The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-19

AFFAIRS OF winch frcnd nom ILLINOIS, trir.
SnsLDs Is chairman believe he has had some CORES
pondence conversation with the Secretary Of War in
gard TO Of these reforms
The senator from Virginia has suggested the idea Of a
military colonization He admits that il IS speculation
He speaks Of the Roman colonies and Of the Austrian mill
tary frontiers He might have added If he had thought Of
IL that we had made the attempt in 1885 TO establish mill
tary colony IN flodaan attempt which, think, turned
cut TO be an abortion heard Of any good result
from It. heard that the Indians kept in
oy me military colony which We attempted TO establish dur
ing Mr. Van Burens administration, or that any approcabe
effect was produced believe settlement made
under but good resulted SO that experience is
against IT, myself doubt that any military coonzaon
such prevailed IN the days of ancient and imperial Rome
would suit modern and republican America am very well
persuaded that the military colonization which exists the
Turkish frontier of Austria would suit people. tits
Inconsistent with social conditonwh all the feelings
and habits OF our people.
had occasion few weeks since, while was confined by
ndsposton, to read Pagets workon Hungary and Tran
syvania learned from this work that the of things
prevailing the Austrian frontier widely different from
the condition of remote possessions The extent Of that
military border Is no to be compared with that Of
onters which have defend from hostile indians, than
the pach called "Austria is to be compared TO two
millions of square miles of territory The condition Of the
countries too, sentirey different That's settled country
1t is popuous, fertile, and productive country. The
people beyond its borders are the lazy and quiet Turks
whose warike ferocity has long since been tanned The
military coonss those frontiers employed to
keep down something within Austria than to prevent the
Turk or the plague from coming in In fact they
used at present IN preventing smuggling than for any other
purpose. Their organization is totally unlike anything
which would suit
Their aomenls Of land are little parcels Of from thirty
six to fifty acres, which held military fefs, by
single individual, but by military family, in which
several adults all bound TO military service every Of
whom is required in turn TO perform weekly Of duty
at the military stations and all Of whom liable to be
called into the regular army If should issue. Page
states that any sudden emergency should arise by
tenn of alarm bells and four hours there could
be under two hundred thousand men. Though the
men ordinarily employed at the stations as guards on the
ronters and in the preventive service do not amount TO
quite five thousand men, yet the number is very largely in
creased any danger snpprehended This military family
holds all its land farming stock and produce in community
No member Of the family have private property in these
things There is variety Of regulations, Judicial and pol
cal for their government all of which show that is pc
cuar system adapted peculiar people, under peculiar
state of circumstances and altogether unfit for such
try as that in which is suggested that might esak
lish it.
Now think that SO far as the military reforms in regard
TO posts the dismissal of civil employees reduction of the
cost Of forage &C. concerned the Secretary of War
has taken all the steps that could have been expected of him.
and is emineny entitled credit. But that all
Gentlemen have made some charges against the admnstra
ton Of extravaganza which they think might aud ought
have been prevented They founded upon information
furnished from the department which the Secretary ofsWa
obtained by his own vigilance We have, for example, the
report Of Major Swords How did u.s. Why, the
Secretary Of War; desiring ferret these abuses which
he told he feared existed Major Swords agent
New Mexico His object was to hunt those abuses which
had existed previous his time and which in his time lie was
determined stop he could 1t is from that report Major
Swords that much Of the information Of the from V
gna has been obtained The Secretary Of War could per-
sonaly make these inquiries The only way he could
rive at these facts by sending qualified and reliable
AGENT and that he did in sending Colonel Swords and upon
this information he POUNDS his plans Of REFORM gentlemen
do their charges of extravaganza.
suppose there has been some abuse in the expenditures
Of the department by distant agents whose
operations Withdrawn from active superintendent
their superors here The expenditures for forage and grain
for the use Of the troops, mules horses and cattle have
been very large but be remembered also there
ten thousand anmas in tho service of the Quartemas-
ters department. employed in transportation and the eX-
necessarily very great BY economy you
restrict them to sums which will not appear very great until
you realize the service performed. viii MENTION Also
that 10 the estimate of what necessary for forage for army
service the department does ask for full forage though
the amount Of is always calculated have letter from
the quartermaster general who says, that he had
matcd for full forage for all the posts and all the troops
and all the animals employed in the service Of the
United States the amount would have been 900 900
he had reduced about one half that sumthe reduction
of the animals would be supplied by grazing As to forage
at Monterey TO which the from Virginia referred
and which he seemed to suppose abuse form
ed That although the department estimates the cost of full
forage at Monterey at the Of 500 per month"; the fact
that not dollar expended for forage that place. Lieu
tenant Suy has at that place horses and eight mules and
to do, in accordance with his report OF I5s9..
Mr. HUNTER. VIII the senator be good enough to
inform me on what the estimate is made for have in my
M. PEARCE. will give the senator the information
which have will read to him which have
received from the department on the subject.
"The estimate Of the ofaa forage for all the animals
to be foged by the Quartermasers department for the
fiscal year commencing July ls 1851 and ending June 3h
1882 ncodng the two regiments Of dregoons the mount
ed raemen and infantry artillery, and
DEPARTMENT. based upon prices paid nIs50, amounted
so, 02I ISL H. t4t#
But to many Of the animals full forage was not is
sued the estimate for money be appropriated was re-
duced by the quartermaster general to 81 ,05O0
"Of this amount Congress appropriated S525,OO0.
Agreeaby to Lieutenant A. Sulys quarterly return for
the fourth quarter OF 1851, he had hand sir
eigh muis-o,s fourteen animals No forage was esma
ted for in the estimate for the fiscal year ending June 3Oh
1852, for animals at Monterey, California"
Mr.. HUNTER. According to that statement, no for
age was used for this year.
Mr. PEARCE. This is for the ycar ending June 30 1852
This is the information which have at all events But
be that II may, thing s very certain that there car
be very great abuse Monterey where there are bu
six horses and egh, mules We very well understand
how ANAL force like that may be subssted by grazing
even during the whole year, unless some nv
emergency should arise while the same time at anothe
post, where there three thousand animals
would be utterly impossible to subsst them on grazing Al
post where there three thousand horses and
mules il they turned out into the plains TO Craze
either there would notbo grass enough for them or Il would
require large bodies Of men protect them from capture by
the Indians.
the qnarermaster reports the truth as have no doub
he does the Senate perceive that animals employed
the transportation OF tho army supplied with ful
forage, but only with half forage.
The from Virginia spoke Of great abuses in the
lQUartermaser's department in New Mexico. He was
asked by somebody who the quartcmaster there and
he said that he believed the Captain Rey
nolds In that he right.
Mr.. HUNTER In relation to the matters to which the
senator referred moment sgo, as Il - question Of fact