Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-01-15

its third readng) for adding ten additional regiments Of regu
lars to the army.
Mr. CASS rose and said furnish the honorab,
Senator from Delaware promised, with the date of thu
letter TO which he alluded yesterday dated the 18th
September.
Mr. CLAYTON. The resolutions Of the Senator from
New York, mr. DICKINSON, and the various propositions
for amending them which have been presented by Others
which have been the subject of discussion this morning. fur
nish very extraordinary commentary, think, sir on this
the objects to be attained by II and the
about pursue II TO be taken for granted by
gentlemen that to acquire great amount OF territory
but, before obtain acre. there is violent contest what
we shall do with it,
Mr.. President yesterday, when the Senate adjourned,
had averied the subject of the indemnity due by Mexico
for the claims of citizens had said, what maintain
now and what shall at oil times hereafter mainain that the
just claims of my counymen against Mexico ought to be
serted and supported In every suitable and manner
But did not then state what think it right to state now,
order prevent any in the public mind that the
| of those claims has been greatly overated.
understand that the whole amount OF claims presented the
Comms soners was So COS OF this sum, So $780, 40
allowed by the Commissioners the part Of Mexico
and the Mexican Government providing pay that amount
without any controversy to its justice at the time when the
broke out II appears then, that there of
S92S 62S claimed by the citizens the United Saes which
dsallowed by the Mexican Commissioners. This was
subject controversy and whether claim for that
right wrong remains to be decided by the umpire
$780, 1877 Of the claims of citizens had not been examin-
ed by the Commissioners. make this statement, have
said in order to prevent erroneous impression in regard to
the amount of these claims.
Mr.. WEBSTER, Gin his seat Mr.. Trist auhorz-
ed to claim SO, OOO, 900 only.
Mr.. CLAYTON. It is true that Mr.. Trist author
lied to negotiate the ground that the due to the
aggregate three millions 1t will not be commended Ipre
sumo, that went for the recovery Of this claim
have heard that the object OF the the recovery
of this money Other causes alleged for the in
which we were involved the 9th Of May, 1916. IT.
great cause assigned BY the Presd"' ma ~ :, ~, -
mat American blood had been shed upon American SOIL
7 ~
this time whether that assertion not true There
are other matters which invite my consideration and to which
think important call the attention of the Senate. But
DESIRE sir in the progress Of this discussions TO have dis
tncy understood, far concerned, that have al
been ready and anxious to ndcate the honest claims
counrymen upon Mexico and that neither by the votes
which about to give upon these bills, by any vote
which shall in future be called give Interference to this
war; do desire to be understood that am denying the JUS
ce of the fair claims Of the citizens of this country upon
Mexico for indemnity What say yesterday and
repeat to-day that the Of these claims
small compared the value of the quantity of ter
oy which the President declares shall be coded by Mexico
before there be just and honorable peace between
the countries II has been said that the proposition
made by the American Commissioner to give them twenty
millions of dollars for Upper California alone. know not
from official Information how the President estimates the
difference between the claims of citizens and the value of
the land which he intends demand of Mexico at the lannon's
mouth But he says in his message:
GAS the territory be acquired by the boundary proposed
lent for just demands Commissioner authorized
to stpulate for the payment of such additional peeunay con-
sderation as deemed reasonable"
And this is a clear admission his part of fact, other
notorious all the world that the cesson he demanded
was beyond aye vastly beyond the value of the ndemntes
we had right to ask
The honorable chairman of the Committee Military At
fairs tells day that he has asceane the date of the let
ter from Gen. Scott Government in which the sugges
ton made that in certain event troops viii be
ary be added to the army That letter he says is dated
far back the 18th Of September and suppose the extract
he has read from it nothing than the suppressed part
Of the Generals official letter of that date in which he recounts
his victories is the part of that letter marked by the ase
risks suppose II is clear then, from the statement of the
honorable chairman Of the Committee Military Affairs that
Gen. Sc1tt has recommended to the Administration of
this country, any department OF this Government the
passage of these bills raise thirty regiments for the
He has made such proposition upon his head of the
responsibility of these rest must rest the
heads Of those who have suggested it. Although the Pres
dent has generally recommended bis message increase
of the army he has not told how many regulars how many
Volunteers how troops OF all kinds, should be added
TO the army Sir Gen. Scott has desired such
Of the forces in Mexco it could only embarrass and
distract him in his position at present. however useful such
addition might have been before he left Vera Cruz and pene
aed into the interior Of Mexico. At this time these
would add $1,000 mouths to be fed in Mexico.
Sir is consistent with the known character Of this great
captain 10 ask for troops than be uscuy employed
the service Of the country Before he left this place Tor
Mexico with him. observed to him that when
he arrived in Mexico he would very formidable enemy,
and that he might perchance be defeated the difficult
tain passes Of that country He smiled and replied to my
observation " Sir give column, granite column, of
American regulars consisting Of 1000 5000 men, and
will whip any Mexican army that be brought into the field
il il should rain Mexcans for week" That the fixed
deliberate opinion Of that distinguished commander at that time
Well s when he fighting the battles Of Contreas, Chu.
rubsco, Chapuepec, and Moline del Rey, it really seemed
il il did rain Mexicans for about week. But he vndi-
Gated the opinion he gave Of the powes Of American soldiers
by the brilliant victories which he gained in those
able and glorious battles He entered the city Of Mexico
he tells you, with army Of less than 5000 men.
Let look little into the history Of this extraordna-
~ campaign after Gen. Scott departed with his gallant little
army from Vera Cruz and led il the interior Of the
mys country Let the comparative amount Of the
American and Mexican forces that engaged in those bat
ties which fought previous 10 the entry OF the American
army into the city Of Mexico II will show that there
no necessity whatever for such increased force be added
10 the army of the United States
The first great battle after the capture Of Vera Cruz
that Of Ceuo Gordo.
The commanding General in his despatch to the Secretary
of War, says;
aOur whole force present. in action and in
$500 the enemy is estimated At $4,000, About
prisoners 5000 stands arms and 43 pieces Of
tlcy taken. BY the accompanying return, regret to
find loss than at first supposed, amounting, in
the days, SO officers and 1913 all ASH Of whom
60 killed The enemys loss is computed TO be from
1,000to 1000"
or the battle, sir, in which our army engaged
against the Mexcans the General speaks in his despatch Of
the 18th September, from which read the following extract
"Th army has been disguised than surprised that,
by sinister process the part of certain individuals