The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-24

OF the United States TO confer the rank OF breye lieu
tenant. general upon the commander OF the Amer
can army in the late war with Mexico. Circum-
stances in the condition Of the country prevented
on all former occasions, that dspsssonate consdea
ton OF the subject, perhaps. which it deserves We
TO It's considera under circumstances pecu
ariy favorable. II is time OF peace and of harmony
throughout the country il is lime when political aspel-
ties of; il is time when the country is ready
and willing such honors bestowed upon This veie
general as he has truly meriied and deserved And
have seen nothing more gratifying since have had The
honor OF seat in this body than the very general dispo
slon that has been and is manifested upon the 9th
side OF the chamber TO receive this proposition, 10 con
slider il, and weigh it carefully and 10 give final just
and wise decision upon IT, believe every word that has
been uttered by every senator who has borne his tes
mony TO the character OF Gen Scott, military man. as
william, patriot, and Christian And DO sin
cerey believe that those senators who oppose this pror
osoR oppose it conscientously upon grounds and con-
yctions Of public duty which they have adopted. and
not from any want OF generosity towards this dslin
guished citizen What reason shall Da given why this
proposition shall not be adop,ed II is said by the hon
orabe gentleman who has just addressed the Senate,
tha, this proposing 10 confer breyet military rank IS
equivalent TO confefriDg title OF nobility, and that II
IL, therefore in spirit, at least, violation OF the con-
s,Itution Of the United States. Now, il seems TO me
that il there is any violation of the constitution OF the
United States IN this measure that constitution has been
violated aud wounded every year for the last fifty years
aye indeed, ever since was Instituted Our army as
oganzei. has various ascending grades OF officers the
fs. Of those which need be noticed is the grade or rank
Of cadet, and Toe last and highest s that OF commander
inchef. In the very organization oil the army The very
nt step IL 10 appoint cadeIs 10 serve certain sTiou, ~
order 10 quality themselves for filling places ia the army
OF the United States. When they have performed that
dnty, and have acquired that education necessary TO III
them for entering active service the very first thing we
do is, ii there is vacancy in the rank next above TO
promote them TO that vacancy The next rank is that OF
second lieutenant. But nasmuch the office in that
rank is geaeally filed, resort to the breve system
and there, the very foundation OF the organization OF
army, promote The cadet 10 be second lieutenant
by breuet And 80 when the second lieutenant has per
formed his services faithfully and has distinguished him
| self. him, III there "A higher
places and there be such vacancy in the rank above
raise him to the office OF first lieutenant BY treue
And with The first Lieutenant the captain. the MAJOR
the colonel, the bgadier general and every officer 10
every gradethey all win, achieve, and receive in con-
sdeation OF any signal services they perform, promo
lions immediate and absolute, be in power so to
promote, and if not promotion such we can give-tha
is TO say, by brtpd that is to commission which
gives title TO that place now, and will enntle The parry
10 the place fully when vacancy shall occur II, then,
there any violation OF the constitution IN ma king
major general leulenang there is no more than
there is in making second lieutenant first Lieutenant
or captain by brevel The principle is the same
throughout.
| did not intend to say a word upon the general sub
ject OF The claim OF this distinguished soldier TO this
honor. But will add, that there circumstances
in the this time which require that the honor, If II
is 10 be conferred, should be conferred now Cen
temen bave alluded to the claims which have been es
,abished by this distinguished commander to this honor
to be received at the hands OF his country by his services
in the Mexican But it truly said by the hon
orabls gentleman from North Carolina, Mr.: BADGER ]
that those services were but the capital placed upon
column which he has reared by his former achievements
We have only TO go back, to remember him when he
but stripping, youth, when he entered the
service OF his country volunteer the very first cam
paign in the with Great Britain in LSl2 We lind him
there wounded, shatlered bruised, and broken But we
hun again recovering his strength, his vgor, and his
powers only 10 oder himself to and more dangerous
trials, everywhere and every occasion when his coun
try has been exposed TO danger from that lime until now
He is shattered and bruised all over with the
wounds received from the enemies OF his country IN her
defence AT the same time. II is emphatcally true that
there has been shed drop OF blood by him un
necessariy-ibere has never been drawn by him from
sonowing humanity one tear without compuncuon.
Why, then, shall we not pass this resolution 10 award
late II now s, in his declining years, this high honor
We are told that we should We setting prece
dent Sir there is no danger OF the precedent; for such
services as these come very rarely Gentlemen have
tasked their recollection to lind precedent in the history
OF this county, they find but ha, they refer
to as at all pertinent TO this case-thai IS the case OF
Washington alter the close of the American revolution
II is period OF 60 years, then since any soldier has
before the government OF the United States claim
! ing honots, in whose behalf he claimed honors
such as those it is said offered 10 Washington. II
Judge OF the future by the past, II will be o
Years moel fear il will be hundreds of yeats-beiore
there will arise another commander great, so pure, SO
brave, so wise, 80 generous, 80 devoted to bis country
and to humanity as Winfield Scott
And what is this honor we propose 10 fvef II is to
give him grade degree higher in the army than thai
he now occupies THIS is all. Shall we iorge-can we
fogetthat the country be subdued, even Mexico her-
SELF the enemy he prostra,ed and humbed rendered TO
him merely the empty honor OF tile, but the presi
denCy. The government Oi mat TepubHG 1iseH lie
clIned il faithful citizen OF the United States II IS
but just acknowledgment, upon our part TO reward him
with that which for him, soldier, will be the high
mark OF gratitude which this nation confer upon
him.
The Joint resolution then reported from the com
mi,ree OF the whole the Senate without amendment
No amendment, being offered, the question was upon
ordering the JOINT resolution TO be eDgrossed for its third
reading
Upon this question the yeas and nays ordered ;
and being TAKEN resulted in the afhrmaiive-yeas 80,
nays i2-as follows;
YEAs-Messrs Allen, Atch.on, Badger, Baysrd Benja-
min Bodhead Csss Clay ton, Dawson, Dixon, Dodge Of
Wisconsin, Dodge OF Iowa, Evans, Fish, Foot, Gwin,
James Jones OF Tennessee, Mason Pearcc, Pratt Sebas-
Thomson Of New Jersey, Wade. Weller and Wrght-yo
NAYS-Messrs. Adams, Bright, Chase Clay, Douglas,
Fitzpatrick Iamlin, Norris slidel SUMNER Walker, and
Wliams-I2
Mr SHIELDS asked the unanimous consent OF the
Senate for the third reading and passage OF the ,solu
ton a, this lime
No objection being made, the joint resolution then
read the third time and passed.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
On motion by Mr.. MASON, the Senate then proceeded
10 the consideration OF executive busness and after
short time spent therein. the doors were reopened
whereupon. on notion,
The Senate adjourned.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1853.
MEMORIALS, PETITIONS, Krc.
G Wickham and eleven others, masters OF first. class
sailing vessels engaged in the lake trade, praying that
Iig ht- house may be erected at St. James, Beaver
Island Michigan; which referred to the COMMITTEES
on Commerce,
Mr. WADE presented the petition Of the heirs Of Cap