The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-28

them What TO be the result of that? To open the door
TO applications, political aud PERSONAL and constant
noyances for the President ID may result In avoriism
from ignorance not from disposition TO do injury in al
lowing double atons at posts under bis eye where be
knows the facts and dsallowing them at other pons
where be does not know the facts.
differ entirely with the from California in
gard to these posts Discontinue your posts the over
land route to California and how will you get any emf
grafton TO that country by land across the country He
says he would march regiment OF with parcel OF
emigrants They discordant materials TO march to-
geher Any of experience knows they are discord-
ant Talk about saving an exeenss by abolshlng posts
and marching troops each year Let the calculation be
made and the increase of expense will be seen to be on
the other side By the establishment these posts you set
tie the country you give protection, you give resting
place TO emgrants you invite settlements and those set
Elements around the posts aid in preserving peace.
Mr.. WELLER. 1 can show my friend from Texas
think military posts kept at great expense for years.
where there Is no settlement for fifty miles.
Mr. RUSK. That may be true because they may be too
far out; but yet they may be emgrant route. Is
the going to get clear of that by the
of the double ration2 Clearly not II will not be drop
n the bucket with regard to the establishment OF these
posts do not think II 10 credabe to the Secretary OF
War the President now to use the argument that they
have established these posts for the little pittsnce OF
double rltioue.
Mr. WELLER The nator has no authority for say ing
that the President and Secretary of War have done any
such thing have authority to speak for the President
or Secretary Of War;
Mr. RUSK But the argument proceeds the ground
Of course President and Secretary of War
ignorant of where they ought be- and perhaps interested
Information has been given to them for their establishment
at wrong places That may be 80, has been so and will
be So but that is not chargeabe to the system Of double
fatns.
Nor is the additional expense of transportation amount
ing to seven or eight hundred thousand doars, at all
chargeable on the double ratons Abandon the double
ration system and you will reduce the expense Of trans
portatiC olIaf if understand the question They do
not take the rati6us in kind they take the commuaton
nd will
cents ration cannot see It, 1t Is sort OF reasoning
which do not understand at all think it is good al
Iowance SO far as have been able to its operation
and have seen something of the operation of this double
ration in imposition non officers at distant posts nave
be- far out hey ond the oens at mtary pos's anu
have seen perishipg family brougu. IN ana
for week or ten days. and set out and STARE oh teu
journey, BY military officer in command of post
would perhaps consume his ations for six months have
wounded man. who wasshot by the Indians brought
in, and supported with his family left him there and
have doubt he remained there for months 1t very
comfortable place to be stationed away outside of cv-
zaton to watch the Indians we go 10 $4,000 in
one item flor that is all the argument think find
about this city sinecure places enough which to
double that sum, instead of pursuing down the who
Is sent with his family beyond the limits of civilization
The argument 1t strikes me- amounts to nothing.
know another argument has been incidentally alluded
about the additional allowance this bill gives to Gepera
Scott As understand it, it does affect General Scott
ALL except give him additional allowance Of $24O
year his salary, and increase OF fifty per
his ratons fixed by law. He does not receive double
w.
for double rations and all the increase his pay and
the Communication price of the ration 1t stands precisely
the increase under the bill from the House Of Repre-
sentatives under the amendments Of the Military Com
mittee.
Under all the circumstances in my opinion, even if this
abuse the Senate ought to look into it before
mted greater abuses by hurried legislation of this descrp
tion but if is ought hazard the bill
supposed abuse In fact shall against it delibera
ton, unless better convinced.
Mr.. WELLER. do not desire to prolong the debate;
but the from Texas differs with the pro-
pety of continuing multitude Of military posts scattered
frontier. That s question OF public policy on
which may we'll differ in opinion do think
the from Texas myself although somewhat from
tier who have been at military posts alone COM
petsnt determine it. In other words with all the prac-
tca knowledge that my friend from Texas has acquired
would rather take the opinion of the head of depart
having charge of this particular business as to the
of expense incurred in consequence of double
tons than take his hope the senator from Texas will
| not take that unkindly. 81 .n
| Mr. RUSK. Not at all.
| Mr. WELLER. | should prefer taking the opinion of
who has made it his business to understand it than
the opinion of who in the multitude of other
mens has given very little attention to it. ! doubt not
that the from Texas has witnessed the which
he represents that be has whole families brought into
these posts and relieved; but say, ii he had
looked into the expense of supporting those families he
would have found that it fell equally the subordinate
officers with the commandment have at San Diego
large quantities of raons issued to smigrans but
heard they of the double ratons of the
mandant of the post There regulation these distant
posts which authorizes the commanders Of military posts
furnish ratons to persons in need of them emgrans
who passing though at the cost of the ration If they
have money but without money, and without price, il
they poor and pennless my friends represents that
the family whom he at the military post of which
he speaks have been the frontier and the
pense of maintaining strangers and vsters did not come
all of the double ratons of commanders but fell
equally the officers associated together in the
agree with the that is hard service to place
the frontier, beyond the limits Of cvili-
zation, surrounded by Indians with only sevenyye
hundred under his command with large bands of
Indian warriors around him. Ii is desirable place for
officer but they the worst paid officers the army.
There great many army officers here, more in my
judgment than the service demands, and have stri-
king illustration of the effect that be produced by their
opportunities aud has been nportuned than
have BEEN say no has been more importuned to
take this bill il from the House of Representatives.
than have been bat high of public duty required
that should offer this amendment and did not choose to
yield to those opportunities
The from Texas says there will be abuse of
this delicate power which propose TO invest in the Pres
mander Of the armythe right Of determining at what
military posts double rations shall be allowed Will my
friend from Texas say this abuse be continued because
it would be delicate power to place in the hsnds of tie
PRESIDENT Is he wiling by voting against this amend
men to say that the commander chief Of your army
shall not decide where double rations be allowed
the commandants2 There is the whole question.
have said it abuse. My friend from Texas
tradcts me- have said from all the information can
get the proper department. IL superadds expense OF
$500 900 or 100000 year. He adds another hundred
thousand and makes il $500 000 only said between
100000 aud 100000, although gentlemen much better
acquainted with 1t than self put it at mllion but
took it at the lowest estimate given by gentlemen
who ought to know.
The whole question: then is this will the President OF