Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-06-06

In 1S47 we had war with Mexico. Ten
nessee volunteers were there, and did honor
to their STATE and the country. They came
home after having assisted in planting the
stars and stripes in triumph in the City of
Mexico. A proposition was made in Congress
to give additional pay to the rank and file of
the army that had served in that war. Gid
dings and his Abolition cohorts voted against
ii, and a member from Tennessee was found
shoulder to shoulder with that arch
Abolitionist in his opposition to that mea-
sure. Who was he? Turning to Gov. Harris,
he continued, Gas Nathan said unto David,
thou art the mdTaE'
We reproduce the foregoing extract from
Col. Netherlands speech at this place. 1t
has been repeated in other places, and, so far
as we have observed. Gov. Harris has neither
denied nor attempted to palliate il. His or
gans throughout the State have maintained
the same prudent silence: but we do not mean
to 1t them escape in this way. The soldiers of
the Mexican war owe Gov. Harris a debt of
gratitude for his extraordinary sympathy with
their sufieringS and perils. which we tIuSt
they will not soon forget. In his opinion
seven dollars month was quite enough for
the poor solder, who was not only called
upon to face the batteries of an enemy al
ways three times superior in numbers, but
was also compelled to march over burning
sands beneath the scorching sun of the
Tropics, when the very air was laden with
peslIlence and every camping ground was
burial place. Let it be remembered that at
the very time he gave this vote he was him
self in tn, receipt of eight dollars per dug
besides m leage and perqui-ites. from tn" G.' =
ernmenl whose honor those soldiers had vim
dicated. and whose territories they had SO
greatly enlarged. Let it be remembered
also, that afterwards. in time of profound
fha n,.fu 10 hf,.h III .trTIc ne Of
tached increased the pay of their summer
soldiers" to zen dollars per month, thus
tactly admitting the wrong and outrage
which had been perpetrated upon the gallant
spirits who had horne the banner of the Stars
and Stripes in triumph from the month of the
Rio Grande tn Buena Vista. and from V RI
Cruz to the City of Mexico. Let it be re
membered that the same party have increased
the pay of every lazy clerk about the City Of
Washington, until the lowest salary received
by any one of them is one hundred dolla .
per month, while they are only requir, 10
work from nine o'clock in the morning to
three O'Clock in the evening Gov. Harris
thought that eighty-fOur dollars year was
enough for the soldier, who never had an
hour he could call his own, of the day or
the night-who was liable to be detailed for
fatigue at any moment-whO never knew
when he lay down to sleep now long it would
before he was reused Tor the Datlle or IN
march--whose chief food was salt pork. and
bard bread nearly full enough of worms to
walk away with it, and whose drink was often
the stagnant pool, and at best the river or
the creek; while at the same session he voted
for appropriation bills giving to dandified
things, bedizened with silk aud laces, on
hundred dollars per month, for six hours work
during the day, at comfortable desks in luxu-
rious apartments, with ice water, and, per
haps, more generous liquid at hand. Verify.
Gov. Harris has strange notions of the value
of services rendered to the country! H
could spurn the petition of the SCARED and
weather beaten men who returned from Mex
leo broken in constitution and poor in every
thing but honor, but he could not find it in
his heart to cut off the means of sensual in
diligence from the political popinjays, who's
most labOriOus occupation was writing letters
to venal press. and putting members of Con
gress into consequence.-Hemphis Enquirer.