, 1858-08-06

with me 10 the battle OF Cotnelrs prairleI
on the shores Of Puget Sound where one
hundred and sixty volunteers bought two
hundred Indians, and defeated them, killing
thirty of their number.
This movement Of Shaw's was something
more than twelve days march, Three
columns OF troops moved simultaneously
from the Sound, from the Columbia Valley,
and frpm TIE Nez Perces country, meeting
at iho Walla-Walla, within single day,
and ihen q .EigorOns movement with a p0r-
ton Of this force was made across the Blue
mouolaihs a forced march, some sixty y,mies
IA ohe bigh and day, when the enemy was
struck and completely routed. The troops
from The Sound crossed the Cascades, snow
sin On the mountains, aud. marched some
three hundred miles 70 the point Of redez
Tons OF al these three columns The ar
engagements were complete, aud the means
Of transportation ample, the column from
the DSles. having in their train forty-fTe
wagons, carrying not only supplies for the
troops. bnt large quantity. Of provisions
for the friendly Indians.
vsir,. I say, all homer to the officers and
uen who conquered the Indians in New
Mexico bat ! ask the Committee, also. TO
40 IKE hoDor toths volunteers Of Washing
ton and Oregon, who fought the indians,
alWays being Outnnmbered, and sometimes
more than two to one. / ask, for the peo-
plaof those Territories, the same measure
q Justice which has been rendered to the
people q New Mexico and the people Of
Florida. There have been Indian difficult
ties IN Florida, and, within two years.. you
have bad twelve companies Of regulars
there, and, a. least, six companies Of volun7
tsera Aud. ! thank God, that Florida was
near enough the Federal Capital for It's
eDFsrnor 20 come here, post haste, aud to
plocnrq the recognition Of the services Of
tbefyoluuteors Of Florida BY the General
Government Sir that force was nnqnes-
tlonably necessary; they fought The 1ndi-
ans, and now, when they have snbdued
then. il appears that there were about one
handrod nad sixty-tgo Indians there, inclu-
ding women and children. You sent that
force against less than one hundred warri.
ors, and the expenses incurred by the Flor
ida volunteers have been paid, and paid
promptly, BY this Federal Government. So
with New Mexico the expenses Of the
voluQtsers 10 New Mexico have been paid
BY The General Government and tho ,provi-
sion to pay them was put in the army ap-
preparation bill. SO 10 the case Of Califor-
Mai Congress made, an appropriation TO
paythe Fremont riaemen, and organized a
board Of three army officers to Inquire into
the balance Of the claims. The army OIL
GERS made an examination ; they reported
70 the Secretary Of war, and, 9t the. very
next session Of Congress, their awards were
provided for IN the army appropriation bill.
Tie army Appropriation bill, Of the session
Of 1858 and ] s54,. contained an appropri,
alton Of nearly one million Of dollars, for
paying the volunteers Of California, for ex-
penees Incurred % suppressing' Indian hos
tilities previous 70 1854, yoe.,o oj ,.,so7t
liWonkk hesame measure OF iustiee for
tbe people Of our Territories that has been
already extended TO people nearafto yon--
iniFIoridn, NeW. Mexico and California.
-1Idesire now 70 dwell, for q few moments
On another topic, ] Ieontend that the ex.
penses were economical ) that they we're
small fhatntheyiwere much less than any
intelligent and disinteresied man, after look
ing intQ alA the facts, wonld expect them to
be.oaWe had IN Washington eighteen hua-
dred and ninety,six men enlisted, and their
average term Of service was one hundred
and twelve daysoS TIE total expense Of
each man. exclusive Of pay, was but little
oyet S5QO-fs5o7 82l What is the ex
pensay per man IN the regular service? 7 II
WAsAbout $1,000 per man. last year, and
throwing outlh pay. il was about $3.50.
Thatis tie expense ofitroops in the regu-
lar service--a large proportion Of whom
are 1iaiiohcd at the forts and depots o6 the
Atlantic, The Gulf The Lakes, and The Mis-
sisaippi river and its tributaries, at points
accessible to steamboat navigation. 10 Bot,
sir when you come 10 compare the expen.
ses Of the regulars With the volunteers,
shall insist that you compare, them in like
conditions II will not do, to compare the
expenses Of the volunteers in Oregon, on
the plains Of the Walla-walla, Que hundred
and lity miles from our settlements, protect
ing those settlements by their gallantrl
apd good condnct throughout the winter o
1856 SO, with the expenses of the regula
troops lying in their rear, and at this YER
time IN garrison at The Dalles, the Cascades
and Fancouver. You must compare theil
expenses in the field with the expenses o
the regulars in the field. Compare the ex
psnses Of the volunteers, in their campaigr
q the WallaWalla, with the expenses O
the regular service in its campaign Of the
Yakima, and, my word for it, you will find
that onr expenses were the smallest, pei
man. In this estimate mean TO include
transportation from the depots, at home
as 4 charge upon the regular service. That
ismy deliberate Judgment from careful
examination Of the matter. And here, in
this comparison. l shall have a charge to
make against the regular service. 1 shall
insist that the nineteen dead bodies left OF
the ground at the Cascades, in consequence
Of Col Wright advancing upon the Walla
walla, and leaving bis rear unprotected aud
inRecure he taken frto tho oc.onnf H.