Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-01-02
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

i The House being in Committee Of the Whole, and having
under consideration the resolutions proposing refer the Pre-
sdents message
i Mr. BAKER, Of Illinois, expressed his sincere acknow-
Judgments those gentlemen both sides Of the House
who he knew had been anxious to obtain the floor but
had kindly consented to yield it to him, that he might
have the opportunity of addressing to the House few hasy
remarks before he should to the army in Mexico.
While he thanked gentlemen for this act of Kindness he
begged leave say that he understood to be intended by
them, and received by him. tribute the gall
any of the brave with whom he associated For
HIMSELF he must say that he felt humbed abashed when he
remembered how little he had done to deserve such kindness
ente him, personally, to any such mark of regard
He could wish had been the fortune of the gallant Davis
formerly member that floor but far distant engaged
fighting for his country, stand where he did and to
receive from gentlemen every side the congratulations SO
Justly due to him. and to listen to the praises of his brave
compeers For himself he could pretend to no merit he
had unfortunately been left far in the of the war; And
if he ventured to say word in behalf of those who had
endured the seyeest hadshps Of war; whether the bloody
streets of Monterey, in yet form the banks of
the Rio Gande he begged gentlemen to believe that while
felt this to be IN some respects most pleasant duty
others duty full of pain for he stood here after months
service volunteer, having actual warfare the
field
Mr.. b. went to say, that it without the most
profound establishment that he had observed the course of the
present debate IL had thus Tar proceeded lie
sure that not imagined and would be believed
by his gallant companions in Mexico, that in this the third
week Of the session. the American Congress were in grave
debate the subject of mob in Ohio and by what numerical
maorites certain individuals had been chosen to the next
Congress The who had fought Pale Alto Resaca
and at Monterey had not expected this The who by
whose fault he would not pretend say whether by the
fault of any one) had endured the banks of the Rio
Grande all that fierce Diseases aggravated by the want of
the necessaries whether Of subsister
half clothed hardly fed, looking from Matamoros or
from Tampco, with all the Of their souls for the
moment OF advances whose eyes looking alternately
forward to the foe and backward for aid support and en-
enlargement from Congress and their friends home these
certainly had anticipated such spectacle on that
floor Mr. b. had had the pain Witness and must suffer
the still greater pain OF declaring to them Mr. b. said he
constrained by what he and heard to believe that
Congress not quite informed the actual state of
things in Mexico However this might be, he had few
facts to sae to which he respectfully their attention
It was not his purpose to engage for moment in any thing
like political or party controversywhere his sympahes had
been he need sae and where they been there
they still were and there they would remain through good
and through evil fortune unchanged But present he
could not perceive that the question of Wing Democrat had
to be put in order to decide upon the only question which was
which ought be before the House and his object was
to urge the members Of the House. without regard party dis
nctions differences to act immedaey-to efcenty-
to act at onceto Sown behalf the gallant army now
toilng, bleeding, suffering in a foreign land.
In the first place, he would that the army in Mexico
needed more men and more money and they needed now
without delay He had been informed that the entire force
now in the field, including Tayors column Buffers div
son Woos column, and Patesons DIVISION was not over
500 men, excluding perhaps Gaess artillery battalion and
two other regiments now recruiting and troops which
might have arrived by this time at Tampco. With this
amount OF force there of country to be covered
which it difficult to describe Commencing at Monterey
it extended to Sallo, Montemoreoz, Matamoos, Camargo
Coahuia, and through Victoria to Tampico ITSELF and
much further might be able penetrate OF this num-
Der he understood to say that it would require least
5000 to garrison Salo and Monterey and thus to hold the
advance had already made in that direction exclusive of
Chihuahua, Santa Fe and California; and besides what
would be necessary in order garrison the various other posts
had established whether for peaceful military purposes
This statement rapidly made by Mr. b. and pos
sby may not be given with entire accuracy by the Report
| er. He caught what points he could.
Mr.. b. went say that he understood that the Con-
Of the United States and the President of United
States, knded into ardor by the goes which were gliding
the national eagles were longing for conquess and pant
ing to witness fresh umphs OF In that hope he
himself most ferveny joined But he would press upon the
House the question whether let the army approach city
OF Mexico either by the of Fort St Juan or by that OF
San Luis Potos, possible with ten or twelve or four
thousand to the country had and push
advance to the contamination of the He expressed the
opinion, not without great didence but he must say he
doubted whether possible with that of the very
best soldiers America sent into the field (and better
troops braver unfnchng patient more perseve-
ring, never were sent from any couny conquer eight mil
hons OF people Let II be recolected that this little army of
fifteen thousand be scattered over an area of
1
four hundred from north SOUTH where all the means Of com
muncation uncertain and filed with hostile pop-
uation How could such number of soldiers even the
best disciplined and the sku experienced divided
into two or three columns separately operating be expected
TO prosecute their advance and have Marked as il has thus
far been, only with glory and honor
But il asked to what would be to reinforce the
army to any great extent BECAUSE if we could secure
the capital ITSELF and plant standard the city OF Mex
leo, we should be to peace than we were this
day II that was true it surely ought have been consd
cred before we commenced the war; and especially before we
commenced an invasion Of the Mexican territory Mexico
had commenced attack what claimed American
soil, and Mr. b. not of those who were for Welding
II up TO them, either then If the war were lust
did not follow that il of invasion a war Of de-
fence, 1t had been most glorious TO the American arms So
far as It could be called upon the ocean, had il in
our power to laugh all opposition to of nva-
SION had not been necessarily incumbent upon the
House voted the supplies for its prosecution almost unani
mousy There was, as he understood scarcely dissenting
Voice as to the proprety Of the advance Of army All
parties and all classes OF people among agreed that
II we made war at ALL ought 10 be sudden, vigorous and
brief The army did advance accordingly and had gained
IN bret space OF time, three great battles We had adj
vanced, was true, some three hundred miles the Mexi
can territory Yet we had scarcely, any percepbe ex
tent weakened the country crippled its On the
contrary, II was matter Of not little doubt-and Mr. b.
was ono who greatly doubtedwhether Mexico not strong
or THIS day than she had been united more ma
tonalzed more concentrated in public opinion and feel
ing looking untcdly towards single leader; more
heroic he about sayand be would say more heroic
Tor was always heroic IN any people put forth effort in de-