Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-08-12
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, lS46.
ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL.


resolved itself into Committee of the Whole the tn
Union, (Mr AsHmus in the cha) and resumed the con
sderalon OF the bill making appropriations for the support
the army for the year ending the 30h June, lS49.
MI. DANIEL, OF North Carolina, who had the foo
from the midnight adjournment yesterday, then proceeded
address the committee the general topics which have beer
the subjects OF discussion for past This speech
like those OF similar character that preceded it. is necessarily
deferred.
Mr.. BOTTS, chairman Of the Military Committee then
brought the House back the business before it. He said
that having but about forty minutes Of the time left him
which the debate must close he could not go at any length
into the subject which the House might perhaps remember
properly before it. viz the consideration Of the army APP
preparation bill Some day next week, perhaps, he should
succeed in obtaining the floor he might make speech
general politics, and have opportunity OF defining his posi-
on if indeed, required any definition, which he could
hardly suppose he stood to-day just where he had stood
the last twenty years.
As chairman Of the Military Committee, he would now en-
deayor TO state the circumstances under which the military
bill had been reported TO the House, and the attitude of the
Military Committee in regard to it, hwoud, he supposed
have been naturally expected that the committee whom
assigned the official charge Of the military affairs which would
require the action OF the House, that that committee should
have made their own estimates for the number of the army
and would have recommended such an establishment they
thought was proper and udcous for the country to retain
in time of peace The had been done was that
the House had recently received information from the Execu
tive OF the concusioa Of treaty Of peace with Mexico and
since then he supposed the Department had had oppou
nifty to prepare and furnish the necessary estimates the
committee Some two three weeks snce member Of the
committee had introduced resolution inquiry, asking from
the President certain information which required by the
committee enable them discharge their duty this mat
ter aHd it had been but two days ago that the had
been received had been read and ordered to be print
ed but it had yet been laid the tables of members
This morning, however, Mr. B. had by industry
eeeed in obtaining printed copy Of part Of the documents
the Presidents message and had given them
some examipation
And here Mr. b. must be permitted remark, with all due
thc oE a1I thA
opinion that committee had somewhat transcribed M proper
sphere and had taken the appropriate business of the Com
nee Military Affairs out of its hands, by proposing to
his House what should constitute military peace estabsh
nen for the country Mr.. b. had time felt disposed to
that the Military Committee be discharged from al further
consideration Of the business referred it. that thu honor
ble chairman Of the Committee Of Ways and Means should be
'omplmented with pair Of epaulets. laugh He was
certainly entitled to brevet
The Secretary Of War had furnished to the Committee Of
Ways and Means his estimates for year on the basis
me hundred men to company The committee had called
him for further estimate the basis Of sixty four to
company, and also for third the basis Of forywo
company; and having obtained these several emaes,
he chairman, without waiting to ascertain what the
ews OF the military committee, into the House and
presented bill founded the hypothesis Of forty twoprivaes
o a company
Mr. B. here went into statistics as to the number Of reg
in the different branches of the army, and then
N to say that if the House should adopt the bill om the
Committee of Ways and Means, and authorize army with
With vastly extended frontier reaching from the Rio rande
nd including the Territories Of New Mexico and Cali
orna, army consisting of hut six thousand six hundred
md hirtysix prvates and this while the Secretary Of War
his report expressly stated that less than FIVE thousand
would be required for the Territories and the IRON
er aone leaving but thousand six hundred and thirty
tx for the whole of the United States proper.
Mr.. b. here read extracts from the Secrearys letter.
The military committee had taken this letter into conside
alton and had directed Mr. B. offer amendment the
ast section Of the bill reported from the Committee Of Ways
nd Means, fixing the standing army of the country at ten
housand, exclusive of officers and employees He in
ucted also to propose that the committee strike out the
mates founded on the basis OF forty two o company
nd substitute those for sixty -four to company, which
would give army Of about ten thousand privaes
he could get the assent Of the chairman Of the Commit
of Ways and Means be should propose that in consd
ring the bill the committee should adopt different
that usually pursued, and take up first in order the last
econ Of the BILL that might decide in the first place what
he total number of the army should be- and then shape the
est of its legislation accordingly
Mr. b. proceeded state that by the law of May, 1s46
he companies TO consist of sixty Jour each the
resident being empowered if he thought fit, to raise them
hundred men EACH BY the law, then, as it Stood
be army would be placed basis Of sixtyfour to
ompany II the plan Of the Committee of Ways and Means
houd be adopted this law must Of be repealed and
ccordng that repeal constituted the last section Of their BILL
That the House might act understandngy in the matter
would be proper first decide whether it would have peace
OF 900 men only, OF l0,000 IT the
House decided to adopt the ome then he need not propose
amendment to the bill but If il should repe this then
would offer amendments which he the Clerks
able to be read for nformaton bu Of which the Reporter
ould not procure copy.)
Mr.. VINTON inquired whether he correctly understood
be honorable gentleman TO that with companies number
AZ privates, the army would amount to but 5000
Mr. BOTTS. II will amount to 6,636 men.
Mr. VINTON said he would send to the Clerks table the
smate furnished by the War Department, showing the
ual number OF men that the would contain that basis
This estimate was read and il stated the number at
Mr. BOTTS said this difference easily explained. His
,wn estimate embraced only the fighting while that Of
be Department covered all persons employed Of every
nption, blacksmiths artfcers, suffers, &C.
Mr. HALL, OF New York, inquired Of Mr.. BORIS how he
made out his number of privates
Mr. BOTTS stated that he estimated in is regiments fs
companies and 4S multiplied by ~ men for each company
yave 2OB Eleven other regiments with Ito companies
made 4,620 men and the together, and amounted
by his anhmetic) to 6, 636.
Mr. HALL inquired whether Mr.. d. included the reg-
nens for Oregon And he then went into details, and
undry explanations took place between him and Mr.. b.
Mr. BOTTS went on TO say that the question would come
Up in the first place as to the total strength OF the army The
Military Committee thought that TO- 900 low number
IS proprey would permit and the appropriated in the
committees bill sufficient for the support Of that number
hen there was no longer any faith in estimates According
o the estimates furnished by the War Department would
,e very far from enough.
Mr.. VINTON here explained. The estimates furnished
the Committee of Ways and Means by the Secretary Of
War made the sum requiredSor army with 100 men to
company including the three months pay voted by
he House, Sl3 856, 900; with Ga a company Sll
}25. 900 and with ~ men. $40 sos 600