The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-30
DEBATE In THE SENATE
On the subject Of conferring the title of liz.
tenant General NNu-
TUESDAY, DEcEM Der q

thorize the President of the United Stat.
confer the rank of Lieutenant. General b. !
vet for meritorious services, it BEING nrJa.
stood that General Scott was to be the ,.,;,
lent of the honor.
General Shields said he was in favor os;.
an act of ustice-Of military justice to (,oro,.,
Scott. The Committee on Military Affair.
took the same view of it. Mr. Cas- suppOr,.a
it in speech, in which he paid warm tribute
of admiration to General Scott MIR. BorlaOd
said that he would not oppose the resolution So
much, if it were proposition to confer hi.
rank directly on the General, but Mr.. Shield,
remarked that this course would be uncOnsj.
tutional. MIR. Adams, of Mississippi, and
Messrs Chase and Hale, opposed the rosclu
ton, Messrs. Clemens and Pratt defended il
On ordering the resolution to third read
ing-the test questionable vote stood
YEAs-Messrs. Atchison, Badger Bell, But.
Ter, Brooke, Cass, Charlton, Clemens, Cooper
Davis, DeSaussure, Dodge of Wisconsin Dixon.
Dodge of Iowa, Fish, Geyer, Gwn, Hunter
James Jones of Tennessee Mason, Miller, Nor.
ton, Pearce, Pratt, Rusk, Seward, Shields |
Smith, Soule, Spruancs, Underwood, Upham
and Wade-34. Il
NAYs-Messrs. Adams, Bradbury, Brgf,
Cathcart Chase, Felch, Hale Hamlin Norris
Sumner, Toucey, and Walker-l2.
The joint resolution was then read third
time and passed.
The only Southern man voting against III
was MIR. Adams, of Mississippi The rest of
the negatives were given by Democrats and
Pierce men,
We have no room for the debate at length
but our readers would hardly forgive US if We
omitted the publication of the concise and
statesmanlike remarks of Mr. Chase and
portion, at least, of the piquant speech of Mr.
Hale.
Mr.. CHASE When this resolution was origi
nally before the Senate some two years since
felt myself constrained to vote against il. n
then gave silent vote but now desire 10
state briefly the reasons which control me-
The object of the resolution has been d.
tinctly avowed by the honorable Senator from |
Illinois, Mr.. Shields, and by the honorable
Senator from Michigan, MIR. Cass 1t is to
create new rank in the army, for the purpose
of distinguishing a particular individual, by
comforting that rank upon him Now is it
worth the COSTS it sxpedient that an Amer
can Congress should revive this rank, which
as has been stated by the honorable Senator |
from Michigan, has been but once before con, |,
ferred in our whole history as a nation, and
then only upon Washington, and for reasons
growing out of the condition of public affairs !!
The best reward of noble deeds is the conscious
ness of duty done. That highest reward, np-,
pose, the soldier as well as the civilian most cow
cts, that consciousness which will sustain the pos
SCISSOR at all times, and under all circumstances,
amid opprobrium as well as applause. 1t con.
stitutes reward which he finds in bis own
breast, and which it is impossible for any to
take from him. Now, sir, no man wishes TO
take one leaf from any laurel which General
Scott has won or worn no man desires to le-
prive him of any jot of that gratitude which
his country has 80 freely offered to him, or 10
take from him q title of that worldwide re,
nown which his achievements have gained for
him; and the fame of his achievements has
of civilization is spoken. Our duty is to COZ
slider the consequences of the act which we are
now called upon TO perform
said a moment since, repeating what had
fallen from the Senator from Michigan, Mr.
Cass that this rank has been created but once
before in our whole history, and then it was
created for the purpose of comforting it upon q
man who was above all his compeers. do
not think the object of the Senator from Mich
igan, to avoid the inference that any man IS the
peer Of Washington, will be attained by chang
ing the word revive for the word create ID
this resolution. Change what you may, the thing
remains the fact is still there that you confer the
Office which was created for Washington upon
another distinguished person and whether you
style it the "revivalD or the creation OF
that Office, makes no difference in practical Ell,
feet Why, sir although Washington carried
the country through the war of the Revolution
il WAS not thought necessary to create any new
title for him at its close He conferred upoDI
his country the highest Of all benefits; he as
sured to her. by his services in the field, freedom
and independence More than any other man,
under the blessing of Providence, he secured TO
us the privileges and institutions which we now
enjoy. And, yet, whoever thought Of dignity
ing him by new title, by comforting upon him
any of those gewgaw distinctions which Legs
latures can create, and which Legislatures can
take away! No, sir; his reward was of dli'
ferent description. 1t was found in the con
seriousness Of his own heart that he had con-
ferred the greatest benefits upon his country
and upon the world, and in those grateful re-
CARDS of the people who surrounded him every
where be went and distinguished him as hrst
in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts OF
his countrymenn That WIS his distinction
No trappings of Office, no mere military o'.s1
no distinction such as that you now propose "
confer, constituted any part OF It, IL hoMss
from The great fountain of his own services,
and was returned to him in the gratl'uuo "
the people. no
am averse to distinguishing any man "
the title which was conferred upon "asn"h
ton alone; and conferred on him only VINE" "
was supposed that he was Immediately ~
called into the actual service OF his country -
the war with France. remember the a11Os
ing and noble letter in which he slgnihea nv
acceptance Of the commission lie acceP'e
not a. a mere rank, not as an honorary dls'lpO'
ton but as a commission to render new sci
vices to his country in new and periious n.,s
IL was his warrant for duty to be done 10 'ng
service of his country, not mere trapping y
Office. .s
rccollect very well, when this subJec. ' ss5
under consideration before that it was Sugge Rat
on the part of the opponents of this measure vs
we were entering upon a new policy oy eo' g,
ring titles-mere ttles-as q considera,o.
military services. And it was asked, wn %y
all this to end And Irecollect very we" "a
very distinguished supporter OF tins g,ksmr(
said at that time, that if the case sea11ld occuI
in which it was necessary, ne vas willing "a
grant the marshaps baton and 10 confer what
ever rank the usages Of Euro1Gan Governments
allow, for the purpose Of Expressing the graft
tude and admiration or our Republic Now
my honorable friend from Michigan and others
say that there is no danger in mere words. 1.-THE
substantial rank and power remain uncbang-
ed, where is the danger Of comforting higher
title! Why, sir VIII does not know that tho
substantial mower f Louis NanoJeop three