The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-03-04
Thr Defeat OF the Army Bnh- cause and
Its CvnSe0uencsa

We publish IN another part or the paper to-
| day full history of the late debate on the
| Army bill in the Senate of the United States, a
| debate which occupied that body for nearly
month. and terminated at length in The rejec-
ton Of the measure. We give this comprehcn-
| live sketch of it because we doubt whether the
question has up to this time, received the
| amount of public attention which its merits re-
| qure.
In its character az we'll az ts results, that de-
| bate was one of the most extraordinary and i'm
portant which has taken place in the Senate
! chamber for many years. There is TO question
| to which we can refer mere vitality affecting the
existence of the authority of the federal govern
| ment and the maintenance of the Union Shall
the Executive be granted sufficient power to put
down instruction or shall he not! That is the
simple question, stripped of all the entangle-
ments and collateral Issues with which it was
involved by the opposition.
The debate WAS extraordinary in its charac-
ter, We say, because men of the most opposite
political opinions were found in league against
q wise and indispensable measure of the admin
istration, and men equally at variance upon all
other questions of public import were found act
ing in combination on the side of the govern
ment For instance, we saw VIM II. Seward,
OF New York, and Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi,
strenuously supporting the bill; and John p.
Hale, of New Hampshire, and Robert Toombs,
of Georgia, running shoulder to shoulder
against it. Important in its results, because
for the first time since the organization of the
government it became necessary for the Presi.
dent to appeal to Congress for an increase of
the army to put down rebellion, either in ter
ritory or State of the Union; and that appeal
has been refused by an unhOly alliance of men
of all parties, animated, VIC have to assume, by
a factious spirit Of opposition to the admins
trstion, if no worse motives can he attributed
to them.
Rebellion, open rebellion, avowed alike by
the Executive and the Legislature of Utah,
exists in that Territory. A small and insult
Gent force of United States troops is at this
moment locked up in the frost-bound Businesses
Of the Rocky Mountains, God alone knows
with what prospect of escaping safely there
from. A foul and abominable sect, odious to
all Christian minds, are in arms against the au-
thority OF this government, within the natural
Notifications Of the "eanons' which protect
Salt Lake City. Hordes of hostile Indians
hover upon the frontiers Of our territories; some
Of them, we have reason to believe, in league
with the Aormons to fall upon The little hand
full Of our soldiers stationed at Fort Bridger
when the spring opens the campaign.
In this emergency the President asks for an
increase of some four or FIVE thousand men to
the regular army; aud majority of the Senate
Of the United States-after many contemplate
shifts shuilangs, factious comments and child
ish objectons-refuse to accede TO his Just re-
quest.
The gallant troops who are now in Utah
may he sacrificed. Rebellion may stalk abroad
unchecked. A pestilential community whose
existence within the jurisdiction of our govern
ment is reproach, may faunt their unnatural
doctrines in our faces with IMMUNITY, and invest
cur Christian society with their foul PRACTICES,
for all these thrty-five honorable Senators who
voted against the Army bill care
But if these things, or any Of them, should
come to pass, the responsibility will assuredly
rest upon their shoulders Even now, by op-
Mormon rebellion, they are indirectly proclaim
ing in favor of it, and giving in their adhe-
renee TO the detestable doctrines of Brigham
Young and his confederates.
And what are the pretexts upon which the
bill was opposed
TIE ultra republicans Of the North and West
opposed ii on the ground that the increase of
the army was demanded for the purpose of
forcing Kansas into submission TO the slave
power. Who believes it? The ultra Southern
men resisted tor pretended to-cn the prin-
oiple that large standing army was dangerous
TO liberty. The army as at present constituted,
they say, amounts to nearly eighteen thousand
men, while the increase asked for would raise
the amount to twenty-five thousand. A regu-
lar army Of twenty-five thousand men, spread
over nearly an entire continent, with popula-
ton of nearly thirty millions and tho largest
frontier Of any country in the world, danger
GUS to the liberty Of q confederation of States,
each one Of which maintains ITS own militia re-
gularly enrolled and Offered for the defence of
its own rights! How absurd the idea. How
shallow the pretext upon which to base al ob-
lection to adding four or FIVE thousand men TO
the army at time when rebellion is rife in one
OF our Territories!
We suspect that the President will make the
defeat Of the Army bill the subject Of special
message to Congress. Considering the impor-
lance Of the subject, it would be quite proper
that he should do 20. II 1t is to be admitted
that the Executive of the nation shall not re-
ceiye asaistance from tho I,eoislat,,re 70 cru.b
out rebellion within our boundaries, we do not
know What preposterous idea will next receive
favor. lfMr. Buchanan n ould send message
to Congress on this subject, it will afford him an
excehcnt opportunity of augmenting his
strength, and investing himself with tenfold
nnucr anainst the willy mac hinatinna of hia nnn-