The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-08-31
From The Burlington Free Press
THE HON. PAUL DILLINGHAM;
ON THE LIEUT.. GENERAL.
QUESTION.

ON THE LIEUT.. GENERAL.
QUESTION.
Whatever may be the decision my thanks
| and gratitude will not be the less - 10
the House OF Repres for lis three
times ritual election Of me 10 be the Com
mander in Chieiof the Army in jkrico.-
Mr.. Benton to Mr.. Polk March 6, lS47.
Immediate after your nomination as Ma
ior General had been unanimously confirmed
by the Senate. carefully examined The
question lrhether possessed the porerto des-
ignate you,-R junior Major General-to
The Chief Command Of The Army.
Mr., Polk 10 Mr. Benton Mdrch9, 1917.
She President had hoped to hare IL in his
porer to place him BentOnl at The heddot
the ARMY Washington Union March 10
We place the above declarations oil Mr..
Benton, Mr. Polk and his mouth piece, the
| Union, on record, SO that there need be no
dispute as TO The purpose for which The Pres
ident so pertinac:ously sought to be invested
| with the power TO appoint Lieutenant Gen.
eral TO supersede TAYLOR and ScoTT in the
command ofihe Army. That purpose was
10 initiate the Hon. Thomas II. Benton al the
expense OF the Military Service Of the Coun-
try. end in contempt Of the claims and the
merits Of Generals TAYLOR and ScoTTs.
Ia this VIC think we run no risk Of being con-
iraGicted.
The purpose was disgracelu 10 the Presi-
dent for two reasons: First. for having en-
tertained. as mere partisan manGuvre,
regardless Of he injury its accomplishment
would inhict upon distinguished and vetran
officers who had spent their best DAYS in
their COuniry's service and rond because
Il 4 oil
by his own political friends. The action Of
the honorable Paul Dillingham; m the ques-
lion of comforting this power on the Pres:
dent was eminently characteristic oil an un-
scropulous demdgogue in the abstract, and Of
himself in the particular instance. He vo-
ted point blank, both for IL and AGAINST TT,
and DODGED It'll And that. too, with
out exhibiting the common sagacify OF the
dull bird that hides it head in the sand, and
thinks its ugly body is therefore corcealed!
The jugglery is as transparent ms ii is CEN
temptible. Lei us see.
On the 4th of January, 1547. and while the
bill 10 raise for time an additional military
force, and for other purposes was under con-
sideration, the President SEM TO the House a
Message recommending that provision be
made by law for the appointment of a Lieu
tenant General TO serve during the war;
and 80 take command of our Military forces
IN the field
On the 9Th Of January. Jacob Thompson, n
Locofo.:o Representative from Mississippi,
after distinguished himself for his bitter hosil
iry TO General Taylor. whom he pronounced
INCAPABLE OF CONDUCTING cAMPAIcN.O
and who moved the amendment 10 The res
olution Of thanks, cENsURlNG,lhe gallant vet
ran for the teIms ofcapitulation OF Monterey
{ FOR WHICH cENsURE LET 1T BE REMEMBER
Ed THAT Paul Dillingham; VOTED moved the
following amendment 10 the miitsry bill
above alluded TO:
SEC. 2. And be il further enacted. that the
President shall he authorized, BY and with
the advice Of tine Senate, TO appoint Lieut.,
General, who shall take command Of our
armies. and whose terms of service shall con-
time during the war with Mexico.
On the 9th Of January the question wns
taken on the adoption OF this amendment,
and Mr. Diliinghdrs's name, together with
the names of Nessrs. Collamer, Marsh and
Foot is found recorded AGAINST IT. Tho
painful anxiety of Mr.. Polkio be clothed with
authority TO feed far the overweaning van
iIy Of Thomas Fl. Benton, had not then enlis
ted the sympathy Of the prudent and caIcu-
fating Mr.. Dillingham;! He therefore assis
ted TO knock the unjust and prepc erous pre-
ject in the head. But MIR Polk did not rest
here. His own private and personal inter
est, il not the interests oil the nation, deman-
ded that the Lieutenant General scheme
should be pushed into another form. He
probably had strong hopes that The scru-
ples-ihe 'conscieatioust scrupies'-of such
astute political trimmers as the Ttrmont
representative Of the .ransgresson; or. what
Is quite az likely. he concluded that so inno-
cent and unsuspectiDg victim as Paul
Dillingham; would be apt TO discover an es-
'ential difference twixt tweedle- dum and
weedle-dee.' So, on The 18th of FEBRUARY,
Mr. HARRISON, from the Military Commute,
reported bill making provision for an
additional number of GENERAL oFFrc ERs'
three Brigadiers and tpo Major Generals
Benton and Cumuling.) to this bill the follow
ng amendment was moved
'And be IL further enacted. That the Pres
iden: is hereby authorized and empowered,
at his discretion, 10 designate any General
Officer, of the rank of Major General wheth
er Of the line or by brevet, and 1ehether of
the regular army or of rol,rnteers. WITH
'Ur REGARD TO DATE OF COMMISSION TO the
CHIEF COMMAND Of the military force of the
u States during The continuance ofMe er.
isting uar nth Merico'!!
II needs no comment to show, nor a mill
airy man 10 appreciate, tina, this effort 10