Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-02-27
CONGR ESSIONAL.
HOUSE OF Observation-Disclosures 20
ADDITIONAL GENERAL OFFICERS

Z.
which was referred the Senate bill making provision for
additional number general officers and for other purposes
reported the with amendments.
The amendments to the first section provide that the
Der Of bngader generals to be appointed shall
.thee, and The number of major generals not
wo and that each brigade shall consist Of less thar
"three" instead of two regiments.
section is then proposed to come in between thu
first and second sections OF the BILL section the fol
lowing words:
Sind 6eit further enacted That the President ofthe United
States be- and he hereby authorized and empowered at h
dcreton 10 designate aud appoint general officer OF the
rank OF major general whether of the line by breye
whether ofthe regular army Of volunteers who be in
the service of the United States without regard TO date ofcom
mission, to the chief command OF the military force OF the Uni
ted States during the continuance OF the existing viii
MeSeo Provided That the officer designated aud assign
ed shall the duties and powers of generan
chief as aforesaid upon the conclusion and ratification of
treaty OF peace with Mexico
Another proposition is add TO section five the following
Sand the President be- and he hereby further
rized FILL by regular promotion, elections be
held fill vacancies Of reginieta company officers
stoned BY death resignation, other cause in the
volunteer regiments corps the service of the United
States in Mexico which be received during the exist
ing with Mexico and TO commission the officers for the
same"
And other amendments are reported from the commit
mitee, follows
In section seyen strike the words sThat the fifth sec
ton Of the entitled An raise for limited tim,
additional military force, aud for other purposes approve,
February H. ls47 shall only apply the officers musicians
and piiyses provided for the regiments by the first
ton of said ac and the end OF the said section add
Whose term shall expire provided in the fifth section
Of the act of lih Of February, ls47."
AT the end of section sixteen add "To be dsbanded
at the close OF the war"
Mr. BOYD asked that the bill and amendments be consi-
dered al this time, there no appropriation involved
Mr.. GARRETT DAVIS moved to commit the bill and
amendments TO the Committee Of the Whole the state OF
the Union.
Mr.. BOYD said that he hoped the motion would not pre-
VAIL would very much endanger the passage Of the bill
MIR. A, ID. SIMS moved the question.
After some inquiries and suggestions by Messrs CAR
ROLL, G. DAVIS, and ASHMUN, the previous question
seconded.
Mr.. GARRETT DAVIS asked the yeas and nays on order
ing the man question: and they ordered.
Mr.. ASHNIUN said, the bill authorized The appointment
Of lieutenant general, he moved lay it the table.
The motion lay the bill the table decided in the
negatve-Ieas II, nays LOG.
The question then taken ordering the main ones
ton 10 be put, and passed in the afirmatve-Yeas l02,
nays 20.
The main question being ordered the question stated
agreeing TO the amendments reported by the Committee
Military Affairs
Mr.. BOYD and said there manifest desire
discuss the BILL he would propose that by general consents
the proceedings on the previous question be reconseed and
that the bill be committed TO Committee of the Whole for
the purpose Of debate until hafpast two o'clock
The suggestion being assented the bill committed
Mr. BOYD then moved the usual resolution 10 close the
debate Committee the Whole on the bill at half after two
o'clock this day. Agreed to.
An arrangement was erered into, by which no member
speak more then twenty minutes Committee.
The House then resolved itself into Committee Of the
Whole ( BIGss in the Chair and proceeded to consider
the said bill and amendments.
Mr.. GARRETT DAVIS, Of Kentucky, addressed the
Chair This said be- another increase Executive
power The bill and amendments authorize President
appoint two additional major generals and three gen
erals and to select any major general take the command in
chief OF the American armies The lieutenant
general i thus brought in another form and with another
name The war upon Scott and Taylor by Mr. Polk and his
friends ceasecss and unspang and il is brought again
actively in the halls Of Congress under auspices and the
power which the Ten additional regiments to the regular army
have the President III the appointment of three four
hundred officers. That project early in the session
jecej by this House without division, and weeks a
forwards by msjorty Of thirty and II il is succeed il
viii be by the corrupt of Presidential patronage That is
the influence which rcgns and rules Controlled by it.
the majority systematically adding Executive power
whilst they all the while poclamng themselves the only
democrats Of the country. In sober truth, the President
fast becoming monarch.
Mr.. d. then went into constitutional argument TO show
that the President being, commanderin-chef officer
purely military, could exercise power in carrying the
war which went TO exclude interfere with the powers of
Congress TO control the Of campaign He Also from
the premises proposed argue Of power in
the President to establish civil governments territories which
had been subued and held in military possession by the
forces Of the United States.
Mr. BRINKERHOFF next got the floor. He said he
had voted for the pending amendment when il proposed
in the Committee Military Affairs, and should do now
because he believed for the good Of the service The
amendment allowed TO the President the OF selecting
from among the officers IF the army commander 10 whom
should be conded the supreme command the field during
the continuance OF the war, without reference the elave
rank of the generals in command in regard each other
This power which, in substance the President pos
sessed because, be desired any general Of junior
mission in the field TO take the chief command
he could effect that purpose by recalling those who above
him. BuiMr b. wasin favor Of giving himthe power drecy
and why The President responsible Tor the Of the
and money placed his control by Congress- and
living would be swifer in holding him that responsibility
than the gentleman from Kentucky who had just taken his
sponsbiy, Mr. b. did complain bot if the President
be held thus responsible, he ought possess
meed tie power Of appointing his agents conduct the
This, considered merely abstract proposition would
be just in ITSELF and commend itself the appreciation
Of the people But be denied concealed that
there circumstances in the which rendered
ay proper that the President should have this power tie
present time in regard to the with Mexico The journals
Of the county rite with the idea that Of the
generals in command in Mexico candidates Tor
the Presidency voice And do you want to make
therf do deny il. But both OF these commanders
strong psrtsans in opposition to the dominant party
Mr. DAVIS here asked leave to inquire whether the gen.
eman from Ohio could tell him what the politics Of Gen
Taylor,
Mr. BRINKERHoFF replied that he had often heard
Wings say that he their candidate for the Presidency,
and he considered this pretty good evidence that he must he
Wing II Mr. Is. a Wing, Gas bis Democratic friends
had sometimes charged him with being because he could
go for they pleased PROPOSE he should
say that II unfair the President compel him
py those who his the instruments Of
ung hs viii IN the prosecution Of the II surely but