Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-04-07
UPON THE TEN REGIMENT BILL,
on TmrnspAY. MARCH l6. 1873.

Alter q very careful examination, | have
not been able to find a single argumen
which in my opinion, would Justify the pas
sage Of thisb bill, al this time, and under OK
listing circumstances | cannot but fec
that those who have come 10 a differen
conclusion, have overlooked the actual con
dition Of the Mexican government, and o
the people of Mexico, in supposing thai
this bill was necessary either to intimidate
or to coerce that government into a raiiii
cation of the treaty recently acted upon
here. If that government were strong and
vigorous, If the people Of Mexico were unit.
ed in resistance TO Us, and capable of sus-
tanning a war in the event that the treat,
shall not be ratified, there might be strong
reasons for passing this bill. But such i.
not the case. On the contrary, the very
opposite is. The government itself is little
more than a shadow without an army and
without revenue the people in a state o
distraction, with a large and powerful par
~ in opposition 10 the government, and FOL
a continuance Of the war, not in hostility
to us, but in hostility to their govern.
ment, which they desire should be over.
thrown. The government itself exists by
our forbearnnce, and under our counte-
nance they have been induced to treat
with us from the dread Of their humiliation,
and W. treat with them from the same con-
sideration. For, strange as it may appear,
the very motive that induced Mexico 10
treat with DIS, induced us to treat with her.
She dreaded her humiliation, and so did
we, 1t is difficult to say which would be
subjected TO the greatest evil in conse.
quence Of such annihilaiion. The danger
is, not that the Mexican government, in the
event Of the rejection of the treaty, would
be able TO resist, but it is, that it NAV per.
ish before she can ratify il. But, if | am
mistaken in all this, one thing is clear.
without these ten additional regiments we
have the means Of iniimidating or coercing
that government 10 any extent we please !;
a single brigade may annihilate il. But
even If we should choose to avoid this, we
hold another power in our hands, that is
ample to induce her TO ra,ify the treaty,
provided there be any hesitation on her
part. We would, in that case, have but to
tell her that we will adopt the boundary
agreed upon in the treaty, and thus save
ourselves the vast sum OF twenty millions
Of dollars, which rumor states that we ore
to give for the ceded territory. This con.
sideration alone is sufficient, provided the
Mexican government can maintain itself
until she shall have acted upon this treaty,
with the amendments that may have been
made to it by this body.
In this view Of the subject, / regard the
passage of this bill, if it be intended either
for the purpose Of intimidation or OF coer.
eion, TO be entirely useless-an unmeanine
bravado. But il it were merely useless, al
much as | may be averse TO it, my aversion
would not be near so great as it now is. Il
is worse than useless; it is mischievous
and will prove mischievous both here
and there. Mischievous here, for il this
body, conversant with all the secret pro.
ceedings in reference TO the treaty, and
supposed by the country to be fully inform
ed of every thing in relation to the subject
should pass the bill now before il, it will be
received by the public as an apprehension
on our part, that there is great danger tina
the treaty will moi be ratified, and the effec
npon our commerce., and upon The monel
interest. OF our country, will be highly in
furious. II will be mischievous there, 70
the real danger that the Mexican gorern
ment has to fear, is this there is a larg'
party in Mexico called Puros, which is un
willing to see a peace concluded betwee'
the Mexican government and this country
unwilling, not because they are our friend
or enemies, but simply for the reason tina
they wish to see that government annihilai
ed, and the power placed in their hands,
Now il the impression produced there b
the passage of this bill should be that Their,
70 Iau.xar that sba traasy ,u.II -. ho ..,.6ol
it will arouse and animate that party Il
double e~xertion in order TO fulfil their oh
ject.
But consider il not only useless, no
only mischievous in the light which ! hay,
indicated, but it will be a costly bravado
ltaKe it for granted that the honorabl,
chairman Of the Committee on Militar,
Affairs does not intend simply that this bill
shall pass this body-thai would be unwor
thy OF his Characteristic then expects tina
II will also pass the other branch of Con
gross and become a law, and that the fore,
will be raised and be employed, if III,
treaty should fail, in carrying on the wa
with Mexico. Well, if the bill passes-an,
l consider it in that light-in that case
what will be the result There will be n
NihOult1 III gettlhS oHICtTS anu men tne
will have no apprehension Of going to Mex
leo or fighting future battles the enlist
ment will turn ont to be a money specula
ton each recruit will receive for his en-
listment his bounty in land, amounting I
100 acres, his bounty in money equal {
twelve dollars, the usual issue Of clothin
amounting at The present price TO about 2
dollars. Estimating the bounty in land
one dollar and a quarter an acre, it woul
make the whole 50, 900, 900. These item
alone would be equal TO two millions, tire
or four hundred dollars. Add to this, III
pay and emoluments OF the officers, the pa
TO the soldiers, and the expense for the sui
sistence, and that for recruiting the Who'll
service, will be found TO be not less tina
three millions of dollars, 10 which the pa,
sage Of the bill would subject the govern
inent. To this must be added the vast pa
ronuge which the appointment of FIVE hur
dred officers, and this great additional el
Pendilure would confer on the Presiden
! and that too, on the very eve Of the Pres
dental election, when the patronage of III
.- 100.