Congressman Davy Crockett's Resolution to Abolish the Military Academy at West Point in the House Journal
2/25/1830
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These are pages from the Journal of the House of Representatives showing a copy of Davy Crockett's resolution to abolish West Point. In 1830, Crockett was a young member of the House of Representatives from Tennessee. He attempted to abolish the Military Academy at West Point because he thought it was too elitist.
Transcript
Mr. Crockett moved the following resolutions viz.1. Resolved, that if the bounty of the government is to be at all
bestowed, the destitute poor, and not the rich and influential are the objects
who most claim it, and to whom the voice of humanity most loudly calls
the attention of Congress.
2. Resolved, that no one class of the Citizens of these U.S. has
an exclusive right to demand or receive for purposes of education, or for
other purposes, more than an equal and rateable proportion of the funds
of the national treasury, which is replenished by a common contribution, &
in some instances more at the cost of the poor man who has but little to defend
than that of the rich man who seldom fights to defend himself or his
property.
3. Resolved, That each and every institution calculated at
public expense and under the patronage and sanction of the government
to grant exclusive privileges except in consideration of public services
is not only aristocratic, but a downright invasion of the rights of
the citizen, and a violation of the Civil Compact called “the Constitution.”
4. Resolved, [struck through] further, that the military academy at
West Point is Subject to the foregoing objections, in as much as those who
are educated there, receive their instruction at the public expense, and
are generally the sons of the rich and influential who are able to educate
their own children, - while the sons of the poor for want of active
friends are often neglected, - or if educated even at the expense of
their parents or by the liberality of their friends, are superceded in the
service by Cadets educated at the West Point Academy.
5. Resolved, therefore, and for the foregoing reasons, that said
institution should be abolished, and the appropriations annually made
for its support be discontinued.
These resolutions were read and ^on motion of Mr McDuffie moved^ laid on the table.
Mr. Duha presented to the House [struck through] the following resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, [struck through] on the 13th of Jany 1830, viz.
[begin underline] “Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, [end underline], that our Senator in Congress be instructed, and our Representatives be requested to vote against rechartering the Bank of the U.S. if any attempt should be made in Congress for that purpose before the next
session of the General Assembly of this State.”
session of the General Assembly of this State.”
Ordered, that the said resolution do lie on the table.
This resolution was read and laid on the table.
This resolution was read and laid on the table.
Mr. Thomson, of Ohio, submitted certain communications from the Engineers of the River and Sandy Creek Canal, in the State of Ohio,” which was referred to the Committee on Internal Improvements.
Mr. Vinton moved the following Order
[begin underline] Ordered, [end underline] that a law of the State of Georgia, and a law of the State of Alabama and Mississippi, to extend the jurisdiction of those States over the Indian tribes within their respective territorial limits be printed and appended to the report of the Committee on Indian Affairs, directed yesterday to be printed.
Mr. Vinton moved the following Order
[begin underline] Ordered, [end underline] that a law of the State of Georgia, and a law of the State of Alabama and Mississippi, to extend the jurisdiction of those States over the Indian tribes within their respective territorial limits be printed and appended to the report of the Committee on Indian Affairs, directed yesterday to be printed.
A motion was made by Mr. Foster to amend the said order, by striking out from the word “Ordered” to the end thereof, and inserting as follows:
“That the Clerk of the House be ordered to have printed the laws of the
several States, extending and creating jurisdiction over the several Indian tribes
within their limits,”
“That the Clerk of the House be ordered to have printed the laws of the
several States, extending and creating jurisdiction over the several Indian tribes
within their limits,”
The amendment being read, it was Ordered, that the said order & amendment do lie on the table.
On the motion of Mr Baylor.
On the motion of Mr Baylor.
Resolved, that the Committee on the Post office and Post roads be
instructed to inquire into the expediency of opening a road through the Indian
country from Tuscambia in the State of Alabama to Memphis in the
State of Tennessee; and that the bill heretofore reported on that subject at the
first session of the 20th Congress be withdrawn from the files of the House and
referred to the same Committee.
instructed to inquire into the expediency of opening a road through the Indian
country from Tuscambia in the State of Alabama to Memphis in the
State of Tennessee; and that the bill heretofore reported on that subject at the
first session of the 20th Congress be withdrawn from the files of the House and
referred to the same Committee.
On motion of Mr White, of Florida.
Resolved, that the Committee on the Public Lands be instructed to
inquire into the expediency of making compensation to Richard C. Allin,
Esquire, for locating two townships of land for a Seminary of learning
under the provisions of an act of Congress, in the territory of Florida.
inquire into the expediency of making compensation to Richard C. Allin,
Esquire, for locating two townships of land for a Seminary of learning
under the provisions of an act of Congress, in the territory of Florida.
On motion of Mr Taylor
Resolved, that the Committee on Revolutionary Claims be instructed
to inquire into the expediency of extending the provisions of the act for the
relief of certain surviving officers and soldiers of the army of the
revolution to William King, of Ballston, in the State of New York.
to inquire into the expediency of extending the provisions of the act for the
relief of certain surviving officers and soldiers of the army of the
revolution to William King, of Ballston, in the State of New York.
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. House of Representatives.
National Archives Identifier: 306612
Full Citation: Congressman Davy Crockett's Resolution to Abolish the Military Academy at West Point; 2/25/1830; (HR21A-A2); Journal of the House of Representatives, 3/4/1789 - 2000; Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, Record Group 233; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/crockett-abolish-west-point, December 11, 2023]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
