Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-11-24
Col. johnson and the Lieut.. Gen.
cral bill.

SOss SOhuSOU anu t0c Lieut. Ge0s
cral Bill.
Never were words more truly spoken.
than when Joseph Johnson,the Democratic
candidate for Governor, declared that the
period ofhis public service had been more
extended than brilliant or useful" In
public life very frequently from the year
1923, down to the present time, he had
made himself known, scarcely beyond the
| limits of his immediate District. His ca
reer, therefore, must have been devoid Of
all brilliancy. Was it more usefull We
do not propose in this article to do more
than examine single one of his acts. and
thus give the people of Virginia an oppor-
tunity ofjudging, how far in this instance
at least, the course Of "iittlc Old Joe" was
dictated by wise regard for the public In
tcrests.
The whole country well remembers the
Mexican war, made memorable and glo-
rious, at its very outset, by the signal VIC
tories of Palo Alto and Rcsaca, won by
our soldiers against an army exceeding it
three times in number. 1t has not forgot
ten either the still mighter Achievement per-
formed upon the heights of Monterey,
where fortified City, containing fifteen
thousand inhabitants. whose delences were
mannedb by force of ten thousand soIdiery,
was invested and taken by Gen. Taylor,
with an army numbering less than seven
thousand, rank and file
When the news ofthc first victories was
received, the valiant old Hero. by whose
courage and Generalship they had been
won, was instantly promoted to the highes,
rank known to our service And although.
upon the taking of Monterey, there was
no higher promotion to be awarded, yet the
outburst of popular enthusiasm was so
great, it was at once apparent that Gen.
Tay lor had won what no rank alone could
have secured him, and that he was thence
forth Immortality cndcared TO the hearts OF
his countrymcn.
1t was just at this period, in the military
career Of the old Hero, that willy pohti-
clans at Washington, beginning 10 fear the
consequences to themselves ofhis unboun-
ded popularity, set on foot scheme for
his degradation. That scheme was to
create the office Of Lieutenant General; to
confer it upon Thomas III. Benton, and to
give him, a mere cirilian, the supreme
command of our armies, d ng the con
rinuancc of the war And WHO. reader, do
youlhlnk were the advocates ofthis scheme
to degrade brave and successful Gene
: ral-to wound high-souled and war-worn
Patriot, and to insult valiant and vic,o-
rious Army They were the aforesaid
JOSEPH JOHNSON and his first Lieutenant,
SHELTON +. LEAKE!
We have now before us the CONGRESS.
sional Globe, in " hicb the full proceeding
Of the House of Representatives are re-
ported. On the 9th day of January, lSl7.
the Commute on Military Affairs having
reported "A bill to raise, for limited time,
an additional military force. and for other
purposes" the House proceeded to CON
slider the same. Mr.. Rathbun moved a
substitute for 'h8 Bill of the Committee.
whereupon Mr.. Grover moved the follow
ing as an amendment TO the substitute -
"And be 1t further enacted, That the Pres
ident shall be authorized. by and with the
advice and consent Of the Senate, to APP
point Lieutenant General, who shall take
command of our armies, and whose term
OF service shall continue during the War
with the Republic of Mexico" Upon Mr.
Growers motion the ayes and noes were
called for, and were as follows: saves 90
Noes 100" Among the ayes were the
names Of Joseph johnson and Shelton r.
Leake, of Va a.
Did they know that this Office was to be
conferred upoD Thomas IT, Benton, when
they gave that vote They did. We
have before US the speech of Mr.. Benton.
made afterwards, in vindication of the Pres
ident about this very matter, in which he
uses this language:
''Thc Office original, and belonged to no per
| Son. / only asked the President to make known
the intended for the place to members of on
gross, that all objections To the officer well ns the
Office, should be open full inquiry" And again:
yet scorned to mention these things, to boz
som friends, while the measure depending md
only do It now for the purpose Of rcscung the Pres
ident from the supposed breach If Military deco
rum, which the appointment Of a citizen from civil
life (myseJ bang tlnt ci'i-b') 10 tie command Of
the Army, would Imply in the opinion of the Sem
| tor from North Carolina" And ngniu: "Finnlly.
can say that Mr.. Polk is not the iir4t President
who proposed To give the command Of tho Ar
my agninss Mcxico."
These extracts mike it apparent that
Thomas II. Benton, was TO be Lieutenant
General, with superior rank and au,hori.
ty TO that of Taylor and Scott, and that
Messrs. Johnson and Leake knew that fact,
when they voted FOR the resolution quoted
above
Citizens Of Virginia, how would Ibis act
have been regarded by you.had this shame
full plot succeeded al the time : Would
you not have regarded it as an outrage TO
your brave old General, and his gallant
little army, demanding from you at once
the voice ofrebukc and stroke ofvcngeanccl
Would not that voice have been raised.
and the honor of,he Army avenged We
know it would and will you now permit
Mose to escape who did all in their power
to infct this disgrace upon one who won
immortal honor TO himself and glory to
his c.,n ntru alhnii ihair nlI,arts ~ orc INN.