The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-15

roduce this BILL to be laid the table, printed, and call
ed up tomorrow He did say that the bill which he
proposed was perfect but he was bold to say that it
would tend at least to secure the grant of land contemplated
to those who had done something TO earn ito those who
had actually served their counry and secondly il would
tend to prevent those lands from falling into the hands of
specuatds and, lastly, il provided for giving the sol
ders clear title to the land He would now appeal to
the senator from Pennsylvania TO withdraw his amend
ment--to stop the clogs and mpedimens which he was
throwing the way Of these measures for filling up the
ranks OF the army this time OF need He appealed TO
the gentleman to stop these mpediments; if he would
not do it, he would conform to the wishes OF the Senae
but while conforming, he wished to have time allotted
for suitable deberaton before voting away millions
upon millions of acres of land.
Mr. CASS offered another amendment, which he was
MI. BENTON moved that all the amendments which
had been offered be printed and that the whole subject
be deferred until tomorrow.
Mr. CAMERON, in reply to the appeal from the gentle
man from Missouri, said that there man in this
broad land whom he respected more than he did the gentle
man from Missouri but when he knew the right he could
not consent to give up his opinion, even for that man
The whole discussion had been upon the details OF the
BILL which ought to be brought in hereafter He thought
the gentleman had not read his amendment carefully rs
he found, reflection, that il was sufficiently explicit
II contained all necessary guards and did not show that
great want of deberaon which had been ascrbed TO it.
He proceeded to quote from the law OF 1912, granting
land to soldiers) showing that his amendment fol-
lowed that law closely with the exception OF the last
tion He believed his amendment as full and clear
rs any which had been offered; but he did not come
there to wrangle about echnicaes. Other gentlemen
might have the honor of proposing the measure. He
only wished to see the poor soldier rewarded with hls
Mr. BENTON said il was very unfortunate that the
gentleman had read from the act OF 1912 1t was act
and it had been denounced from end of the continent
to the other He renewed his motion to print all the
amendments and lay the bill on the table till morning
MIR. HOUSTON here offered another amendment
Mr.. BENTON submitted another amendment in relation
to the appointment of surgeons and assistant surgeons,
which he asked to be laid on the table and printed with
the other amendments.
Mr. BADGER had no objection to the printing of all
the amendments that they might have time for delbera-
ton The honorable gentleman from Missouri had made
had been presented Withdrawn lie thought he observed
that the strength and earnesness of the appeal to
high an extent that he afraid he seemed to entertain
the notion that they ought to yield rather to his appea
than to their own convictions. TWAS not consistent with
their notions, he believed to introduce system of entail
and any provision tending to that end would be to him
an insuperable objection against the bill The lands
might pass into the hands Of SPECTATORS So might the
properly which the father abors hard to acquire and be-
queathes to his children, if they did not take of
properly He believed that the soldiers generally wer
able to take of their own estates
Mr.. BENTON made few further remarks, which
were mostly inaudble at reporters desk, and again
renewed his motion to print and postpone.
Additional amendments having been offered by Messrs.
BRIGHT and CRITTENDEN,
Mr. BENTON then renewed his motion to postpone the
bill until Tomorrow which agreed to, and the
rous amendments submitted were ordered to be printed
LIEUTENANT GENERAL.
Mr. MANGUM moved that the Senate proceed to the
special order OF the day which was agreed to. and the
Senate resumed the consideration, in committee of the
whole of the bill reported form the Committee Mill
tary Affairs 'to appoint lieutenant general TO command
the military forces of the United States during the war
Mr.. BADGER then rose and remarked The best re-
turn which he could make the Senate for their kind
ness in adournng yesterday at late period to give him
opportunity to say what he had to say this subject
this morning instead of yesterday evening, he believed
would be to proceed at to statement of the reasons
which seemed to him to furnish unanswerable obiec
ton to what the President had asked and what the bill
proposed to grant If the bill should pass and become
law the high office which proposed to create must be
filled either by the present commanding general OF the
army, or by some junior officer, or some citizen from pr
waite life. In the first case, II was manifest upon the
slightest reflection that the must prove entirely
useless The majsr general now commanding the army
commanded all the forces in the large district which the
President had assigned to him, or might assign and
lieutenant general could do no more. The President
might assign to the present senior OF the army alb
solue control OF the present war; far as the cOnsttu
ton authorized him to do it, he might confne him to
particular portion of the great field of operatons but
tenant general; for by the express conditions Of the
sution the President himself at last unavoidably
the sole constitutional commander n-chef. By chang
enlarge h auho The eSs Of tho
whole army was incident to general, whatever
his grade might be, unless when the whole army
was collected together and acting body; and
when so collected and acting the chief command de-
voved upon the senior officer, whatever his desgna-
ton. Nor the capacity of that officer to carry INTO
successful operation the of the government in
creased the least degree. His capacity TO do that
must depend upon his personal qualifications alone. II
seemed to him. then, that nothing could be founded on
sgher grounds than the opinion that the officer who
was now the senior major general of the army would be
in any respect able to discharge, with honor to him.
self with advantage to the country, whatever might
be required OF HIM in the prosecution OF this any other
war; by striking out of his title the word 'majo and
inserting in lieu thereof the word ssleutenan" But if
the officer contemplated by the bill not TO be the
present commanding general but some junior to be ele
waited above him. the proposition ceased to be merely
useless: It then became unjust and injurious 1t was
officer whose life had been devoted TO his country
whose blood had been shed upon the battle fields
whose deeds in during that contest which has been
termed not nappopratey the second revolution, the
appreciation OF Madlson the thanks of Congress, and the
gratitude of the whole peopeone whose noble spirit
for him throughout Europe honorable and an enva-
BILE reputation and had shed new usre on the Ameri-
can name L. instead of some junior officer selected from
that band Of noble sprs-the pride and flower OF
the armysome one was to be taken from civil life, then
involved in the same insult which was passed upon their
devoted head, would they find all those officers who
fought with such distinguished bravery at Pao Alto,
Rcseca de la Palma and Montereyofcers, the praise
every tongue the pride OF every heaoicers honored
with costly swords and testimonials Of high regard from
their friends and feow-cizens of their native Sateso
GERS it not too much say to whom, for all the high
and noble characteristics which grace the soldiers name
no service in the world could produce superors Such un
Just returns for such noble service purposes connected
with the war could for moment Justify No necessity
demanded IT, and, in his humble judgment, the would
stand as foul blot upon the esctcheon of this grateful
republic. Would the insult stop here Mo- honor
military honor-the keen sensibty of a noble heart
was the nerve which vibrated for pain or pleasure |
throughout every extremity of the military body, and