Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-06-02
-Four Dollars Per Annum-Paid in Advance.7


his seat.-Mr. B. also presented the
petition OF number Of inhabitants of
that district, to the same effect. Ire.
ferred to the Committee of Elections.
Reduction ofthe oruy and crhendi.
ture Of Public Monies.
Mr.. Randolph said he rose for the
purpose of making two motions, the ma .
ture and tendency of which he took &C.
caslon to explain. Itwould be percei.
we'd that, in his message, the president
,ot the United States had, with great
deiicacy and propriety as it might be
conceived, omitted giving any opinion
on some OF our important national con-
Germs. But from the silence observed.
1t might perhaps be inferred that it was
not similar to that which he trusted
was the opinion of majority of this
House and of Congress. He said he
alluded particularly to that part of the
residents message, in which he spoke
on the.subiect of the late augmentati
on OF our standing army. 1t would be
recoliected by many present, that on a
FORMER occasion motion had been
made in the House for the purpose of
arming and equipping the whole body
OF the militia of the u. S. 1t would
also be recollected that the very limi-
ted appropriation of only two hundred
thousand dollars made for that object.
grew out ofthc very large appropriate
on made fer this standing army and for
gan-boats-for at that time 1.-THE sessi-
on before the last) the additional ap
preparations on account of the navy
had not been made. He believed tbe
people ofthe United States generally
he spoke particularly in reference to
those whom he had che honor to re-
present-were not satisfied with the
disposition at that time made of the
public resources! He believed that
they were not content and never would
DC TO see standing army fully equip
ped, armed, and disciplined, whilst the
militia, our natural resource against in
ternai as well as external enemies. re-
manned unarmed and defenceless. I
know, said he, that speak the senti-
ments of those whom represent, and
4 nave no causeto believe thsr il is not
the general sentiment of the country !:
that the mostpopular act with which the
present administration could follow ND
the very popular measure which has so
materially changed the state Of the fo.
reign relations OF this country, would
be 10 put down the standing army OF
the u. S. and arm the militia. know
1t, sir. And when L speak of putting
down the standing army Of the u. S.
very well know how the general OPT
mon Is, nor do presume myselfto diff
ter from that opinion, that we OF ght to
have some regular force for garrison
ing the posts on our frontier and pre-
venting collisions between our 'front.'
er settlers and the aboriginal savages.
feel myself, as it were, on the brink
OF opening question which for the
present | will not touch. My idea is
this, sir that if ever we are to have
respectable regular force, we must, to
use phrase common in our new set
tied country, begin again from the
stump. The old levy viii not do. /
believe that have proofs in my pos
session of the fact that the old army
will not do. | speak particularly with
reference to testimony taken down yer.
batlm, of which l presume seven or
eight literal copies are in possession of
different gentlemen of different politi
cal Persuasions--testimony before the
grandjury at Richmond, which found
true bill against Aaron Burr, Her
man Blannerhasset, &c. which testimo-
ny | never brought with me to this
place till now, and which can be cola.
ted and compared by others. It will
prove that the old army is rotten to the
core that it is not the safe depositarv
OF the sword of this nation; that in
trlgue and corruption had cankered il
to the very heart. Under these cir
cumstances, as we have raised another
army, it is left to the wisdom of Con.
gress to say which of the two il will
put down. Mr.. II. said he presumed
IT would be in the power Of the House,
1t part of the army was to be disban.
ded, TO retain such as were most trust
iVOTtnV ri - nuae r,ot -. n ill