The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States, Twelfth Congress, Second Session Page: 181
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181
HISTORY OP CONGRESS.
182
November, 1812.
Pay of the Army.
H. of R.
him, loaded with chains, (as is said to be the
practice of one nation of Europe,) to the armies.
Who would have supposed that the provision
merely, authorized the recruiting sergeant to ac-
cept the voluntary service ofr the young man, be-
tween eighteen and twenty-one ? The service
due to the country, prior in point of time, para-
mount in obligation, must yield, says the gentle-
man, to the service due to the master, the parent,
or the guardian. If, sir, in the days of Rome's
greatness, if in the proud days of Grecian glory,
the man could have been found base and hardy
enough to withhold the young men from the
public service, to turn them from the path of
honor, or to restrain them from the field of fame,
he would have been hurled from the Tarpeian
Rock or consigned to the Cave of Trophonius.
The young man is preferred here, not because he
is preferred in France, but because his physical
constitution and his moral temperament pecu-
liarly'qualify him for the arduous duties of the
field and camp; bodily vigor and activity, ardor,
enterprise, impetuosity; without family,and there-
fore without the cares which family involve. No
wife, no helpless children. Without care, but for
his country. Without fear, bat for her dishonor.
He is most eminently qualified for the duties of
the camp and the field ; all experience has proved
it. But the gentleman is not content with op-
posing himself to the patriotism of the young
men ; he is not less opposed to the increase of
pay. Mr. T. thought, from the conduct of the
House the other day, that the provision had been
universally approved. He was the more surprised
at the opposition of the gentleman, because it was
this provision of the bill which went to eradicate
that vice and immorality of the Army, which the
gentleman affected so much to deplore. The in-
crease of pay had two objects, the filling the
ranks, and the general respectability of the Army.
The recruiting service had suddenly stopped ; it
stopped only because all the men which were to
be had for sixteen dollars bounty, and five dollars
and one hundred and sixty acres of land, were
already picked up ; to get more, nothing could
be done but to increase the pay ; the quantum of
increase was the only question. The difficulty of
enlisting men was not peculiar to us; it was felt
by every nation. Military wages bore no equita-
ble proportion to the ordinary wages of the coun-
try. In the stronger and more despotic Govern-
ments of Europe force was resorted to; in the
more mild and moderate, stratagem and fraud
and trick. Who had not heard of the tricks of
recruiting sergeants'? Under our own Govern-
ment, enlistments, to be lawful, musl be fair and
free and voluntary ; hence, the only remedy left
us was increase of pay. But the filling of the
ranks was by no means the most important ob-
ject. The increase of the general respectability
of the Army was of infinitely more importance.
The regular service had been brought into uni-
versal disrepute in the country. The cause is
obvious; it was the five dollars per month, and
nothing else. There was nothing ignominious
or disgraceful in the nature of the employment;
on the contrary, it is honorable, it inspires honor-
able sentiments. Ask the farmer why he does
not encourage his son to enlist in the service of
his country 1 He answers at once, that he can
make ten dollars a month on the farm ; that if he
has honesty and industry anybody will hire him
for ten dollars. Can there be any doubt that, by
increasing the pay, you will increase the numbers
of the Army? not only so, in the exact propor-
tion as you increase the pay, will you increase
the respectability. It is self-evident. Suppose,
instead of sixty dollars, or ninety dollars a year,
you would agree to give them five thousand dol-
lars, there is no doubt your ranks would soon be
filled. You would have the silk-stocking gentry,
(I Jo not know that the Army would be much
better for that,) you would chance to have a few
members of Congress, perhaps a Secretary of
State, perhaps an ex-Presideat; you would at least
enlist honesty and industry. I say, sir, the in-
crease of the respectability of the Army at this
moment is of infinite importance. Wiih every
disposition to rely oe( the militia for defence and
offence, we are not permitted to do so ; the mili-
tia are withheld by some of the States. The
gentleman and his friends have withheld the mi-
litia of Massachusetts; he would now withhold
the regulars. Give character and respectability
to the Army, and when in a spirit of jealousy or
disaffection, or treason, the militia should be with-
held, you are still independent; you are still a
Government for all the objects of Government.
If Massachusetts and Connecticut—but I forbear'.
Mr. Macon said, it appeared the House was
now in a situation in which it had frequently
been heretofore ; that is, they take up a very small
subject and make a very great one of it. The
only question for discussion appeared to him to
be, whether or not they would enlist into the
Army young men between the ages of eighteen
and twenty-oue. He was very sorry that, at this
early period of the session, a discussion had been
introduced into the House, which had at all times
better be let alone, that of foreign influence. He
did not mean to discuss it; but, if gentlemen were
anxious for it, he was perfectly willing to set
aside a day for the consideration of the subject,
and go about it methodically. He regretted very
much that the feature to which he had alluded
had been inserted in the bill; because he had been
in hopes that, on the question of raising the pay
of the Army, they would, one and all, have man-
ifested a disposition to support the rights of the
country. In the hope that they would yet come
to an agreement on the subject ; that they could
give some vote of unanimity in relation to the
war, he should move for a recommitment of the
bill, with a view to amend it by striking out the
third section. It appeared to him that, until a
man had acquired political rights, he ought not to
be called on to defend his country. The gentle-
man from South Carolina says the principle of
this section already exists in our militia laws. I
admit it; and hence, I have always, when our
militia laws have been under consideration, mov-
ed to strike out " eighteen" and insert " twenty-
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Gales and Seaton. The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States, Twelfth Congress, Second Session, book, 1853; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30352/m1/88/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.