Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-22

N QJU
Q. M. CONRAD, Secretary Of War.
BY command Of Major General scor:
r.. JONES, Adjutant General.
But sir the Senator from Virginia seemed to think that
something have been done and ought have been
done, recommended by the Secretary in the way of
military colonization, and he talks about the military
ployment of the Pueblo Indians Well sir he has been
anticipated in this for in December 1885, when the
Secretary of War in his first report to Con-
gress he suggested this very idea Of employing the Pueblo
Indians. Here is what he says:
"I has been suggested by we'll acquainted with the
country that the inhabitants Including the Pueblo ndians
might If properly armed and organized into kind militia
under the direction OF officers Of the army render essential
aid in protecting it against the sudden nroads of more
tribes The experiment well worth making; and if autho
ri vested in the Department to distribute and
munition among Them it might be exercised that i'll
sequence could at all events result from it,"
MIR. HUNTER. not aware Of that recommendation
Of the Secretary Of War; but the Senator will allow
say that did not charge it any failure of the Secrea
ny that this had not been done. 1t merely sugges
ton Of my own which threw out
Mr.. PEARcE SO understand. did not suppose
that the Senator Of the fact that this idea had
been entertained by the Secretary of War long before the
Senator ever mentioned it, suppose the Senator was
not of the degree Of credit if any credit be
attached it, which due to the Secretary of War
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 thing
in his annual report persons might well have wondered
that Senator belonging to the Committee Finance
should think of matter of reform in the military service
which occurred to the Secretary Of War answer
him by showing that the Secretary Of War did think Of it
more than year ago. But that is not all The Secre
tary in his report ohis year. again recommends the
ganzation of local militia further carrying out the idea
does not belong the committee which the Sena
from Virginia presides ably take that subject in
to consideration it belongs to the Committee Military
Affairs of which my friend from Illinois MIR SHIELDs)
is chairman. believe he has had some correspondence
or conversation with the Secretary Of War in regard to
some of these reforms
The Senator from Virginia has suggested the idea Of
military colonization He admits that it is specula
ton He speaks Of the Roman colonies and of the Aus
military frontiers He might have added if he had
thought of it, that had made the attempt in 1888 to
establish military colony in Floridaan attempt which,
think, turned out to be abortion. never heard Of
any good result from it. never heard that the Indians
kept in by the military colony which attempt
ed to establish during Mr. Van Burens administration, or
that any apprecable effect produced believe some
settlement made under it, but good resulted So
that experience is against it. myself doubt that any
military colonizaton such prevailed in the days OF
cient and imperial Rome would suit modern and repub
can America am very well persuaded that the military
colonization which exists the Turkish frontier of Aus
ria would not suit people 1t is inconsistent with
social condition. with all the feelings and habits Of
our people,
l had occasion few weeks since while was confined
by indisposton, to read Pagets work Hungary and
Pennsylvania learned from this work that the state of
things prevailing the Austrian frontier is widely diff
feren from the condition of remote possessions The
extent Of that military border to be compared
with that of frontiers which we defend from
hostile Indians than the patch called Austria is to
be compared to two millions of square miles of terri
tory The condition of the countries too is entirely diff
ferent That is settled country 1t is populous, fer
tile, and productive country The people beyond its bor
the lazy and quiet Turks whose warke feroc
has long since been tanned The military colonsts on
those frontiers employed to keep down some
thing within Austria than prevent the Turk or the
plague from coming in. In fact, they used at
present in preventing smuggling than for any other pu
Their organization totally unlike any thing which
would suit us.
Their aotments Of land are in little parcels Of from
thrtysix to fifty acres, which held military ef
not by single individual but by military family, in
which are several adults all bound military service
every one OF whom is required in turn to perform week
tour of duty at the military stations and all Of whom
are liable to be called into the regular army if should
Paget states that If any sudden emergency should
arise, by system Of alarm bells and signa in four
hours there could be under two hundred thousand
Though the ordinarily employed at the stations
as guards on the frontiers and in the preventive service
do not amount quite five thousand men, yet number
very largely increased if any danger is apprehcnded
This military family holds all its land farming stock and
produce in community No member of the family can
have private property in these things There is variety
of regulations judicial and political for their govern
men all of which show that is peculiar system adapt
ed to peculiar people under peculiar state of crcum-
stances and altogether unfit for such country that
which it is suggested that might establish It.
Now, think that far the military reforms in re-
gard to posts the dismissal Of civil employees reduc
ton OF the cost of forage &C. concerned the Secre
OF war has taken all the steps that could have been
expected of him, and is emnenty entitled 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
founded upon information furnished from the Department.
which the Secretary of War obtained by his vigilance
We have, for example, the report of Major Swords How
did it come to u.s. Why the Secretary Of War; desiring
20 ferret out these abuses which he told he feared
isted sent Major Swords agent to New Mexico His
object was to hunt out those abuses which had existed
previous to his time and which in his time he deter
mined to stop If he could 1t is from that report Of Major
Swords that much Of the information of the Senator from
not personally make these inquiries The only way he
could arrive at these facts by sending qualified and
reliable agent and that he did in sending Col Swords
and upon this Information he POUNDS his plans Of reform
as gentlemen do their charges Of extravaganza.
suppose there has been abuse in the expendi-
Of the quartermasers department by distant agents
whose operations we're withdrawn from active superin-
tendence of their superors here The expenditures for
forage and grain for the of the troops mules horses
and cattle have been very large but it must be
bered ALSO that there ten thousand animals in the
vice Of the quartermasters department employed in
transportation, and the expenses necessarily very
great BY no economy you restrict them to sums
which will not appear very great until you realize the
vice performed viii mention, Also that in the estimate
of what is necessary for forage for army service the De-
partment does not ask for full forage though the amount
it is always calculated have letter from the Quar-
who says that il he had estimated for
animals now employed in the service Of the United States
the amount would have been 81 0O0 but he had
duced it to about onehaf Of that sumthe reduction be-
ing made because it was supposed that half the subss
ence Of the animals would be supplied by grazing As
forage at Monterey, to which the Senator from Virginia