Washington sentinel., 1854-07-25

and with fixed determination 10 aid in the main
tenance of a free government, which relieves them
from the lash of The oPpressor. They feel and
know that
Tis liberty alone that gives the flower Of ceting life
Its sweet perfume"
said, Mr.. President, that the men whom il is
proposed 10 prescribe, had been engaged in your
wars. There may have been deserters at Churu-
busco; | do not doubt il. never saw one In
the experience which have had--and admit
that il is not very great-l never saw foreigner
desert or behave cowardy upon the field OF battle ;
but am sorry TO Say may have seen a few, a
very few, of my own countrymen do SO. Cour-
age does not depend upon latitude or longitude
II is confined 10 no particular nation. say this
not because court the favor Of foreigners, but
say ii in answer TO the accusation that was made
by the senator from South Carolina, Mr.. BUTLER,
who endeavored TO produce the impression thar
all the cowardice and all the desertions We're from
unnaturalized foreigners. Such an accusation
would not only be grossly unjust, but historically
untrue
Mr. BUTLER. Mr., President, the senator
from California must not, even by attribution, say
that have ever imputed 10 the foreigner, in con-
tradistinction TO the native, cowardice. What
did say, now repeat that as far as have read
the military history Of this country, those who have
been under the tie of allegiance to the Constitu-
tion of the United States, were true, though some
of them may, perhaps, have been tmd but when
/ made the remark, it was one Of some feeling that
the desertion which took place-and believe il
took place upon the field Of Churubusco--was a
desertion of foreigners, who shot down my own
regiment [Applause in the galleries.
The PRESIDING OFFICER, (Mr. GwIN)
Order must be preserved.
Mr.. WELLER. | know, sir, there have been
different statements in regard TO those men who
deserted at Churubusco. know it has been rep
resented in some quarters that they We're all for
egners. Such, believe, is, historically not the
fact; but there were Americans among them as
well as foreign-born. do moi undertake TO justify
those men. | am the last senator on this floor
who would undertake to defend those who desert
their flag on the field of battle but do undertake
TO say that the effort upon the part Of the senator
from South Carolina to draw distinction between
American and foreign-born troops who served
during that war, was an unjust one. 1t was cal
culated TO produce the impression on the mind Of
those who might read his remarks, that all the
cowardce, that all the desertions from your army
had been by the foreign-born troops.
Mr.. BUTLER. Will my friend allow me TO in
terpose as a matter ofjnsticea
Mr.. WELLER. Certainly.
Mr.. BUTLER. So far as regards the foreign
born soldiers who performed their part on the
field of battle would be the last, perhaps the
very last man on this floor to impugn their ccur-
age or their character. Sir, while we have been
proud Of the flag ITSELF il is a tribute due, and
Justly shall award it, 10 say that when the officers
of The Palmetto regiment We've shot down, that
flag was tied around an Irshman by the name OF
Leonard; and carried through the battle.
Mr. SHIELDS. Will the honorable senator
from California yield me the floor for few min
utes!
Mr. WELLER. With great pleasure.
Mr.. SHIELDS. OF course have no desire TO
enter into this debate, and especially upon this
particular point. was not here when the honor
able senator from South Carolina used the lam
guage to which the honorable senator from Cali
fornia has referred If had been here at the time,
should then have taken occasion, not on account
of the relation of the question TO foreigners or TO
natives but for the sake Of truth and justice, TO
state my recollection ofthe facts 10 which allusion
has been made. The command which | had the
honor to accompany on that day, composed of the
gallant Palmetto regiment, 10 which the senator
from South Carolina has alluded, the New York
regiment, the United States marines, and also the
brigade led by the present President of the United
States, were attacked (and suffered very severely
by that attack not only by Mexicans, but by a
body OF deserters led by very notorious charac-
Ter W hose name was Reilly. The name itself is a
sufficient designation of the country from which
he came. ! am not sure whether he was born in
Ireland or in this country; but he was either an
| Irishman by birth or the SON of an Inshman. The
whole command which he led, or what remained
of them after the battle-ior they were the men
who fought with most bravery during the battle
became prisoners OF the command which had
| the honor TO lead. My aid-de-camp, by my orders,
| went around and ascertained their names and the
countries of their birth. My recollection now is,
but can verify it by the records that they were
composed of just such men the American army
was composed Of; that is, Of Germans, Irishmen,
one or two Engishmen, think, and native Amer
leans.
Mr.. BRoDHEAD. What was the proportion |?
Mr.. SHIELDS. / forget what the proportion
was. | caunot tell il exactly. The foreigners,
think, taking them altogether, were a larger num-
Der than the native Americans; but what want
to say is, that they were not oil foreigners. fmy
recollection serves me Alright, the greater number,
perhaps were Germans and Irish but there were
native Americans from different commands as
well foreigners. wish 10 state this merely as
a historic fact. wish had the proportions here.
At that time was very much struck by the char
acter Of the proportions.
Mr. MALLORY. | wish to ask the honorable
senator from Illinois whether, from his recollec-
tion, the majority of the regular soldiers of the
American army in Mexico was not composed OF
foreigners
Mr.. SHIELDS. | should be very unwilling TO
hazard statement on that point, but will give
my opinion. These men were deserters from the
regular army. Two Of them, however, am bound
10 say were deserters from my own command at
Vera Cruz. My opinion is, that amongst the com.
mon soldiers in the regular army, the majority
were foreigners.
Mr. WELLER. Mr.. President, am very glad
that my friend from Illinois has made the state
ment which he has made. When the honorable
senator from South Carolina, the other day made
the sweeping declaration that all these desertions
were Of foreigners, was satisfied that Il not
founded in historical fact. do not desire here, or
anywhere else, TO attempt 10 draw distinction
between the native and foreign population, neither
in the walks of civil life nor upon the field OF
battle. But have said what history proves TO be
trne that there was not single battle, during the
whole OF the Mexican war, in which a very large
proportion Of the American force was not com
posed Of foreigners. Every field was drenchcd
with their blood.
ask you now, Mr. President, afler you have
avaied yourself Of the services of these people,
after they have shown, in war as well as in peace,
their devotion 10 your republican sttutions why
should you attempt 10 prescribe them Are they
TO be prescribed by gentlemen on the other side Of
Of the chamber because the great body Of the for
eign born in this country choose TO connect them
selves with the democratic party! Is II because
they who have escaped from the lash Of the op-
pressor in their native land, and who have come
here for the enjoyment Of religious and political
liberty, choose to connect their desinies with the
democratic party? Sir, no such motive as that
could have influenced the mind OF my friend from
South Carolina, for, although he is not party
man, although he will not claim or acknowledge
l<o.