WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1858
489
Mr. President, you might as well tell me that you can take the dunghill fowl from its walk, or the young nestling, and rear it in an eagle's nest and make an eagle of it, as to tell me that you can place at the Military Academy one who has no military genius, and create him a general or a military man. You might as well tell me that you can educate a Shakespeare, a Burns, or a Byron, as to tell me that you can educate a general. You may teach a man the routine of platoon, of company, of battalion, of regimental or of general drills, but you cannot place in his head that strategy which is necessary to success; that high design and enterprise which are necessary to enable a general to bear your banners in triumph, and wave them above a conquered enemy. "This education forms the common mind." But there are attributes of character that are not common, and they are not to be formed by education. Was Washington edu- cated at a military academy? Were those glorious generals who seconded him so educated? Was Jackson, or Brown, or any of the men who so proudly vindicated our flag, and added to our national glory in the war of 1812, educated at a military academy? No, sir; they were from the school of nature, taught by nature's great teacher, God. You may make a mechanical soldier at the Military Academy; but if he has not genius .to stir him on, let not Congress legislate to make him a place. But, sir, I should be glad to know when it was that a regular force has ever given protection to a harassed frontier in this country? Tell me an instance of retaliation inflicted on an Indian tribe by a regular force, after the Indians had made incursions? I do not know it. I have not heard of it. Have chastisements taken place; have reclamations been made; have Indians been pursued; their villages destroyed; and they humbled or harassed in that way until they became amicable or receded from our frontier? If it has been done, it has been by volunteers who turned out for the occasion, or by rangers who were selected for that purpose, and for the protection of the frontier, and were not stationary in garrisons. Who ever heard of a garrison giving protection to any place, unless it was in time of alarm, when women and children might flee to it for refuge? A nation that keeps its men always in garrison will be easily conquered in the field. Are Indians going to march up to a fortress? ·wm the~• not pass miles around it, and march upon the settlements, and know- ing its locality, easily avoid it on their return, after h1l\'ing depredated on the inhabitants, or stolen their properly? and there is no one to pursue them. An infantry soldier is a Yery
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