Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-17
JUVENILE SOLDIERS

JUVENILE SOLDIERS
As the following brief extract from the official
reports of the Senate proceedings on Wednesday re-
lates mainly to local matter which may possess
interest to some of our readers we give it place
in our columns
The engrossed joint resolution to supply the Washing
ton City Juvenile Guards with was read third
time; and the question was, Shall it pass?
Mr. HALE. Mr.. President have great doubt to
the proprey OF passing this resolution. do not know
precisely the nature of the company referred in it,
but perceive they styled Juveniles" and sup
pose they form sort of infant military school, be-
leve that the experiment of establishing military schools
when tried has failed see that among the petitions
presented this morning is by an honorable Senator
from Arkansas from juveniles somewhere else ask
ing the privilege The arsenals in which the United
arms are deposited scattered all the United
states The Juveniles in other places will learn the uve
nile privileges which have been extended here and we
shall have applications pouring in upon from end
OF the country to the other. If we do for one company
what TINS resolution proposes to do, we must to be i'm
partial distribute arms to whoever asks them and SO we
shall have furnish all the children United
States with firearms
suppose these Juveniles about foarteen years of
age Inc next thing will be some uveRile company will
De formed OF boys eight or ZEN Of age and they will
petition for small pistols and revoyers and will have
to furnish them to all who large enough and stout
enough to carry them If they are large enough and
stout enough to carry them shall have furnish them
with drks and small arms think without any attempt
10 De ocose on this OCCASION that is evil example
think we had better not pass the resolution 1t would
De wei for US to pause believe that the military spirit
does not need any more encouragement fostering than
1t has already had 1t has elected President lately
and 1t going to try hard to elect another Laugh
| ter.
Besides, sir, am opposed to it another principle If
you give out the of the United States to adults
who have become capable of assuming legal respon
sibitesyou may then have security that the
Will be safely kept and returned when they wanted
| ytuhc Init Etatac
them But you distribute them to juveniles they
not assume legal responsibilities They may give their
word Of honorand not certain that that is not bet
ter than the legal responsibilities Of older men, but it is
not such Governments deal with think with all dis
position to sympathze with young and boys-and
nobody has of than havethat this is mistaken
manifestation of that sympathy and which
ought not to be extended to them. appreciate highly
the generous motives Of the Senator who introduced the
resolution, but think that he is mistaken. But whether
ne is or not such is my judgment shall feel constran-
ed TO vote against the resolution and shall ask the yeas
and nays upon it.
Mr.. CLEMENS. When the Senator from New Hamp-
shire yesterday objected to the third reading of this
solution, at loss to understand the reason;
but he has explained it to to-day my entire salts
faction. The Senator, it is known to most of u.s. is
FreeSo candidate for the Presidency he has no mill
ary glory to upon and hence he is opposed to the
military spirit Laughter. Now, this is one Of the
most innocent things imaginable The resolution does
not provide that these boys shall furnished with guns
No ever contemplated that they should have muske
i
authorize the Secretary of War TO furnish them with such
arms as, in his judgment they can use to advantage
There is scarcely city, there is scarcely village Of
three thousand inhabitants any where in the country in
which there is not such company myself belonged
to one for years and take occasion say now that
sincerely believe boy Of that age will learn more
the uses of firearms, in three weeks than grown
will in seven.
There be no harm in this The Secretary of War
is required to do nothing The resolution simply gives
him the discretion to furnish This company with old
bres, he chooses-something with which they can do
no damage. No one supposes he will give them muskets
for they would be useless to them They could not man
age them He may furnish them with any light he
sees proper The Government has twenty thou
sand old sabres that might be employed in that way,
without any great detriment to the public unless il
should encourage the military spirit and thus assist in
defeating the Senator from New Hampshire for the Pre-
sdency. Laughter.
Mr. HALE. Mr.. President, had hoped that after the
Union was so thoroughly saved it has BEEN and the
Wnmot proviso was dead and its friends buried fngs
at their copses remains would be spared but il
is not So The honorable Senator INDUCES in what he
supposes to be wit and have no doubt ii was because
saw several laugh But think that the thing ought 10
be treated seriously by the Senate What sort Of arms
would the Secretary deem suitable for these juveniles
believe they styled Juveniles | do not know
exactly their ages, but they called Juveniles sup
pose they must be infants under the age Of twentyone
Some Of them would doubt be capable Of handling
pretty large armsheavy muskets and then IL would be
graduated down think that the whole thing is wrong
II you once commence, you will stop here Another
petition has already been presented for the same object
and petitions will continue to come in
4 When got up did not know but that | should in
duge little more fully than think, upon reflection II
Is best for to do, in remarks upon certain subject
which the auson of the Senator from Alabama yould
give me opportunity Of doing refer to the position
in which stand in relation TO the matter which he has
referred But upon tho whole the Senate Is not very
full and do not think the steam isquite up yet win not
do IT, Laughter. But will take occasion TO tell the
Senator this do not know the course which or nv
friends may take, but think when the election Il over
the party defeated win not be Mt loss to know how Il
happened that it defeated That is all win saw at
present ask the yeas and nays the passage Of the
| resolution
The yeas and nays were ordered and being taken re-
suited as follows:
YEAS-Messrs. Adams, Atchson, Borland Charlton Gle
mems DeSaussur Dodge Of Wisconsin Dodge ofIowa Doug
las Fsh, Gwn James jones Of Iowa. King Mallory Mason
Norris, Rusk, Sebastian, Shields soue spruance and
| Toucey-22.
| NAYS-Messrs Bsyard Bradbury, Bright Brodhead,
Chase Davis, Dawson, Gcyer Hale Hamlin Miller Sumner,
Upham, and Wade-H
SO the resolution passed.
DERUvIAN GUANo.-The subscribers have now in