Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-01-17

only fosered ealouses and rysres the army that il
monopoly entirely at variance with tho principles OF
the Government it mlPht be good in.ttuon 10 make
engineers but it iurHiehad qualifications for COM
mander oil our army There were msn in the army to-day
who eating the bread Of The Government who
doing all they could TO destroy the Government.
Mr. FESSENDEE said many mon had gone South from
ONO ana his own State acquired property there and were
the worst men there,
Mr. FOSTER thought this kind of discussion calculated
to ncrease salonses there any the army when
We should do all we could to make harmony and unity of
action Many of the leaders of tho rebellion we're
at Yale College, and other colleges in the North, aud
surely the Senator from Ohio would argue that these
institutions ostered treason there were these
might there not be some wroag tbs side OF the vou
teers as well as the West Point officers
Mr. WILSON, OF Mass raid there were "a 600 officers
10 the army and there could not be 300 Of them from
West Point The country may have been disappointed in
the onicers Of the army, and perhaps Justly.
MI LANE, of Kansas, said thrse men had been edu.
Gated at the expense OF millions Could the Senator point
to one single of genius exhibited by any single ono Of
these Offcers
Mr. WILSON in reply said we had lost twenty. six gen
erai officers since the war commenced of them
killed IN battle and nine Of them educated West Point
among these were such names Lyon; Mansfield, who
Tell ht Arfetsm MHcbe the antrnnoarr taken from his
commend at the West God only knows why Bayard RS
cognsed throughout the country brilliant officer Re.
no. stevens Richardson, Sill Hooker, ana Rosecrans Had
These men shown no capacity ray OF genius He be-
eved there never were better artillery officers in the world
than those in tho army.
Mr. LANE, Of Kansas said the Senator was suppos-
cd TO have had something t do with shaping the policy Of
the Government he would ask how it is that this Senate
chamber, and by majority Of tho Senate the opinion is
entertained and expressed that graduate of West Point
now hodDg most important position, should not retain
that postoni 1t ID because the Government s controlled
by West Point. !.
Mr.. WILSON. Who does ihe Senator refer to -
Mr. LANE Megs. He has been boldly denounced
here In this Senate If il be true that this Government be
toerng to its grave when that grave closes and the ep
taph s to be written that epitaph will be, died Of West
Mr. WILSON said he had nothing whatever to do with
Shaping ina polcy OF this Government far appointing
generals lie never had criticized the operations of
generals ~ bis place in the Senate, aud should He
never had advised The President to appoint not any gen.
eral He believed Gen. Meigs to be loyal either the
Senator from Kansas or himself He the very first
man snsed cut to take active part against the rebel
lion, being sent to Fort Pickens.
Mr LANE said he undertook to say that in high
position in this crisis s ud not only be but be above
suspicion Has the Senator from Massachusetts, heard
the loyalty OF the Senator from Kansas questioned
Mr. WILSON stated that he had said he believed that
Gen. Meigs was as loyal the Senator from Kansas
mse he made no question OF the atty of the Senator
from Kansas Gen Megs had b@en accused because jeff
Davis his friend Davis stood by him when Floyd at
tempted to crush him He did not think any in the
country had light to que ton the loyalty Of Gen. gs
Gen Meigs was the very first in the country to adyo-
cate the right and duty to the black of the South
Mr. LANE centended that the men from West Point
dd not desre to save the country at the expense OF slave
ry and they held command of armies Rosecrans had
saved the hattie by personal gaantry and he would
maud Of armies if they had shown the same gslantry
in the field battles which count defeats would bo
reckoDed as victories.
Mr. PoMkROY thought it not fair to charge all dsoy
ty TO West Point; might well charge the dsoyalty
| OF the clergy upon the colleges aud churches.
| Mr. GRIMES said he had received many letters from
his commitments 10 vote against this bill but could not
| as he considered military education necessary
Mr TRUHBULL sad be also had recsived such letters
and was happy T. comply with them He would blame
all the officers Of Wcs Point He thought some of the
Il to he
ment Of the rebellion the officers from West Point were
placed IN command but it does not follow that because
men bad mustered company at West Point they fit
10 command an army Of half million of Indeed,
hs thought the very educate of these men, turning their
minds towards engineering AID ortifcatons ncapscisted
them for leading large armies the field in of aggres-
sion IN rebellion, which could never be put down by
bu ding forts.
Mr. FEsstNDEN asked il it ineapscitated Cen Rose
Grams.
MIR. TRUMBULL said he dill not blame every man. and
man might overcome this disability
Mr.. FOSTER asked who bad coma up outside Of West
Point, who had shown himself to be great commander1
Mr.. TRUMBULL. How could hs come up if he had
not the opportunity To whist we owe the thousands
and thousands of lives sacrificed in the swamps OF rebe
DOM except to tfs passion of engaccr for construct ng
fort catons We want Generals who will rely upon the
strength of our armies, and that these who have
gore into the field to crush out ss rbeloa should be led
sgans the rebels with fixed eye aud strong arms let
them advance with The power of hundred thousand BAY
oneis and they will put the enemy to flight and rout and
destroy his rebellion You destroy this rebel
w Uuluiig CANNON 10 see
how far you shoot and whether you cannot hit man
without seeipg him. The army substantially controlled
By officers Of the regular army, and volunteer hiss had
chance to command hundred thousand men. To crush
the rebellion the Of the North must bs let loose and
let them come down upon the ebels with the strong
| anl they viii grind them 10 powder
Mr.. FESSENDEN hored th-t vote would be taken
He had sometimes almost regretted that all the ccefs If
our army had not been taken from the Senate or the
House, as they would have had all this military knowledge
by a sort of inlutiye perception
The discussion continu. by Messrs McnOU.
GALL, DAVIS, GRIMES, WADE, and WILSON and
the bill psasCd as follows;
YEAS MeSsrs Anthony, Arnold Browning, Clsrk Cowan,
Davis, Dixon, Doolte, Fessenden Foot Foster Grimes
Harding Harris, Henderson, Hicks, King Latham, McDou
gall Morrill,, Ncsmith Pomeroy Powell Sherman, Sumner
Zen Eyck Wiley Wilson Of Massachusetts, aud wisop Of
Missou--29.
NAf'-Me srs. Chandler, Harlan, Howe. Lane OF Ind.
ana La of Kansas, Tfumblll, Wade Wilkinson Wmot,
and Wright no.
The Senate adjourned