Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-02-14


protection OF emigrans and others travelling said roads
Mr. G0RMAN contended that the mounted rifle reg-
ment originally created for service in the Territory OF
Oregon and very much surprised that the Secretary
of War had recommended the substitution of infantry
mounted men in that country where Indians travel
horseback, committing depredatons ut place to-day
and at another place forty miles distant TOMORROW This
recommendation was not only novel, but contrary to past
military experience He knew whose opinions he
would rather defer to to the proper mode Of defending
the frontier than the gallant Delegate Of Oregon Terrific
ry, Mr. LANE In his opinion new regiment should
be raised for this services and if this should be done he
would not insist the mounted rifle regiment being
placed on the Oregon frontier.
Mr. BROOKS said that seeing it the intention of the
gentleman from Indiana and others force the House to
upon this resolution it became necessary for him
reply to the remarks of the gentleman from Indiana and
first place. it contemplated taking from the Executive the
power given him under the Constitution of controlling the
army of the United States.
/ Mr.. GORMAN had no such intention; and had no OBJ
lection to vote to amend the resolution preclude
the idea which the gentleman apprehended.
Mr.. BROOKS was happy to hear the gentleman make
this declaration but must take the resolution it
stood, until it should be modified by the
Mr.. LANE expressed willingness at the proper time,
to modify the resolution respectfully request the
President make this disposition Of the rifle regiment
Mr.. BROOKS hoped that at the proper time the gentle
would have opportunity 70 modify the resolution
The resolution it stood not only made the House
of Representatives the commandernchef Of the army of
the United States but entered into the details of
toning the army at three different points between the
Western frontiers and the frontiers of Oregon which three
points were named in the resolution Now Congress had
no power the army its custody the Urea
sury the President alone had the control and direction
Of the army and this power rested with him alone.
/ Mr.. d. then proceeded to show the necessity Of the
changes made by the Executive in the disposition of the
my Of the United States, and said that the difficulty lay
in the army being too small for the protection Of
tended frontier was totally inadequate for the pro-
lection of the United States that its possessions
tended beyond the Rocky Mountains and occupied the
extensive of the Pacific The appropriations for the
support Of the army last Congress reduced from four
millions millions of dollars and whatever disorder
or trouble existed in Oregon Texas, or elsewhere the
President could not be held responsible for it for it
the Congress Of the United States which had deprived the
Executive of the power of properly maintaining and garr
soning the different posts of this vast country Under
these circumstances, it impossible for the President
to do justice to California Oregon. If gentlemen would
advert to the discussion of the last session this sub
ec they would find that the principal argument for max
ing this reduction of two millions of dollars that the
people Of Oregon and California capable of protect
ing themselves, the Indians nhabiting that Territory
were not OF warlike character and the enormous
pense of maintaining troops in that country should induce
the President to withdraw them.
Mr. CARTIER proposed to protest against the extra
ordinary doctrine advanced by the gentleman from Vir
gna MIR BAYLY yesterday and reechoed by the gentle
man from New York Mr.. BRooKs) to-day. When the
Mexican indemnity bill was under consideration the gen.
teman from Virginia maintained that the expenditure of
the money under the sole control of the President
and yesterday the gentleman commended that the dis
position Of the army subject to the sole direction of
the Executive The first proposition placed in the hands
OF the Executive the purse whilst the other proposition
gave him the swordtwo of the chief attributes of
narchy He denied the right of the Executive to transfer
regiment raised for the defence of given frontier
another frontier, and that he had right under the Con-
stution to withdraw it from the service indicated in its
creation The moment they gave the Executive this pow
they eectuay transferred the legislative sovereignty
of the country to the Executive sovereignty of the country
As to the opinion of the gentleman from New York, Mr.
Brooks, that the present army totally inadequate
for the protection of the country he believed that it
sufficiently large if properly adjusted Qhe reduction in
the appropriations for the army to which the gentleman
had referred not attempt retench the appro
priahons for the army, but it reduction in the ap
preparations for the quartermaster's department
Mr.. MARSHALL, of Kentucky, defended the action of
the last Congress in reducing the appropriations for the
quartemasters department, and maintained that they
should not the motion of the gentleman from Oregon
direct the President to the disposition Of the army
Mr.. DUNHAM said that the argument Of the gentleman
from Virginia amounted to neither less than that
the President had right under all circumstances
troll and dispose Of the military and naval affairs of the
country according his will If this doctrine was
correct the result would be that Congress had the right
declare and raise troops yet the Executive would
have the power to withhold the troops and direct them
the object for which Congress declared war The reg
men Of mounted rifles expressly raised for the Ore
gon service; and the President the will of
Congress All that the Executive to do to carry
outhe viii of Congress- which had request the
President to make such direction Of the army tpeased
Mr.. BAYLY, Of Virginia, remarked that the gentleman
did not comprehend the scope of his remarks He did
tent of the respective authority Of Congress and that
the Executive military affairs 1t belonged TO
the commander n-chief to post the army and he had
asserted that Congress had the power esab
lish posts and determine the description Of forces All
that he had claimed was, that when army had been
raised the question to whether it should be posted here
there belonged to the commanderin-chef and not to
Congress- unless Congress the commander n-chief
Mr.. DUNHAM replied that Congress could raise troops
for particular service and direction and that the Pres
dent to carry out the will of Congress.
Mr. If Tenn fbattb HE ahato had
gone far enough and he therefore moved the previous
question.
The House refused to second the demand for the pre-
vious question--ayes 43, noes 20.
Mr.. EVANS remarked that the assumption that these
troops directed by law TO be stationed in Oregon laid
at the base Of all this argument Now there such
thing in the law, in the title Of the law.
Mr.. DUNHAM remarked that he had not said that the
law required that this regiment should be sent to Oregon
but that il showed its face that such was the intention
for which IL raised.
Mr.. G0RMAN said that the nature Of the bill itself
showed this to be the design.
Mr. EVANS denied this il did not appear in the title
Of the b in its preamble in the bill ITSELF that any
such thing intended He denied another proposition
that the Secretary of War was bound to come 20 the
House and look into its debates for the purpose Of
tanning the meaning of its acts The why these
troops had not been stationed in Oregon account
OF the representations of the late delegate from that
ribry, (Mr THURsroS who had frequently informed him
that the people Of that country able defend
selves and that infantry force should be substituted for
mounted one.
10 conclusion, Mr. E. referred the obligations which
this Government had incurred under the treaty Of Guada
ue Hdago which required very heavy expenditures