Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-01-08

b: made by which your ermy will be i'll further
The regiment called for from the State of Michigan has no
yet appeared in the field other baaons ALSO one from
Alabama and the other from Mississippi from some cause OF
other have not yet been mustered into the public service
included in the calculation. These regiments adde's
To those which you have the legal authority send will make
force there about 60 900 strong Add these ten
and you will then have TO- 900 American soldiers beyond the
Rio Grande exclusive of those distributed Throughout the Uni
ted States at various posts, and in California and Ne Mex
Add again, to this estimate the number that is PROPOSED
raised by the other bill which has been reported to us
and you will have army Of from go 600 100 900 men
Sir all these troops be necessary? Does this
siare the ears of Senator's confess, for one that have
been greatly startled while reading the reports from which
have gathered these statements, at the army which
maintaining And another startling considr
oa which ought be forgotten or omitted is the enor-
cost OF every regiment told by those who have
entered into calculations the subject that the average
officers and men is nearly thousand dollars per man. This
subject becomes then, matter Of consequence
Suppose object be 10 conquer Mexico and
Necessary expense these regiments will add to our
nearly ten million dollars small item in the aggregate
expenditures OF such contest think therefore, for these
reasons that il highly necessary for determine whe-
Their oil these troops TO be raised and all this incurred
am perfectly willing TO meet every possible contingency
casually disease but confess foesee at present
any contingency which will justify this increase. willing
to authorize the President 10 call out whatever force he
require under such contingency may hereafter occur bu.
would not authorize that force be raised viii
ling lodge in the hands Of the Executive the power
emergency demand H. call out 80 600 additional men for
the and would have such force Of volunteers
Now not volunteers good have they proved them
selves Efficient regulars Is not Buena Vista bright
and burning evidence of their efficiency in the field They
be called out for the period Of service and
titled discharge under the circumstances and the
difference in cost great would substitute them therefore,
for these ten regiments of regulars and would accordingly
give power TO the President call the 900 additional
troops In case circumstances require the adoption Of such
In my view there is necessity for any thing else
than this to be done.
Gentlemen have appealed the authority Of information OBJ
a.
Why they here eposing in Washington and all parts
the country, if is not that they satisfied that the has
closed that battles 10 be fought aues
TO be Won They have given ample evidence, by the
bravery which they have heretofore displayed that they would
not leave the field of their victories if they fully
WINGED that nothing remained to be done There
who does not believe that the is at end There
may be few skmshes here and there with parties of guer
s but so tar armies concerned that will stand before
American forces they be again Mexico
This the opinion Of every officer have spoken with, and it
is also my opinion From all the facts to be gathered from
official reports come but to inevitable conclusion
viz that their armies broken pieces that the country
given to the control Of factions and that they
longer make head against You have army there
OF 49, 600 men, They capable going where they please
and staying where they please all the wide domains Of Mex
co therefore necessity for further increase of
force at present, if the conquest of the whole
country that contemplated but when it is to limited
saus only to which is proposed TO conne this war there
appears still less necessity for such increased provision is
with these views and with feelings Of captouncss from
no spirit OF opposition and disposition to the merits
conduct OF this war; but simply taking it asi that have
been induced to offer the amendment which have presented
whilst question the proprety of any additional force being
added 10 already large and increasing army Mexico
Mr. CASS then and rema, ked that he wished
rect into which the Senator from kentucky
had fallen; and having shown from the Of the Adu-
tant General that the number of under Gen Wool
only $780, and not $1,000, had been stated BY the Sena
tor, he was Interrupted by
Mr. CRTrTENDEN, who observed that he had fallen into
naccurscy in summing up the forces of Gen. WOOL on
account of which he readily admitted educono upwards
of three thousand be made from the
number which he had stated
Mr. CASS proceeded The Senator had taken one posi-
ion and coquenty supported it, which he begged differ
with hum The Senator seemed to think that lditonal
force was entirely esary after the country hal been
conquered But all experience showed they might gain bat
tie and ct possession Of country without being able retlin
IT. Portugal and Spain full of lessons upon this SUBJECT
TO march to the capital of country thing and then
to dfus the forces it, in various positions, order to
hold The people in subsection, another and quite differ
en Thing Our armies in Mexico had gained series Of Veto
res as bn liant in themselves honorable the national cha
racte But they TO break up mass, spread
themselves into various lie achments els, it would be mooss
bic TO hold the Mexican people 10 obedience.
They would be now exposed popular tumuls and liable
to be cut down by deachmenls and still the more the further
they would &c compelled TO march, Besides important
that the Mcytan people should be convinced by the eShbi
ton Of our overwhelming force that resistance the
question What we wanted TO produce moral effect
upon The people Of Mexco-to satisfy them of strength
and their weakness, and avoid fighting battles by showing
them that, il fought, they would certainly be gained by u.s.
IL was also important that the egimen now in The
held did not average than eight hundred and y men
to each which nearly three hundred short Of legal
establishment This bill would give than 1 500
men 10 the army The calculation Of the honorable Senator
was based the legal establishment Now, no legal estab
ishment can he kept FULL The reports Of the Adjoan Gem
cra show that there be deduction Than one
quarer leaving the force foot less than three ourt the
legal establishment This is The result of experience. Il is
not prohac Their FORE that the number of the regular army
IN Mckee can be much if at all increased but by raising
/ corps aud establishing recruiting rendezvous
The honorable Senator in all his calculations looks the
numbers the statute book the numbers the re-
turns The continually recurring casualties of battle, eli
ate and OF all The other circumstances which make
zartou are perpetual drain, which keeps down the force
Tar below The strength authorized by law.
With respect TO the cost the Senator himself be
under misrepresentation The Of regiment Of Infantry
was about $4,000 per II that all the ex
penses might be charged upon the solders-bounty nd
m deal staff, and quarermascrs staff but the cost
OF each regiment, Of infantry the he had stated
regiment Of Dragons OF which they had three some
thing Ike $780, 000 II he understood the Senator from
Kentucky Alright he proposed TO raise 600 the dis
ccaon Of the President he called by him when he
pleased 50 far regarded himself he I'M c. perectly
willing that should be left the discretion Of the Presidents
bat the demand Of the Senator that oil the force should be
composed Of volunteers brought up the old question He
ME T. had disposition TO do injustice to the volunteers
Far from it. No had higher opinion than he Of the
gaHtry and efficiency Of volunteers but the addition TO the
regular force which the bill proposed entirely justified
alike Of t;r,.