Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-01-08
IN sENATE-wrDsrsDAy, JANUARY 5, ls47.
TEN REGIMENr BILL.

TEN REGIMENT BILL.
The Senae having resumed the consideration of the bill
to for limited time additional military force
Mr.. CRITTENDEN moved to amend the bill by striking
out all after the enacing clause and inserting the following
THAT the President be and he is hereby authorized should
the cxgenees OF the require her increase OF force
call and accept the services oil additional volunteers
exceeding thirty thousand may offer their services either
MS cavalry, infantry, raemen three years after
they shall have arrived at the place OF rendezvous, unless
discharged be raised and organized in the
provided for volunteers under existing laws
and to have the same pay, raon and allowances including
land scrip according to grades and be subject the
regulations and to the rules and articles of
"S,c 2 Ind be further enacted That where companies
of volunteers which may hereafter be in service
hereby authorized to discharge part OF the commissioned
officers leaving than three for sixty rank and file
the eompany and not more than two for forty rank and file
and where the company shall be reduced below twenty
and file he may discharge the whole company officers and
men, and ceve company of not less than eighty rank
and file in lieu of said discharged company Provided
thing herein contained shall require the President reduce
the officers or 70 discharge company if in his opinion, the
reduced companies can be again filled up by recruits.
see Ind belt fethei. enacted That where regiments
Of volunteers which now hereafter be in service
shall become reduced the President be and he is hereby
ozed TO receive additional companies OF volunteers for such
regiments Provided the additional companies, received
any egmen shall increase its numerical strength be-
youd one thousand rank and file.
Sec i. lind be IL further enacted That the provision in
I'd section of the act entitled An encourage enlist
and the hereby to include the recruits who
hereafter enlist for the first and dr
the regiment OF mounted rlHemen,
commissioned officers, musicians and prvates of volunteers
who may engage 70 serve during the with Mexico for
the term Of three years, as provided BY this act.
raised under thIs act and whose c service
expire shall be discharged within six months alter the
ratification OF a treaty of peace with Mexico"
Mr.. CRITTENDEN submitted substitute for the bill
(Which was published in this paper of yesteday proposing
authorize the raising of Volunteers instead Of Regulars
This amendment being before the Senate quote the
bate upon it from the official report, follows:
Mr.. CRIrTENDEN said: do not propose on this occa-
sion to than viii lie barely necessary explain the
amendment which have had the honor of offering to the
bill before you The bill which is under coisidera
ton for raising additional regiments and the bill lying
upon the table to succeed it authorizing the President to
ccp the services Of 10000 volunteers have severay been
reported from the Committee Military Affairs in accord
ance with the recommendation of the Secretary of War; and
supposed to be necessary meet the requirements and
exigencies OF the present with Mexico The bill
before ou sir proposes raise 10, 900 men, add-
lonal re2ments and what propose is give the Gov
eminent the Necessary numerical force, only changing the
form OF its organization from regular volunteer force
and de.ie assign very briefly which
duced me to adopt this
The bill before you for raising the regiments places upon
Congress the responsibility of declaring that, the pre-
sent existing circumstances is proper aud necessary
this force should be raised rs there any such present
sty perceived by the Senate of the United States think
not, sir We have from the Secretary of War discussion
OF various plans uon which has been suggested that this
war ought 10 be prosecuted The Secretary, in discussing
them recommends the plan which hc pre- e viz to hold all
those portions Of Mexico which possession
and, In addition to the force which would be necessary
compsh such PURPOSE to have active force raised not
with the view OF marching and coDquerlDg the whole
country, but with the view of being prepared make
sonal conques should circumstances require it. This is
his PLAN Now, is additional force necessary, would
X accomplish the designs OF the Secretary takca even
in their latitude This, sir would be question Of
very indefinite character indeed, experience had
IN some degree become practical And what
perience What has been experience in this war; and
what have been the results of the war
General Scott landed at Vera Cruz with force of about
twelve thirteen thousand men, considerable number Of
whom volunteers With this force he succeeded in tax
ing the strong Of San Joan de Uua and the city Of We
ra Cruz Pressing forward with his victorious army, from
Vera Cruz he entered the capital breaking pieces and
enng TO the winds, with force of less than 900 the
armies of Mexico in his triumphant General Taylor
with still smaller comparative force the battle Of Buena
Vista completely broke the power Of Mexico and
action would, NATTER sir how disproporionae in number
She American troops have been victorious And, sir with
what small amount Of force these achievements have been
| accomplished
General Scott, as have already stated fought all those di-
tngushed battles before the city OF Mexico and took the capt.
tai Of the country with Jess 900 men and General
Taylor, with not than 600 1000 men, the most
whom volunteers gained several distinguished
Indeed, General aylo with less 900 men, Santa
Anna with army 20, 900 strong aud that; too, not by
sudden surprise, not by sudden burst of vao
ment Of enthusiasm side and panic OF the other but
III hardlought battle, continued from the nc the
ting of the SUM- occupying in fact the whole of nearly
that not only the shield
Mexico broken and cast into the DUST but her Government
dispersed and almost annhaied BY conquerng my
She has army, and scarcely she be said
ernmcnt consists OF nothing than dsoreanzed fac
TONS And IL Mexico lies PROSTATE bef1ra YOU without
army Government, with here and there only body
guernas instead OF army TO oppose you what in The
Of Heaven, If tn is all that is left her do YOU want with
30 900 troops Sir since these conquess have been
achieved, what has been done Our army now repong on
the Rio Grande consists Of three four houyand regulars
Nay, viii give the exact number it Of 937 ieg-
lars At the battle Of Buena Vista you had but 200 or 800
regulars, all the volunteers. In place Of that army
less than 5000 strong, which constituted the force in that
portion Of the country upon that field Of battle you have now
sir force amounting in the whoe upwards of TO- 900
men, DO you want any more there
have already stated the force with which General Scott
Obtained poss ssion of the capital how is it with him now
s lie has been receiving additional endorsements almost
daily since that time and there is ampco AMI Vera
Cruz tog ther force amounting 10 -, Sc men, Ol Of
whom regulars, and the remaining ID O55 volunteers
These ements extracts made from the report of the
Adlutlnt General.
General SCOTS army has been almost rcb,d in number since
b. gained hose battles His force larger by 900 men than
WHEN be Landed Vera Cruz II this much stronger than
Tine when he the whole region OF TIE country
between ca Cruz and the capital and lie hold this
COUNT Nth The force with which he conqueted How
upon Tie c declared 10 US in official public documents
any Argument Ie found 10 prove The sy Of sending any
ufhcf icos there General Scott took possession OF The
Guy with 5000 men, and Of that whole region Of country with
not more than 1000; and now, when he has with him
52oOo men, VIVA; more be require Suppoe itrelucs
n mel W hold country does