The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-04-11

| bates upon applOpllaIlun OlllS LOT inc support
of the war of 1872, Will find that most Of the
opposition was based upon the ground that
the naval power should be augmented 10
meet the enemy on the ocean, instead Of IN
creasing the army for the invasion of Canada
But to pass to another point. / stated IN the
outset that, under existing laws, our force IN
Mexico could be increased to nearly $4,000
men. Now. sir, is this true? The honorable
Senator from Mississippi, the other day, said,
| that he did not so understand it. To settle
| this question | viii refer to the report OF the
Secretary of War.
| He says the twenty-five regiments Of the
regular army, rs distinguished from volunteer
force, when filed to the limit fixed by law,
would be 2S.SI4, exclusive of officers; but
the actual strength he says, Is now about q, :
533 il viii, therefore, require 1881 enlisted
men to complete the regular military establish
ment There are now in the service, en-
gagged for the war, says the Secretary. TWEEN
ty-three regiments OF volunteers, seven battal-
ions, and thirty-three companies not organ
lied into regiments or batta;onS; but the
rank and file Of all those, the Secretary thinks,
do not exceed 10000 men; and that to give
those serving FOR the war their complete or
ganizaton, will require an addition OF about
--3Vu llCu
The force in Mexico at this time, including
the regiments from Michigan, and the two
battalions on the way, Is $500. In addition
to this number, the Executive, under existing
laws. has the power 20 enlist upwards of 200
regulars, and to call into the field 12,500 vol
unteers. to serve during the Matchmaking in
all 65 POO 1.-THE 5000 seamen and marines,
also engaged in the war, be added, we then
f,soo avol an1
of "a, 200 men. If we add to this force the
troops proposed by this bill, lO,lO0 regulars,
we shall have an army in Mexico ofupwards
of 80 900: and If the volunteer bill is TO pass,
we shall have 4 force of upwards Of 100000;
and that 900, after the country has been viz
tually conquered by less than one-iourth OF
that number.
Sir. | can see no necessity for the force
contemplated by this bill. When the rcgi-
ments of the line, and the volunteer regi-
ments. are filed up, we shall have force am-
plv sufficient to prosecute the war "with IN
creased energy and power, in the vital parts
of the enemy's country"-and this is all the
President desires.
The Secretary Of. war says:
"Our further operations in Mexico must be
conducted in one of the three following modes
FIRST, to take and hold an indemnify line !;
to recede from all places and positions nov
occupied in advance of it, and cease from all
aggressive operations beyond that line. SEC
oND, to overrun the whole country, and hold
all the principal places in it by permanent
carrisons and, THIRD, TO retain what we row
possess, open lines Of communication into the
interior, and extend our operations to other
important places, Is our means and the pros
poet of advantages shall indicate, keeping
disposabe force always ready, within approach
able limits, TO annoy the enemy, 10 seize sup
pies, enforce contributions. and Illustrate his
efforts TO collect means and assemble troops
for the purpose of protracting the war"
The Secretary, after discussing the compare
tive merits of these mo les of conducting the
war, comes to the conclusion that the third
mode is preferable, and adopts it. Now, sir.
what force is necessary TO carry it out |
have examined this question with some care,
anil | cannot resist the conclusion that the
force now authorized by law is sufficient.
This convi ton has been forced upon my
mind nv the success; which La; li.herto attend
Ell our arms, and BIZ the despatch Of General
Scott. under date OF September 18Th, 1917.
General TAYLOR, at the battle Of Palo Alto,wiih
force of $500, defeated a Mexican force Of
6 OOO At Resaca de Ia Palma, with force
of ONLY 200, he defeated $500 MeXicans.
At Monterey. with 6,645 men. he stOTmcd
and took the strong fortrosses Of the city, and
compelled the surrender Of Mexican army
10000 strong. And at Bucnl Vista, with
1859 REGULARS ard volunteers. he defeated
Santa Anna at the head OF 10000 well-armcd
Nexicans General Scott, at the head of l.
600 men. compelled the surrender Of Vera
Cruz and the strong castle by which 1t was
defended. At Cerro Gor,lo. with an army
OF 800. he net and defeated a Mexican ar
nv of 1860. At Contreras, San Antonio,
and Churubusco, with S.491 men, he defeated
Mexican force Of 81 600. And with 7.l90
men. he entered and took the citylof Alexi-
co. defended byan army Of $4,000 MeXlcans
Now, sir, it seems to me that, after these brll-
liant victories, with force $1,000 less than
we can now put into the field, the force pro-
posed BY this bill Is unnecessary. But. sir,
what saws General Scott, in his despatch OF
the 18th of September, 1871? He says, that
with the force en- route and 1000 more, soon
to follow. he can hold the city Of Mexico with
garrison of 1900 men, against any attack
external. or combined with an Internal IN
;urrection. and have an ample surplus force
to occupy Puebla, Pcrote, Jalapa, the Nation
Al Bridge. the Paso de Obijos, Santa Fe, and
Vera Cruz; and, as a modification Of this
plan. he saws that, with total of 10000 men,
the principal mining districts of the country
NAV also be occupied, and 4 secure transit
qivcn TO cold and silver bullion which, paying
the customary duties, would cover consid-
cradle part of the expenses of occupation.
But this Is not all SIR General Sect further
suggests that to augment the army 10 10000
would enable it to occupy all the state capt.
tails and principal cities@to drive guerrilias
and robbing parties from the great highways
of trade-to seize into our hands all the rev
enues of the country, and to keePthe Central
Government in constant notion and alarm
until constrained to sue for peace Does the
President desire 10 accomplish more than
General Scott saws can be accomplished by
force of 10000? If he does, what is it J.: Is
it TO annililate the sovereignty of Mexico
and make her a dependent province OF the
United States? Such purpose has been
denied by his friends on this floor. What
then can be desired from the passage OF this