H. OF R.] Military Appropriation Bill. [MARCH 13, 1834. the amendment of the gentleman from Arkansas. He concluded it to be improper to appropriate large sums for contends, in short, that Fort Gibson is not in the right works not intended to be permanent. position, in reference to the white settlements; that it Mr. SEVIER replied with great warmth to the views cannot afford the protection to our own people that it of Mr. HUBBARD. As to the reservation of which that would if it was carried to the west line of Arkansas. In gentleman had spoken, the fort was already there, and the this he differed entirely from the gentleman from Ken-reservation was made that the United States might retain tucky. What is the object of this fort, and of the other a garrison there during the removal of the Indians. He fortifications erected near your frontier? It is to give professed the highest respect for the Secretay of War, security to our own people; to excite the fears of the but believed that his opinion, in this case, had been based Indian population; to stay the violence of savage ferocity. on the information of interested officers. And, in his judgment, these objects would be more ef- Mr. WATMOUGH replied with some severity to the fectually accomplished by keeping your forts a little in remarks of Mr. HUBBARD. He complimented the views advance of civilization, a little ahead of our own juris- which had been expressed by Mr. JOHNSON, and observed diction, than they would if located directly upon the line that, if the military notions of the Secretary of War were which divides our own from the Indian country. You such as had been expressed by the gentleman from New do not hear of depredations committed by the Indians Hampshire, he should be sorry to commit what little miliresiding between these forts and our own settlements. tary reputation he himself possessed to the care of that No, sir. The establishment of these forts, armed and officer. When the gentleman spoke on financial matters, supplied with all the means of offensive and defensive he should listen to him as a member of the Committee of operations, in the midst of the Indian population, seen by Ways and Means; but when he entered into a contest with them and known to them, cannot fail to keep them in military men, he must be permitted to decline yielding to check more effectually than if the same forts were erected his judgment. The gentleman did not understand the more remote from them, and nearer to our own settle- subject, nor was the House in need of any explanations ments. It is, as before remarked, for the protection of from the Committee of Ways and Means, in regard to ar our own people against Indian depredations, that these rangements of a military kind. He hoped the amendment forts have been kept upon our frontier. And if he could would prevail, for the two reasons which had been advanbe satisfied that they were not properly located, he would ced by the chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs, go as far as any one to put them where they should be [Mr. JOHNSON:] the one of a purely military, the other of for the most ample protection and security. We are a moral character. bound to provide for that portion of our community who Mr. GILMER further explained the views of the Commay be settled upon our frontiers. mittee on Indian Affairs. That committee had had before The gentleman from Kentucky has remarked, that Fort it the subject of the formation of a system of government Gibson is erected not only too far west, but amidst the for the Indian tribes who had been located west of the Cherokees, and upon the land of the Indian enemy. In Territory of Arkansas. They had had conversations on this the gentleman is mistaken. By the treaty of 1828, that subject with the Secretary o of War, and were satisfied between the United States and the Cherokees, it is expressly that a plan of government could be devised which would provided: "It is understood and agreed by the parties to greatly advance the happiness of the Indians. But, in this convention, that a tract of land, two miles wide and order to carry such a design into effect, it was exceeding six miles long, shall be, and the same is hereby, reserved ly important that all jealousy towards the designs of the for the use and benefit of the United States, for the ac- United States should be removed from the minds of those commodation of the military force which is now, or which people, and that nothing should be done which might lead may hereafter be, stationed at Fort Gibson, on the Nearcho them to believe that they were to be kept in a state of or Grand river." And after describing the tract thus re- subjection and control. As to the Cherokees and Chocserved, the treaty further provides as follows: taws, there was not the slightest danger to be apprehend"And the Cherokees agree that the United States shall ed of the horrors of barbarous warfare. There was no have and possess the right of establishing a road through more probability of murderous outrages being committed their country for the purpose of having a free and unmo- by those Indians on our people, than by us upon them. lested way to and from said fort." In regard to these tribes, that state of things had ceased In the views which he had expressed, he was fully sus- to exist. Their warlike spirit was broken down, and tained by the Secretary of War. He had, in the fullest their government essentially civilized. There was, theremanner, expressed his conviction that Fort Gibson was fore, no need of keeping up a strong fort to protect our one of the most important posts upon our frontier; that it people from them; but it would be very useful to have a should be preserved; and recommends, in the most decid- small force stationed among the tribes themselves, to reed terms, the appropriation of twenty-five thousand dol- press any hostile dispositions toward each other. Steps lars for extending the works and for erecting barracks. would probably be taken to have such a measure applied In the expression of this opinion, the Secretary of War for by the Indians themselves. had only concurred in opinion with those who had gone Mr. POLK observed, that any plan, of the description before him. Fort Gibson was in range with the other referred to, would be entitled to great consideration. fortifications upon our frontier, and they were, with but What disposition the House might make of it, he was not one exception, in advance of the white population, and prepared to say. He again adverted to the opinions of established on Indian territories. From the entire con- the Secretary of War, and remarked, in relation to what fidence he had in the views of the present Secretary of had been said by Mr. WATMOUGH, that it was a gratuitous War, and from the considerations he had urged, he was attack upon the Committee of Ways and Means. opposed to the amendment of the gentlemen from Ar- Mr. WATMOUGH disclaimed such an intention, but kansas, and in favor of the item as it now stands in the bill. considered it as rather too heavy a draught upon his faith to be obliged to swallow every statement, whether military or civil, which proceeded from any member of that com Mr. H. EVERETT stated his intention of moving an amendment, striking out so much of the clause as went to mittee. provide for extending the works at Fort Gibson, and re- Mr. HUBBARD said the gentleman from Pennsylvania ducing the appropriation from $25,000 to $5,000. He has passed a high encomium upon the military acquireagain adverted to the views he had before expressed, as ments of his friend (as he was pleased to call him) from to the probability that no forts would be permanently es- Kentucky, the chairman of the Committee of Military Aftablished within the Indian country; on which ground ground he fairs. And he had seen fit to condemn as futile the con MARCH 13, 1834.] Military Appropriation Bill. [H. OF R. siderations which he (Mr. H.) had suggested in answer to of the Government in locating the dragoons upon the the views of the gentleman from Kentucky. The able Arkansas. They were not to be permanently located anyargument of the gentleman from Kentucky had produced where. He had opposed their being located at St. Louis. entire conviction on his (Mr. W.'s) mind; while the mili- To fix them down in any one spot would be to defeat tary argument (for he could call it by no other name) of the whole end and purpose for which the corps had been the member from New Hampshire, was so weak and un- raised. They were to be placed on the Arkansas, in orsatisfactory as not to command his assent. He differed der that they might avail themselves of the earlier openaltogether with the member from New Hampshire on the ing of the spring, and thus be supplied with grass for subject; and he has seen fit, with great severity, to at their horses, when starting on their contemplated tour to tack the views of the member from New Hampshire, the West; but their location there was temporary altowithout presenting to the committee one single remark gether. If they were to be fixed to any spot, he should by way of objection to any particular position which he vote for their being disbanded. And, if they could not (Mr. H.) had advanced. The condemnation of the gen- erect for themselves such shelter as was necessary, the tleman was unqualified in its character and general in its corps was not worth keeping up. He insisted that the terms; but the grounds of his condemnation are within people of Arkansas would be in no danger from an Indian his own breast; they are unknown to him, (Mr. H.,) and war. Such a war, if it ever arose, would arise on the to every other member of this committee, save the gentle- Northwestern frontier, and then of what use would the man himself. He would not repeat again what he had dragoons be if they were located in Arkansas? However urged when he was last up. The remarks he then sub- high gentlemen's opinions might be as to the character mitted must be in the recollection of the committee. He and attainments of the Secretary of War, he should not be had said, and he now repeated, that he had reason to be- governed in that House by the opinions of the Secretary, lieve that the opinions he expressed were in perfect ac- nor of any body else, in reference to matters which he cordance with the opinions of the Secretary of War. But had himself had an opportunity to investigate. Now, it the gentleman has not only condemned the military argu- did happen that he had enjoyed a better opportunity to ment of the member from New Hampshire as futile, weak, see and know the actual state of things among the Indians and unconvincing, but he has seen fit to denounce the of our frontier than the Secretary of War had, and he Secretary of War himself, if he entertained opinions in ac- should not take his ground upon the opinion of any Seccordance with those which he (Mr. H.) had expressed, retary, or other officer of Government. He should be in as unworthy of the place he filled. Such declarations, favor of the amendment proposed by the gentleman from proceeding from the gentleman from Pennsylvania, he Vermont. trusted, would have little effect upon the Secretary of Mr. DUNCAN was opposed to the amendment offered War; and, as for himself, it was matter of little conse- by the member from Arkansas; he preferred removing quence as to what opinion the gentleman entertained of this military post further out, if it was to be changed, but him. He thanked his God that, as far as the opinions of concurred entirely with the views of the Secretary of War, that gentleman were known on any subject, he differed in keeping up and extending the works at Fort Gibson, with him, and he trusted that he should never find it neces- so as to accommodate the corps of dragoons, and was sary to take up the opinions of that gentleman for his ready to vote for an appropriation to establish a line of guidance. But he could not be mistaken, that, in relation posts, with suitable stables, for the accommodation of this to the subject now under the consideration of the com corps, to extend from the Arkansas river to the Northern mittee, he had but expressed the general views of the SeCretary, as made known by the communication which had been read by the chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means. lakes. He approved of the policy of displaying a force on the whole frontier, at least once a year, and believed they should be changed frequently. He regretted that he could not view this subject in the same light with his Mr. ASHLEY expressed great surprise at the opinion friend from Missouri, [Mr. ASHLEY,] as he knew they were put forth by the Secretary of War, that Fort Gibson was equally interested in affording the most efficient protecto be the head-quarters of a large military force, employ- tion to the frontier. The corps of dragoons, he said, were ed in the protection of the frontiers, and that $100,000 raised for the purpose of defending the whole frontier would be requisite to complete the barracks at that post. against the Indians, and to protect the trade which is now The reason given for this by the Secretary was, that nu- extensively carried on with Santa Fe. He was well aware merous tribes of Indians had been located in that vicinity. of the arduous duties which the country expected of this A reference to the Indian agencies in the Blue Book would corps, and was disposed to throw no obstacles in the way soon show that not one-tenth part of the Indians on our of their usefulness. He was confident that more would be frontier were in that vicinity. The great body of them lay saved annually in the articles of horses and equipage, by to the north. And, if there should ever be an Indian war, furnishing those stables, than the sum asked by the War its seat would probably be on the west of Missouri. As Department. Every one knew, he said, that men and to the country west of Arkansas, it was all taken up al- horses could not render the important and arduous serready, and the United States commissioners were now ap- vices expected of this portion of our army, without they plying to the Pawnees for territory six hundred miles up are well wintered, and properly provided at all times, and the Missouri. Of the fifty-five Indian agencies, forty-five at all points. He had no doubt the troops could be usewere at the North, and on the Northwest. Yet it was fully and properly employed, as the infantry are, in conproposed to abandon the fort at Rock river, and erect ex- structing posts, barracks, &c., necessary for their accomtensive barracks on the Arkansas. The pretext for aban-modation, but an appropriation was always made to assist doning this most important military point, was, that the their exertions, and he was ready to vote for it in the preIndians had been removed west of the Mississippi. That sent case, and hoped it would be extended along the whole was true; they had been removed about forty miles west- line of the frontier, and he hoped very soon to see a plan ward; but this, by concentrating their forces, had only ren- submitted by the experienced gentleman at the head of dered them the more formidable. The important points the War Department. to be defended, were Rock river, Fort Leavenworth, the Mr. GAMBLE now moved that the committee rise, but Arkansas, and Red river; but the main seat of war would the motion was negatived-ayes 65, noes 81. be on the Missouri and Mississippi. As to the necessity Mr. CLAYTON again advocated Mr. SEVIER'S amendof keeping up a great post at Fort Gibson, because the ment, and went more particularly into an explanation of dragoons were to be quartered there, Mr. A. thought the geographical position of the two points referred to in that he had some knowledge of what was the intention the debate, insisting that it was absurd to place a fort upon H. or R.] Military Appropriation Bill. [MARCH 13, 1834. the farthest line of the tribe against which it was to pro- subscribe to. Sir, I made no attack upon the honorable tect the country. Such a fort might protect the Chero- Secretary, I esteem that officer highly, and believe him kees, but not the people of Arkansas. utterly incapable of uttering such stuff as came from the Mr. VINTON considered this as the best of reasons why member from New Hampshire. I rose, sir, to defend the the post should be maintained where it was; for the Chero- Secretary, to exonerate him from the imputations of the kees had ceased to be a warlike tribe, and one of their member from New Hampshire. I pronounced the argu. chief objections to going west had been the dread of their ments to be, what I believed and still think them, futile more savage neighbors, to remove which objection the and unsound, in a military point of view; and, I trust, when United States had promised to protect them. this gentleman next ventures to enter the lists with an Mr. GORHAM would receive the Secretary's opinion experienced soldier, like the chairman of the Military as conclusive in relation to the importance of this post, Committee, he will come prepared with the sensible ar but whether it was to be a permanent one or not, was for guments of the honorable Secretary of War, written out Congress to determine. He was opposed to removing the in a plain and legible hand, for the benefit of all concernfort, but not prepared at present to say that it ought to ed, and not undertake to thrust his own lucubrations be permanently fixed there. As a middle course, he pro-down our throats as military arguments not to be assailposed an appropriation of $15,000. ed. I promise the gentleman that I for one, at least, will Mr. GILMER, again adverting to the pacific character then listen to him, if not with patience, at least without of the Choctaws and Cherokees, contended that, if any disgust. fort was wanting in this vicinity, it ought to be on the But, sir, the member from New Hampshire has gone west and not on the east of those tribes, that it might further; he has solemnly thanked his God that there was protect them from the warlike assaults of the Creeks, the no opinion, on any subject, which he could hold in comOsages, and, above all, of the Pawnees, those Arabs of the mon with me. In this matter, sir, the gentleman shows a American desert. A garrison here would answer the most remarkable degree of obliquity, which he ought rather further purpose of protecting the trade between Missouri humbly to implore Heaven to avert, than thus solemnly and Santa Fe-a trade of already great, and every day in- congratulate himself for being possessed of. Mr. Speakcreasing, value. er, I mean not to stir up the opinions of the member Mr. WATMOUGH said he owed the House an apology from New Hampshire. The task would be somewhat offor intruding himself again upon its notice. He desired, fensive to my own taste, and rather shocking to the sen however, in this matter, to be distinctly understood. I sibilities of many of the honorable gentlemen with whom have been honored (said he) with a passing notice from the member from New Hampshire at present acts. two distinguished members of the Committee of Ways Thank his God, sir, that he holds no opinion in common and Means. Sir, the honorable chairman of that commit with me! What does the member mean? I warn him to tee, in this instance, does me injustice, and, let me add, be more guarded in what he utters. As to my own sir, he does himself injustice. So far as this bill is con- opinions, sir, as held by myself, and not in common with cerned, his action in the House has been most unexcep- the member from New Hampshire, since they have been tionable. He has, however, thought proper to exonerate so rudely assailed, I have but one word to add-the House me from all faith in the committee over which he presides, and I have nothing left but to thank him for the very comfortable position in which he has placed me. will pardon the egotism into which I am driven. At the age of seventeen, I found my country embarked in a war for the maintenance of every right held dear by freemen. I stopped not, sir, to calculate time nor chan It is insinuated, Mr. Speaker, that my remarks on the item of appropriation now underconsideration have sprung ces. I embarked with her, determined to see her through from a spirit of opposition solely. Sir, I entirely disclaim with honor, or perish with her. Under the purely demoall such motive; I believe myself incapable of any such cratic administration of the virtuous Madison, I entered principle of action, or rather of any such want of princi- the service of my country. What subsequently occur ple, in reference to any question involving the general in- red, it is not for me to state. I trust I need never shrink terests of my country. I have, from the first moment on from the perusal of the record, nor turn pale when the which I took my seat here, acted on grounds always the brilliant annals of 1814 are referred to. I entered to reverse of this; and, sir, so long as I shall be held worthy sustain the principles of a democratic administration, and of the trust reposed in me, I shall continue so to act. from that hour to the present, I have lived as I propose I considered the question before the House one of a pure- to live hereafter, unvariably, sternly, unbendingly, dely military character. I listened attentively to the remarks mocratic. Can the member from New Hampshire say as of the honorable gentleman from Kentucky, [Colonel much? JOHNSON,] and take great pleasure in stating my entire coin- Mr. HUBBARD replied: The gentleman has said that he cidence in the views he presented; he sustained himself made no attack upon the Secretary of War; that he confully in all his military positions, and urged a high moral sidered the remarks of the member from New Hampshire ground in addition to the military view he took, which, in as a satire upon that officer, and that he rose to defend my humble apprehension, ought to be held paramount to him from what he regarded as an impeachment of the all other considerations in the judgment of the House. I opinions of the Secretary, in the views which he (Mr. H.) heard, too, the argument of the honorable gentleman presented when he first had the floor. Now, sir, can it from Arkansas, whose constituents are more immediately be possible, that he had been so grossly misunderstood interested in this measure, and I heard from him the fact, Were not the sentiments of the Secretary of War touchwhich ought to have all weight in our deliberations, that ing this matter made known in the document which had those constituents were unanimously opposed to this mea- been read, and repeatedly read, by the gentleman from sure. But, sir, this was not all. I have expressed in Tennessee? And can it be possible that any other memthis matter no hastily formed opinions, on ex parte state-ber of this committee, except the gentleman from Pennments alone. When I rose to address the House, I had sylvania, understood him to attack and to impugn the likewise had the benefit of the brilliant military concep-opinions of the Secretary of War? He could not conceive tions of the member from New Hampshire. how the remarks which he first made could have been I heard him elaborate opinions purporting to be those understood by any one, or SO represented by any one, of the honorable Secretary of War, and, sir, I did not And yet the gentleman from Pennsylvania felt himself hesitate to say, nor do I now hesitate to repeat, that 1 called upon to defend the Secretary of War (on whom consider those opinions a downright satire upon the Se- he has passed a high and, I admit, a deserving commendscretary, and such as I could, under no view of the case, tion) from the attack thus made. If the speech of the MARCH 14, 1834.] The Public Deposites-Army Appropriation Bill. [H. oF R. gentleman is for the Secretary, his vote on this question Whereupon, the committee rose and reported the bill will probably be against him. The gentleman has informed the committee that, when at the age of seventeen, he entered the military service of his country; that he was then a democrat, and that his political principles have remained uncha unchanged to the present time. And he has appealed to the member from New Hampshire whether he could say as much. Of the military services of the gentleman, he knew nothing until they had been proclaimed by the gentleman himself. No doubt they were all that he has represented. And in re and amendments, and the House adjourned. FRIDAY, MARCH 14. The consideration of the resolution of Mr. MARDIS, on the subject of the deposites, being the unfinished business of the morning, Mr. BURGES resumed the course of his remarks in some time, though in a state of indisposition, when he lation to his (Mr. H.'s) political opinions, they were known opposition to the resolution, and continued to speak for to his constituents, and when he failed faithfully to ation the resolution to to-morrow. resest their interests on this floor, they would call him gave way for a motion to postpone the further considerto an account, and he should cheerfully submit himself The CHAIR having announced the consideration of to their judgment. He had nothing else to boast of but his industry and his fidelity. But if the gentleman from private bills as the order of the day, Pennsylvania possessed the political principles if he en tertained the political opinions he had just avowed; if he had been an unchanging democrat from his youth; all that he could say was, that since he had been a member of this House, since their aquaintance commenced, he had given the most miserable evidence of his political faith. Mr. H. EVERETT then offered the amendment he had before referred to, viz: to strike out the words "extending the works and erecting additional," also the word "twenty," and to modify the clause so as to make it read temporary repairs of the barracks at Fort Gibson, Arkansas, $5,000;" which was agreed to. "for The item "for new barracks at Fort Armstrong, or in that vicinity, $10,000,” was, on motion of Mr. POLK, stricken out. Also, for the repair of barracks, and for defences at Fort Brady, $10,000. On motion of Mr. ASHLEY, the sum of $8,500 was appropriated for an arsenal at St. Louis. The bill having now been gone through, Mr. CONNOR, chairman of the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, proposed an additional section, extending the franking privilege to the chief engineer. In explanation, he observed that the adoption of such a section, while it would be an accommodation to the Department of War, would have no injurious effect upon the revenue; it would neither increase nor diminish the amount of postage. The same papers would be franked by the Secretary, but such an arrangement as this would prevent delays, which now frequently occurred for days together, in the transmission of important documents. Mr. POLK moved to postpone them for the purpose of considering the army appropriation bill. WHITTLESEY the motion. Whereupon Mr. POLK moved to suspend the rule: the question being put, the yote was, ayes 93, noes 50; there not being two-thirds in its favor, the motion was lost. Several bills, which had passed the Senate, were then taken up, severally read a third time, and passed. The bill for the relief of Walton and De Graff coming up for its third reading, Mr. WHITTLESEY objected to the principle of the bill, (it pays for the depreciation on Treasury notes,) and moved for its recommitment. Mr. POLK thought it better to postpone the consideration of the bill till to-morrow. Mr. HUBBARD proposed to-morrow week; which was agreed to. Mr. POLK again moved the postponement of the rule to take up the army bill. The vote being taken, stood ayes 90, noes 49; there not being two-thirds, the motion was lost. Mr. POLK then modified his motion so as to make it apply to the army bill exclusively; on which motion he demanded the yeas and nays. Mr. MCKENNAN moved to amend the motion so as to include a bill for the repairs of the Cumberland road. Mr. POLK accepted this as a modification of his motion; but Mr. EWING demanded a division of the question. It was divided accordingly; and the yeas and nays being taken first in relation to the army bill, stood as follows: Mr. ADAMS, of Massachusetts, said he hoped the gen- yeas 125, nays 62; so the motion, on this part of it, was tleman from North Carolina would withdraw the amend- agreed to. rment. It contained a principle which, so far as it had The yeas and nays being then taken in reference to the been acted upon, he wished to see expelled from the bill for the Cumberland road, stood yeas 94, nays 91, (not House. It had nothing to do with the appropriation bill two-thirds;) so this branch of the motion was negatived. The House then took up the consideration of the The amendment, adopted in the Committee of the Whole, granting $1,825 to Doctor Beaumont, of the army, by way of extra allowance, in consideration of extra services in making professional experiments, being under consideration, Mr. HALL, of North Carolina, objected to the amend to which it was sought to be appended. And he warned the House not to sanction the principle of introducing matters of this description into their appropriation bills. If they did sanction such a measure as this, it would have consequences such as some gentlemen little expected. Mr. CONNOR observed, in reply, that, some years ago, when the opinions of that gentleman could have been enforced, his warning might have been given to some purpose; but he remembered that, no longer ago than last session, at a late hour of the night, a clause had been in- ment. He hoped the House would not agree to the serted by the gentleman's colleague into an appropria- amendment, because he conceived that it was entirely out tion bill, which had no more connexion with it than this; of place. Whatever might be its intrinsic merits, in opit was a common occurrence; he had certainly meant posing the amendment, he certainly did not intend to deLothing treasonable in proposing the amendment. The tract from the merits of the experiments made by Surgeon Treasure was approved by the Secretary of War. The Beaumont; but it would be seen that this extra allowance propriety of it had been presented to the Committee on purported to be for extra services; but it would be found, the Post Office and Post Roads, and it had received their on inquiry, that this was not for any extra service in his sanction. The franking power was already in the De- public official character, but a course of experiments, not partment, and nothing but time would be either saved or in pursuance of public duty, nor at the requirement of Jost by suffering it to be exercised by the chief engineer. the Government. Mr. H. would oppose this upon the The question being taken, the amendment was negatived. same principle he had voted against an amendment pro H. OF R.] Army Appropration Bill. [MARCH 14, 1834. posed for another purpose in committee, because this did not belong to the army, yet they were extra services military appropriation bill was not its proper place. This rendered necessary from his situation, in order to save the was irregular, and would introduce a new principle, one life of this individual, who was accidentally thrown upon of a very objectionable character. The old rule of obsta his hands. And the series of interesting experiments principiis he thought a very good one, and strictly appli- which he instituted, and pursued at much personal excable to this case. He was entirely in favor of correct-pense, necessarily devolved upon him, or probably they ing all abuses or excesses in public expenditures, as well could not have been performed at all; for St. Martin, havin reforming old as preventing new ones. He was very ing full confidence in his surgeon, from the care, skill, glad to perceive that there was some disposition in the and attention which he had manifested, submitted to such House to return to old radicalism, for which we were in- experiments by him, as he would not have submitted to debted to his worthy colleague, [Mr. MCKAY,] who he by any other person. Dr. Beaumont was, therefore, at thought entitled to great credit for his industrious inves- the expense of transporting him from place to place, tigations in regard to this, as well as some other bills. where his public duties called him; supported him in his Mr. H. said he was for thorough reform, but he was family, and some part of the time paid him three hundred nevertheless of the same opinion which he had expressed dollars a year, that he might continue his experiments. a few days since on another occasion; that while he would He contended, therefore, as it was a common practice to curtail, in every instance, where an opportunity was pre-pay officers of the army for extra services, such ought to sented, he was satisfied that success could be only partial, be paid for in this case; and he could hardly conceive of without we went to the source. He had intended to go any which a surgeon of the army could render more meri at some length into other subjects, bearing a sufficient re-torious and useful than had been rendered by Surgeon lation to the present not to be out of order, but felt unwill- Beaumont in this instance; and he thought he ought at ing to detain the House, and 'would, therefore, be content least to be remunerated for the expense which he had in to repeat that this case was novel and out of place, and he hoped the House would refuse to concur with the committee. In closing his remarks, Mr. H. called for the yeas and nays. Mr. CAMBRELENG opposed the amendment, for the reason, he said, that he was unwilling to make the appropriation bills pack-horses for every private claim. Mr. HARDIN opposed the provision for the same rea sons. curred in the discharge of these duties. He therefore ex pressed a hope that the amendment would be adopted. The debate was continued by Messrs. HARDIN, EV ERETT, and CHILTON. Mr. POPE expressed his hope, as the subject was well understood by the House, that a vote would be taken at once upon the amendment, that they might go on to the consideration of the other parts of the bill. Mr. WAYNE presented various letters from Doctor Douglass and others, descriptive and approbatory of the experiments which were submitted to the Joint Library Committee, and which had influenced them in recom mending this extra allowance. He called for the reading Mr. E. EVERETT, in reply to a question from M. CAGE, stated that Dr. Beaumont was a surgeon in the United States army, and that the person upon whom the experiments were made was a soldier in the service. In reply to the remark of the gentleman from New York, he of them. said that the reason for making the provision in the appropriation bill was, that, in the present state of business in the House, there was no hope of obtaining its passage in any other way. Mr. BROWN said that this reason would admit the attachment of a provision of any subject to the appropriation bill. If the subject was brought up in a separate bill, he would support it. Messrs. FILLMORE and WAYNE spoke in favor of the amendment, and contended that the provision properly belonged to the army appropriation bill. The letters were read accordingly. Mr. CAMBRELENG said, although he did not desire to undervalue the justice of the claims, yet he could not conceive that an appropriation bill was the proper place to have them attended to. If the claim was to reward merit, there was an appropriate committee for that pur pose to take it up, if it was connected with the military affairs of the country. Mr. SUTHERLAND would vote for this amendment, and thought nothing could be more important to the country, than any thing which could tend to illustrate the Mr. TAYLOR advocated the amendment making an al- diet-system for the army, which the experiments of Surlowance. He said that this allowance was for services of geon Beaumont unquestionably did in an eminent degree. that character and public benefit which he thought Surgeon Beaumont had advanced the cost of making these should entitle it to the favorable consideration of the experiments out of his own funds. He contended that he House. St. Martin, for whom these services were ren-was, upon every view that could be taken of the subject, dered, and who was the subject on whom the gastric ex- fully entitled to remuneration, in justice to science, to the periments of Surgeon Beaumont were performed, was army, and to the country. wounded at Mackinaw, Michigan Territory, by the acci- Mr. MANN, of New York, said, it all other objections dental discharge of a musket, which entered the left side, to this were waived, there was something due to the con fractured the ribs, lacerated the left lobe of the lungs, sideration of the danger that would ensue from creating a and perforated the stomach. Under the assiduous care precedent for remunerating services of this kind in this and skilful efforts of Dr. Beaumont, a cure was finally ef way. fected, yet with such an extraordinary result, as to leave on opening through the side into the stomach, which could not be healed. Through this opening an opportu Mr. TURRILL opposed the allowance. Mr. BEARDSLEY desired, if it was in order, to call nity was afforded of introducing and removing substances for the previous question, that a decision might be profrom the stomach at will, extra extracting the gastric juice, and cured without debate. even of examining the internal coats of the stomach; pre- The SPEAKER explained that the previous question senting a case for experiments relative to the process of must cut off this and all other amendments. digestion, such as is believed has never before occurred. Mr. JONES went into a constitutional argument against This opportunity, he said, had been embraced by Dr. the allowance, and proposed that each member should Beaumont, and the experiments conducted with much purchase one or more copies of the book, which, in his care, skill, and perseverance, throwing additional light opinion, would be the most constitutional way that the upon this branch of science, of much public utility. He House could reward the meritorious services for which it contended that, although these services were not a ne- was made. cessary part of the surgeon's official duty, as St. Martin Mr. SCHLEY adverted to the refusal on the part of |