Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-04-29

When should he should be prepared io but ne
would now only repeat that the gentleman from Alabama
mistaken when he complained that the number Of officers was
too great in proportion TO the number Of men.
Mr.. HOUSTON said the gentleman from South Ca-
rona did not present the real ISSUE he understood ~
which was contained in this BILL The gentleman bad spoken
Of the disparity Of the number OF officers and men IN the
army the United States when compared with the armies
Of other nations but he Supposed he were TO ask The gen.
eman from South Caroline il he would have been willing 70
increase the number Of officers If the war with Mexico had
taken place. he should be at no loss to determine what
that geneman's answer would be. That gentleman, ne
supposed, would not have been willing to increase Inc
number Of officers peace establishments but The ground
which he had assumed was that as they were there,
that they should remain The gentleman from Sosh Caro-
lima had stated that during the with Mexico subor
officers had been compelled to command argefvisioD
than belonged 10 their rank. Wonld the gentleman IRON
South Carolina be pleased inform the House why was
so Did proceed from the fact that there not 9TH
sufficient the field consequence OF the pmpeten-
Of some and the absence Of Others who, while ong com
missions under the Government of The United States, were
unable to serve the country in Mexico
Mr.. BURT remarked that every body knew that these ma
ioE Esnerassand brigader generals were in he hsd q
Mr.. HOUSTON proceeded Why were they to select
among these major generals and bgader generals that
they might retain certain number In commission and dis
charge the Itwas not fair but he had already argued
that branch Of the subject Why they TO retain general
officers and discharge the coonels lieutenant colones and
captains II brilliant services to be rewarded by reten
ton in the sevic why thus reward the and the
gmenta officers who contributed much towards achieving
the gores for which the general officers much honored
He asked the members of this House bring this thing home
He called the particular attention of each member Of this
House to the fact that each his district could put his hand
upon officers and in upon hundreds OF the best fighting
men that lived who had greatly distinguished themselves
in this warmaors captains eutenants and the rank and
fle-who all be discharged The more he investigated
this proposition the he ndsposed to agree TO it,
He would long he had seat on this floor, bring
himself to draw such broad distinctions between men lie
A.l. He fhaud
served well of the country He believed the bigade gene
ra also deserved well of the country But he also believed
that if the number of brought down the officers
should be reduced also.
Mr. JACOB THOMPSON rose TO question Of order
He believed the hour appropriated to the reception OF reports
from committees had expired, and therefore ne called for the
regular orders.
The SPEAKER overuled the point Of order. No such
limitation existed the gentleman seemed 10 suppose, and
the gentleman from South Carolina Mr.. HoIaEs) was en
tied to the floor.
Mr. HOLMES, of South Carolina, said when this question
first presented be really hoped that would have passed
without the slightest difficulty But the opposition to i was
too manifesto and the object Of ansferngt to the Committee
of the Whole the of the Union, It evident
by speeches be made upon it, ultimately defeat it, The
gentleman who had just spoken told the House that he would
put the back the establishment stood before
the war; and there gentleman who had spoken
in opposition the immediate passage of the bill who had not
shown determination subject the President to the aterna
tive of deciding between the two major generals and the
ton Of momentous Importance. When we were
about to upon this the act Of the 18th june 1916,
passed. providing that the termination of the war the
should be pso fucto reduced But the circumstances
existing then did exist Tomorrow, II Of the
ratification of treaty Of peace should come the would
be reduced by virtue of the law Of S46 without reference
the relation bear to the world Why, Tomorrow a
message might be expected from the President OF the United
States if had already come about the condition of Yu-
caian. The Yucatanese sent out 10 this country a
messenger and holding out their hands mPorng
our aid Would they permit that people to be exposed to
entire annihiation Did any gentleman believe that the
American people, after taking possession Of their ports and
their coast and preventing them obtaining whereby
defend themselves against the Indians would stand cod
by aud them sacrificed and given up destruction
But again, let this bill go the Committee of the Whole
the state Of the Union, and there it would sleep IN the
tomb Of the Capues Gentlemen knew it, Deny i as they
might they knew IT, This subject became important in view
OF the violent struggles in Europe Al time like this II
important that this nation, elevated she was by her recent
victories, should retain position to vndcae her honor, II
in the last conflict should be subjected 10 insult
and our seamen TO impressmen AT this Crisis when the
depths Of power Europe being broken up, an army OF
5000 men not sufficient 10 enable Us TO stand IN that
proud position which became and which made the admir-
ration Of the world.
But important this general consideration was, there
particular that deserved reflection. He
friend proessed friend the President but he
would not he the Presidents worst enemy, do what
bis pofessed friends this floor wished to do They want
to subject the President time Of great excitement when
Characters merits OF the respective
before the people in the high attitude Of candidates Tor the
Presidency, in which the President himself stoodat such
time they would subject the President the painful allerna
i've in obedience law TO determine which Of them should
be dismissed God him from such friends lie repeat
ed that he pfoessed friend the President but Il he
his greatest enemy be would not subject him TO such an
alternative Every consideration therefore, Of both general
and particular nature to forbid them from entering
the which had been suggested the position OF this
country, in view Of its foreign relations and generosity towards
in the high position in which the President was placed
urged them not TO send this bill to the Committee OF the
Whole, which would be to il the tomb Of the Capuets
Mr. KING, Of Georgia, thought this debate had gone far
enough They wasting the time Of the House Incl
dental questions they arose. and the important bills Of the
session making progress. The House bad occupied
much time this subject proper 10 devote TO H.
Therefore he felt bound to the previous question
The SPEAKER announced that the previous question, Il
sustained, would bring the House to the question OF the en-
grossment OF the bill for third reading
Mr. MCKAY desired the gentleman from Georgia 10 with
draw that motion give him opportunity 10 an
amendment. ["No, nol II the gentleman would consent
be would promise to renew IT.
Mr. KING said il the gentleman would il he would
withdraw the motion.
Mr. MCKAY thanked the gentleman from Georgia for the
privilege be had given bin TO attempt amendment Of this
bill ss came from the Committee Military Aairs Aher
the provisions Of the till Of 1885, and Of the
bin under consideration he said he going express
any opinion as 70 what ought be peace establishment fJr
this country on the ratification Of treaty Of peace with Mex
co though he believed that up and be determined
during the present session.
What he was about PROPOSE and appeared to him
TO be reasonable proposition not that the provo Of The