The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-07-16
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the moor Oh usudc, your
lures for military purposes--war paposes-in New MEX
leo during the last year amounted 10 600 and what
have you accomplished You have not even kept ,he
Indians in check You have not even kept force
there onequarier large enough protect the lives and
properly OF your citizens who there located Is u
proposed to go on in this way and sxpeDd soOOgVO0
more every year And II IL takes 20 00o 900 IN That Ter
rtory, will tnot take as much 10 each OF your oher
Territories on the same plan OF operations And, ss you
are bound 10 incur even this enormous expenditure u
you cannot AFFORD protection TO these people al less
cost
deny, sir. that ii is question whether this protection
shall be afforded or not deny your night to withhold
protection from these people You under moral OBJ
legation 10 do il, and you cannot refuse IL The only
question is TO the best and the cheapest mode OF per-
show that be done by any other mode which is
cheaper than the one | have suggested, am ready 10
adoptt II any gentleman will point out provision OF
this bill which is not well adapted the object contem
plated, and will suggest 10 me different one which
shall be adapted to the object will agree 10 IT, II any
senator will show me how the object can be accom-
plished at less expense, j will readily advocate his
amendment But neither understand nor appreciate this
mode OF argument which opposes this measure and sup
plies nothing in the place OF il to perform the great du-
lies which are imposed upon US under the circumstances
Mr. President was not ambitious to come forward
with aproposi,on Of this kind. The Committee on Ter
rtories took the subject Cader their consideration, be-
cause under the rules OF the Senate they were charged
with the protection of these Territories, and Tor the further
that memorials after memorials from all the west
ern States have been flowing 10 upon us during Tue enIe
session and the Senate have referred these memorials to
the Committee on Territories, for us take such steps
as we night i s6 deem NECESSARY ., 49,,
Mr.. DOUGLAS. Memorials for the protection OF the
emgran lines between the Mississippi valley and the
Pacific ocean memorials for protection by military
force memorials for the establishment Of law and order
there memorials, in short, for furnishing protection to
life and property upon that whole line Sir, we have go
them piled up in the committee innumerable me-
morals upon this subject Scarcely day elapses in
which we do not receive of them, setting forth the
necessities and the hardshps OF the emgants on account
committed there. We felt it to be our duty TO do some
thing for them We do not pretend that we have devised
the best system that can be ssed we only say that we
have brought forward the best system that has occurred
10 us II any member of the Senate can devise better
oDe let him bring il forward; if he has cheaper one,
lei hmproduce it, But we do insist. until some other
one shall be presented, that his is entitled TO fair con.
sideralon and that until cheaper mode can be devised
the item Of expenditure is mol proper argument against
this mode Of dong tina, which we are bound 70 do - j.
motion made by the senator from Virginia INF Mason!
10 refer this bill 10 the CoRmittee on Military Affairs
consider one of the most important propositions that
have ever been presented to this body and is presented
without al estimate or without any previous arrangement
or understanding upon the part OF the Senate as to the
amount Of money i u to nvove prGppSen 70 say
upon the subject OF the expense OF this measure WISH
ask him whether. before he presented this bill here he
made any investigation sufficient to justify him In stating
TO this body what will be the probable expense OF
raising and equppng these three regimensl There are
5000 mounted 10 be raised in the first place. to be
iornia, and we all know the amount paid Tor that Has
he taken into consideration, as to advise the Senae
before give votes upon this subject what VIII be
the probable Of transportation necessary 10 carry The
subsistence some thousand miles stations on the
route near 70 California; Has he thought Ut that Has
he made any estimate OF the number oil buildings maj
will have be erected, station houses and convenences
OF all sorts, for the OF the soldiers, and TO enable
them 10 take Of their horses, &c. Has he taken
into consideration the utter imposslbily OF procuring
lumber, or even common trees, in that country on the
pairies 10 build these house with Has he ascertaned
how long il will take 10 clear the land TO be cultivated by
these soldiers in order TO obtain the materials necessary
10 srbss their horses, and TO supply the men with The
means OF lifel Not word OF this have we heard
And yet the senator has denounced those who oppose
this measure here, without taking into consideration the
expense Nohing but the lives OF our emgrans is taken
into consideration This is no way TO discuss PROPOSE.
on. sir Lay down your plan, show your estimates aud
lei those estimates be founded fact What is the dis
lance, in the first place. through which this Geographic
line is be proteced About 500 to 900 miles, il
rightly informed; and 5000 men are 10 be dotted
along this line for the purpose OF protecting III How
many be stationed al place. and how many at
another Suppose you divide them into companies OF
100, how many stations will you have over The 1000
mles One station for every sixty miles; and then you
require that these men shall protect this Geographic
line, after II shall be put up from the depsedaons
Of the Indians at the same time telling US and throwing
il before the country that these men are TO subslst them
selves by cultivation OF ths soil Sir II cannot be done
They cannot do it, There will be ncessan travelling
backward and forward in order 10 protect the emganis
well as the elegnphic line. have attempted 10 make
calculations with reference 10 the cost OF this meas
ure aad OF the amount which will necessarily be annu-
ally appropriated But this is something evidently per.
tanning TO the Military Committee make this PROPOSE
ton from desire TO oppose this BILL but one OF that
committee desire merely to investigate the subject that
may determine the proper TO be pursued in rea
ton 10 IT, would ascertain the cost Of the measure,
and | would ascertain the character of the country
through which this line is 10 pass Then there another
item which the senator does not appear have consid.
cred there bridges 10 be made and ferry boats 10 be
constructed What TO be the expense OF erecting these
bridges and building these ferry boats, and where
the materials TO be found Who is supply these
teralsl And IL you build boats where the materials
found how you 10 get them TO the rivers where they
are 10 be used All these vastly important consid-
eraisns and the desire 10 say something upon
the subject is merely 10 show that am n Of disposed 10
keep back any needul protection from the emgrants.
Sir, that is The object which we all ought TO have in
view and when present bill OF this nature. involv-
ing so great undertaking, | thiak ought not 10
dream OF commencing until we have pretty thoroughly
understood where we going, and how are TO get
there.
II is said that four millions Of dollars annually will moi
sustain them My honorable friend. the chairman Of the
Military Committee, lMr SHIrLDs,l vii permit me 10 tell
you that the transportation costs an immense amount,
from Independence 10 Santa Re, over regularly
built road and these three thousand 10 support
themselves by agricultural labor, and yet open road,
build bridges, aud erect station houses.
All these things have no plausbility about them The
truth s, everything that IL contemplated by this bill
must be carried into execution BY the appropriation Of
money. The building OF these bridges and ferry boats
will require the transportation Of mechanics from
section of this country and another 10 that line, because
the soldiers will be engaged all the while on duty and
in taking care OF their horses There so many sol
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