Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-01-15
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
CONGRESS AND THE WAR.

VIVA, will be the course that CONGRESS- will con-
slider necessary or eXpedient TO pursue in regard
% he further prosecution of the war into " the
,;,als /" of Mexico, has not been indicated by any
thing that has taken place in the five weeks which
have elapsed Of the Session of Congress. We do
MOI mention this a matter of surprise, much less
Of complaint A Congress, one-half of which con-
siss OF new Members, does wisely in acting with
deliberalon upon question of such magnitude as
this, in which not only the character of the coun-
Try and its own selEesteem, but possibly the desn-
mes OF this nation for all time TO come are involved.
The bin reported in the Senate, at the instance
OF the Administration, to add ten or eleven thou
sand Regular troops to the Army-which is to be
followed by bill to raise some twenty thousand
additional volunteers for during the warts under
discussion on its third reading in the Senate, and
we suppose will pass that body this week. It's fate
in the House of Representatives is not so easily
predicted. 1t certainly will not pass without a
good deal Of debate, and probably Of plain speak
ing on both sides of the House; the palmer the
better. We should doubt its passage also until the
object for which those troops are 10 be raised is
better defined than it has yet been nor until some
limit be SET 10 the vast enterprise Of conquering and
annexing'' all Mexico, so distinctly projected in
the annual Message Of the President.
There is matter of much more consequence to
The efficiency, and even 10 the subsistence, OF our
Army already in Mexico, than this adding of ten
additional regiments TO it; especially that,
far from wanting three or four hundred addition
al Commissioned Officers in Mexico, a great num-
1. Il. IN
Enlistment considered SO little necessary there
10 be returning home in considerable numbers
BY every vessel which arrives al New Orleans from
The Mexican waters. We refer, of course, to the
making the earliest possible provision for the def
cheney in the Ways and Means for paying the ex-
penses Of the war from now until the end of this
fiscal year. (30th June next.) The making this
provision has properly nothing to do with the me-
rits of the war. Great part of the expense which
il is 10 meet has been already incurred, and the
rest Of il and more too)i required by existing laws
Tor the pay, support and transportation of the Army
We do not agree with our friends in Ohio Whose
Resolutions we published in Saturdays paper TO
the literal extent of the last of those Resolutions
which protests against any further appropriation of
money for the war; though we do concur entirely
in the spirit of their resolutions taken together that
all appropriations Of money for the safety and pro-
per supply of the Army should be made, until il
IS recalled, or its operations suspended by the Ma
tional Authorities.
L may be proper also to suggest to our friends in
Ohio, or elsewhere that one of The circumstances
attending the very perplexing position in which the
President has contrived TO place the. country by
marching SO large army far into the territories
OF another Nation is, that il would require nearly
as much money, for the expenses Of the current
year, 10 retire our forces from Mexico should that
course be determined upon. as 10 maintain them
where they are. If an order were to be issued to-
morrow 10 withdraw the army, the expense of get
ting il home and dsbanding the redundant forces
would be great for the year to come as if it re.
manned in the field in active service.
Where the vast amount of money-say hun
dred millions Of dollars-that will be required for
the service Of the fiscal year beginning on the Is;
Of July, is 10 come from, passes our comprehen-
sion. That is thing for Congress and The Presi-
dent TO think of. The first rational step towards
raising it, would be TO lay additional sufficient
10 pay the interest and constitute sinking fund for
the redemption Of the principal; for which purpose
Zen millions Of dollars OF nett annual revenue would
not be more than enough.