Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-11-16
CO N G r F s. S.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
MoNDAY. Nopember 3.


MONDAY, Nopember 3.
DEBATE on Mr.. G. w. CANpBELL's
motion to fH.up the BIZ on re naVal estab.
Eshment.
CONTINUED
Mr.. Fisk said, that the bill before the
house went 10 provide for two objects
the one, authorised by law, to wit, the
Increase Of the corps; the Other author
ised the procuring the iimbef apd pur.
chase of ordnance, &c. The secretary of
the navy told them, ia his communications
ADD 10 his letter 20 the committee Of ways
aud means, that they had no stock Of these
articles on hand; aud tha. salt.petre was
wanting, ADD was then purchased a. the
loves, price; timber also had been pro-.
cured, which was 10 the highess degree ne.
cessary for the defence of our ports aud
harbors. Il would not be doubted bu. the
president had right to make these provi-
sions; he should have thought him de 6ci.
ens in duty if he nadn. { done it. The presi
dent had ,hought it advantageous to lay 10
these stores, from the aspect Of the times:
(is simpIy rested with the house TO cay whe.
Their this appropriation should be made or
withheld. If 10 paying this money or ap-
propriatiDg it, any fault had been com.
mi,ted by the officers Of government, if
,hey had exceeded or violated their trusts,
| i. would be time enough to enquire into i,
when it came properly before the house.
The gentleman from Virginia consider.
ed these doctrines as Anti republican; whe.
Their lhi. were,the case or oct, the example
had been set before. There was case on
record which would justify them. He al.
Iuded to bill passed the 6rs, session Of
the ninth congress.
He thought IL therefore very imnaterial
whether money had been paid out OF mo.
MES no, appropriated, or ont of monies
otherwise appropriated. 1t was conceived
ina, congress would justify the act BY an
actual appropriation. The only part of the
expenditure which the house could object
TO, yas .ha, which related to salt. petre and
nayaI stores; aud he conceived ,hess had
been purchased with due regard to the
interest Of the country.
Mr. G. W Campbell regretted very much
that the gentleman from Virginia had ei.
Their misuoderstood him, or had mista,ed
wins, had fallen from him. What he had
said was this, and this only: that there
nigh, be case which would authorize the
application of money destined for one pur.
pose to another; he was not prepared TO
saw tha, this was such case, but that such
case might happen. He felt surprised
that these doctrines were s,igms.ized as
au.i.repubiican or federal, and tina. it had
been said they were playing game OF po-
litical rouudabos'; shc expression was not
surely mean. to convey an idea that they
were aow advocating doctrine which they
had once opposed? IL had said that was
unnecessary TO enquire whether these sums
were paid or not he had DOT said It was
immaierial whence ther had bseu drawn, il
they were psid. He appealed to the chair
man and TO the house If these were not the
expressions he had used. lie thought .has
the exigency would warrant the purchase
of these materials; the president had told
them these we're extraordinary cxpendi
lures: hence he could not see how this
question involved the principle of applying
money destined for one purpose TO ano.
| Their.
| He fek as much reluctance to vote tc.
large naval appropriations as the gentleman
from Virginia he never had been In favor
Of them, nor ever should be. He con.
csived tina, if any thing should authorize
such expenditures this ou,rsge did; and if
the president had neglected TO put TIE ma.
/ tlep ia state Of defence, the people would
| have reason to complain OF the iuefaciency
of ,he government; it was the duty OF
the presideo, to adept snch measures as