The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-03-09

Thumbs, V0ruaDG ONeISIONh ~ NA"S' | =
thrasonic Auakim, with an air that reminds
one of the giants chant in the table
Fe faw fun
| smell the blood of Mexican!
Dead or alive, will have some
Truly, Mr.. Chairman, can say, with the
poor young prince
Ny eyes are out,
Even With the looks of those bloody men.
OF such cheap stuff as this are chiefly made
the self-pufled "citizen-soldier,' pseudo heroes
of this Mexican war, whom blinded party
zeal permits to usurp rank and honors dehleu
to the wiser and better men, whose courage
and skill, and heroic self-devotlon, have ena-
blcd the adventurers who have suppiahteo
them to reap q transient harvest OF false glo'
nv, that as i'll becomes the wearers as borrow
ed plumes the jackdaw. Brute courage IN,
deed, these doughty paladins may haVe
see no reason why they should not. hski'ie
tLon,solvos thew risk little, and valuing their
own lives at nothing they estimate them al
Just what they are worth.
have touched upon point to which me
attention of the American people mas peeh ny
no means as strongly drawn rs IT'S lil'Pollanc,e
demands. l refer to the injustice "lln "non
tho officers of the regular army have peen
trnotcd, Not only have they been denied
tho promotion to which experience and faith
fnl service had entitled them, but 1t has been
,In stnd;ed effort of the Administration, and
the marty that sustains it, to deprive them OF
the credit which Justly belongs to them Tor
thc brilliant successes that have crowned our
military operations in Mexico, by asciblng
to the mere animal courage oil the volunteers
and new raised regiments, results winch were
in far greater degree due to the skill ana IN
teligence of the educated gentlemen OF the
REGULAR army, by whom the most important
nnGvcn,rnts we're directed and advised. lam
not disposed to question the patriotism or the
,olor Of the volunteers. The American PEG
nIe have sufficiently exhibited these qualities
d, IN other and less equyocal fields, and have
no donbt that they will again be displayed IN
still more heroic forms, whenever higher
motive and q worther cause shall demand
their exercise.
= But fear the noble sentiment OF patriot
+ ism has been too much alleged by other I'M
, nuises besides a sense Of duty 10 our country.
, What was there, in fact, to call forth any
t special enthusiasm of patriotic feeling! How
2 had our countrys honor been tarnished, save
! Inv the acts of her own rulers? What Amer
@ lean hearth had been threatened with deSola'
). tion What fields menaced with Mexican IN
q vaeion ? So far as the rescue Of our gallant
- ,rmv from the critical position in which 1t had
T. beon placed. not, as | believe, by any error
Y ot ind ament in the brave and wise man who
d led it, but bv the express, though unconstitu-
IS tional order of the Cabinet; so far as the pro
g lection of the country against the serious
e evils which, both as immediate ana indirect
Y consequences, would have resulted from the
t sacrifice of that army; so far as the eonduc'
- of the volunteers has been prompted by such
Is considerations, it has been em1ncntly praise
% worthy. But beyond this fear there is ut
;. tie that a Christian or a morallst can approve
N little that a wise statesman would deSifG II
,e cherish. II you subtract from the impulses
A. of those who have so eagerly rushed to the
t. field the hope Of military fame, and perhaps
S. Of political advancement rs It's consequence
the passion for the romance OF daheeF' 'h'
r. love OF daring enterprise, ana the expect"
= t;on of wild adventure in those strange ant
If distant climes, which the historians OF the IN
u fnrnal nxnlo;ts Of Cortez have made classic
% ground, you will, in too many instances, nave
e ittIo left hut that savage thirst Of blood, which
~ n;ghtepn centuries Of Christian teachings have
/, NOT vet been able to eradicate from the human
Il breast.
e But crcdtable as are our recent victories tf
Y, the bravery of our troops they are lar moro
e important to our national safety and rcnoWn
l. as furnishing to the world evidence that the
:. highest order of strategical talent exist
l. among us, and that our system OF mliitary ca
re ucation is able to produce as accomplished
he corps of officers as the best regulated Euro
H. pean professional schools.
e The disposition to withhold from the regu
n lar officers the praise and the rewards tt
n which they are Justly entitled IS not an accl
Al dent, not mere matter OF personal 1eellhS
~ with the members Of the present Cabinet bu
'9 il is one among the many evidences OF de
10 sion. which has been long entertained by {
!. certain party, to demoratt1e the army brcak
II down its esprit de corps, abolish the military
{ academy, and convert the military establish
y ment into an engine Of political corruption
d The army, as formerly organized, Is too con
) servative in its character and influence to SUI
- the views of the destructive school. Educa
ton, snbordination, discipline, permanent ten
T. ure of office. are formidable obstacles to tht
ne progress Of modern Democracyi nn'
IL among other "retorms," which will signallz(
lc the triumph of radicalism, will be the sup
L. prcssion of the school at West Point, rotation
II in Office in the military service, and the es
u tabshment of the principle that political sub
I'd servicnuy is the only route to military prefer
C. mcnt. The introduction of similar innova
G. lions into the navy is somewhat more difficult
Is but il is not impracticablc even there and II
ID ease a EuropeAn war should require an in
is crease of our marine, the oldest commodore
or NAV very probably find himself superseded b.
ut IA New-York pilot, or an amateur captain o
q a private yacht
oa know as little of the grounds on which thu
-. Administration has thought proper to TAX
NV, away onc-half the effective strength OF tn
Il. army in Mexico by recalling Its accomplIShe'
II. commander, as do those on winch the EA