The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-02-05
The Reception OF Generals Qultman and
Shields by the Virginia Lsgislature-Tns
Volunteer System or America.

Volunteer system OF America.
From the Richmond Times, Jan. 30
After the gallant officers who had been made the
guests Of the State had been received by the House of
Delegates on Saturday, they were conducted to the
senate chamber, which, like the House, was nearly
Mr. Speaker Cox received them with very happy
and eloquent address rendering them al and EACH an
old Virginia welcome.n
Major General QuIrMAN commenced his ackno wledg.
ments by remarking, that to himself such
casion this surrounded by the conscrpt fathers of
this honored old commonwealth, was sufficient assn
that he had done his duty to the best OF his
ability and performed such services to the country
In his power II should crafty tho ambition Of
any to receive the of the SeSate Of
renowned Virginia. and be assured it's welcome was
the tribute of the heart, aud not formal ceremo
NAL This generous tribute from Virgna's great heart
created emotions In his breast which 1t almost i'm
possible for him to restrain repress He felt here the
beating of the great mercsn puse-he had felt 1t beat
in battle IL this which had constantly forced
on with success. The American feeling here, and all
ever the country had made armies, whether volun
teers regulars invinchle 10 pleasant for him to
une with the Speaker In the character he had justly
given the American army 1t deserved the praise OF
the country
Gen c. said hs knew what were the tolls of civil life
He thought soldiers we're apt to receive too much honor
at the hands OF their eountrymen in comparison with
those who had charge of free institutions by
of which our army enabled to aoheveits victories
He could not however, hear encomiums upon the Anne
ricsn army without giving his that they
deserved There him officers of all grades, to
whose distinguished gsllantry he willingly testified
But it the rank and file of the army whose stout
hearts and strong had enabled them To do their
ana to bring nome the OF laurel from the
fields where they had fought In respect said Gen
our army demanded the CONCENTRATIONS OF the philo
sophie and Chrstau satesmsn He referred to the dis
cplins md suoordnation which 1t had where dis
played As an officer, who had principally commanded
that description OF gensry supposed to be
the he bore testi-
mopy that they had conducted themselves the sol
diers Of frss aud Christian country. Gen Quitman
concluded BY declaring that the recollection Of this
scene would ever be proud one to him
Brgader General SHIELDS next rose and ssid, all he
could offer his ecknowledg ments. He could not
I..sfa
thusastic, but Virginia welcome. He appreciated it
for many reasons, but principally for he
adopted Of our country, and he grasd to tes
fy his devotion to this great countrythe asylum Of
his countrymenand grsded that he had been able to
seal that devotion with his blood. He esteemed this
welcome a compliment TO adopted citizsa and an
approval of his devotion to the country. He thought
there was great and high moral in this. This nati-n
gives free liberty to aopens the rights the privileges
and the honors Of this great republic to all of every
tion only the battle field but In civil advance
msnt md Improvement 1t was astounding the world
by its energy and success at home The same energy
which carrying the republic into the far west lived
around us anu on .ns en . .pSAS y. 'no
their In various battles frequently to death and
always victory he had witnessed their bravery and ell
cenoy But after all he must say that it to the bk
n science derived from the young officers of the regular
army that the volunteer army chiefly for its
He wished to do the regular army justice. bs
cause the opinion he Expressed was practical truth
forced upon him on the fields Of foreign The ciu
Zen soldier possessed bravery sallanry enthusiasm
perhaps little impetuosty 1t was just that the
ton should be- proud Of citizens who sent to the
Acid by their their sisters and wives and this
itself was spectacle which must astoaish the world
The other day. in Washington, he had seen . distn-
guished foreign officer, just arrived from Europe
who belonged to the Austrian service q Prussisp
by and educated at the military institution
in Europe This officer told him he had been sent
by that military school, with letters to the President
and he directed to ascertain what eleme that
Ia that make men constantly victorious-sganst
odds under all circumstances in every field. They
he said, trying to work this problem Ia
Europe At the school In Berlin the military &C.
pera had recently laid down before his class the old
he told them which had been proved in the OF the
French revolution and Napoleon But, he observed it
seemed now that soma new element was at work. and
these principles had bster be investigated. There
country in the West which had been supposed to be
wholly unmtary, that without preparation, had assa
ed u nation of millions, in country possessing
the natural aefspces in the world referred to
the efforts of France in Africa and Of Russia in the
Caucasus their sstul issue
the vast superiority of the ssssng powers but said
the military instructor this republic gets at oncs into
and Ia ell its battles whether its army
fights in open field or 10 sfle, or in assanx dsfencss
laying siege to Notifications And the officer
spatched to America to find out If possible, what
the secret Of 1t all Gen Shields said he thought he
would be in this country long time before ascertain
ed the secret. 1t In institutons-it was the
principle of government, which makes every ndivi
dual proud Of his liberty acknowledging superior
amongst his couptrymen 1t this feeling In the cti
zen.oder aided by the discipline of the regular army
which had made us victorious Gen s., in conclusion,
returned his hearty thanks to the Old Dominion.
Capt. MAeRuDER, In returning his thanks to the peo
pie OF his native State for their generous welcome said
II EXTREMITY difficult for him express his feelings
He wholly unaccustomed to such scenes; but he
stood amongst people of noble generosity, acknow
least appeal to his fair countrywomen around him to
hold him excused He had been separated from his
tive Stats for many years When he left the University
at the of seventeen hs went directly to West Point
and since he graduated there, had been sta
tons But he had ceased his devotion to Vir-
GINA and it gave him high grst cation to say here in
the STATE OF his birth tina wherever he hsd been, In
honor in part at least the draft Of her ustri-
upon their The of his carly
life had always been wildly present to him. and not
forgotten the battle fields to which his duty had
called him. The soldier. said Capt. NJ, truly say,
that the happiness Of domestic life appears such
bold relief as when he is SUFFERING With wounds or disease
grated at this kind reception because tins Legislature
had At 10 associate him with their dstD guished
guests The country could justly say to each OF them
We'll done, thou good and faithful servant Their
gaantry had bscn pre- eminent that he proud to
stand here hia native SOIL aud honorshly
knowedged In conclusion be declared that wherever
his duty might constrain him Co. and under all cir
he would never forget that he was son Of
and citizen Of Virginia.
Lieut. sELDEN, with almost overpowered modesty said,
that sfer the eloquent remarks that had been se he
could not be expected to touch matters But
he must confirm What had been said by Gen Quitmsn
Of the good aud humanity our men; hAv-
ing repeatedly them give their drop water to
wounded Mexcsps when they knew that II the thing
had besu reversed the steel would have been their por
ton For himself hs could only say that If his services
had been sufficient merit this high compliment from
the Legislature of Virginia, he felt that he had done
somethipgi Auo IL "ouo atnpy CRAFTY DIS ambition, IT,
ia the various acoas in which he had served he had
been able to adj single wreath to the honored chape
of the Old Dominion
Capt BLASpING, Of the noble South Carolina regi-
ment, came ward with peculiar grace and modtsy
aud said 1t was impossible that he could receive this
generous welcome intended merely for himself; he
knew was intended for tbs unfortunate regiment In
which he had served and for them he received It with
profound qualification He received H. too for his state
South t,aroliuisn could tail to ind well
In Virginia. for States peculiarly con-
nected together IN feeling It appeared to him that T.
war with Mexico had solved OF the problems Of
eur government 1t had b en- believed by repub-
csn statesmen that large standing armies hostile
TO public liberty This war had demonstrated that with
small army la peace, the republic could easily raise
large aud efficient volunteer army for war aud there
re, that large standing armies unnecessary The
services OF the volunteer troops had established this
great inciplea principle be declared for which he
would willingly have shed his blood Cspt closed by
again expressing his thanks for the truly Virginia vel
coma which he bad received He said that when the
Virginia regiment should return with the distinction
which he knew il would aohieye his State would be