The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-07

to the President the power of calling 80 900 voun
eers it, in the exercise OF his discretion, they should be
deemed necessary.
The senator from Michigan seemed to think-though
be not very distinct on the subjec-hat these regu-
lars much better than so many troops enlise Tor
the time and called volunteers Why Both were
subject 10 the same laws, engaged Tor the term oil
serviceto some extent consist perhaps of the same
erias Why then they be regarded better when
called regulars, than when styled volunteers? Was there
anything in the name Not at all The volunteers
would be just as effective if they were called regulars
Their obligations to their country would be strong and
as sensbly felt There can be difference as to their
capacity 10 render in their preparation II the
President were OF opinion tomorrow that there was an
exgency which demanded it, he would be authorized to
call for 10000 men, and expenses would be incurred
until they were mustered into the public service But
pass this bill for ten thousand regulars and there would
be at from i've to six hundred officers under pay
and each OF the men under pay fast enlisted Not
SO with volunteers:
Again, which description of force was most easily
raised The volunteers, of course. There some
thing in the name OF volunteer that appealed TO the
hearts OF their born countrymen with force much
greater than that which belonged TO any argument APP
peal employed by the officer recruiting for the regular
my II expedition the object, the volunteer
undoubtedly the force which should be raised. The call
ceved there about the Of October and the governor
to give opportunity to those living distant parts of the
State to participate in the honor of serving the country
gave as long period possible for the rendezvous
about twenty days; and by the LIST of November two
full regiments embarked at Louisville for the seat of
How long would take, he asked TO enlist two regiments
to his own State, and answer that question for himself
He did not believe that regiments of regulars could
be raised in two Years in Kentucky Yet two regiments of
volunteers were filled within thirty days. and ten
dozen captains away with tears in their eyes, be-
cause there could not be assigned them places in the
my Such men went to the with spirit, courage
and ambition They had homes to which TO return and
trusted to bring back good names That was the feeling
that sustained them, and enabled them, with but little
discipline, to accomplish everything in the field Foa
the which he had urged he therefore hoped that
the amendment would be adopted in preference to the
original bill
He had already said that he had no captous spirit about
this thing at all and he had avoided any allusion to par
ties. He did not wish TO revive the controversy about
Ithe The question before them did require it,
Supposing the war TO be iustther desires of
conquest unimited-in his judgment, they had
already force capable of accomplishing everything He
was therefore opposed to the additional expense and the
exposure Of additional thousands of his countrymen to the
dangers of that climate Let the President have the power
OF calling Tor thirty regiments OF volunteers and he
have them immediately, if he believed that they
needed 4+
Mr. CASS said he had but one remark to make. The
honorable senator from Kentucky, with emphasis not
to be mistaken, talked about the moral effect to be pro-
duced by the presence of the army in Mexico. He (M
CAss) had used the ''mora effect" but he did not
say effect of morality He did wish to produce moral
effect, contra distinguished from the physical effect of
their military operations. There nothing at all in
the remark to justify the little slur of the senator and
surely il must have been apparent TO all, that it
great deal better to ntimdae than to kill the Mexcans
to produce that moral effect; and in reply, he could only
say that he intended to vote for the bill because pro-
vided such augmentation OF the military force in Mex
would be likely to produce that desirable effect
The senator could hardly expect statement of the force
necessary, to be given with mathematical precision
Mr. CRITTENDEN only wished to know how the
senator would employ his additional force?.
Mr. CASS said he would answer the senator with
great deal of pleasure They might suppose case in
which nation might sit down every, man, woman, and
child, to be killed. But has been so, and never
will be SO, in Mexico The national obstinacy will stop at
point far short of this He believed that they must oc-
cupy the posts which they had taken, and extend their
lines of communication far necessarythe great
roads to the east and to the west There other great
positions also to be occupied. No man could point them
out who was not well acquainted with the topography of
their country. There We're positions that appeared
very advantageous; among these would appear to be
Querearo which stood at the junction of the Joint line
of communication between northern and western Mexico
and it would probably be difficult TO open the communi
cation between that region and the country held by
u.s. As he remarked yesterday, the rich mineral region
Of Zacaecas and San Luis must also be taken and held
They must either withdraw, extend their operations
and remain inactive. The former out of the
question, and the latter would leave interminable
atlons wisely indeed, as circumstances might require
but rapidly as the amount of force would allow.
With respect to the remarks of the senator with refer
ence to the volunteers and regulars lie had only TO saw
that he believed that mixed force was by far the best
He believed that the regulars submitted better to whole
discipline and restraint than who elected their
own officers The honorable senator himself knew the
fact from his own experience. The enlisted soldier be-
came part of the army-part of great machine; and
the principal duty he had to learn the duty of obed
ence. All this was known and felt by every man who
became recruit in the regular army Not with the
volunteers. The honorable senator here did not voun-
teer with any such state OF eeling-nor, indeed, could it
be so, from the composition Of both officers and men.
They formed OF the very best material country
afforded They had gone into battle and had fought, he
about to say as men had fought before They
would do stern duty to the utmost long they
kept in motion; and would do it with the more aacrty
the danger was the more pressing But the moment
they stopped then spirit of dissatisfaction would begin
spread increasing the the longer they remained
stationary The duties of the camp and the post of po-
lice and all the routine of stationary service, ik
to them and, for that reason, they yielded
readily to the diseases Of the climate than the regular
soldiers Every knew that the strict subordnaton in
which the regular soldier was held, contributed essen
TALLY to the health and efficiency of the army
Mr.. CRlTTENDEN said he did not wish 10 continue
the discussion, much less controversy on the subject
He confessed that he did not yet understand exactly what
the meant by the moral effect which he intended
TO produce Had the senator sat down. and accord
ing any rule of philosophy calculated how many men,
with by their side. necessary to produce the
moral effect OF which he spoke how many men, with
in their hands, needed for the purpose
Did he not that if to be carried on mill
tary objects effected in that way, how completely they
under the moral influence of the Mexicans' There
they were fifteen thousand strong the heart of
Mexico with ten millions Of people Mexico had, there
fore, hundred thousand TO one; and therefore, in
produced it, must be necessary for the United States
send nine millions to Mexico 1t would certainly be
necessary TO do that in order to couneract the moral in
fuence OF the present Overwhelming number of Next
cans No, oit not mere numbers that produced
"nora effect" Ii was the battles of Buena Vista, Chapul-