508
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1847
that out of three hundred thousand who were willing and anxious to go, only ten thousand could be accepted. It would be a painful and an invidious duty to discriminate, where so many were worthy. Probably some rule would be adopted by which priority of tender would be regarded as the general principle of selection. Otherwise, it would scarce be }Jossible to prevent a feeling of deep resentment toward the officer who performed the unwelcome and responsible task. Could there be any impediment or objection to such a mode either in the Senate or War Department? Let this mode of organization be adopted, and before thirty days from the passage of the bill the men would be on their march for Mexico. They would thus anticipate the sickly season, and would be in the field and ready to be led against the enemy long before the vomito would make its appearance. If the appointment of the officers chosen should be made here, after their election by the men they were to command, it would only be necessary to call on the officers, and let them organize their companies and regiments and be ready at once to march. That would be all they would have to do. Would any man hesitate in deciding whether it was best to organize these corps in the United States, or first to lead them to the place of action in Mexico? A thousand men could not be taken together in one body by water. They must be taken in separate portions. This would create difficulty after they got there. But if they were organized and officered here, all they would have to do would be to rally to their headquarters in Mexico. But, according to the original bill, the Government was to say to the Colonel : "You shall be accepted to serve, provided you can raise a regiment who will but the most efficient that had ever been exhibited on the face of serve under you." The man would try to do this, and perhaps fail, and the inevitable effect must be great delay; whereas, on the other plan, the Government would find the corps already organized. Here must be rendezvouses, and then provisions, quarters, and fuel, and all the expense of a recruiting rendezvous must be provided. On the other plan, the men would rendezvous at once at the headquarters of their regiments. If there was no previous organization here, it would require a delay of ninety days at least before these regiments could be ready to march. The officers must first be heard from, then they would perhaps report that they had collected one company in one county and
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