, 1852-09-18
Congressional
IN SENATE,
J Y 0LlN = I1f
WASHINGTON, Jolly l3, log.

WASHINGTON, July l3, lc52.
On motion of Mr.. DouGLAs, the Senate
,,,ocyeded to the consideration Of the bill
authorizing the President to raise arm and
couip three regiments Of volunteers TO serve
Cor three wears, in guarding and protecting
nrr;qrant route and telegraph lines, and con
,.nyIn, the mails between Missouri River
al t6r settlements in California and Oregon.
Ther. are to be ten posts on the route, to
he oarrlsoned by one hundred men each,
w;iR interviewing stations twenty miles apart,
parisoned by 20 men each, the station
houses 10 be erected by the Volunteers, and
from materials obtained in the country along
The route. These volunteers are 10 keep the
ro,ds in order with bridges and ferries, and
10 protect the telegraph lines, and all per,
sons in establishing and working the same.
Tb.y are 10 rais,, gather and preserve all
necessary provisions and supplies, without
east to Government. They are to paid the
same as other troops, and at the end ofthrce
wears to be entitled no 60 acres Of land
each The telegraph lines thus constructed
NAV use these military posts and stations
free of charge. The bill also appropriales
-dollars to carry into clf,ct the proyi'
SONS Of the bill.
Mr DoucLAs moved to Gil the blank with
cne hundred thousand dollars.
Mr.. HALE said the Senate might as well
fill the blank with the real cost at once from
1919 toIsll. The cost oGthe army in The
Atlantic States in time Of peace and before
ACQUISITION Of Texas and the new territories
was the rate Of one thousand dollars year
for each man. That cost had not been re-
dueed since then. These regiments would
amount to three thousand men, which, at
on, thousand each would amount TO three
millions of dollars year for their support
It was as well TO put tha. sum in at once as
TO leave it for future bills
Mr.. DouGLAs replied that the great COST
orlhe army was for transportation, which
expense would not occur in The present pro-
posed force.
Mr.. MAsoy thought that this bill which
proposed an increase Of tho military force
Of the United States, ought to undergo the
revision of the Military Committee. At
present he could not vote for it, Itpropos,d
10 establish a military force costing annually
at least thee millions for The purpose Of pro-
tectng a telegraph I'M which was not in
existence, and would not BE-, perhaps, for
century TO come, and to protect a mail
which is not carsisd by that route, and
which, if carried, would greatly increase the
expense cf It's transportation. If the object
be to protect The country and pursue the
Inlnns, the three thousand men would have
al much as they could attend TO-, without
having to cultivate and gather crops. He
moved that the bill be referred 10 the Com
miltee on Military Affairs.
Mr.. DouGLAs said, tic object Of the Lill
was to protect the cmigrant route. There
were now on the plains, twenty thousand
men, women and children, wholly uupro-
tcctcd 'front.' the Indians by any military force.
They ought to be Protected, either BY keep
inI portion Of the army there or by this
system OF military colonization: The latter
he lholght was better and cheaper.
Mr.. BoELAND followed in favor Of the
bill, and against the Commitment
Messrs. DAWSON aud BUTLER opposed
the bill, and after continuing the debate till
three O'Clock, the bill was postponed till
II -xt Tuesday, and the Senate adjourned,