New-York daily tribune., 1849-01-27
The Cost Of War In Peace Recruiting, &c
a sptslb under he Z y mlnuts kulsl
HorsK OF REPRRsENTATIYEs. Jan p.

The Cost Of War I'm Peace Recruiting, aSc
"A speech under he I've minute Rue)
HOUSE, or REPRESENTATIVES,, Jan q.
The Army Appropriation bin having been tw'
days under consideration IN Committee Of thu
Whole and four or five one hour Speeches made
thereon-vz One by Mr.. SMART OF Maine justi
flying the Wlmot Provso; one by Mr. j. A. Rock
WELL Of Conn. rowing up the Secretary OF the
Treasury; one by Mr. X. w THOMPSON OF la
against Colts Resolution sc &c. proving him
self one Of that numerous class Of Amt Slavery
men who never agitate in such manner as u
give any ofenceor alarm to the champions ofSlave-
ry: one by Mr. NIcoLL Of n. Y. defending Secre-
tary Walker from the rowing up aforesaid, with
various interudes and byplay-but no soul
having said the first word about the Army
bill nominally before the Committee, nor about
Military affairs any how---the debate was
stopped pursuant 10 resolution, at 3 O'Clock to
dsy. and the House in Committee proceed
ed TO consider the bill by items, each Member
having the privilege of proposing amendments
and speaking not more than five minutes in ex
plsnaton thereof.
The several items were passed without obiec-
tion down to the following
"For expenses Of Recruiting yesr commencing with
next July thirty eight thousand and fifty two dollars
Mr.. GREELEY OF N. Y. moved that this item be
stricken out, and thereupon addressed the Com
mittee substantially as follows;
Mr. Chairman this business Of Recruiting our
Armies demands earnest consideration and re-
vision Why should it cost us, In a season OF pro-
found Peace. some thirty-eIght thousand dollars !
We require some twenty live hundred to three
thousand recruits per annam, and here is a charge
Of some fifteen dollars per head torprocuring them.
But nobody else pays anything like this for mere
ly persuadng able-bodied men 10 enter his ser
yice-nothng like It, Let man advertise IN sny
Of our great cities, men Wanted, and he will
directly have them swarining around him by
thousands, no matter how repulsive the service
nor how scanty the pay. And YET We must
pay thrty-eight thousand dollars per annum
Tor inducing three Thousand to serve US THIS
fact proves TO me one OF two things-either we
REQUIRE men tor service which sober and
conscientious men must revolt al or we do not
pay for il what II is honestly worth. demand,
therefore that tins be revised and settled upon just
principles II the business is wrong, let us give
Il up iii is not fairly paid, raise the eomPenss.
zion and pay tins thirty eight thousand dollars TO
those who perform the service instead OF those
who merely induce them 10 undertake It. Let us
begin by striking out this item, and see whether
we do not get on very well with what men come
forwa ard to serve us freely should that fail let ui
take proper means 10 I'LL the ranks OF our army
but not BY this old system OF recruiting.
For, Mr.. Chairman, Of all the iniquites and ras
calties committed in our country, think those
perpetrated ia this business OF Recruiting are
among the most ragrant ] doubt whether thi,
Government Furnishes as many frauds IN all ss II
incites by maintaining this system OF Recruiting
| have seen something OF It, and been by hearssy
made acquainted with much more. A simple
poor man. somewhat addicted TO drinking, awake,
from a drunken revel in which he has disgraceC
himself by some outrage or inflicted some injury
or has squsndered means essential to the supper
OF his family He is ashamed to enter his home
ashamed TO meet the friends who have known
him respectable and sober man AT this mo
merit Of half insanity and utter horror, the tempt
er besets him. portrsys the joys OF soldier
life in the most glowing and seductive coors
and persusdes HIM TO enlist. Doubtless meI
have often been made drunk on purpose u
delude them into enlistment tor there
Is Tor lately wRsl bounty paid 10 whoever vii
bring In an acceptable recruit To the station. Al
rnsnner OF false inducements are constantly he'll
out-absard hopes OF promotion and glory are IN
elted--snd when not IN his right mind the dup'
is fastened ior a term which viii probably Outlss
his life. Very soon he repents and oess 10 DC re
iessed---hs distracted wife plesds-hs tsmlshin.
children implore-but al ia vain. Shylock mus
away from them Tor ysars-probaoy Tor ever
This whole business OF recruiting IS systematic
robbery Of husbands IRON their wives, fathers iron
their children. aud sons from their widowed an,
dependent mothers 1t m not possible that
Christian People have any need of such fabric a
iniquty, and call upon tins House TO unite IN de
crseins its abolition.
MIR. Chairman, desire to present few fact
drawn from official sources with respect 70 III,
cost Of War generally, and especially 10 It's cost 4
this COUNTRY With Tins Congress closes the SIX
teth year OF our National existence under the Fed
~ral Constitution. During these sixty years
ssnerally of Peace, with the exception OF lndal
troubles-we have expended, as ! learn srom ON
elsl sources
For the Army and Armed Forces -. $500. 1lS-SS =
FOR the Navy and Naval operations HV9eeiiSs y
For Pensions ns---Revoluronsry and
other .............--.-..-..--. Sl,loSsS3 ,
FOR the Indian Department. nt.--..-.--- saVoSStI :
Total for wsrlike purposes ..-..- soso'S 'St'sVz
tmsy be urged shs,he Indian service Is nos wholly no
even mainly wsrlike; bat ihsn sso to be considers
rhs the Psnacps oginssing in a't vsrs are certain
sbsort millions on millions Of the ,s resources and re
venues Of the country Beside This period begins soo'
snsr the close Of The long and exhsusng War o'h Revo
uon Tue con puls,on therefore rather under than owe
fair sxhiSa Of The average eos; OVAL
Can any man estimate the enormous amount o
good that might have been effected with these
Six Hundred and Eighty five Millions, or ever
with the halt OF il, bad 50 much been saved ron
the cost OF War; What Schools and Seminsrie'
IL might have established What knowledge II
might have diffused what Canals and Railroads
constructed, Bear in mind that most OF 1t ha'
been expended in times OF profound Peace. sap
pose, then. had only devoted one fourth OF th''
aggregate 70 warlike preparation, devotlng at The
came time another fourth 70 the careful, seasons-
Bile and thorough removal Of all causes OF hostility
against u on the part Of other nsnops--who eaa