The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-11-17

ticies OF military tOres, with which we were not
before Efficiently furniflied he then ftates that
he had alto incurred fome cxpences, unprovid-
ed for, for gus-boat,. Mr.. Q. underftood by
the communication from the Ireatury and Ma
w Departments, that the prefent appropriation
was for extraordinary expences incurred for the
Navy, other than thote which come under the
general name of military flores, and not includ-
ing thoic expences for gun-boats. He afked of
the chairman of the committee Of Ways and
Means, merely for information, whether thefe
extraordinary expences were thoie which the
Pre6dent alluded to? Whether expeDces, not
produced to the Houfe, were not yet behind the
curtain? Whether they were the whole expen-
ces that had heen incurred
Mr.. C.. ~. Campbell fad, he could only an
fwer to the gentleman's enquiries, that, as the
meflage from the Prelident of the u: States had
Informed the HOMIE that certain extraordinary
expenses bad been incurred, and that climates
would be laid before them and as fuch Ell
mates had been laid before the Houfe, the com
mittee had conceived that thefe expences were
the fame as thofe mentioned by the Preiident,
and acted upon them under that impreilion.-
They had no information before them from
which they could inform the Houfe whether
there were other expenditures made, and they
had not enquired whether the metlage had refer
ence to any other. els
cufe him, fine propofed another queition. The
committee would perceive that in the docu-
ments accompanying the bill, there was a Rate-
ment of articles faid to be purchaied. He with
ed to know of the committee of Ways and
Means, whether, in the common fenfe of the
word thefe articles were actually purcAafed and
paid for, or only contracted for? If purchafed
and paid for, out Of what monies the payment
had been made! Whether out of the Public
Treaiury, from the private refources of the Sc
cretary Of the Navy, or from appropriations
defined to other objects? The Committee would
fee the direction he wihcd 20 give to this enqui-
rY; that the committee might know before they
voted this appropriation, the courle which had
been adopted by the officers of the Navy De-
par,ment.
Mr.. Ebpes iaid, that neither he, nor any o.
ther member of this Houte, could fatisfy ali the
enquiries of the gentleman from MaGachufetts.
All the expences provided for by this law, were
not authorized by exiting laws. Under the ex.
traordinary circumstances which had occurred
on the 2sd of June laft, at time when the
gentleman from MaGachuietts himfelf had de-
clared that the mot violent attack which ever
ditgraced the country was made, the Executive
had the choice of two couries; either immed-
ate!y To convene the representatives of the peo-
pie, or to demand reparation from @. Britain.
As the !at was the courfe pointed out by the
laws and example of nations, it was deemed
proper 10 potpone the meeting of the legfla-
turc till it could be afcertained whether or not
the outrage had been authorized by the Britiih
government. In the mean time it was deemed
neceilary to provide for fuch exigencies as might
occur. Under former appropriations military
ftores had been procured; but all the flores thus
obtained were found to belong properly TO the
War Department & altho' the Department. of
War was efficiently fuPplied with faltpe,re, the
Navy Department was not; and in cafe of any
preffng emergency, il would have become ne
ceiiary to purchaic it at very high price IF
it was aiked why faltpetre was purchafedin pre-.
ference to powder, it was becauie ii had been
found that powder could no; be preferred in
magazines; on this account it was thought bet.
ter to purchafe the ingredients for making pow
der than the article iticlf as it could be- made as
fat AZ wanted. He believed that all the other
items Of the ttoresdependeG ona iimilarprinciple.
Under the exiting law of the land the Pref
dent was authorized to increafe the marine CORDS
II the number of 1904: under preleut cireum.
dances he thought proper 10 exercife tina. pow
err. No appropriation had been made for the
purPoie but 1t was preiumed that if the law
provided the power of ncreafing this corps,
1t intended that they ihould be iupported and
cloathed.
AS to timber, the Game rea(oning would an,
ply. 1t was thought efientia to make prcDa-
rations to guard our defepcelefs ports, and to
prevent our cities from being burnt or deitroy-
ed. With view to this purpoie it was thought
proper to procure aquantityo of timber for gun
boats; and IN order TO enable the legislature to
give fuch form TO the preparations Tor the de.
fence of our harbors as they fhould think fir,
the timber was TO feletted AS 10 fuit any purpoie
A nd if il ihould not be neceflary 10 make ufe
OF this timber, it was well known that it could
be fold without lois.
There bad been no other expenfes incurred
than thofe rendered neceGary by the fituation in
which the couutry WAS placed by the attack on
the Chefapeake and I've believed the prefent1
bill included every additional expenditure that
was made.
Mr.. Quincy obferved, that in making thefe en-
ouires MS Intention was not to cat any blame
or the mourning of thefe expences. His Jingle
Object was that he and the Houfe might under
fand how the thing was done He did not per-
ce;ve that either the Chairman of the commit
zee of Ways and meaus, or toe gentleman Ian
up, had aniwered his queition. One OF them
had detailed at length the proceedings fnce the
affair of the Chelapeake which MIR. Q. did no,
with 10 condemn. He wifhed toe Houie lhould
been managed. Situated as he WAS upon this
floor, poilelliDg no more means Of information
than any other gentleman in the ffoufe, he un4
derltood that thc articles had been purchaTcd
and paid for. Reafoning in his own mind on
this lubiecl, as he would on any fubjecl in com
mon life, he could fee but three funds from,