Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-01-16

lenders tney would lend their let
them, and get il out Of them in that way Much laughter
If they would not lend their money, make them pay.
Mr. FICKLIN, of Illinois, said that since the present de-
bate had commenced he had listened atenyey the speeches
which had been made and had felt great surprise what he
heard II had been usual for in public deiberatye
body like this when he made speech in opposition to pub
lie in its favor consider himself identified with
his party, and in responsible for all that was
said by himself and others his side of the question that was
OF party character Was that the here Was there here
such unity of sentiment among the opponents of the Admin
traon TO make them responsible for whatever any mem
Der of their party might say during the debate Not at ALL
When the Federsts of New England opposed our last
they altogether and their opposition 10 it open and
unqualified. Among them there had been no dodgng But
how now There but fourteen on that floor who
when the ntato step taken at the commencement Of
the had had the bodness to take the responsibility OF vo
ing against it. True there had been much clamor made when
the bill under debate, but when gentlemen brought
to the test there but fourteen found who would record
their votes against il. .s.,.. "
But what the aspect of their party here : His two
friends Georgia and Massachusetts, (Mr TooMBs and
Mr. WISrHRop to whom he always listened with edication
and peasuefor they always spoke sensby-what ground
had they taken The House must remember The original
fourteen who voted against the bill declaring the exist
had recently been increased the gentlemen from ndana
(Mr CALEB B. SMITH and Mr.. MEG AusHEY who had taken
their position against the war; and who second their
speeches by their Now, Mr. F. could understand
who both spoke and voted against the for they took
precisely the ground had been taken by the Fedsts
against the last These acted boldly consistently, and
every body knew where find Them Then there
Their class who decidedly for the war, and among this
class he proud to include his friend from Maryland (M
Lone. But there third class who endeavorng
to steer between wind and they voted with Polk but
they talked with Santa Anna. A laugh They " in
state of betweenty," gentleman him said.
They mounted the fence ready jump down either
sde To significant saying the West they gobbled
with the turkeys but they roasted with the chickens Much
merrment ... ~"
The gentleman from Georgia yesterday had made use of
these remarks Here Mr. F. quoted from report Of the
speech of Mr.. TooMBs
Now Mr. F. said that with no disposition to reflect unjust
the conduct of generals in the field to throw one
single obstruction in the way of the war, the question here
raised by the opponents of the President be These
gentlemen in voting supplies for the seemed to think that
they had purchased right to scod the President They said
that the President wanted to suppress the free expression OF
opinion in that House and in the country but Mr.. F. would
say all these genemen and to all Others talk long and
loudly pleasesend your words the four winds
of heaven you may talk against the till doomsday, but
where when will you get majority to think with you
But to the speech of the gentleman from Georgia Mr.
F. quoted again and referred to that part of Mr. TooMBs
speech where he said that victories had been without adj
vantage but this not the fault Of general in the field
because the Executive had furnished him with the
sary reinforccments and means Of transportation Now, Mr.
F. would eneavor show that the fault of the general
in the field and that this unfair attempt put the re-
sponsbty the President when rested elsewhere. Here
he quoted what Mr.. TooMBs had said about Gen Tayors
being unable follow Aristas flying army the Rio
Grande Yes but why had he them off before they
crossed the river That the question. He wanted to
know that Great complaint had been made about the want
of ponons to with but why not the Mexcans
cut off before they got across the river
Mr.. JOS. II. INGERS0LL here rose, under much excite
men and said he would tell the gentlemen why because the
troops had been thirty hours without food fighting watch
ing the whole time thousand against thousand.
In what condition they to follow How possible
they could march and off the retreat of Arsta without
taking reireshment Mr. l. here quoted from do
cument quoting the condition of the army Ill, ..
Mr.. FlCKLIN resumed. The issue had been made here
by gentleman of high talent, a prominent member OF
the Wing party, that the force furnished by the Admins
traton to Gen. Taylor insufficient, and that owing
10 this that in the midst of the most brilliant victories,
conqueng the Mexcans than we were at
first Mr. F. might say thai it could well be otherwise.
With army under Wing generals and with advocates for
Mexico that floor she would no doubt soon be crippled
He here referred certain letter addressed to the editor
Of the New Orleans Picayune. He said it cunning
devised paper, penned, obvious to shield General
Taylor from the blame of what regarded in the army
failure on his part. Here he read the letter
This the charge in this letter. and the speech of the
gentleman from Georgia followed up and carried out
The author OF this letter not OF the hreng scrbbes
of whom The paper complained but probably of Gen.
Taylors staff The letter fully endorsed by the
editor of the Pcayune and the letter and the comments
intended shield for Taylor. This writer admitted
that if Gen. Taylor had had sufficient force at his disposal
and then had battles, but lost the fruits of hem he
would have been justly responsible He admitted that he had
done this but said that six thousand not sufficient
force. The gentleman from Georgia took the ground
He boldly made the chage-hc put forth the distinct
ton that Taylor had not been furnished with adequate men
and and that the consequent uessness Of his vco
the fault Of the Government Mr. F. concurred with
that gentleman that the had advanced at snais pace
Should proceed at the rate for four five years lon
GER would be sufficient have broken down the popularity
Of Washington himself in his pamest days But on the
point that this the fault Of the Government, Mr. r. took
issue with the gentleman He had not be sure, gone TO
the Department into the bureaus of the War Office de-
tails but he understood that the Of transpoa
on twelve hundred wagons had been furnished and sent
and supplies of the finest batterng trains that any
general could desire, with thousand cartridges to each
gum had been Gen. Taylo disposal but he had not taken
with him to Monterey He had rejected every suggestion
that subject and why Because he TO the very last
under the impression that but little would be made
and had anticipation of such fight really occurred
Had he gone to Monterey, with all the at his dspoa
but eight weeks sooner the place might have been taken with
firing gun. And why did he not arrive there eight
weeks sooner He had had ample time, and had had his
disposal least double the force which the ground in
that engagement He might have been only eight weeks
but twelve weeks Mr. F. controvered the
assertion that he had sufficient force his command and
in support Of his position he would refer to the report of Adu
General JONES' which would show that he had had under
his eighteen thousand men, apart and separate from
Gen. keamy's command of thry-seven hundred. Deduct
from this eight hundred men, who route TO join him.
and the hundreds who died in nacon the banks Of the Rio
Gande, and il would still leave fifteen thousand at his
disposal. Why not these forces at Monterey Why
his batterng there Had these all been there
he could have forced the Mexcans surrender discretion
II had been said that General Taylor had had good
for leaving the volunteers the Rio Crande Now, Mr.
r. understood the natter soon those men had been
mustered into service they subject the command of the
general, and he could march them wherever he chose.
II indeed the President justly responsbe-if was