Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-07-24

that the evidence before US, is not lu86c;s,'
to prove, that there is dollar due to tb '
United States. Can it be the intere} IS
any in tie nation, or Of any member IN
on this floor, to deitroy the public conf
dence in the general administration Of rho
government. Let the pecuniary honeaw
ofone administration be fulpeaed and their
faccellors will loon fink under the fame q
dious fulpicion. On iuch lubjett, we
hould baniih our partialities and an,
tipathies, not merely as facrifce which
belongs to jultice, bu, as an att required
by a great national ana common interea
| acknowledge thar this part Of the reaorr
will be harmless in the hands Of thole who
will real, and are able TO undertan6 n.
document on which it is founded. Bor
the bulk Of the docunen, will probabIy
exclude it from the public papers, an4 the
greater number ofpeIlons no read the re-
port, will read itwithout explanation. The
probability therefore, of the reports Gre
ating falfe impy " ems, Of nature extreme.
ly derogatory from the honor of the 90.
ve:nmcnt, would alone be fuiicient mo.
tive with me to vote in favor of the mo-
rion to recomnit.
There are many other grounds upon
which conGder the report exceptionable.
It is not however my intention at this
late hour Is O'Clock to enter into all the
details Of the report. My observations
will be confined to few prominent and
important points, upon which the different
members Of the committee, held very op-
polite opinions. had no knowledge Of
the relolution Of my friend from Con.
neaicat (Mr. Grifwold) to fubmit the
motion on the table, before the meeting of
the houle this morning, and am therefore
the more gratihed, that the honorable
mover IDS taken 70 comprehensive view
Of the fubjea, as to render it totally un-
nefary for me to go over the whole of the
ground.
l lhall BY the indulgence only Ct a few
words, upon one or two heads, refpeeflng
which, the opinion ] entertain, is decided
" oppofed TO that, exprefed by a majoris
ty oishe committee. | cannot well COM
ceive of palmer intake, than what ap.
pears in the opinion, pronounced on the
purchafe Of fix navy yards, made by the
late fecretary of the navy. The commit
tee | think, ought to be allowed an OPP
portunity OF reviewing that opinion
Four of thofe fix yards, are contidered as
purchaled without authority, and the mo.
ney paid for them nifapplied.
By the acts of the legiAature Of February 1872
the lecretary of tie navy, was directed 10 cauie
to be built, fix hips, each 20 carry not les than
"a guns; and fix Hoops Of war, of 10 guns
For this purpo!e. million Of dollars was appro.
priated, 100000 dollars were appropriated to tie
purchale OF land, bearing timber luitabe fer tic
navy, aud fifty thouiani dollars for the making CT
two docks. 1heie laws paaed on inccefive days,
indicatedthe dehgn ola permanent navy cttabhh-
ment. Twas perfectly underllood, that the thps
of the line, were not directed to DC butt Tor the
occaiianal defence of the country at thar period,
but were intended as the commencement of q
Iaifing iyfem of defence, which was expected t,
encrealc with the growth Of the commerce and
refources Of the country. IL was far from oure&-
peaaticn, that the navy ofthe United States, was
tobe limited TO fix fhipsof the line, or toanynunl-
Der within the convenient means of the country,
hort OF force adequate to render our flag relpec-
table and our navigation fecurc. twas not Top
pofed that the fcventy fours would be launched
: for feveral years, but VIC bad hopes whsn they
left the ftocks, urihing commerce would en-
able us to lay the keels OF newlhips in their pa
ces. Under this view, were the 200 900 dollars
appropriated to the purchale of land producing
timber fit for navy. With this knowledge, 10
plainly deriveablc from the policy purified by the
Legislature what was the iecretary fthe depart
ment of the navy TO do. Twas made isdutygt TO
build fix leventy fours and FIX Hoops OF war lti5
urely not expected, that they wdre TO be Bullion ~,
the water or in the air, and OF conltquencc, 1t VIII
be allowed that he had authority to provide yards
for the purpofe O; conducting them The pul'
lie had no yards. and il was therefore neceiiary 70
obtain ground from Individuals. AS there were
no pcrfons 5ilpoled TO make charitable grants It
remained only for the United States to pufcha!e
prouni in fee iimp!e or for term G! years, pay