Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-02-25
liz 10 CENTS sINo

"""'S S''aoHsh'Henl OuSn nj 10 be done a.
way. Itwould appear from it, that !, " ss
the most expensive military establish.
ment existing IN any country. IL WAS 81
Tar beyond the ordinary expenses of The
military, that, in his opinion, the com.
;mittee ought not to hes;.~te NON mt a.
bout either reducing 1t, or Incorporating
IL as part OF the army. The Iieutenant
Colonel conmandant received more than
5000 dollars year. This extravagant
sum paid tor the support of Ibis officer.
was sufficient reason of itself for redu-
cng that office. 1t appeared that he
charged the United States for pay and
subsistence i722 dollars for house rent,
under the denomination Of quarters 500
dollars: for fire. wood 200 dollars for E,-
rage (tfe committee will rccolIet1 that he
IS marine oihcer) 200 dollars. IL also
appeared that subaltern officers, cbarned
cSorbltant sums for FIRE wood and r..
rage; how forage could be used OF hoard
OF SHIPS he was yet to learn. 1t would
further appear that the colonel comman-
dant had passing through his hands the
annual sum of between sixty and seven.
ty thousand dollars and that. in his ac-
counts there remained to be accounted
COR sum OF near $4,000 dollars; that for
the present year, the unaccounted sums
were 800 dollars, and for the precedius
years 1900 dollars; making in the aspre-
gate l2.92+ dollars.
considering TIE expense of this corps
eXtravagant, and that if i, we're necessars
1t might be placed o. different foo;inp. &
that the marines required might be draft.
ed from the regnlarmli,ary establishment.
Hir. LIB said he should heartily give his
assent TO the motion OF the gentleman
from Virginia.
Mr. EuStis enquired how, if the promo.
Sl1on OF the gentleman from Virginia
should be adop'ed, those offers At ,,rc-
sent'in the Mediterranean, were 10 b.. 70.
lievc;.. It must be well known 10 the gen.
;icman, tina one squadron went on, before
the other returned. AS 10 the idea of the
gentleman from Penn.ylvsnis, 10 tsketba
requisite number Of marines from the ar.
my, 1t was not practicable. The crilra-
~ soldiers were not enlisted for ..s kid
OF service; they were no, Qualified 20 cIis-
charge 1t; there was another and :. tron-
ger objection There were not men in
the army to be found, who could he sn,--
81. For these reasons, h. wa. of onintL
on, that if the bill were 70 Ps,,, it would
be better to keep i, in ITS original shape.
Mr.. N;choison said he was friendly To
the bill for reducing the marine corD,:
out DID not perceive the propriety of a.
doping The amendment proposed py he
gentleman from Virginia. He cOnsid.r-
cd some few marine officers under the di-
rection ot th- President, to be necessary.
II all the officers should be disbandsd.
there would remain priyates under the
command of,no officers, unless the Secre-
.sry or the Navy. While NC kent IN oar
naval establishment in the Medterrane-
an, there appeared to him a necessity of
having i've or SIX officers in resdines, To
relieve these engaged in the service E,r
the present force must be relieved before
~ can resurT For these reasons he ,hopld
vote sgsns, the amendment.
Mr.Lyon expressed similar sentiments,
Mr.. Eppes rose to give the gentleman
rom Massachusetts DIR. Euatis) the ex-
! PLANTATION he asked. IF The gentIeRaS
were friendly to the principle Of The A.
mendment 1t would be easy to obyiate the
unhOuilJ be Nda StaTlcds IN making the
amendment, Mr. Epp-s said he had been
guided b. the conviction that the marine
corps, whatever duty they might have
! performed, had not rendered services :.
quivaicnt to the expenses incurred IN their
establishment. The corps had been 60
lAblished in l79s, since which period ,bev
had cost che United States 353,573 dol.
lave. There 0Fpeared 20 have been adj
vanced IN iT98, 1900 dollars in 1900
$4,000 dollars IN 1900, $4,000 dollars f:
in 1901, 5000 dollars; and H. 1902 to
the goth June, 3S, 300 dollars, making in
the aggregate 252,s34 dollars. This sum
appears 10 have been actually advanced 10
the Lieut.. Col Commandant, before b,.
had fled a single account or voucher, and
on his individual responsibility. ANY one
who viii examine the accounts viii Der-
ceive that throughout tie whole list OF ex-
p"pscs mode Of adjustment is adopted
which is calculated TO prevent TAR ex-
animation Of the accounts, Itjs in.pnssi-
bic to ascertain what particular offcer
has received and to wha, he is Untitled I
have made a statement, said SIr T.. az "a,
rs have been able, OF the SUNS received