The Washington union., 1858-03-14

tenan from Missouri Mr. PHKLrs and rnyself had very
much the discussion then which has taken place
now. He then called upon the War Department for an
estimate of what would be the expense Of three thousand
and the Secretary after replying to the call,
and showing nat the expense of the three thousand
mounted volunteers w6ua ae 50 5,szo, ,4eo-aeout one
million and half than the four .2 2nehus c0ieu
forprooeeds in the close of that report TO say tns ne
had called upon Congress for regular force and you
substituted the militia for the regular force asked Tor
the responsibility of the consequences would not be upon
him
Well, sir never there threatening general
outbreak amongst the Indian tribes and yet the policy
Of increase of the regular army trumphed III that
contest before the Thirty third Congress was ae-
cordingly to that frontier single skirmish tooE
place, and peace resore Now, sir 1t was the De
berate opinion of that distinguished statesman and ON
familiar he with all branches of the public ser
ice regular and volunteer in Mexican and in the Indian
wars that if h5s. three thousand volunteers had been
sent that country at thai time, Il would have been
followed by general outbreak of lndad hoStes sueh
it would have perhaps, taken years 10 lueii ana City
Mt the cost of millions Of dollars.
Now SIR It would that the present Secretary Of
War appehens.vs That Congress, from some outside
pressure Of popular feeling, mig substitute volunteer
corps instead of the regular force asked or sa ne mas
therefore presented Congress- accompanying his reo
documents and statistics bearing upon that subject which
II ought to be the duty of every member upon TINS oo
TO read before he acts upon this bill.
The gentleman from Mississippi Mr., QUiThAN, as an
argument against the regular army brought forward the
number of desertions from the regular army Now, Sir
that there should be desertons in such army as Gen
Scott has described having repose from the tolls ana
atigues OF the camp, In not surprising Especially II Is
not surprising that desertions rho,d In an army IN
country in the States, where labor Is high
where there land bountes promised them so in
duce them to hold out until the end OF their service
where they have probably friends at home to cheer
them their return for their courage, to frown upon
them for their want of fidelity. The gentleman has
asked, when, In Che history OF this country did volun
e
the Mexican war, and there show him that there
three thousand eight hundred and seventy deserons from
the ranks of the volunteers in that Mexarf war where
there but two thousand eight Hundred and forty
nine from the ranks of the regular army. And while
cpon this subject Of the Mexican beg leave to call
attention I'd table now before me. presenting in
cresting facts.
II appears there were in that ast twenty six
thousand regulars and seventy three thousaa s"ntecr
troops OF those who killed and died of wounds in
battle there eight hundred and sixty two regulars
five hundred and sixty seven volunteers OF those
wounded in battle, two thousand and sevcntyhve we're
regulars, one thousand three hundred and eighteen vol
unteers. In the battles of Conrems and Churubusco
fought 10th and goth of August l847, there were, vol
unteefs killed and wounded two hundred and thirty
tins; regulars seven hundred and fifty nine In the
battle OF Ell Mono del Rey fought Sth September l847
there were OF regufafs killed and wounded seven hun
dred and six volunteers, none. There were, ! pre-
sumo volunteers engaged m that heh IN he bates
Of Chapultepcc and city Of Mexico, fought J2t l3th
"h'Ns
wounded two hundred ard seventy three regulars, five
hundred and thirty eight
do not present these facts with any t's~ to dispar
age the volunteer force They acted nobly They did
their whole duty to their country But present them
because believe that the regular has not had that
justice done to it by Congress and by the country which
its gallantry its sacrifices, Its suerings Its pes and
its tolls 30 justly entitle it to receive from them
The paymasters report exhibits fact which does not
questioned by the gentleman from Mississippi that
the mounted volunteer costs in proportion to the inan
try six to but, the gentleman it is not fair
point of comparison to place the mounted volunteers
against regular infantry say It Is in aspect fair
point Of comparison And whyl The day has gone by.
il read the records of this country, when you can
rely upon volunteers except mounted force Every
who volunteers expects to do so MS mounted
volunteer Look at what occurred in Florida even on
the fifteen thousand volunteers, twelve thousand were
mounted Look at the whole volunteer force of this
country since the termination of the Mexican and
out of force of eight thousand only four hundred
and scventy-two were not mounted OF the volunteer
force in Florida at the present moment there is not one
but is mounted.
Here the hammer fell
And the expiration Of the hour prevented further
continuance of Mr. FAuIKNEns remarks