The Yazoo City weekly Whig. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 18??-1855, 1853-01-14
Vol. II, No. e.. Whole No s67.

heard wlthgreat pleasure the Just and eIo.
lquent remarks Of the Senator from Illinois
Mr shieldsl upsn this branch Of the sub
lIect and indeed tpea the whole question.
The army has always done its dutv to the
country. and often under circumstance ~
the greatest difficulty and eabget. and I
hope the country will always be disposed to
deal with i in spirit of justice aAd kind
mess.
'The granting Of additional brevet rank
for gallant services On the battlefield NAV
be considered now as part Of our national
policy. sanctioned by practice and the ap-
probation Of the country. As to titles, such
as are granted elsewhere, thank God we
have none to bestow; and / trust shall
never live to see the day when any pecuni
airy rewards will be conferred upon military
men. except pensions for injuries actually
sustained in the line of their duty. agreea.
bly, to our present system. An additional
breyet grade is the true official reward which
our service offers. and 1t well becomes the
nature Of our institutions.
1.-THE campaigns in Mexico were fertilein
glorious results, and all who contributed 10
them, by distinguished personal exertions,
received the acknowledgement of their good
conduct by brevet promotions. and, in many
instances, by more than one, where more
than one chance of distinction, presented it
self, and was seized in the proper spirit
He, who planned and conducted one of those
peIilous inroads into the heart of the enemy's
country, is the only living oficerof the army
excluded from this distribution of rewards,
SO gratifying to the just pride of soldier
And Why is this? Not because his eminent
merits were not felt and acknowledged, for
no such injustice found place in the hearts
Of the people but because he won, almost
forty years ago, in other fields, but with
equal gallantry. the highest grade known
10 our system. And though hehad other
services to render, we had no other rewards
10 offer, in the line Of his duty, without
some new legislative provision. The gra-
dations in our military establishment rise
from second or third Internationally
ensigns. and do not know why the desig-
nation was changed-to first lieutenants,
captains. majors, lieutenant colonies, colo
nels, brigadier generals, and major generals,
and there we have always stopped, with the
exception Of commander-in-chief, during the
war, and of the arrangement
for the return Of General Washington to
The military service of the country, during
our difficulties with France, when the posi-
sition of Commander of the army, commits
stoned as u Lieutenant General, was confer
red upon him, but was afterwards changed
to that Of General Of the armies of the UniN
ted States"
After some eloquent illusions to Wash
ington, in connection with suggestion that
The Office should be created for Gen. Scott,
and not reviVed, as the bill proposed, Gen.
Cass proceeds to notice the objection that
The proposed brevet was aristocratic IN its
nature. concluding with splendid tribute
% Gen. SCOTS military services:
"What makes it aristCcratic? Not the
name, for we have major-generals with
higher sounding titles though with less rank,
and we have captain generals in the States,
and lieve,alsolieHtehart- generals in some
If them. Where we shall stopin military
grades Is mere question Of cxpediency,
depending on existing circumstances, andon
he extent ofour establishments. At one time,
lsiring the administration of Mr.. Jefferson
i was proposed, believe, By General Dear
born, then Secretary Of War, to have no
HIGHER officer Of war than colonel; and for
many years, from the death Of Gen. Wayne,
indeed, until the wat Of 1919, with the ex-
,eption Of the increased establishment afisa
inc out Of the French difficulties, to which
have already referred, we had none highs
Dr. than aprigadier- general, which was the
rank Of General Wilkinson, who command
ID the army for many years. There is moth
he more aristocratic in one military grade
than another Experience has shown that
these gradations are essential to efficient
service, and where they shall stop is; as
have said, i mere question Of Legislative dis
cretion. W. do not now need the pelma-
nent position u acknowledgement in our
army, nor do ! foresee when We shall md
this conviction was the catise Of the objec-
ton first took to this measure.
Il advert to the general considerations +
have Just presented not 1t AL as reasons for
the creation Of the grade. but to repel the