The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-24
IN CONGRESS- OF THE U. STATES
LIruTkNANr.c GENERAL BIT SREvLT'


Mr.. PETIT Mr., President. do not know but INA!
he motives that prompted me to ask lew qoesuohs VI
The senator from Illinois may 90 inisunatistuou ein
nv desire 10 gnow whether conterf'hy Inls oleve,
isnk,' conters xddionsl command upon eeo ocou aha
h-,hsr n carries with il provisio for additional pay
II has been revolving my mind whether hesc lninss
could TAX place not. cannot cay hai am SQUIRT
or that know 90 much about lhe oEan'As'oh VI uo
army as others Ii seems 10 me- as 10 Inc ntt PROPOSE
ton that there can be no higher command undsr the
peren, tile distinction that we propose TO confer han
Gen. Scott now has IN 'lns o. peace: VI M
ins the constitutional commander OF the army l we
have any law providing that breyet omcer shali nave
higher pay than an ofcer who ls not bfeveed heh hs
The idea that intended - convey by the questions
thai asked Of the senator from ILLINOIS was this; II
could learn that The necessv o ihcfrasng Tue conand
arose. in part, from desire 10 Increase the pay, ana
thx, the increase oil The command which Gen Sc, now
has would directly or mdite. ny increase ms pay "oulu
be nduc. meat TO me TO vote Tor the Iseou.onoe
40, thai neither The army nor me civil s oi
the UniIed States is much more than hall pad Wou'u,
however, much rather meet II directly sad ma,
would vote tor propossGn when wouia u',t.uy n
crease The pay al Gen Scott and DO not know oa'
I au now prepared TO vote penSon for ms Wilow-ih
aniicraton. slf--and his childen; but Thai matter
can bs attended to hereafter. ih're IS no man who Ell
terta,ns hi sher esiinaon OF the gallant military ser
wees Oi Gen. Scott than do-nobe ulde standing ththi
no better than do, any rae. would 40 no'hihs 70
east gloom The declining years oi ihai gaian chlei
tain Ii he desires taabie, or an aiai onA eah-
et in his cap. do know that could nhu u IN my
hear, 10 refuse IL hut would much rather know that II
conferred sub-tsata lasting tans'oie neneht 70 ina.
man wnich mg ht so0lbr bis laiig years. ana DsDrnl
his family If. therefore, itdows thai there is TO ne
thai lasting, tangible, AID substantial benehi derived
from conierng lnis ute. .haii be much more inclined
Mr ADAMS. Mr. President. do no, wish to be un-
derstood opposing any proposition tbat II INTENDED -
coaer honor on General Scott io the distinguished
service that he has rendered 10 this country Notwh-
sanding err much has been said favor OF this resou-
ton, set ors to see how The resolution creates
higher military title Than that which now exiss by law
or how il can confer additional honor upon HIM over
and above vote oil thankBan honor winch boih houses
oil Congress have already conferred u The object 10
pay bm additional compensation Tor hs services let II
come up as 4 distinct proposition. ii he has not been
fully paid, hs country ready 10 pay him we are 10
&C, upon thus question, lei US do II directly.
Il Is sand, however, by The distinguished senator from
Illinois MI. SHIELDsl that brevet appointments have
been conferred upon various individuals, IRON the CON
meocemen of this government 10 the pfe-ent time That
is true An Individual having particular rank IN the
army has, by voe OF Congress, been compliine nted
wnh rank above his actual COMMAND. and he has re
ceived pay accordingly. But believe there Is no soii-
tary instance OF creating title or ofce siup1y 10 besow
q pmeni TINS will be the brst instance ina an Iu-
dyiaual has been csnplimened with title OF higher
Rrade than his command la Tue Case of General w ash
ingon il intended TO confer upon him The command
which If was supposed al The line that The te would
confer. 1t conferred as compliment al all and
the country never received 1t as compliment when
Mr. Polk asked for the creation OF the tile oil ant
general, IL not intended a compliment, but grew
Out OF The fact that there then cono between ih
disiins uished individual General Scoi) and the late
President ot the Uniei States General ia,or IN regard
10 thrr several commands. winch placed MIR Polk as
President OF ihs United States, 10 awkward and un-
peasap. situation. 10 order To AVOID this dmculty by
tie oi command above both OF these generals,
he asked that Office should be created 10 The army
bu, Congress refused 10 confer IL believe there is not
solitary Instance IN the history oil this country where
Office has been created expressly 10 besoS com.
plimenl | object 10 The pslnclple.
Mr. SHIELDS VIII the honorable senator permit
me cay that this not the creation oil an OF.
hc~-, TIE revving OF Office that has heretofore
been created he principle hold. Is The same still II
10 merely revving le office IN the .bape OF bfevet, IN
slesd OF the shape OF permanent ofhce.
Mr. ADAMS understand tnat understand that
this - Called revival OF tbe ohee; set y sa creation
ot the ofice 10 conief II upon particular inalvleuAl,
when thai individual has already reached The highest
position known 10 the laws OF the country II Is said
tina. every other Distinguished general ohcer has been
breve,ed; and II ia asg,d, Why is II that tnis dsin-
gushed general has not been brtveedf Ii ls because
he held the highest position known to the laws OF The
land. and there was no possibility OF conier1ng upon
him title bv Dfevei, unless that tle should be expressly
created for the purpose OF bertovlng upon him honor
unknown 10 tbe laws OF the land. That ~ prece-
dent which object think the objections OF my
friend from Wisconsin tMr. WALrrsI were by no
means iaAciously made. Ii - true, AS stated by the
honorable senator iron Vasina, Mr MAsosl that
buy, koown in the constitution, has reference 10
particular class OF known titles bot think that the
spirii Of the consuobon did contemplate that there
should be title, whether military or otherwise,
ferfeo M mere DISTINCTION. without having reference 10
Think teetore the obiecuns urged by the senator
iron Wisconsin we're well taken.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. II | were to consult my feelings
only, should tor this resolution. But upon look
log at At a question OF PRACTICAL IegislaioD, do not
what principle can justly A. II Is evidently
intended ss comp lmept TO Cereal Scott so far
tue Senate OF The Un.d States can pay him a compl
ment BY expressing lis APPRECIATION OF hrs military con-
duct, s latitude Tor hIs services IN the Mexican CAM
vAixn. would heartily and cbeerfuly unite uih eem
But think that ba. already been done. II mistake
noi we already voted 70 Celeal Scott a medal for
his services We have alresdy given bim a voie OF
thanks for his services What higher compliment Can
we pay What higher compliment has this S~nst. or
this nation bees abie 10 pay 10 any mao Dad
do more than that lot be Fa her OF hs County Did
We do ban to medals or thanks 10 Gsorg.
Ws-hInxt Ton, ir CONSIDERATION OF his servcv,i No. al
ALL No Tar Ms | am advised. no msu ever proposed any
thing aaditoB that ior the services oi Washing
TO hi. county
The cs.e o conerrng the rank oil heuenant-g raj
upon General Washington cited precedent or this
esse do not regard II AS precedent nor do | re.
gard act from which any authority tor this
luton could be drawn. The polni 10 tnst
General Washington bad retired ron the srny-he
prvse citizen. II xpprebended that this county
was about To enasxe IN war wnb France. IL ID.
wish of this nation that George Washington sboud be
placed at the head OF the sfmy, IN order that be might
oonduct that But the highest ranks IN the army
then niied. VI he should be maze major general
OF the army, he would sil be ranked by officers
held older commissions OF the same rank IL nece.
,ay, therefore, 10 create bsnsr rank, 10 order
Die Genssl Washington 70 take command OF the army.
In o'd~r therefore, place hm head of the army,
that ihs conntry night avail themselves OF bis invaua
BILE services III such apptenended, the rank
OF lieutenant general cr.sied IL had no reference
whatever 10 paying any compliment TO Washington for
past services No compliment could be paid him IN Al
Il wnh rslsr.oce TO future servrces-from
the necessity for his services, with view To The