The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-11

report 10 him the circumstances which render the same
necessary, and shall transmit this report with his remarks
to the Department and copy thereof 10 the commanding
general OF the DIVISION
/ by command OF Major General ScoTr
\ II. JONES, .adjutant General
4 But, sir, the Senator from Virginia seemed to
4 think that something might have been done, and
ought 10 have been done, or recommended by the
Secretary in the way of military colonization and
ne ialks about the military employment of the
Pueblo Indians WE'LL sir, he has been anticipated
in this also, for in December, 1850, when the Sec
retary OF War sent IN his first annual report TO
Congress, he had suggested this very idea OF EN-
ploying the Pueblo Indians. Here is what he
says
has been suggested by persons well acquainted with
he country Dal The inhabitants (ncludng the Pueblo In
iials) might, u properly armed and organized kind
81 militia, under the direction oocers OF the Army render
essential aid in protecting against sudden nais Of
more savage tribes. The experiment. well worth makin
and Il authority were vested Ia the Department distribute
ammunition among them might be so Exercised
thai ~ consequence could AT all result from f
! Mr.. HUNTER | was not aware of that rec
concentration Of the Secretary Of War, but the
Senator will allow me to say, that did not charge
il with any failure of the Secretary that this had
not been done. II was merely suggestion of
my own which threw out.
/ Mr.. PEARCE. So | understand. | did not
1 suppose that the Senator was aware of the fact
that this idea had been entertained by the Secre-
tary of War, long before the Senator. ever men
toned it. ! suppose the Senator was not aware
/ of the degree Of credit, if any credit was to be
attached TO ii, which was due to the Secretary Of
4 War for making the suggestion. The Senator
| himself made the suggestion in his speech, and if
| had not shown that the Secretary of War had
previously suggested the same thing in his annual
report, persons might well have wondered thar a
Senator, belonging to the COMMITTEES on Finance,
should think of matter Of reform in the military
service which never occurred to the Secretary of
| War. Ianswer him by showing that the Secre-
tary OF War did think of it more than n year ago.
But that is not ALL the Secretary in his report of
this year, again recommends the organization Of a
local militia, further carrying out the idea. 1t does
not belong to the committee over which the Sen
ator from Virginia presdes so ably, 10 take that
subject into consideration. 1t belongs to the Com
mittee on Military Affairs, of which my friend
from Illinois Mr.. SHIELDS is chairman. Ibelieve
! he has had some correspondence or conversation
1 with the Secretary of War in regard to some of
| these reforms.
| The Senator from Virginia has suggested the
idea of n military colonization. He admits that it
is mere speculation. He speaks of the Roman
! colonies and of the Austrian military frontiers.
He might have added, if he had thought Of it, that
we had made the attempt in 1888 to establish a
military colony in Florlda-an attempt which, /
| think turned out to be an abortion. never heard
of any good result from it, ] never heard that the
] Indians were kept in awe by the military colony
! which we attempted to establish during Mr.. Van
Buren's administration, or that any appreciable
effect was produced. | believe some settlement
was made under it, but no good resulted. So that
our experience is against II. myself doubt that
any military colonization, such prevailed in the
days of ancient and Imperial Rome, would suit
modern and republican America am verv well
persuaded that the military colonization which
exists on the Turkish frontier of Austria would
| not suit our people. 1t is Inconsistent with our
social conditon--with all the feelings and habits
| of our people
| had occasion few weeks since, while was
confined by indisporition, 10 read Paget's work
on Hungary and Pennsylvania. ! learned from
this work that the state Of things prevailing the
Austrian frontier is widely different from the con-
dition of our remote possessions. The extent Of
that military border is no more to be compared
with that of our rontiers which we have to defend
| from hostile Indians, than the "patch", called
4" Austria" is TO he compared to our two millions
of square miles Of territory. The condition ofthe
countries, too, is entirely different. That is set
tied country. Ii is populous, fertile, and pro-
ductive country The people beyond its borders
are the lazy and quiet Turks, whose warlike fero-
city has long since been tanned. The military
coonlsts on those frontiers are more employed to
keep down something within Austria than TO pre-
vent the Turk or the plague from coming in. In
fact, they more used at present in preventing
smuggling than for any other purpose Their
organization is totally unlike anything which
would suit us.
Their allotmcnts Of land are in little parcels of
from thirty-six to fifty acres, which held as
military fefs, not by single individual, but by
military family, in which are several adults, all
bound to military service, every one Of whom is
required in turn To perform weekly tour OF duty
nj the military stations, and all Of whom arc liable
/ to be called into TIE regular army IL war should
ensue. Paget states that il any sudden emer-
gency should arise, by system Of alarm bells
and Signatures in four hours there could be under
arms two hundred thousand men. Though the
men ordinarily employed at the stations guards
on the frontiers, and IN the preventive service, do
not amount to quite five thousand men, vet the
number is very largely increased If any danger is
apprehended. This military family holds all its
! land, farming stock, and produce in community
Nomember ofthe family can have private properly
in these things There is u variety Of regulations
judicial and political, for their government, all Of
which show that il is peculiar system, adapted
To peculiar people, under peculiar state of cir
cums;ances, and altogether unfit for such coun-
try as that in which it is suggested that we might
establish ~.
Now, think that so far as the military reforms
in regard to posts the dismissal Of civil employees,
a reduction of the cost of forage, &C., are con-
cerned the Secretary Of War has taken all the
steps that could have been expected Of him, and
is eminently entitled TO credit. But that is not
all. Gentlemen have made some charges against
the Administration Of extravaganza, which they
think might and ought to have been prevented
They are founded upon information furnished
from the Department, which the Secretary Of
War obtained by his own vigilance We have,
for example, the report Of Major Swords. How
did il come 10 us? Why, the Secretary Of War,
desiring to ferret out these abuses which he told
US he feared existed sent Major Swords as an
agent to New Mexico His object was to hunt
ont those abuses which had existed previous to
his time, and which in his time he was determined
to stop if he could. II is from that report of
Major Swords that much Of the information of the
Senator from Virginia has been obtained. The
Secretary Of War could not personally make these
inquiries. The only way he could arrive at these
facts was by sending qualified and reliable
agent and that he did in sending Colonel Swords:
and upon this information he POUNDS his plans of
reform, as gentlemen do their charges Of exirava-
gnnce.
| suppose there has been some abuse in the ex
penditures Of the Quartermaster's Department by
distant agents whose operations were withdrawn
from active superintendence Of their superors here
The expenditures for forage and grain for the use
Of the troops, mules, horses, and cattle have been
large. Int N must he rpn,e also that