The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-03-29

exercise this power OF educating young men for tb,
army mat they may resign and enter into other employ
mens IN The country. You should coDine your educs.
lon 10 the necessities OF your seryiceI do not mean
rgidly and automatically but within certain limit Of
discretion Z
Now. the simple question is whether YOU have need
OF tins increase Dy honorable friend from illinois, Mr.
SHIELDS, IN whose Judgment in relation TO all these
matters nave great confidence, says that when the bill
pfovMlng fof retired ls OF our army officers shall ha
been passed there will be number OF vacancies 10 be
hlied BE II SO, Mr.. President; but let us wal. until
that bill passes; VIII be time enough 10 fill these va
cancies after that bill rs passed and the vacancies occur
There Is another consideration bearing upon this subject
which is this: independently OF the increase provided for
the ADDITION ol % cadets you have provided in This very
p-and most excellent provision is too, and one
mai VIII produce very great amelioraon in the army
you have provided Tor commissioning those sergeans cor
porals, and other non-comnlssoned officers who prove
themselves worthy OF that promotion If that provision
honestly and iary carried out you will have no neon
siderable acquisition OF persons TO I'LL these vacance es
without any addition to the number Of cadets in this Mil
| itary Academy.
The question before is mol whether is proper to
give the exercise oil this patronage senators The
question is whether these officers arc wanted; when YOU
have shown that they are wanted then will arise the
question as TO ibe mode OF appointing them. And do
before the Senate that not particle OF reason has
been given why the number OF these cadets should be in
creased. You have now, according 10 your military re-
ports upon your table, fifty supernumerary bfeye
second iieutenans and what do you want OF more Off
GERS You provide already in this bill for anos, in
definite increase OF them by the elevation OIL do not
4 how many non-commissioned officers. What do you
want Of any moIe What reason has been given for This
increase, or by what authority is II proposed be made
II is said tna The vlsers OF this Academy have recon
mended IT, Why, sir, 60 back and examine all the an
nual reports OF these visers from the commencement
10 this day, and that If you had adopted all their
suggestions, you would now have institution which,
IN point OF expense, would equal the universities Of
tons have been made by these visilers-and well made
too--that Congress never would agree to? They are
made by gentlemen upon the spot, who look partially
upon all considerations connected with the institution
and recommend everything that they may consider be
essential. whether II is SO or not Now, it for
determine upon carrying out Their recommendation, How
| is il fortihed
Gentlemenseem 10 supltse here that the war Depart
meat has recommended This thing Bot not SO, Mr.
President; nothing like il; there has not been one WORD
able friend from Illinois [Mr SHIELDs has read report
here from the Secretary OF War in respect the build
ngs at West Point, as TO whether the number Of cadets
could be increased without increasing the number Of
buildings in which the Secretary says that increase Of
buildings wculd BE necessary called upon the Secre
tary OF War thus morning, Tor the simple reason that /
have great confidence IN his judgmeai, well that
OF my friend IRON Illinois. | called 10 know his ground
for this increase and he assured that he had
made no such recommendation at all be had never been
called upon Tor bis opinion IN relation to this matter be
had been called upon 10 give his opinion 10 whether
the buildings OF the Academy sufficient for an in
crease of the number of cadets. but proposition was
made TO him respecting the pIopreiy oil increasing the
number ol Cadets and therefore he gave opinion re-
a,on to that matter Now, again ask, upon what facts
or information is this proposed addition OF sxyiwo
dets-one-onrih OF your present number--based' Has
any man shown that II is necessary 10 the service
repeat this not question OF paironsge il ia not
mere question OF adding sixiy-two young to this
Military Academy, in order that senator's may make the
appointments. That will not justify before the Amer.
lean people The hrs, question is does the necessities
OF the service require this increase | say now, as |
sad yesterday. that the true way 10 supper, this Military
Academy, ard not break il down. 10 keep within the
rigid rules o economy as lar as YOU can, and moi TO add
Ito sixty cadets merely that senator's may have the
IN a
outve such proposition
repeat there is not member upon this floor more
anxious 10 preserve this Military Academy than | am.
We have now IN our service some q 600 or 5000 n,
and do not recollect The exact number OF officers Ii
addition OF more than sixty officers required arm
willing 10 grant IL but ii is needed With our fifty
bevet second eutenants and after promoting our
commissioned officers provided for already by this
BILL Will no, need this addition 10 The present number
OF cadets
And viii again gay 10 my honorable friend from IL
linos tha, think would be better for him 10 iorego
this provision for The present. and allow the bill 10 pass
without It, consider il otherwise of the best bills
which have been introduced into this body Its passage
will elevate the rank aud file OF the army and The
commissioned officers, and will furnish them stimuli Tor
exeriion for when they upon fu.ough and not upon
the strict line o their duty, their additional pay will be
stopped and, under these circumstances, the honorable
senator knows well as do thai they will not have
much disposition 10 leave Their posts as they now have
pronounce that bill, upon the whole, the beat bill which
has been introduced into this body since have been
member oil IL aud thank The honorable senator from
Mr. BROWN | wish 10 ask the honorable senator
from Michigan tMr. CAssl question. He seems to
have had an interview with the Secretary Of War upon
this subject would ask my friend from Michigan if
he understood the Secretary oil War having any OBJ
jecon TO this increase, or as considering il
cessaryi
Mr. CASS | shall vote sgainstihs proposition with
ou, hesitation asked The Secretary of War il was
TO consider myself authorized to state here what he
stated 10 me, and he said might consider myself
thorzed | do not know that ] am authorized TO say
though think know hls opinions upon the subject
do not know that am authorized 10 cay more than
have said but SO far as have made any statements,
have his foil authority for making them.
Mr. SHIELDS. wish TO put this matter right On
Michigan, [Mr CAssl--lf this was recommended BIZ The
Secretary OF War stated that il bad been recommend
ed BY the yisers nj West Point Academy and "a the
Secretary OF War had adopted their report and sent IL
here with his report considered il as antsmount to
recommendation
MIR CASS. My objec, in going 10 see the Secretary
Of War was 10 ascertain the grounds upon which was
put.
Mr. SHIELDS. | will further state that acted upon
that fsoomme ndaon aud inserted this provision in this
BILL and then called upon the Secretary OF War and had
conversation With him IN relation TO II, and he assenled
10 its remaining in the bill He did not, il is irue di
reciy recommend ii in his report bat be has examined
the bill the whole bil has been examined and re-ey
amined by him. by myself and by all the members oil The
Military Committee. The Secretary OF War has no,
positively recommended this provision IN his report TO
this body recommended To but he bas consented
to It's beng in this bill
The honorable senator from Michigan says that there
is no necessity for this increase stated yesterday wha,
believed was the necessity for H. There are many
other things could state that have been hined at by
some honorable senators, bnt which ! think ought not