The Congressional Globe, Volume 13, Part 1: Twenty-Eighth Congress, First Session Page: 374
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374
CONGRESSIONAL GLOBE.
Mr. .HARPER offered a paper, which he desired
should be read by the Clerk.
The reading being objected to,
Mr. W1NTHROP moved that the paper be read.
The SPEAKER decided that it could not be read,
as objection was made.
Mr. WINTHROP called the attention of the
Chair to the 25th rule, which declares ihat when the
reading of a paper is called for, and ie objected
to, the same shall be determined by a vote of-the
House.
The SPEAKER remarked, that after the previous'
question had been called for, he did not consider
the reading of a paper to be properly in order.
Oil seconding the demand for the previous ques-
tion, the votes were counted by tellers, (Messrs.
Ctrin.vell and Haralson,) who reported 87 in the
affirmative, noes not counted. So there was a
second.
The main question—being the reconsideration of
the vote by which an extra number of copies of the
report of the Commissioner of Patents was ordered
to be printed—was then ordered; and upon this
question the yeas and nays were ordered; and, being
taken, resulted thus—yeas 76, nays 99, as follows:
YEAS.—Messrs. Adams, Atkinson, Benton, Edward J,
Black, Bower, Bowlin, Boyd, Jacob Brinkerhoff, Aaron V.
Brown, Burke, Burt, Caldwell, Campbell, Reuben. Chap-
man, Chappell, Clinton, Cobb, Cullom, Daniel, John W.
Davis, Dawson, Dean, Dromgoole, Ficklin, Foster, Byram
Green, Hale, Haralson, Hoge, Hopkins, Houston, Hughes,
J. B. Hunt, Jameson, Cave Johnson, Andrew Johnson, Geo,
W. Jones, Andrew Kennedy, Labranche, Leonard, Lucas,
Lumpkin, McCauslen, Maclay, McClelland, McClernand,
McConnell, McDowell, McKav, Moore, Joseph Morris,
M'Uphy, Payne, Pettit, Rathbun, David S. Iteid, Rediug,
Relfe, Rhctt, Hitter, Roberts, St. John, Saundeis, Simpson,
Slidell, Thomas Smith, Robert Smith, Steenrod. Stiles,
Stone, Taylor, Thompson, Tibbatts, Tucker, Weller, and
Woodward—76.
NAYS—Messrs. Abbot, Anderson, Ashe, Baker, Barring-
er, Barnard, Blackwell, Bossier, Brodhead, Mjlton Brow n,
William J. Brown, Jeremiah Brown, Butlington, Cary, Car-
roll, Catlin, Causin, Chilton, Clinch, Clmgman, Collamer,
Cranston, Cross, Dana, Gariett Davis, Richard D. Da\is,
Deberry, Dickey, Dickinson, Dillingham, Dunlap, Fish,
French, Giddings, Willis Green, Grinnell, Grider, Hamlin,
Hardin, Harper, Henley, Henick, Holmes, Hubbell, Hudson,
Hungerford, Washington Hunt, Charles J. Ingeisoll, Joseph
R. Ingersoll, Jenks, Perley B. Johnson, John 1'. Kennedy,
Preston King, Daniel P. King, Kiikpatrick, Ljon, McJlvain'o,
Marsh, Edward J. Morris, Morse, Moseley, Newton, Paniien-
ter, Patterson, Peyton, Elisha R. Potter, Preston, Purd\,
Rayner, Charles M. Reed, Robinson, Rockwell, Rodney, Ro-
gers, Russell, Sample, Schenck, Senter, Severance, Thomas
H. Seymour, Simons, J.T. Smith, Caleb B. Smith, Stephens,
Stetson, Andrew Stewart, John Stewart, Summers. Sjkes,
Ti den, Tyler, Vance, Vinton, Weiitworth, Wheaton,
White, Williams, Wmthrop, and Yost—99.
Mr. GIDDINGS moved a reconsideration of the
vote of yesterday, ordering the printing of 30,000
extra copies <?f the bill and report of the Committee
of Ways and Means.
Mr. DROMGOOLE demanded the previous ques-
tion on this motion; which being seconded, and the
main question ordered,
Mr. STEWART called for the yeas and nays;
which being ordered,
The main question—being reconsideration of the
vote above mentioned—was taken, and decided in
the negative—yeas 65, nays 103, as follows:
YEAS—Messrs. Abbot, Adams, Ashe, Baker, Barringer,
Barnard, Milton Brown, Jeremiah Blown, Buffington, i a>-
ioil, Causin, Chilton. Clinch, Clingman, Collamer, ( ran-
►ton, Garrett Davis, Deberry, Dickey, Dickinson. Ki-.li
G'lddmgs, Willis Green, Grimicll, Gu'cler, Hardin, Hainer,
Washington Hunt, James I!. Hunt, Joseph K. Ingeisoll,
Jenks, Perley B. Johnson, John P Keiineih , Daniel P. King,'
Mcllvaine, Marsh, Eduard J. Morris, .Moseley, Newton
Parmcnter, Patterson, Pe\ton. Elisha R. Potter, Pieston',
Rayner, Charles M. Reed, Rockwell, Rodney, Rogers!
"ample, Schenck, Senter. >everance, Albert Smith, John T
Smith, Caleb B. Smith, Stephens, .Vndiew Stewait, Sum-
mera, Tilden, Tyler, Vinton, White, Wmthrop, and 1 ost
—
NA YS—Messrs. Anderson, Atkinson, Benton, Edward J
Black, Bossier, Bower, Bo« lin. Bom), Jacob Brinkeihoft'
Aaron V. Brown, Buikc, Bait, (dhiuell, Campbell, Car}!
Catiill, Reuben Chapman Clinton, Cobb, Cioss, Dana,
Daniel, Richard D. Davis, John W. Davis, Dawson. Dean!
Dillingham, Dromgoole, Dunlap, Elmer, Ficklin, Krencli!
By rain Green, Hale, Hanilm, Haralson, Ileiilci Hmiick
Holmes, Hoge, Hopkins, Hubard, Hubbell, Hughes, Hun.
uerford, Charles J Ingeisol), Jameson, Cave Johnson, An-
mew Johnson, Andrew Kennedy, Preston Kintr, Kirk-
patriftk, Labranche, Leonard, Lucas, L} on. McC>-uslen
Maclay, McClelland, .McClernand, McConnell, McDowell'
V.Moore, Joseph Morris, Murphy, Owen, Pavne,
Pettit, Emery D. Potter, Pratt, Pnrd}, Rathbun, David S
Reid, Reding, Relfe, Rhett, Ritter, Roberts, Robinson,
T?,1.1?5?,"' Saunders, Thomas H. Seymour, Simons, Simpson,
hhdell, lliomas Smith, Robert Smith, Steenrod, Stetson
T fl.'Li' St<i?e> Sykes, Taylor, Thompson, Tibbatts!
1 JCker, Weller, Wentworth. Wheaton, Williams, Wood-
ward, and Joseph A. Wright-103.
MILITARY ACEDEMY.
jMr. McKAY moved to suspend the rules, to en-
able the House to go into Committee of the Whole
on the Military Academy bill: carried.
On motion by Mr. MeKAY, the House then re-
solved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the
state of the Union, (Mr. Dromgoole in the Chair,)
and resumed the consideration of the bill making
appropriations for the support of the Military
Academy—the question being on the amendment to
the amendment of Mr. Hale, providing that the
academy shall be abolished; and that the money
heretofore annually appropriated for that institu-
tion shall be applied to military education of the
militia and volunteers in the States.
Mr. HUNT of New York observed that the
propositions now pending before the committee
were so diametrically opposite in character as to
impart additional interest to the subject. The Com-
mittee of Ways and Means in the discharge of the
duties imposed on them by the House, had report-
ed a bill making the ordinary appropriations for the
support of the Military' Academy; and the gentle-
man from New Hampshire had submitted an
amendment to abolish that institution altogether.
He often had occasion, during the course of the
session, to admire the zeal displayed by his honor-
able friend, in exposing, correcting, and reforming
all the abuses of the government; and he had cer-
tainly displayed a zeal which he considered highly
nieretorious. He was constrained, however, to say,
that the remedies the gentleman sometimes proposed
to heal the existing defects in our system of gov-
ernment, were not such as met his approval, and he
trusted would not be approved by the House. The
honorable gentleman, in contemplating the different
branches of expenditures of the government, looked
upon them as nothing but abuses, and saw nothing
but extravagance in all the departments of the gov-
ernment, civil, military, and judicial. All these de-
partments, he considered as going wrong for half a
century; and he seemed to think that the people
would not be able to maintain their system of govern-
ment, unless they remodeled it entirely. It was
easy enough to proclaim the existence of abuses; but
his honorable friend from New Hampshire had
failed thus far to suggest any practical remedy for
the abuses he had discovered.
This academy, proposed to be abolished the gen-
tleman from New Hampshire, was an institution
recommended by Washington himself, whose mili-
tary experience was regarded (not only in this coun-
try, but by the whole world) with the highest res-
pect. The institution was established under the
administration of Jefferson, and every administra-
tion since had considered it as a valuable part of the
peace establishment. There was another thing, too,
not to be passed over; and that was, that every mili-
tary man, from the time of Washington down,
highly approved of this institution, and conceded its
necessity. In discussing the subject the other day,
the gentleman from New Hampshire, [Mr. Hale,]
and a gentleman from New ork, not now in his
seat, alluded to the academy as an institution es-
tablished for the benefit of a favored class, who were
educated there.
It had been intimated, in tile couse of this debate,
that the Military Academy was a charity school, by
which exclusive advantages were given to a few
over the great mass; but this, he said, arose in mis-
conception. What was a military cadet? When ap
pointed, lie became an officer of the army, and bound
himself to that service for a number oi" years. He
"was, in some respects, like a midshipman in our
navy; and the question was, whether the officers to
command our army should receive a fitting educa-
tion in early life, when the mind was plastic, or
whether there should be appointed uneducatcd men
who, to acquire the ability to execute their import-
ant trust, must instruct themselves after their appoint-
ment. He discussed, at some length, the propriety
and the necessity of giving an early military training
to our military officers, and then replied to some ob-
jections which had been made to tins institution.
The present mode of appointing the cadets from
congressional districts, he thought the best that
could be devised. It was much better than to vest
such appointments in the executive, in whose hands
an accumulation of patronage might be productive
of evil. The members of Congress, with whom the
appointments now rested, would doubtless so exer-
cise their power as to give satisfaction to their con-
stituents; and such a diffusion of patronage gave to
every section of the Union a due share of appoint-
ments, whereby all extremes were brought together.
He read a tabular statement of youths appointed to
the Military Academy, to show the classes £o which
they belonged, and that they were not the sons of
the rich ana the powerful.
What was the object of an army in time of peace?
It was to keep up military discipline. Ours was a
mere skeleton of an army, insignificant indeed, when
compared with the standing armies of other nations.
He placed great reliance upon the militia of the
country; but it was necessary that there should be a
higher degree of military science than could possi-
bly be possessed by the militia, in the event of this
country being, by an unfortunate concurrence of
events, drawn into a war with a foreign nation.
When abuses were shown to exist in our military
establishment, he would be as ready as any one to
apply the proper corrective; but his information and
personal knowledge led him to form an opinion
highly favorable df those officers of the service of
this government, who had received their military
education at West Point Academy. He was not
prepared to admit that the officers of the army and
navy were overpaid, as some gentleman seemed
inclined to suppose. He had never known an in-
stance where a fortune had been accumulated
by an officer of either the army or navy. They, in
that House, were representing an economical people
certainly, but he did not believe that they ought,
therefore, to refuse to the officers in the public ser-
vice such allowance as was necessary to their re-
spectability. The maxim, that in tune of peace
they should prepare for war, had become in some
degree obsolete; but he believed it would be con-
ceded by all that they should always maintain such
an establishment as would have a tendency to pre-
vent the occurrence of war.
Mr. SEYMOUR of Connecticut rose, and ad-
dressed the committee in opposition to the bill. The
State of Connecticut, he said—a portion of whose
citizens he had the honor to represent—had, by res-
olution, requested her representatives not only to
vote against this institution, but against all appro-
priations for its continuance. In obedience to tha
request, he embraced this opportunity to address a
few considerations to the committee.
He had noticed that whenever this subject had
been under discussion, gentlemen who had spoken
in favor of this institution had seen fit, in the same
breath, to detract from the merits of the militia of
the countS-y. If it were true, as had been more
than intimated, that they were undisciplined and
unprepared for war, it was because of the unpardon-
able neglect of Congress itself. For, whilst they
could not find in the constitution of the United
States a single paragraph authorizing the establish-
ment of any such institution as this Military Aca-
demy at West Point, they would find abundant au-
thority for arming and disciplining the militia, that
right arm of their national defence. He did not be-
lieve that there should be a royal highway to mili-
tary knowledge. The most eminent men which
this country had ever produced, had risen from com-
parative obscurity, and worked out their own educa-
tion by industry and perseverance.
Mr. S. went on to state his objections to the Mil-
itary Academy; that it had become an institution
for the education of young men for the civil pur-
suits of life, instead of being what its friends
claimed for it—a school for the army. Now, no
one would pretend to say that there was any po'wer
in this government to educate men for the duties of
civil life Mr. S. then referred to the official reports
ot the War Department, giving the number of an-
nual appointments of cadets, the number who grad-
uated, the number who entered into the army, the
number of annual vacancies in the army, &c. &c.,
torthe purpose of showing that a disproportionate
number of these cadets, after being educated at the
public expense, went into the pursuits of civil life,
lie also referred to the number of resignations of
ofneers during the Florida war, when their services
were needed by their country. Mr. S. contended
that tlie institution was unnecessary; and that, if it
were abolished the Secretary of War would have
umbers of applicants to fill the annua! vacancies in
the army, as well, if not better, qualified for the ser-
vice than the cadets of West Point. The army it-
self le considered too large, and by reducing it one-
tJvould lessen the. "umber of animal vaean-
cn t .me Saw "oneccssIty having companies of
f>0 o 100 men to garrison the forts on the Atlantic
seaboard He was willing that the posts on the
great highway to Oregon should have men to garri-
seaboard.' ^ "° army °n tlle Atlantitt
He had another reason for say ing that the Military
Acadamy was unnecessary. He would have the
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United States. Congress. The Congressional Globe, Volume 13, Part 1: Twenty-Eighth Congress, First Session, book, 1844; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2367/m1/398/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.