Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-03-24
ANOTHER MILLION or DOLLARS TO
TEXAS

ANOTHER MILLION or DOLLARS TO
TEXAS
There was an amendment to the appropria-
ton bill for the Military Academy this year, Of
fered by Senator Wigfall of Texas, to the effect
of adding an item of expenditure Of over one
million of dollars for the support and mainte-
nance of a regiment of mounted volunteers for
the defence Of the frontiers of Texas.
Senator Hale moved to amend the bill by
adding a new section, that the regiment of
Texas mounted volunteers provided by the act
of April l. 1858, shall not be received into the
service of the United States if in the opinion of
the Lieutenant General of the United States,
one of the mounted regiments now in the army,
or so much thereof as may be necessary can be
safely ordered for the defence of Texas.
Mr. Wgfall suggested that the Senator from
New Hampshire might as well amend his
amendment so as to make Gen. Scott comman-
der of the army, instead Of the President.
1t would, indeed, be very improper to 'pakc
Gen. Scott commander of the army instead OF
proper for the President to recommend the
raising Of troops or the disposal of their SER
vice without first consulting with the Lieutenant
General of the United States. The Presiden.
would not be sufficiently respectful of rio
position were he to do otherwise. 1t is to be
expected that the General Commanding in
Chief of the Army should be consulted in all
the movements pertaining to the military SER
vice. and that his opinions would naturally have
very great weight.
But il General Scott were to be consulted Is
to the necessity of raising regiment of voiun-
teers at the present time, it is highly probable
that he would be opposed TO it, as he has been
indeed, to several of the military moves that
have been made since the Mexican War; and
thus the treasury might not only be spared an
immense amount of unnecessary depletion, but
the country would be saved from that danger
Gus decentralization that attends the wasteful
expenditure of money
The United States have already five regiments
of mounted men, and one of them, we believe,
is already in Texas Why cannot the services
of this regiment be devoted, if necessary to the
Mexican frontierP Perhaps the reason that
would be assigned is that their services are
needed against the Indians but it seems rath-
er singular that citizens should be sent to de-
fend the frontiers, and regular troops be left to
defend the hearths and families of these citi-
zens while they are absent. 1t seems to us tina,
no other people in the world but the Texans
could ever fall into such confusion of ideas as
this; and that no other administration but q
slavo-democrat one could ever sustain them
in it. And how many Indians is it supposed
that there are in Texas, altogether, men, wo
men and children included? We do not be
lieve that the number would exceed fifteen hun
dred; and yet, the Indians of Texas have beer
made the chief plea for occupying large par
Of the army in that region during the last tel
years
Military service, it is well known, is Of de
moralizing tendency to the citizens who en-
gage in it as such; and its necessity therefore
in free State. is something to be regrette,
rather than invited 1t generally indispose
one to labor, and unsettles those avocation
whose pursuit tends to the peace and good or
der of a State. The State of Texas has bu
just got rid of large floating population q
this kind, which, occasioned by her wars of in
dependence and annexation, were finally draw
off by the discoveries of gold in California an,
other avenues that at about that period opene,
mp to enterprise and adventure; and it appear
as a rather singular trait of craftsmanship il
her Governor and national represention, to b
SO ready to bring upon their State the sam
kind of population agan-to convert peacefu
and industrious citizens into unsettled and idl
men, Is it possible that they would do this 70
the mere sake Of million or two of dollar,
got at best on false pretences, and hence az
curst, like all otheEgains got in the same way
is this money to Texas sop, necessary to b
thrown to the monster in order to keep hir
quiet. from destroying The Union, annexin
Mexico. or something equally bad? 1t is yer
destructive to the fitness of the people for fire.
government TO aecustom them to such pretencC
and influences, TO allow the people of Texa
to get up disturbances on the frontier, and the
receive money for allaying them while reguli
troops are kept in the interior, is enough of i
self to demoralize people and lead them
think that such trckery is worthy Of being col
aidsred as disniGsd considerations of State.
people can become SO stultifed, it is very ev