479
PAPERS OF J\IIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
to repair to the field when sudden emergencies demand their services, either in repelling invasion, or in chastising an insolent Indian foe, they are not willing to construct military roads, to erect block houses, & to garrison posts for any length of time. & without the performance of .such duties, it is vain for us to expect any thing like permanent pro- tection- In former times the patriotism & chivalry of our citiz>Jns was no less conspicuous than at present, but for the want of a regular system of defence, which can only be maintained by regular forces, the impressions made by their returning footsteps from some of their most arduous campaigns, were scarecely obliterated from the sand, before their wily & persevering foe would again be found at their work of destruction within our settlements- It was Gentlemen a knowledge of these facts that impressed me with the conviction of the proprie.fy of urging upon Congress the establishment of a small regular force, & it was the then dear bought experience of the frontier, that caused the suggestion to meet with so ready a response on the part of that bocly and of the Nation- And Gentlemen, even now, with a full knowledge of the facts which have since transpired, and of the partial change which has taken place in the public mind in reference to this matter, I am still convinced that the policy was sound, & ought to have been pur- sued. The beneficial effects resulting from the regular army are not fairly appreciated when we look singly to the number of batties ii fought-- It was not its actual fighting, but its existence in the field that was serviceable,- It was its various positions on the frontier that kept the Indians in check & prevented the daily repetition of those scenes of suffering which we were in the habi[t] of_witnessing before it was organized, & which our citizens with all their ardor, & with all their chivalry, could not prevent- Congress in its wisdom however Gentlemen, has thoug proper to change the po [licy] which the Executive desired to carry out in this tespect, & which was in a fair state of progress, that of affording protection to the fronti [er] by extending an<l keeping up a line of posts beyond its utmost verge, And I sincerely hope that the Nation may hereafter have no cause to regret it- . In regard to o[ur :MexicJan policy, One of the most ardent wishes I entertained, in setting out on my official career, was the adjustment of our differences with that Nation I look'd upon it as the great founda- tion of our future prosperity, wealth, & happiness- With a country of unsurpassed, I may say of unequald fertility & beauty, & with a population, hardy, enterprising & industrious, we had nothing to desire but peace, to secure to us as a nation & as individuals, the utmost bounties of Providence- The attainment therefore of this end, has been the grand object I have had in view,-it has been the polar star of all my policy- Possibly had our difficulties at home been fewer, & our pecuniary embarrassments less, I might have sought it through a differ- ent channel-I might have looked to operations in the field as being more likely to ensure success, than negotiations in the Cabinet, b11t with our exhausted Coffers, & nrostrate credit, I considered it due to the country, & to the repose of th~ people, after the revolutionary struggles through which they had so recently passed, to use every "!ffort which presented even a remote probability of success by pacific measures, be- fore resorting to such coercive steps as would necessarily involve the renewal of an expensive & harrassing war- Hence my effort at direct
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