The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-27

much shall vote for the bill as it has come to us from
| the House of Representatives. -sas
/ Mr. CRITTENDEN. Those who very great n,
nsuperabe objections the bill 1t from the Hous
OF Representative and anxious to extend jus
compensation TO the officers Of the army WILL am sure
feel the necessity OF voting against all these amendments
They comparatively tring in their consequences bu
yet they have the fatal effect of defeating this bill Ou
sessions are limited we cannot go beyond fixed time
We might be willing to give the subjecta further consider
ation and impose the other house further considera
uon of it; but il must be plain think to every gentle
man that the time to which are limited affords but lit
tie opportunity OF accomplishing anything this subject
If We endeayor 10 add systems and new purposes tC
those contained in the original bill.
go for the original bill 60 for remedying the great
Ill and the great injustice which, according to the present
law falls the heads of most Of the officers of the army
do not think the compensation given the uermos Ii
great consideration The bill does increase the pay
slightly 1t does not increase the number Of raions they
exist by law tony increases the pay and instead
OF the expense of 100000 that the gentleman from Cali
iornia was informed 1t would producnstead Of the $685.
900 which supposed IL would produce when you
TO consider 1t III fact 1t Is only increase not of the
number of rations but of the communication price of those
ratons of ten cents each which would amount to $4,000
This is the whole evil which gentlemen desire to correct
and for the purpose of correcting and preventing this
small item of expense, they willing oppose this bill
as it came from the House. and leopard its final passage
Sir am in favor of its passage just it is just is il
the greatest evil and am for that now and not
hereafter. ane#
My friend from Tennessee desires that every officer should
be paid exactly according to his rank That cannot be-
That would not be JUST for of the officers Of the
rank may be leave of absence another may be qu
euy lying in camp, and another may be in the utmost
depths OF the wilderness pursuing the enemies of his
try Would it be equality to pay all these alike2 We
equals hereour rank here the same but there
two OF us who paid the same2 No sir; there
two OF though equal in rank and exactly equal In
vice in contemplation of law, who receive the
pensation. Why so2 Simply because travel unequal
distances, and paid accordingly Now here is
ample for the senator from Tennessee in case.
Again, MIR. President, now thinking over and
counting carefully the compensation of these old
of ours advanced In rank We think they receive enough
aud some members say their pay ought 10 be diminished
Why sir there scarcely Of them that receives much
senator's this floor their honorable quiet and dig
nihed service herea life attended with daily honors
warded with the applause of their country Men to whom
medals and swords given for exposing their life in their
country service do not receive nythng like what
of us receive ask is that right? If we look the ine
qualities here, shall be less startled think at the
amount OF compensation which of officers receive
This BILL If il passes in it's present shape is to carry
comfort and peace aud hope additional plenty, into
anxiety and interest to the proceedings he Senate bis
day. happened to be nv srune 10 be in one Of those
aley, where there wore eight nine children
and the anxious inquiry was made by the mother What
prospect is there Of this bill passingH 1t appeal
that operates this day. 1t is just it is right is
due 10 every sympathy Of hearts and to all the justice
that country to its faithful citizens that
should pass this BILL bill increasing their compen-
sation. These children little soldiers who growing
up hereafter brave the enemies of their country Let
them have the of education and comfort for their
fathers service That is my way and it is the only way
in which to preserve gallant and patriotic army and such
you have. u
The campaign Of your little army in Mexico is unparal
eed in history The retreat of the thousand Greeks
was not equal to it. II took possession of city Of two
hundred thousand inhabitants, after a brief campaign
with ten thousand men at the Utmost Marching from the
seacoast and entering the valley of Mexico with
eight thousand your army went in triumph and took
possession OF city of one hundred and fifty hum
dred thousand people i is marvel in warfare This if
our little army You educate them and prepare them for
the purpose Only treat them with liberay and treat
them with kindness and may be of such service
all time to come There is no such set Of officers in any
army we have.
hope Mr.. President that all the amendments will be
rejected that all little reformatons of which really
may be proper and necessary will be laid aside for the
present. until do justice to these by paying them
adequately and then, if there be in the administration OF
your military department any errors any abuses let
them be corrected am for that and ltrus that will be
the course of the Senate.
Mr. HALE. feel some doubt myself about the vote |
am TO give on this bill and as entertain views probably
with which nobody on this floor sympatbizes and do not
know that body does in the country feel it due
myself to say word in explanation of my course
For my sell, If it rested with me, would abolish this
whole which has much vaunted and boasted
of sympathize with the founders and auhers of the
constitution of my State who have inscribed upon
their bill orghts that standing armies dangerous to
liberty Such sir the wisdom of the trainers Of the
constitution of my State and such has been my read
ing of hstoy-hey dangerous to liberty The stand
ing army of this country which said in the first place
to be nucleus has got be large that the
of supporting vastly than the whole expense of
the entire government little than twenty years
ago. 1t is going on constantly and continually Increasing
look upon 1T SIR, as wrong, utterly wrong; and think
the duty Of Congress take back steps, to retrench
and reform and gradually 60 back where the trainers Of
the constitution meant that should go without any
standing army a.1 h eta t6
Mr.. CRITTENDEN. You do not want to starve them?
Mr. HALE ! will come to that directly. ! gather my
view OF the trainers of the constitution of the United States
from these provisions of that instrument The constitu
ton of the United States provides that Congress shall
power provide for organizing armng and dscipning
the militia and, also that they shall have power Wto
raise and support armies but appropriation of money
to that shall be for longer term than two years. 1t
to that the trainers of that instrument intended
by these sauary provisions to put check standing
armies but 1t is fashionable say that Is not stand
ing army All history full of the dangers of standing
armies Every writer who has written in regard TO repub
lies holds up this warning We go on, treading in the
footsteps which every other republic that has existed
the tide of time has met with fatal shpwreck and blind
eyes and say it is only little nucleus 1t nucleus
strong that it has before controlled the desnes of
this country Young and short as has been my
public life have the army nominate President of
the United States and elect him. and sir think should
be doing violence to history IL say that the
specimen Of President now have--l will not say
word against him; will leave him to speak for himself
such he is his position to his connexion with this
standing army of ours
believe that it is the duty of Congress to take retro
gressvc steps, and instead Of enagng and increasing this
army diminish it, and exist the States exist without
q standing army We have in New Hampshire l
suppose there is in Kentucky and suppose she is in
fnitey better off without it. believe your State the State
think that is only about hundred strong laughter
but may be mistaken. think Virginia Is the only State
in the Union that has standing army and believe the
precedent that is set in the States should be followed by
the United States
But then comes the suggestion made by the honorable
NJ av