Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-07-19
c o N G r E S S.
OF THE
u NITED S T A T E S..
nous OF RrpRRsENrATIyEs.
M. GrI1U2la, e0NtinNea

proper in geaeral terms, TO ceniure theex---
penditure, for erecting the pdotic baiidings
on the banks of the Schuylkiil near Phila.
delphia. Ihey do not fay whether the
money expended upon that object was au-
-thorized or unauthorized; they only fay
that the expence which amounted 10 about
one hundred and fifty thoufand dollars
could not be jutii6ed. Without troubling
the houfe with any comments upon che pro-
-priety of this conduct OF the committee,
in paf1ing the bounds which their appoint
ment had limited, and erecting themfelves
into board of cenIors, TO, condemn every.
expeaditpre which did not plsafe them
Swhsther authorized or not, NUT be per-
mitted tofaJy, that nothing in my Judgment
could execute them, if they took this courfe
in fupprefing tie facts which led to The,
erection .ofthofe buildings.
That the expeDce wassjafifed by law,
/ prefume cannot, be doubted, when the
Object, and the naturesof the appropriate
onsfor the military Establishment, are con-
ffdered. And as to the extent of the ex-
pence, it is point, about which gentle
men may ptp5sbly differ ia opinion; for
my own fast, I readily acknowledge that
| ana nor "a competent judge, nor do ]
believe, IA feeak with great deterence}thar
the majority Of the committee spofsis fuf-
fcisns experience TO decide the queeions
The former fecretary of war, who COM.
menced the buildings, Mr.. M,Ienry, was
certainly man of a LIBERAL mind, and of
large and extenfve views. and difpofed to
found every PERMANENT efsbliihment, upon
aFcale, which fhould in fome meafure COM
port with the future Profpett Of this coan-
try, and prove them to be the eeabllh :
ments ola nation, and not Of a petty cor 4
poration. The circumstances which induced
the war department. to commence theier
buildings, I have underflood to. be,
without having received however, any
particular information in relation to the
fat THAT the military flores at Philadelphia
were at that time Aored in private build
ings within the city, and eypofed in thofe-
Gyuations to fires and other accidents;
thar Philadelphia being one OF the .frf
mercantile towns in this country, rendered d,
1t convenient TO collect flores at that point
and being at the fame time Efficiently in
land to be fecure from any foreign attack,
and with all fomewhat central, it was de-
iirable to render the collection of military
flores exten6ve, and to eaablilh, what
may be now called an ar(enal at that place.
To accomplish theie objects, and for O
ther military purpoles, the buildings were
commenced on the Schuylkill. Aud be-
ing diipofed TO place more confidence in
thes fecretary of war, than in the COM
mittee on this point, | can fee nothing at
prefent, which proves the building to have
been unneceaary or too exteniive, and |
think it highly probable, that the founder
will hereafter derive more honor from
commencing them, than the committee
will receive from cenluring the meafure. :
What renders the report of the commit
tee fill more extraordinary, bo,k ih-tefpef
80 ereaing the buildings, and alto the pur-
chale of navy yards,'is, that another fub-
iea, refembling theie in principle, was
before the committee, and on which they
,efufed TO report. This was the GREETING
of the exteniive navy flores In this place,
by the prefenr administration.
The prefent fecretary of the navy, was
requeRed 20 inform the committee, when
thole flores were ereaed, and from what
fund the money had been taken. His an
fwer, iatis6ed the committee, that the
flores had been erected by the prelent: ad-
miniaration, and that the money!. if re-
collect correctly, had been taken from an
appropriation for The 74's, navy yards
and docks. The minorityzof the COM
mittee believed, what>I trua will be ge-
Morally believed by thefe who examine the
.queaion, that this was ITO FAY GO more Of
III at leaf as doubtful ansexpendiru,e as