The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-07-25
RANDOM NOTES.

Apparently there Will be no considerable opposi-
son in either branch Of Congress to the proposition
reported favorably from the Library Committee by
Mr.. stahlnecker, OF New York, providing an eoues-
trian statue Of the late President Zachary Taylor
healthy sigh of the growing liberal sentiment OF
Congress toward the District and the National Capt
tai is seen in the rromptness with which measures
are passed contemplating the beautifying Of the ma
tons most beautiful city. Than memorials Of emf
nent patriotic service there are no more striking
ornaments OF a Nations Capital The most dis
reputable delnagogsm would ind II dIficult to urge
pretext against honoring the memory Of so cmi-
nent soldier and civilian a. Gen, Taylor. II ever
man deserved high honor which his countrymen
joyfully accorded, the old hero OF Fao Alto and
Buena Vista deserved all that he received.
Gen. Alfred Plcasan,on, hitnsef soldier certain to
hold high place in the letered elorles OF the Repub
lie, recently said that Gen. TAYLOR was one OF the
two greatest OF American soldiers. Certainly the
| achievements OF Taylor IN Mexico alone are the
| ample plea for HIS high rank Id our military an.
nails. The Duke Of Wellington exclaimed, after
studying the story dt Taylor's repylse OF santa
| Anna's Overwhelming array al Buena vista, "Gen.
Taylor Is general Indeed" Gen. Taylor had passed
| nearly forty years In the Army before he was as
signed to the command Of the little force on the Rio
Grande called the "Army Of Observation. which
| was quickly to become the "Army OF Occupation
with which name 1t to thrill the hearts Of all
Americans by It's rapid and consecutive exploits at
Palo Alto, Resaca de La Palma, Monterey, and
Buena vista.
Representative Floyd King Is the patron OF the
bill to erect the monument, and the Sahlnecker, of
New York, secured favorable report from his
committee, assisted by MIR. O'NeIll, Of Philadelphia
The soldier sentiment Of both Houses Of Congress Ia
active for the proposed monument Col. Morrison,
OF Illinois, and Gen. Forney, Of Alabama, were both
soldiers In the Mexican War, and are eager to honor
the memory OF "oid Rough and Ready" In the
Senate Maxey, Logan, and Colquitt were also SOL
dlers In Mexico. Gen. Taylor was born In Orange
County, Va, lived In Kentucky when he Joined the
army shortly before the outbreak OF hostilltrs with
England In 1912. and was q resident Of Louisiana
when nominated for the Presidency In 1913. He Ia
buried In Kentucky, near Louisville.
Gen. Pleasanton was one Of Old zachs ia vor.
lite scouts, and was often selected by hun for per-
| formances OF desperate daring. on one occasion,
being ordered by Taylor to penetrate more than a
hundred miles to the rear Of the Mexican army. the
young Lieutenant fresh from West Point, begged
for larger force than the twenty nve men allowed
him. "You are too modest, Mr.. Pleasanton have no
| tHs
II the guerillas kill You and your men, will kill the
next prisoners that capture" Evidently the Gen.
eral meant satisfactory assurance TO his young COM
mandcr OF scouts. Gen. Pleasanton, speaking OF
Tayors family, az do all soldiers the Mexican War;
pays high tribute 10 the services OF the
Regiment at Buena Vista, commanded by Jefferson
| Davis, Taylors son-in-law. The regiment was or
ganiBed. and Davis then serving his rst term In Con-
gress resigned on being notified Of his election to
the colonelcy, and Joined the regiment at New Or
leans. Alexander X. McClung was Its lieutenant
colonel. The Mississpplans vled with the Tennessee
ans commanded by Campbell in the assault upon
Monterey. Probably the MssissippIans saved the
day at Buena Vista, through the famous move
ment executed BY Col. Davis, which resulted In re-
pulsln2 the fnal charge Of the Mexican Lancets.
Davis once told me that he had set any claim
to originality in that Device 1t suggested by the
conformation Of the ground, and the same move.
| ment was executed at Waterloo by some IIanove.
rlan cavalry belonging to wellington's army.
Gen. Taylors election to the Presidency was rem
dered certain by the Van Buren detection from
Cass In New York. Ills nomination by the wings
at Philadelphia was largely secured by a comblna-
ton Of young Whg members OF Congress. There
were seven OF theni-Abraham Lincoln, Stephens
and Toombs, Of Georgia; Flournoy. Of Virginia, and
others. They were called the "Seven young In
dians." Floyd Kings father, one Of the most ad.
vanced thinkers OF his time, Thomas Butler King,
had much to do with Gen. Tayior's elevation to the
Presidency. The son naturally takes mp the work
Of his father In paying honor the hero OF Buena
Vista. Taylors nomination was singing ofTeuse
to both Clay and Webster. Clay and his followers
sulked long time. Horace Greeley only declared
through the Tribune for Taylor two weeks before
the election. Webster declared the nomination one
m hp m IA pt,fo ovpafHI laak ,tt
leader and Taylor was nominated and elected. He
made on able Cabinet, headed by John NJ. Clayton
as Secretary Of State, with John j. Crtenden AZ At
torney General.
Among the distinguished men Of the Mexican War
period in the present House is ex Governor Throck-
morton. My impression is that he served In the
Texas State troops, as he was friend and sup.
porter Of Houston. He was one Of the seven mem. =.
bers Of the State Convention at Austin that refused
to sign the Ordinance Of Secession. In Texas Gov
ernor Throckmorton is revered for his virtues and
his long and honorable public services. 1t is to be
regretted that he has determined not to be candi-
date for re election to Congress.
So much has been said about the action Of the
House OF Representatives In rejecting the usual
months allowance to legislative employees, and sad
too, with such want OF knowledge to the facts Of
|
such allowances, that undertook to look Into 1t
with care. went back as far as the Twenty ninth
Congress, us46i6D and found that the House had
IN every instance, 40 far as could see. provided for
extra allowances.
August B. 1s4e, the House passed resolution for
extra compensation to the oicers, clerks, messen-
gers, pages. and aborers Of the House Of Represen
tatives March 8, 1ss7, the Clerk of the House was
directed to pay out OF the contingent fund Of the
House to the ofcers, messengers, pages, lsborcrs,
and clerks [except the Clerk Of the House. who was
omitted, 1t Ia said at his own vrtuous aud sclf-ab.
negating reques,] the same extra compensation az
paid by the Senate "ths session." In this case 1t
will be seen that the House followed the lead Of the
Senate as well as Its own customs. August 7, ls4s,
: March ., ls49, September 2s, 1850, and March 3,
1851, the usual extra compensation was voted to
House employees On the goth OF July 1884, by Joint
resolution extra compensation Of 20 per cent. addi-
tlonal was voted to all employees Of Congress.
March 8. 1851, the same provision was made In the
Deficiency bill.
And 80 on It went before the war, House after
House and Congress- after Congress passing respect
lively House resolutions, Joint resolutions, and acts
OF Congress giving extra compensation 10 House
employees generally at the rate OF 20 per cent. in
crease. 1t made no difference what the political
complexion OF the House wAs-sometimes Demo.
cratic, sometimes Wing, and again controlled by
: combinations OF Wings, Native Americans, O
sprinkling Of Republicans-they all did II. Demo-
cratic Presidents like Pierce signed such bills, and
Republican Presidents like Hayes and Arthur did
likewise.
When the Republicans came into power they
the salaries OF employees OF the House to
thing like decent ngure. But the Democrats when
they secured that body set about making so called
horizontal reductions and struck nrst at the House
employee They did not reduce their own salaries