Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-07-21

fuficient, becaufe any man who would
give himfelf the trouble to examine, would
find that mochshas been fettled. But the
committee could not FAY with precifion
how much, becaule the period Of the le6ion,
was fuch as to prevent them from .pafiing
through fnch voluminous accounts. Il
would have beer an extremely laboIious
and tedious undertaking, and therefore
the committee were Obliged to reportb brief
ly. The committee could not examine
particularly into the items, nor form any
companion whereby 70 prove their accura-
cy or inaccuracy; they were obliged to
take it for granted, that thofe things were
all right. They reported agreeable to
the mode C doing buhnefs in the treafury
department. Until the accounts of any
individual is finally clofed, let him be
indebted ever 70 little, he is conEdcred,
in the treafury books, debtor for the
whole of his account. In this way, the
committee reported, and accompanied
the document with marginal notes, exhi-a
biting where the accountsshaye been rem
dered and partially fsttlsd.
AS to the navy yards, the committee
having been appointed, to report whe-
Their monies drawn from the trealury, have
been faithfully applied TO the objects for
which they were appropriated, and whe-
Their the fame have been regularly account
ed sor !" and knowing thar fix navy yards
had been purchaled, very naturally enquir-
ed under what authority .thefe purchaGes
had been made, and how they were paid
for. They refeuedto the law authoriza
ing the building of fix feyenty fc,,',e al,u
tx Hoops of war. The eor-'.l'eees luz
mitted an enquiry ne former iecretary
l,l. Nc a. sn9 rn. stoddert, directing him
a nc M the committee as to thepurchaie.
M. Stoddert anfwered, That law had
paded, appropriating one million Of dol
lars for building the twenty four's and
Aoops Of war, and that fifty thoufand dol
lars, were ALTO appropriated for two dock
yards and alto that two hundred thou
fand dollars, was appropriated fer the pur-
chale of timber or land eloathed there
with and that he thought himfelf aueho-
irized to purchafe fix navy yards, wherein
to build the ieventy tours. To theie fe-
veral laws, the committee referred, for the
authority under which the iecretary acted, !,
bat they could find no fuch authority
they could find no other, than authority
to purchaie two dock yards, wherein TO
repair the fhips. Now although rot fiat
ed in the report there is very good realon
to believe that the 10000 dollars never
was lail out upon the two dock yards but
that this fun was cat into the iurplus
fund. Whether Mr.. Stoddert's opinion
was correct or not, that il would be more
economical to build the 74's in public
yards than in private yards at rent, the
committee were not appointed to enquire:
it was their buGnels to fay whether he was
authorized to aa 70, let his private op:ni-
on be what it might. The committee
were clearly Of opinion, that he was not
authorized to take money appropriated
for one purpole, and make uie Of itfor an
other.
As to the reafon, why the gentleman
wihes the report recommitted; to wit,
to infert Mr.. Stoddert's anfwer with the
report, ii is true motion for the infertion
was made. But the committee tho't that
letter was addrefed to them, and not to
the houfe; that it was to inform their
minds 70 as to enable them to make the
report. They paid due attention to the
reaforing of the letter, but it did not con-
vince them that Mr.. S. acted authorita-
lively. Mr.. Stodders's reatohing upon
the fuhjee, could not form part Of the
report; the committee were called upon
TO form an opinion, and not to iubfitute
that of any individual. They were TO
enquire whether monies appropriated were
ufed TO the purpofes for which they were
Oh 800, $50