The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-08-28
THE CALIFORNIAN.
From the Burlington Free Press.
The Hon. Paul Dillingham; on
the Lieut.. General question.

Whatever may be the decision rny thanks
and gratitude will not he the less
~ the House of Representatives for ITS three
lines rirtimL election FINE TO be The COMMAND
rnIvC CHEZ 0fthe .4rmy IN .HericO." Mr. Ben.
,on 10 W. Polk March 6, lS47.
Immediately after your nomination as
Major General had been unanimously con-
irned by the Senate, IcdretiHiy examined the
.,,siion icheiher Ipossessed the polOer TO desig-
nate yom-a junior Major General-tO The
CHEF COMMAND ofthe .4rmy."
Mr. Polk TO Mr. Benton March 9, lS47.
THE PRESIDENT HAD HOPED TO HAVE IT
~ MS POWER TO PLACE HIM [BESToNl AT
rug HEAD OF THE ARMY" -Washington u
n ron March 10.
Ne place the above declarations of Mr.
Banton, Mr. Polk and his mouth piece, the u
non, on record, so that there need be no dis
Dute as to the purpose for which the Pres-
dent so pertinacously sought to be invested
with the power to appoint Lieutenant Gen
Z era TO supersede TAYLOR and SCOTT in the
command of the Army That purpose was
10 initiate the Hon. Thomas Fl. Benton ut the
4 expense of the Military Service of the Coun-
rv and in contempt of the claims and the
merits of Generals TAYLOR and ScoTT. In
this we think we run no risk of being contra
dcted
The purpose was dsgroceful to the Presi-
dent for two reasons: First, for having en-
erained, as a mere partisan mannuvre, re-
gardlcss of the injury its accomplishment
would inflict upon distinguished and veteran
officers who had spent their best days in their
Couuuy's service; and second, because it
was ANONYMOUSLY and repeatedly defeated by
his own political friends The action of the
honorable Paul Dillingham; on the question of
C0atarRg this power on the President was
eminently characteristic of an INSCRIPTIONS
aenagogue, in the abstract, and of himself in
the particular instance. He voted. point
blank both for IL and AGAINST 1T, and DODG-
ED IT.! And that, too without exhibiting
the common sagacity of the dull bird that
hides lis head in the sand, and thinks its ugly
body is therefore concealed! The juggery is
as transparent us it is contemplate. Let us
see.
On the 18th of January. 1S47. and while the
"b TO raise for time an additional military
force, and for other purposes" was under
consideration, the President sent to the House
a Message recommending ''that provision be
made by law for the appointment of Ia Lieut..
General to serve during the war;" and TO take
command o Our military. forces in The field"
On the 9TH ofJanuary, Jacob Thompson,
Locotoco Representative from Mississippi,
afterwards distinguished for his bitter HOSTILE
V,o General Taylor, Whom he pronounced
INCAPABLE OF CONDUCTING A CAMPAIGN,D
and who moved the amendment to the reso-
luton ofthanks, CENsURING the gallant vete-
ran for the terms the capitulation Onion
'ereN' FOR WHICH CENsURE LET 1T BE RE-
uMBERED THAT Paul Dillingham; VOTED
moved the following amendment to the mil
\ Iay bill above alluded to:
SEC. =. ind be IL further enacted, That the
President ''shall be authorized by and with
the advice of the Senate, TO appoint Lieut..
General, who shall take command of our
armies, and whose term ofservice shall con-
lnue during the war with Mexico"
On TIM 9th of January the question was
taken on the adoption of this amendment.
and Mr. DHinghnm'S name, together with the
Fames Of Messrs. CoLLAMER, MARSH and
root is found recorded AGAINST 1T. The
spalnfni anxiety of Mr. Polk to be clothed with
authority to "feed fat the overweanng vani-
by Thomas ii. Benton, had not then enlist
sed the sympathy of the prudent and calculating
Mr. Dillingham;! He therefore assisted to
knock the unjust and preposterous project in |
The head. But Mr. Polk did not rest here.
Ills own private and personal interest if not
The interests of the nation, demanded that tie .
Lieut. General scheme should be pushed in |
another form. He probably had strong
hopes that the scruples-the conscientious
scrupes'-of such astute political trimmers
Us The IermOnt representative of Locofocoism !
might he satisfied by changing the name of |
'"e ransgression; or, what is quite as likely, !
lie concluded that so innocent and ,ulSuSpecting
a victim as Paul Dillingham; would be apt to
discover an essential difference "twixt twee-
"'e-dum and tweedle dee," So. on the 18th
VI reoruary, Mr. HARRISON, from the Military
''li'hlttee, reported bill making provision
O' an additional number Of GENERAL OFFICERS
1o''ee hr'gadiers and t,Do Major Generals
'''HO" ana C"mnring.) To this bill the fol-
''"'hS amendment was moved:
,on una ma De uti"ther enacted, That the Pres-
nj HI. - S hereby authorized and empowered,
,''o usScrenon to designate and appoint any
ifyb" oiIicer, Of The rank of Major General,
ofM OF the line or by brevet, and tphether
Fr rs regular army or Of Volunteers, WITHOUT
'uAND TO DATE OF COMMISSION TO the CHIEF
o, WA q the military force ofMe IT, s. dur
E. Sae continuance Of The eristing lOur l0ah