The National tribune., 1879-04-01
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE.

that army invaded foreign country that commit
ted few ofenses the army that operated in Mexico
and am not sure but that the committed fewer
ienses than the number OF living in civil life
now in the United States of America If YOU ask me
why, will tell you. 1t was first discipline and sec
ond not speaking of the commanding officers who were
the best America could furnish not including myself of
course, but speaking of the rank and file they were sim
pie honest, brave manly, generous, and humane 1t is
said there about ten thousand of them still left and
say here now, and will thank any to correct me if
am mistaken, that do not think in all America you
will find Of them in the penitentiay They would die
before they would commit crime Some of them may
die in the poor house. but YOU may take nv word for IL
soldier of this nation who ever fought in the battles of
Mexico will ever die the inmate of American penen
tary.
If the Senate will bear with me- will Justify the truth
OF this assertion by reference brief reference to the
campaign.
In the fall of lS46 a Missouri regiment nine hundred
strong under Colonel Donphan, took it's departure for
Mexico. That regiment executed march of some two
thousand miles deserts crossed and arid plains
tey passed through the Jor8ddd del Kert the Journey
of DEATH as it was called passed the Rio Grande at Ell
Paso found opposition of every kind before them entered
and captured the city of chihuahua and in all that march
never committed single crime and never met with sim
gle defeat Ought of that kind to be forgotten
Any government that forgets such is not govern
ment to encourage national herosm of any kind But the
public better acquainted with what occurred on the
Rio Grande. can hardly find in history a spectacle
more interesting and more romantic than nv old friend
Zachary Taylor, old Rough and Ready" standing there
at the head of three four thousand men, confronting
whole nation of ten millions That campaign commenced
at Pao Alto and commenced brilliantly and it ended at
Buena VISTA and you all know it ended there in blaze of
glory. Sir reckon Buena Vista as one of those battles
that will always stand foremost in history
Then look at the other campaign beginning at Vera
Cruz under Winfield Scott The capture of that cty is
as splendid as any military achievement The Gibraltar
OF Mexico was taken by little American army with
less loss of life the part of the assaans than was ever
suffered in any assault This owing the skill and
consummate genius of the commander the excellence of
our engineers and the splendid management of American
artillery at that time.
Then there Cerro Gordo. have some reminis
censes OF that and shall not forget them There was
natural fortress defended by the Mexicans That natural
position is the strongest perhaps in Mexico itself The
strength of that position great in itself besides the
strength of the Mexican army defending it. and they were
nearly double the strength the American il
1t was as fine position could be- And yet Cero Gerlo
carried with small sacrifice of life which To the mill
ary of that day all the world was matter of
tonshment. Cir my humble opinion Cerro (Soro ranks
with and is only second the battle of New Orleans
der old Andrew Jackson.
But i will not delay the Senate | will not abnse IFS
courtesy On the 10th day of August S47 ten thousand
men crossed the mountains and entered the romantic val
ley of Mexico 1t was adventurous movement That
army abandoned its communications its supplies it's very
possibility of reinforcement. That was it's condition
and yet isolated it small numbers as it was
fought the battle and gained the victory at Conreras
Churubusco Molino del Rey, Chapultepec and on the
18th day of September 1S47 it stood before the rmnarts
OF Mexico and how many stood before those ram
parts, all told? Six thousand six hundred men on the
18th day of September 1S4 those ramparts can
tured the city, city containing two hundred thousand
inhabitants and defended by thirty thousand dscipned
soldiers Give any other instance of the kind in his
tory. Why, Sir the army hardly sufficient To noce
the city after they captured it, When myself stand here
and look back that it looks to me more e fable
than reality shall forget the insignificant annaar
ance cut when got into the great plaza of the cv
OF Mexico Happily though, they thought we were ony
the advance guard OF some tremendous army recolect
an Old English dre who there and after he looked
at the little band he said Is this the amy? sYesn
WELL said he all have to say is this you Americans
are not only the bravest people heard of but the
most audacous people Gods earth come here with
such an army that y
Then, sir think of the acquisitions that have been Sc
cured to this country by that army They are not to be
estimated now they not calcuable this time The
future only estimate the value of the acquisitions re-
sultlng from that territory sufficient to make an
empire, certainly large enough to make another ndepen
dent country with unsurpassed mineral wealth. mines of
god and SILVER that have changed the monetary condition
OF the world. Why sir the world was struck with as
tomsment year or two ago at the idea that this our ter
ory acquired from Mexico about deuge the whole
world with an inundation of silver wish to God the
Amencan Congress would turn little stream of that flood
III the direction OF our Mexican veterans am very
sure we could stand under the deuge
Now sir, advantage-not to speak of tbe harvest
OF glory which foolshy thought reaped at that