Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-08-12

now he had before him the returns Of the Secretary Of War;
made IL December ls45 which showed the army under the
establishments which they proposed to reduce it.
consist Of O40 men, rank and file, and s6l6 mem officers
included And in addition there eight companies
az artillery this regiment of mounted femen of 1871 men,
and this company Of engineers Of 100 men, That he would
answer the gentleman the army Of the chairman Of the
Committee Of Ways and Means Laughter.
Mr. HARRISON said the whole amount Of the army in
its different corps, after the discharge Of those who
tisd 10 be discharged under the existing law would be 1866
This was shown by report in Executive document No u.s.
communicated to the House the 18th July.
Mr. VINTON said il always the that there were
vacancies to be filled up These estimates based the
supposion that these vacancies would be filled to the num-
Der of forty in each company. If gentlemen would
look into the bill they would find item in it providing for
enistmens matter Of The estimates were on
the suppoon that the companies would be filled up as the
War Department authorized to fill them by enlistment
For instance here the estimate Of the Commsary Gem
era of Subsistence who matter COURSE estimated Tor
the number of persons authorized under the bill it
Stood with the exception Of those officers who received
mutations for their ratons But instead of the whole number
Of the army being but 6000 as the chairman Of the Com
miee on Military Affairs had stated was he had before
said exclusive Of officers 1881, including employees and all
persons connected with the army. The Commssay Cen
era in making this estimate had evidently fallen into
with respect to the rifle regiment Of 400 The
Committee Of Ways and Means had asked estimates from the
Secretary Of War; based the supposon that the act of
18th May, 1885, should be repealed The Commissay Gem
ea Of the War Department seemed suppose that that would
"
subsequent to the law of 18th May ls46to ga in the
company and had put down the number Of the regiment
1855 whereas the repeal Of this act Of May 1896 would
not touch this rife regiment That remained at lsi men
and The army consequently would be 400 500 larger
than provided for by the estimates which had been sent IN to
the committee. A
Mr. Bolts said he had read the letter Of the Secretary Of
War this morning, who thought it would require 5000
men additional TO protect the country had acquired from
Mexico during this Now you took 200 men from
the army provided for by the Committee Of Ways and Means
he desired to know what would be the remnant Of the army
and how much il would be reduced below what before
the According the geniemans estimate, the army
would number something like 5000 under this bill.
Take 5000 from them for the territories, and would
leave but 1900 He asked the gentleman Il ne would have
thus reduced the army before the war and if ne would not
why should he reduce thus now He asked that the COM
muncation from the War Department be read.
Mr.. VINTON, (contnuing) That could be read after
he through In reply to the gentleman he would say,
if 5000 men required in Mexico and California would
leave, matter of course about 5000 the DISPOSE
ton Of the War Department for the protection Of other parts
in the United States He had not the communication
which the gentleman REFERRED but if 5000
qured for the protection Of New Mexico and California then
he would be disposed to give those territories back again. If
5000 required for their protection and to carry out
the guarantees Of the treaty. must involve the Government
in annual expenditure Of least $4,000 600 protect
these worthless territories and if that the truth Of the
important for the country to know that this New
Mexico and California to saddle this country-to say
nothing of the debt the had brought upon usaccodng
to the chairman Of the Committee Military Affairs, with
annual expenditure of 100000.
Mr.. Bolts. According 10 the Secretary OF War.
Mr.. VINTON. Well according to the Secretary Of War
Now, il that the case, better far for this country
to give these territories up once and beg Mexico to take
them back
Mr. DICKEY explained that he favor Of the bill
ported by the Committee Of Ways and Means reduce the
army what il before the war; and Of making of the
estimates based that supposon but he should be for CIV
ing discretionary power the President of the United States
10 enlarge the number of the companies to be employed
~
restrict the aggregate number what proposed this BILL
At the proper time he intended to propose an amendment to
that effect.
Mr.. VINTON said experience had shown that discretion
thus vested positive law He not for giving such
discretion If there any discretion of the kind let
the Department after and Congress would judge whe
her it should be given If discretion conferred the
army would be carried up to the maximum of the authority
conferred upon the President Of the United States Now he
did undertake decide how many would require
protect New Mexico and California, but this much he did
know if it should require any thing like the force that
stated be estimated by the Secretary of War;
miserable bargain we had made in getting this country.
He had heretofore stated the facts which these estimates
were predicaed, and which the bill was based AS mat
ter of course the committee would have them all before them,
and they would hear what gentlemen had to as TO the
propey Of the increase Of the army beyond what pro-
posed in this BILL The Committee Of Ways and Means could
not have desired undertake fix what should be the mill
ay peace establishment Of this county but they had acted
under the pressure Of circumstances The session far
advanced and its end, that possible that
they could have INDICATED themselves before the country
they had neglected to report bill The very fact that they
almost in the last hour of the session. and that the
consideration of this bill just begun showed that who
ever had been ady the Committee Of Ways and Means had
not been in haste.
Mr.. McLANE inquired il the gentleman meant 10 make
the necessary amendments in this bill provide for add
onal force either by refusing repeal the act referred to in
the I'd section Of this bill by providing additional eg
mental force He made the inquiry because he proposed
the chairman Of the Committee Of Ways and Means any
member of the Military Committee did not himself offer
such amendment in lieu Of the second section Of this BILL
Mr. VINTON replied that the Committee of Ways and
Means furnished with estimates which would enable
them to gil up the bill the basis Of hundred to
the company they also furnished with estimates which
would enable the bill to be filled up the basis Of sixty -four
men to the company and the bill, il STOOD
the basis of forytwo the company. But, add
tonal regiments matter of course, the Committee of
Ways and Means had no estimates.
Mr. GENTRY. What would be the aggregate number Of
the army supposing the companies remain sixty
Mr. VINToN. The Commissary General Of Subsistence
estimates 49, lis, exclusive Of officers that oil the
military establishment including employees and all connected
with the army. Exclusive Of officers, the basis 100
men to the company the aggregate number would be
and on the basis of AZ, adopted in the BILL it would be
1881.
Mr. ToOMBs, said that he had proposed in the Commit
tee OF Ways and Means reduce the down TO the
establishment II existed before the Mexican war; which the
committee had agreed TO. They had accordingly reported
section to repeal the act Of May 49, 1885, which gave the Pre-
dent discretion carry up the number of in each
pany to one hundred to reduce to sxtyfou in his
s..1 Al