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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1856
371
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some hope that there would be a corrective-but they must all be provided for at once-ten to a company, and then fifty, and after a short time the country will be borne down by the amount of money taken from the Treasury for which it receives no equiva- lent. I wish to guard against this. When was it before conceived to be a necessity to have an army beyond the force necessary for the preservation of our arms and ordnance in good order, except a provisional army, to be raised for a particular emergency? Our Army is receiving constant accessions. Soon they will come forward for four additional regiments to give young men places. Relatives will be here; perhaps some members of this body will feel a sympathy with applicants for promotion; and if not, influ- ential friends at home will press for it, and an increase will be made to the Army for the purpose of providing for these promis- ing young men, who are highly educated for that, and are unpre- pared for any other vocation in life. Sir, we should keep an eye on the Army; we should guard against its insidious approach. It connects itself with the whole community, and after awhile it will assume a dangerous aspect to the institutions of freedom in this country. We should guard against it sedulously. I sustain this provision, not for the purpose of reflecting upon the Secretary of War, but on principle. I have always been op- posed to the system of military superintendence. I do not consider this provision a reflection on the present Secretary of War. He is only pursuing his course under the direction of the President, perhaps not even on his O\vn intimation or suggestion. I intend no reflection on that gentleman or on the President. There is a proclivity towards the Army here; and the worst feature I see in all of it is, that no buttons are now worn, no cockade, or insignia of an officer. This is to delude a public apprehension, and not let them see that there is a power rising at their Capitol. Sir, in olden times, when armies were measured and limited in their extent, no officer ever appeared in the avenues of Washing- ton, or on a public occasion, that he did not wear the military badge on his person, as much as to say, "I am an officer, and bound to be a gentleman in the eyes of the public; I cannot skulk; I am responsible for my actions; the moral influence of society has its eye upon me; I am a gentleman, and must s~ demean myself." Now, he can go in a slouched hat and in a sack coat. He can go as he pleases; even ,:,,iith his legs through his pantaloons [laughter], not known as an officer, either of the Army or the Navy. These powers are growing up in our midst, and we had better be on our guard; for, after a while they may
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