The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-07-16
IN CONGRESS OF THE u. STATES
FRIDAY, JULY IA, ls4S.
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,.

FRIDAY, JULY IA. ls4S
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,.
The journal having been read
Mr. GOGGIN rose to a correction OF the journal, which
neglected amendment by Mr.. CABELL TO his PROPOSE
ton to change the hour OF converting the House in the
morning.
Mr. Bolts asked the unanimous consent OF the
House to move the consideration OF the Senae amend u
the act of last Congress providing for the prosecution OF
the Mexican war, and for other purposes" and the
thereto reported b from b Is INTEREST," demand
ed prompt action upon this bill; tor II II should not go
through both houses between this and next Tuesday
from forty 10 fifty Of the mos, M omce H. o. co"d
not imagine greater injury to the public service than
the delay OF this bill Having for several days past made
the Committee on Military Affairs felt that their duty had
been discharged; and if the bill not now taken up
he should make no further effort in the matter
No objection being made, the SAID amendments were
taken up and reported by the Clerk
MIR JONES of Tennessee said he was opposed both to
the repeal and the suspension OF the law The state OF
feeling in the House at the time the original bill passed
was such that it could not have been carried without the
provision that the number OF the general officers OF the
army be reduced to that had at the commencement OF
the war 1t becoming quite common thing to legis
iae here not for the country, not much for the ad
vantage of the public service for Individuals to create
Offices and continue in office, where they are not
tons TO cease. He considered the amendment now
proposed by the Senate to suspend the operation OF
the law reducing the number OF the army officers as
proposition to continue men IN office, not because the
public service required them, but simply because they
desired to be continued in place Even in the amend
men itself, was provided that It vacancies occur they
shall not be filled; and this 10 his mind was evidence
conclusive that these offices were not required for the
service but merely for the benefit of those office He
had not himself the slightest idea which OF these general
officers would be discharged left to the operation of the
law and it might be difficult and responsible duty on
the part of the President to determine between their
claims; but it duty incident to the high station to
the constitutions and he doubted not that it would be
discharged to the satisfaction of the country, if the law
were allowed to remain as it now stands
MIR BOLTS now addressed the House at length, eX-
planning the reasons for the several amendments
inended by the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr.. BOYD said, when the war with Mexico began,
one major general and two brigader generals For the
purposes OF war; doubled the Misunderstanding care
the time, to provide by law that their number at
the close of the war should remain the same the
beginning Two months ago the House of Representa-.
act repeating the proviso OF the law of 1885,
making this reduction. The Senate has amended our
BILL and provided that the action of the President this
matter shall be postponed till the fourth day of March
next The Military Committee of the House propose
non concurrence in this amendment and in favor of
confirming in their places all the general officers OF the
army.
Such was now the condition of the first section of the
bill He need not stop TO sayo those. at least who have
observer COuTSC-tudI
tanning men in Office who have service to perform.
He never would be found voting for the continuance OF
office simply for the benefit OF the incumbent The
next proposition of the Senate was to retain in the service
till the 4th of March next list of officers named in the
secon-sixty in number; and if add the three
general officers proposed to be retained by the first sec
lion, have the number of seventy officers to be con:
nued in the SERVICE having not particle Of service to
perform.
The bill involved important considerations, and he
trusted the House would give it their serious attention
He could not allow himself to tolerate legislation for
Individual advantage, without reference to the public
services and admitting to others the same measure OF
integrity which he claimed for himself, he could not
think that any gentleman who would look into wha,
would be the condition of the dsbanded army, as il
shortly will be, could easily make up his mind thai
to the service If they were not necessary before
the war, they could not be afterwards, unless the
rank and file were increased, and it was not proposed
do that But it was proposed to continue the officers
without the men, The proposition arose from dsposi-
ton to provide places for who wanted Office There
might be individual Of hardship and wrong. under
the operation of the lawhe referred to cases of promo
ton OF officers from the old army to the new STILL the
OF hardship were not severe enough to authorize
a compromise OF the public good.
The whole question turns upon single proposition
Will you increase the standing army AT the close o.
this war, upon the disarmament now ordered, we shall
have entire regiment more than we had before the
he referred to the rifle regiment created for serving
the Oregon frontier. Let us examine into what is
soon to be military force, as compared with what
was before the war. Without going into Details he
stated that before the war the several companies com
posing the several regiments OF the army composed
OF fortytwo each. These companies increased
close of the war; provided by law that their
Der should be fixed at sixty -four prvates each instead
of forty-two, they numbered before the war Thus
much them the army was increased and such now was
the extent Of the peace establishment We have extend
ed frontier; but in than corresponding ratio
we have increased the number OF our army
Mr. B. went into calculation OF the present strength
of the army, resulting, in totals, as follows
Total number of rank and file sol