Tri-weekly journal., 1847-06-24
MR.. OWENS COURSE ON THE LIEUTEN-
ANT GENERAL PROJECT.

little army on the Rio Grande, and at Monterey
were the theme of every tongue and the pride
of every heart, President Polk astounded Con-
gress and the country by demandingofthe former
that provision be made by law for the the APP
pointment of general officer to take command
of all our military forces in the field" The
message was hardly received with decency in
either Hall of Congress. Notwithstanding the
large majority of Mr. Polk S friends in the House,
no sooner did the proposition make its appear
ance in that body, than it may almost be said
to have been kicked out of it so unanimous was
the contempt and indignation with which it
was voted down. Not one 'dear friend to
Caesar" raised his voice in its favor, or deemed
it worthy of a single remark, but all joined
even Mr. Owen-in bestOwing upon it the in
dignity Of silent negative. 1t was said that
the President was greatly enraged when he
heard of this contumelous reception of his pet
project for killing Off Wing Major Generals,
and stormed and threatened amazingly, so on
the very next day supple tool was found to
move a reconsideration, and the motion was
carried by the close vote of Sc yeas to 81 nays
Mr.. Owens name is found recorded among the
nays, against the reconsideration. That is, he
was so utterly opposed to the measure that he
even afford the more plant friends of the Pres
ident an opportunity of gratifying their master
by passing it. The question then REQUIRED up
on laying the subject upon the table-which
was lost, yeas 90, nays 97-Mr. Owen still re-
fractory, voting in the aflirmative-and the
proposal was referred to the Committee of the
Whole on the State of the Union. See Cong.
Globe 2d Session, 29th Congress, page l2l.
January 9th. The Committee of the Whole
reported against giving the President the pow
er to appoint Lieutenant General. Mr. ia
cob Thompson moved to amend the Bill report
ed BY the committee by adding thereto an addi-
tional section as follows
Sec - And be it further enacted that the
President shall be authorized, by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint {
Lieutenant General, who shall take command
of our armies, and whose term of service shall
continue during the war with the Republic o
Mexico.
Mr.. Thompson moved the previous question
and also that the House do now adjourn.
, The ADJOURNMENT being lost the main ques
t-:--------l---i- .-ssyVjll tn
Jacob Thompson. &C., and being taken by yea,
and nays, the Lieutenant General was agar
killed off, yeas 80. nays l2O-Mr Owen record
t ing his vote against the measure, and thus 70
the third time assisting in its defeat.
, Thisis one phasis ofMr. Owens cours up
5 on this subject. So far he bas been a consist
ent and even ultra opponent of the Presiden
tial scheme. Look now what 'a change ha
come over the spirit of his dream.''
On the 26th day ofFebruary, Mr. Boyd from
the committee on Military affairs, reported tn,
Senate Bill making provision for an additional
number Of general officers and for other pur
poses, and proposed several amendments, anC
among the rest that the President should hav,
the power toappoint "two Majos Generals anC
the following as a new Section:-
And be ii further enacted, That the President
of the United States be and he is hereby author
lied and empowered, at his discretion. to de-
sgnaie andappoint any general officer of the
rank of Major General, whether of the l,ne OF
4 by brevet, and whether of the regular army OF
of volunteers, who may be in the service Of the
L United States, without regard to date of com.
mission. to the chief command of the military
force OF the United States during the continu.
ance OF the existing war with Mexico. Pro
oided, That the officer so designated and as
signed shall cease TO exercise the duties and
powers of General-in- Chief as aforesaid. upon
the conclusion and ratification of a treaty OIL
peace with Mexico.
This was nothing but the Lieutenant Gener-
al scheme over again-having the same object
viz; to supersede Generals Taylor and Scott
and eilecting that object by nearly the same
means. The only perceivable difference was
that that instead of empowering the President
to create new military rank, it gave him the
appointment of two new ''Major Generals" and
authority to assign either of them, lcithOut re-
gard TO date Of commission, to the chief com
mand ofall our military force. 1t was openly
and boldly put upon this ground by the friends OF
the Administration who spoke upon the sub
ject. Brinkerhoff, of Ohio, who had hitherto
voted side by side with Mr.. Owen in ultra OPP
position to the measure, now publicly recanted,
and contended that while it was absolutely ne