGER proceeded In that view he would GER
tainiy vote Tor amendment TO strike Out part Ii
seemed to hun that the whole proposition prohibited
BY the constitution
Mr. HUNTINGTON said he would favor any meas
ures which were calculated TO terminate the wharf.-the
the better and he would oppose the
of the Executive unnecessarily but he had yet to learn
that they to sanction his every
He would not withhold any suitable and proper facilities
which the constitution authorized But he sorry that
they about 10 adopt the recommended by the
President because he had recommended t-eyen though
them g how aua be @
war honorably and speedily Upon due reflection he
disposed 10 adopt that mode which taken by the
last session OF Congressto accept the yolun
eers. The volunteer corps was much more consistent
with their institutions and with the feelings OF their peo
pie The volunteer force could readily be raised
Experience proved that they the best What had
they done already Enough surely entiie them their
confidence The President could not be mistaken this
subject, He would for moment, read from his annual
message Here Mr. H. read from the last annual
message the President expressing his qualification at the
conduct of The volunteers during the late battles in Mex
col More appropriate language he remarked could not
be used by any Those troops chiefly volun-
eers. What they had done they could do again Fur
her these regular troops TO be differed by the President
UNNECESSARILY and dangerously increased the Executive
patronage He thought II already too great, and
would, By means, increase it. At the close of the
they would have this army fastened upon them but it
therefore, prefer volunteer force but one to be or
gained in the way proposed by the senator from Texas
He believed they had the right to accept the volunteer
regiments already raised but that no. the proposal of
the senator from Texas In his amendment there was
serious objection II gave the President power appoint
the officers after they had been elected.
Mr. HOUSTON. That provision has been stricken
Mr. HUNTINGTON said he hal taken the amendment
as it printed. But there other objections He
did intend to delay the action OF the Senate but felt
if his duty to express his OF the proposed
He in favor of volunteer force They would find
them courageous, efficient and all that needed for
any emergency which might be anticipated during the
Mr. JOHNSON, of Maryland said that If it was the
wish OF the Senate, it was his wish to take the
question on the passage OF the bill tonight he could say
all he desired to say in few moments Otherwise he
would ask the privilege of speaking Tomorrow.
Mr. BENTON said that the members OF the Military
Committee would necessarily be absent tomorrow dur
ing the whole of the day.
Mr. ATCHISON then moved that when the Senate
adjourn, i adjourn to meet on Monday next On that
question the yeas and nays ordered and the question
was agreed TO.
Mr. CRITTENDEN desired to say a single word As
the gentleman from Maryland was prepared to address
them, he thought they ought not to adjourn
Mr. ATCHlSON intmated that he should move, at
the proper time, amend the bill by striking the
first section, and inserting lieu thereof section author
zng the President accept the of ten regiments
Of volunteers to serve during the
Mr.. JOHNSON, OF Maryland, observed, that in what
he was about to say, he should not conne himself to the
immediate question before the Senate, which was the
amendment proposed by the senator from Kentucky to
address has observations in part TO the other question
growing out Of the general subject. The question pre-
scented to them involved consideration of expedency
well of a constitutional character, and the ques
ton of expedency applicable to the general question
arising upon the BILL and what he proposed saw upon
that question, he should say briefly after disposng OF
the other 1t had been argued very orcbly BY the sena-
tor IRON Michigan, and with equal force BY the
from North Carolina and he should not have thought il
necessary, therefore, 10 word regarding IT, but that
he found there still contrary opinion prevailing
with some members of the Senate The Congress of the
United States invested with the exclusive power of
raising and supporting armies and they also clothed
with the power OF calling out the militia They were
empowered TO call into the militia for the purpose
OF suppressing instruction, repeing invasion, and
forcing the execution of the law. There, their power
terminated The commissioning OF officers belonged TO the
in which they enrolled. This power OF raising
| armies Congress a national object IN be