Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-07-20


policy of the country upon which Gen
Cass had not occupied position on both
sides. Once Federaist, now a "Demo-
crat )" when the question of the annexation
of Texas first came up he was decidedly OPP
posed to it when it was said the British
were going to take Texas, =" let them have
it," said he, "we do not want it." But
little before the nomination, on the 10th of
May, 1874, he wrote letter to Mr. Ilanne-
gan, in which he was for immediate annex
alton and for slavery too. He was against
annexation and for annexation against the
proviso and for the proviso; against protec-
ton and for protection against internal
Improvements and for internal improve
ments. With reference to the Wilmot pro-
viso, Gen. Cass was decidedly for it at first;
he was great provso man; and then at
the next session of Congress, when he found
it would not do for certain section, he
turned against the proviso, and in his letter
to Mr.. Nicholson said ga change has been
going on in my mind" and when the slave
holders demanded to be allowed to carry
their slaves to new territory, he says it will
greatly improve the comfort and condition
of the slaves if they were scattered over
more territory, and he was now great sla-
very man; and the gentleman from Misss-
sppi, (Mr. Featherston,) had just said he
was pledged to veto the Wilmot proviso. =
He was once for protective tariff, but now
opposed to all protection. The time was
when Gen. Cass voted for internal improve
ments; but he wrote an answer to a letter
of invitation to attend the Chicago Conven-
ton in his ighborhood-a letter Of four
lines, stating that he could not attend; as
at Cleveland the other day, when asked for
his opinions on internal Improvements and
the proviso, he said there was such crowd
he was afraid he could not be heard, and
therefore he spoke on other subjects Now
the Baltimore Convention declared that in
ternal improvements were unconstitutional,
and Gen Cass said, Amen he agreed to
every word in that platform. He was man
who had been on all sides of all questions;
man of no principle, no consistency, but
time-serving, vacilating, weather-cock
candidate, and that had secured his nomi-
nation for the Presidency. But he mrs }
thought his party now felt very much as
Father Richie did-very much like giving
it up. Had the Wing candidate ever vacil-
lated, ever changed his position, his princi-
| pies! No. They were laid down in the AL
lison letter, and were fixed as the everlast-
ing hills, having their foundation in Justice
and truth-based on the constitution of the
country, and upon popular rights-the en-
anation of sound head and pure heart,
it was impossible that they could be wrong,
or could change.
Gen. Cass was once great lover of VOL
unteers. He was a volunteer himself, and
was sometimes called the cold volunteer"
But now--it was on the records of Congress
and there was no escape from the put it
to gentlemen on the other side of the House
that at this session of Congress, on Decem-
Der Doth, in the Senate of the United
States, Gen. Cass introduced bill reducing
the pay of the volunteers FOR communication
for their clothing one-thrd
Mr.. Wick interposed but
Mr.Stewart declined to yield the floor, as
his hour was fast running away. He would
show gentlemen the bill here it was, as it
appeared Oh the records of the Senate:
In the Senate of tile United States De-
cember 20, 1917.
Mr. Cass from the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs reported the following bill,
which was read and passed to second read
ing.
"A bill to provide clothing for volunteers in
the service of the United States.
Be it enacted S'c.-That in lieu of the
money which, under existing laws, is allow
ed to volunteers as a Communication for
clothing, the President be and he is hereby
authorized to cause the volunteers to be
furnished with clothing in kind, at the same
rates according to grades, as is provided for
the troops of the regular army.
The bill provided "that in lieu of the
money" clothing in kind" be furnished to
the volunteers at the same rates according
to grade as was provided for the regular ar
my. Now here was a letter which he had
received from the Adjutant General, stating
what the allowance to the regulars was:
"ADJuTANT GENERALS OFFICE,
Washington, June Is, 1913.
" Sir: In reply to your inquiry of the
18th instant, l respectfully inform you that
the average allowance of clothing per month
to soldiers of the regular army is about
S2,35. enclose herewith copy of "Gen-
eral Order, No. TO-" current series i'm which
you will find specified the articles of cloth
ing, and their value for each year of the
term of enlistment.
Respectfully,
"R. JONES, Adj. Gen.
"To the Hon. A. STEWART,
House of Representatives, Washinton."
This S2,35 was to all grades, dragons,
artilery-men, &c; but by examination OF
the general orders" referred to by the Ad-
utant General, he found that the whole
amount of clothing for infantry for five years
was SII4,55 IL, which by computation,
it would be seen, gave 1871 per month to
the infantry, and no more. Thus it APP
peared that that this bill of Gen. Cass redu-
ced the allowance to the infantry volunteers
for clothing from $3.50 allowed by the act
of 1916, to ST. 81, the amount allowed to
the infantry of the regular army The
ULion,' it was true, and Mr.. Cameron said
the volunteers could have their option but
the language of the bill was express; no.
body could mistake it; it was that this
clothing in kind" should be furnished sin
lieu of the money which under existing
laws is allowed" Now could you find any
option therel The bill provided that cloth
ing, which cost 81 81 per month"; should be