The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-08-28
Presidents Message.

feLlotO-ctftteHS OF fhe SENATE and House Oh
Representatives.; In consequence ofthe fail.
ure Of Congress at its present session to
make provisions for the support Of the Ar
my, il became imperatiVely incumbent on
me to exercise the power which the Con-
stiiution confers on the Executive on this
extraordinary occasion, and promptly to
convene the two Houses in order to afford
them an opportunity Of freconsidering a SUBJ
ject Of such vital interest to the peace and
welfare Of the Union. With the exception
Of partial authority, vested by law in the
secretary Of war, to contract for a supply OF
clothing and subsistence, the Army is Who'll
ly dependent on the appropriations annually
made by Congress. The omission Of Con-
gress to act in this respect before the ter.
mination Of the fiscal year, has already
caused endorsements, which were over
come only in expectation OF appropriations
before the close Of the present month. II
the requisite funds be Eot speedily provided
the executive will no longer be able TO fur.
nish for transportation the equipments and
munitions which are essential to effective
ness Of military force in the field. With
no provision for the pay OF the troops, the
contracts Of enlistment would be broken.
and the army must be in effect dsbanded.
The consequences Of which would be so dis
astrous as to command all possible efforts to
avert the calamity.
1t is not merely that the officers and en-
listed men of the army are to be thus de
priv OF their pay, emoluments to which
they are entitled by standing laws, but thut
the construction of arms at the public ar.
mories, the repairs aud construction Of or
dinance ut the arsenals, and the manufac-
ture of military clothing aud camp equip
nge must be discontinued, and tho perso rs
connected with this branch of the public
service, thus be deprived suddenly of EN-.
ployment essential to their subsistence; nor
is it merely the waste consequent upon the
forced Abandonment of the seabOard iortii.
cations and OF the interior military posts
and other establishments, and the enormous
expense 81 recruiting and recognizing the
army, and again distributing over the vast
regions which it now occupies. These are
evils which, it is true, may be repaired here
utter by taxes imposed upon the country,
but other evils are involved which no rx
penditure, however lavshed, could remedy,
in comparison with which local and personal
injuries or interests sink into insignificance
A great part of the army is siturted on the
remote frontier or in tie deserts aud noun
tains Of the interior. To discharge large
bodies Of men in such places, without the
means of regnning their homes. and where
few ifany, could obtain subsistence ce by honest
industry, would be to subject them to suffer
ing and temptation, with disregard of justice
and right most derogatory to the govern.
ment In the Territories Of Washington
and Oregon numerous bands Of Indians are
in arms, and are waging war Of eXtprmin-
ation against the white ilhabitants: and al
though our tr0Ups are actively carrying ON
the campaign, We have no intelligence as
yet Of successful result. On the Wes-
tern plains, notwithstanding the imposing
display Of military force recently made
there, and the chastisement inflicted on the
rebeliOns tribes, others far from being dis.
mayed, have manifested hostile intentions
and been guilty Of outrages which il not de.
signed to provoke II conflict, serve to show
that the apprehension Of it is sulscent
wholly to restrain their vicious prDpensities.
A strong force in the State has produced
the temporary suspension VI hostiities there;
but in New Mexico incessant eXcrtOns on
the part of the troops are required to keep
! in check the marauding tribes which inesl
that Territory. The hostile Indians have
not been removed from Florida, and the
withdrawal ot the troops thereirom, leaving
that object unaccomplished, would be- mos
injurious to the inhabitants, and breach o
the positive engagement of the General
Government.
To refuse supplies to the army, there.
| fore, is to compel cessation Of all its oper.
ations, aud practical disbandonment, and
thus to invite hDrdes OF predatory savages
| from the Western plains and Rocky Noun
tains to spread devastation along frontier
o: more than four thousand miles in ex.
tent, and 10 deliver up the sparse popula.
ton OF u vast tract OF country to rapne and
murder Such, in substance, would b. the
direct and immediate effects of the refusal
Of Congress, Tor the first time in the his
tory of the Government, to grant supplies;
the inevitable waste Of millions of public
trensure-the infliction of extreme wrong
upon all persons connected with the mill
tnry establishment by service. employment
or contracts-the recall of our forces
from the tield-the fearful sacrifice of life,
and incalcuabIe destruction OF property on
the remote tron,iers-the striking of our
national flag on the baitlements of the for
lresses which defend our maratlme cities
against foreign invasion-the violation OF
the public honor and good faith, and the
discrcdit Of the United States in the eye
Of the civilized world
I nnfi1Aht lp frnc flnt fha,a -;
rions, aud others appertainng to the domes.
tic peace OF the country, which cannot fail to
suggest them, elves to every patriotic mind
will, on reflection. be duly appreciated by
both houses of Congress, and induce the en-.
actment Of the requisite provisions of law for
the support Of the army Of the United States
FRANKLIN PIERCE.
WASHINGTON, August 81, 1856