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


vested with the power Of ensng upwards of thousand
regulars besides 500 volunteers supply the place Of
those who have not engaged for The wa-making in all
600 men, II you add TO that upon conecura estimate
suppose not FAR from the uthhye thousand seamen and
also engaged in the war; you win then have
neTca force, naval and military, amounting 10 10000 men,
If again. add TO that the proposed increase OF the army
by the whole amount OF these bills 10000 volunteers
and 1900 regulars, you will have OF hundred
thousand men besides the employees of cha
racer another following the an aggregate OF
at least 10000 AT this momen including the sailors
and marines and followers Of the army you paying and
feeding less than from SIS 600 to 65 900 This is
the Statements sir which, conceiye the Senate has to
upon this bill
Nj CASS. If the honorable Senator from Kentucky will
allow must repeat the correction which made the other
day and the time him the statement present.
ed but few minutes since repeat sir that the provision
for raising 10000 volunteers does not bear upon the
ton before Not will be raised dollar expend
ed unless state of things should happen which cannot be
reasonably anticipated and in such event prudence
qures that the Government should be enabled to act and to
call ont dee force which is the object OF that portion OF
the BILL Why the honorable Senator includes o. 600 seamen
and marines in his of the for prosecuting the
in the interior of Mexico cannot conjecture Surely
they will add nothing the force to be employed by General
Scott in the subugaton of the Mexican Government and eo-
pie repeat sir, the of the honorable gentleman con-
his considering the legal establishment and the aggre
gate force the thing. have shown the deduction 1t
necessary make from the former order to exhibit the
real of the latter after this is done the Senator will
find the force have stated of from 900 900 men
the which will be placed the disposition of Gen.
Sco and which is less by thousands than the force he
considers necessary to carry the plan OF operations recon-
mended by the Secretary OF War; The Executive therefore,
in calling upon Congress pass the bills under consideration
has had heest auhoythat of the Commanding General
himsslf--ior the amount Of force recommended.
Mr.. CRlrFENDEN. am well aware of the casualties
which the army the field subject and especially when
exposed TO such climate that Of Mexico which renders it
very difficult 10 know what portion of the troops efficient
and only stated that from the official returns there appeared
baA tr,M NJ
Mr. CASS, Tin his seat.) Forty three thousand.
MIR. CRlTTENDEN. And the regiment from Mchi-
gan, which the gentleman supposes will be very happy
hear the way besides The two bataons from Alabama
- N;ssssppi.
Mr.. CAss. VIII the Senator pardon me if interrupt him
one moment These twenty-five hundred men will no
than suffice to fill up the volunteer forces.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN. Still there would be left in round
numbers AZ, 600 men, together with the 5000 and
marines actually engaged in this war, making aggregate
force OF 600 men in Mexico Now what Is to be deduct
ed from this number OF the casualties Of battle and
of climate to which the gentleman referred cannot well
make calculation but startled at the estimate which
the Senator presents that oefourh of these be struck
down Why, that cannot be And, sir, the gentleman
must ecoect that under these inevitable casualties which
admit you have been all the time endeavorng to supply the
ranks of enlstments throughout the country Enlstments
have been continually going You can hardly take up
newspaper which you do not find notice of the sailing OF
detachment Of troops for Mexico Not week passes
in which vessel with soldiers does not sail from port
in the United States That has been the throughout
the war; Now is it possible that this devourng war con-
sumes men faster than you ship them thther' Why,
when ouneying this place there hundreds
Of regulars going from Newport the Ohio river and
the newspapers frequent notices OF the transportation OF
troops Mexico. We have been all the time diligently
cruing and will no, the deficit be supplied in that way
Another thing is be borne in mind Nearly the whole
OF those troops which thus dispatched have
encountered the casualties of the field The casualties
which battle brought upon the forces occurred before the ar
val OF these renfocemets The twenty thousand that
have gone there lately have not been engaged in single bat
tie. They arrived in the healthy They healthy
and robust tina, Is indeed true that twenty five
per of all these fresh troops have fallen under the in
fuence of the climate and disease No; trust not. We
have not less than 600 men, making possible deduc
ton besides those sick and temporarily disabled Is not that
sufficient force Mexico, sir, will be conquered in six
weeks and shall all know it ard admit it, The question
will then longer be about defensive lines, and about dpo
Macy and negotiation and treaty, but about the conquered
prize living our feet. Beyond all doubt the question will
then be- what shall do with this conquered prize - Sir,
San Luis Po,os and Zacaecas venture to say, will be
taken, from every account in less than six weeks from this
day. VIII Mexico then be conquered She is now con-
quered every body knows There is nothing left, then
but Queretaro Our conquests becoming spacious that
scarcely describe them by their proper and dare
say am not correct in the pronunciation and Quere
o Is spared only because there gmmes the last Pickering
light Of government which in the country There
the phantom of congress and government and Queearo
remains uncaptured not from any want of power but be-
you would there that nto something
Scott has been giving passports the legislators who coas
tue this government go safely what they call their
seat Of government This is the condition Of things in Mex
leo Surely, surely may safely that Mexico
is conquered.
Mr.. CLAYTON. have not yet obtained from the hon
oable chairman othe Committee Military Affairs the pre-
else information which sought did desire TO excite
discussion the question the of military force
present in Mexico but put the question whether mill
ay commanders in Mexico had recommended this measure
which called upon Inreply the inquiry
understand the honorable chairman Of the committee
that Of hem-General Scott-dd time during
the last year. write letter recommending that certain
the military establishment in Mexico should be increased
So 900 Will the honorable Senator tell the date
Of the letter
Mr. CASS. Il written aler the arrival Of its writer in
Mexico, but how long after do not know.
Mr. CLAYTON. After the capture Of the city
Mr. CASS Certainly; he distinctly aludes to that event
Mr. CLAYTON. II written then after the capture Of
the city Of Mexico There intelligence understand
from General Taylor that any additional forces requisite
Am right in the conjecture
Mr.. CASS. What did the honorable Senator ask
| Mr.. CLAYTON. Did General Taylor any occasion
recommend such an addition TO the mlitIry force
Mr.. & IS. understand the Senator inqunng whether
General Taylor had made the recommendation Gen.
Scott have told all know about the recommendation OF
Genera Scott and do know whether General Taylor made
\ a similar recommendation.
\ Mr.. CLAYTON. There is nothing, then, from General
\ Taylor lie has m1de recommendation TO add TO the
troops in Mexico and, General scott the honorable
chairman able inform that time last year. he
alta nf If