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


take with propriey would be TO undo il altogether If
Il sands an regard TO the House.. think II ought TO be
extended To the Senate. .#s. IS
Mr. PETIT Mr.. President, oppose tie ninth sec
ton OF the bill mainly because IL proposes TO make an
increase which, n my Judgment. the country does not
need Tor The legitimate services o the army Tor keeping
Il up and maintaining II 10 sufficient force. II Is not so
mach on account of The patronage or responsibility
which il throws upon tie Senate, for the that
believe Tue increase is mol necessary and not called cr,
! that shall vote agains, il 48@Aa-t
do not eDte tain doubt about the consttutionality
! of this education. IL arm OF The defence oil the
country There be no doubt that The government has
The power to take the hrs the incpen steps TO prepare
The men who 10 defend The country Tor that service
but while that may be done, ought 10 be confined 10 The
legitimate objects Of defence IL ongbi al urhest TO be
confined 10 the education oil many shall be necessa
ry 10 officer your amy II has not been shown here that
tbe present number incompetent for that purposes but
the argument s. that these young men receive good
education at West Point and when they graduate do not
take commissions, do not remain in the arny bat be-
come very valuable citizens and important auxaries in
the construction Of railroads. and in other engneerne
service All that, have no doubt is true have no
question bu that the county derives grea, benefit and
great advantage from the education OF these young
there, bur that apology for the education
The public expense of all the young men in the country
That is matter which should be left TO the States.
have nothing TO say against the discipline, the teach
ing or The rules Of this institutions nor as to the educa
ton and accomplishments Of The young men who are
educated al il No doub, they thoroughly bred and
thoroughly educated Undoubtedly they made thor
ough engineers thorough soldiers, and thorough officers
have no question thai the school is as good one as
can exist in this country, exists in any other but
have yet been unable TO find good reason for the edu
cation OF class OF your officers at the expense OF The
government, and the neglect aud refusal TO educate
other class. Now, sir, mean to reflect no disparage-
men upon the head OF the nauon or any OF his mme.
dae connselors, nor upon any OF the senator's any OF
the representatives in the other House, upon any of
the Judiciary nor upon the legal learning OF the Aor-
ney General or The district attorneys, other officers
who are employed BY this governments but have yet TO
learn yet to be convinced. why is not OF much
importance 10 The United states. and 10 the advantage,
interest," advancement and safety OF the country gener
ally, TO educate one class OF officers as another Why
do you not establish sci oo at which you shall keep
class OF young men constantly educating, from whom
shall come all your Presidents, all your Secretaries OF
State oil War, Of The Navy, OF The Treasury and Of the
Interior. and all your Attorneys General and Posmaslers
General! Why do you no, establish school Tor the
education OF your udciaryyour Supreme, circuit, and
district judges! Why do you not establish diplomatic
school
hold it Is important any country that the per-
sons who bear the responsibility abroad OF negotiating
delicate questions OF keeping peace and maintaining
The honor of their country should be educated for that
purpose as i is tha, or b shall be educated 10 know
how 10 WELD the sword or the muskei. IL is import.
ant, in my judgment, to this country that y,u should
have learned corps oil dpIoma,sts abroad that you
should have learned corps OF fences at home 1t
important that you should have corps OF learned men,
from whom you TO take your executives, and corps
learned thoroughly in all the history. and science, and
paSy mol oa,y q yGmt ow" h Su b Of a Other gov.In
policy OF foreign intercourse, 10 conduc, tha, branch oil
the goyernmentit is as important that you should edu
SECRETARY Ntate tnat should
educate Secretary OF The Treasury, who is 10 control
the moneyed desines OF the country, who is dry them
up by awkwardness, or make them flow evenly and
smoothly, fruc,fyng the whole earth by his intelligent.
aud learned, and policyit is important that you
should educate senator's and members OF the other House
by whose voice aud whose breath the whole desnes o
the country are 10 be ruled and from whose hands The
laws for the government o The army 10 originate and
emanae, is to educate your commanders ia the field
Sir not able 10 why il is that you should educate
one class OF officers and not educate all
This argument 1 grant would 90 10 tbe foundation of
ths establishment entirely but this institution has been
long fastened upon the country, and lis results have
proved beneficial and honorable as hesitate 10
say they have that il would be impossible and probably
poic 10 attempt 10 wipe out abrogate il from
! among The institutions OF the country, Blu; while am
willing to coneede that this school has done much for the
military OF the public service, may ask would mol
school for the education OF your judges do much for
that service II get II once established, and get all
your old judges removed by death, and your ones
educated at government law school, how will that
fasen itself upon The country that you abro.
gale III II you asten upon the country school for The
education OF senator's may II no, be possible there will
be more learned body say II with all deferencethan
The Senate has ever had here And with the House
o Representatives, and 20 with the Executive himself
Then the fact that this institution rendered service
is not sufficient apology for for increasing the
number OF lis students The fact that has produced
able and learned set OF officers for the army suf
hcient for to vote for this section ii stands
Bot sir the main alignment which used here s, that
we are TO educate at The public expense, set OF eng
neers, not officers O the army. This bill provides that
the cadets shall be paid S83 m0nth aud found to ac
quire an education 90 the country ii one depart
ment oil lille, az engineers
Admitting tie pr1prely and necessity OF this school,
protest against The attempt 10 educate the public
peDse, every young N the county Ny whole pol
icy and idea in public lite has been 10 put my fellow
citizens, old and young, men and their sons rich and
poor upon political equality starting at the broad ba
SIS OF equal rights, letting every one scramble for the
prizes OF lie, which are open 10 all Never teach your
young that they the pets o the government Never
cay 20 them, Through you and by you TO all
the officers all the commanders OF our armies and then
say TO othtrs yon need not go to the Vermont the
Kentucky military achoolyou need not seek any learn.
ing IN this branch for promotion IS not yours you
advance unless you 90 through particular inst
uion would open the door 10 The Just emulation and
us ambition OF ALL II You do this sou will find plen,y
Of mary schools starting up all the couatry, which
will educate your young men, and qualify them for the
army, Ind now that colleges and academies are
educating all for The civil walks oi life
ia my judgment, you will iufuse greater stimulant to
exefon and greater ambition for excellence and par
1ceienee, too, IN the young oil The country, If you
say ihem tbe door sopen for youprepae yourselves
for public service 10 the various departments and walks
of lie and the various conditions which your country
NAV need your services and when they needed you
will be 10 be appsned and TO receive the proper
reward"
notwithstanding the advantages which il is said we
have derived from this school, believe that if differ
eni policy had been adopted at the beginning we should
10 day have aber OF army officers than we now
have. And while say that II rs equally right that
gentlemen should be educated from boyhood up for
senatorial Positions and for presidential positions as
that young men should be educated for army OIL
hcers, yet am ready To admit, and do solemny as
sever that believe the Senate now, and has been