Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-02-13

they require material repairs, that they
would probably be damaged th;r.y
Der cent. by delaying the repairs fol
one year, and shortly thereafter be to.
tally unworthy ofrepair. That the
present cost OF repairs would be abou,
Iequal to one half of the original cos,
OF new vessels I; AID thar when repaired
they would be better vessels thar
lcouid be bull. Of green timber. Tha.
! the repairs Of the whole ofthem, could
Eoe completed by next fall, if the work
was all to bedoue at misplace. Where
as TO tell timber tor new frigaees, and
to completesthem out of timber now to
be procured, would require two or
three years, sc. &c.
/. Under these circumstances, the
committee were left to the alternatives
either of giving Up these frigrates to
entire waste AMI destruction, or to sub
stitute new ones in their stead under
all the disadvantages OF INCREASED ex-
pence, delay'in time, and the inconve-
nIence OF building them of unseasoned
timber, &c. &c. or TO provide forrspair-
Ing the frigates nov in being, as con-
templated in the bill. Taey preferred
the last ALTERNATIVES and surely, it is
recommended by every consideration
OF economy in exPence, economy in
time, and the superior quality of the
vessels when completed, &c. &c.
Me-. CT. said ne knew here were gentle.
| men who thought that it would be better
policy to lei these friga.es GO 10 des.ructi-
on altogether ~-and that the money expend
ed upon their repair was money thrown
away Or worse, as involving consequential
expences, &c. &c. aud that rnpu.a,ions
had been thrcwa out ag ,inst those who
now favored naval embellishments even 10
| a very limi'ed extent, AID who f,rmerly
| opposed them. He hid reason to believe
also, that these imputa,ioas however ua.
mcrlted, had not been altogether Without
! their eflec.
Hc would therefore, endeayor to pu, this
saeIect in ITS true point ofyiew by bes.ow /.
~ few observations en- it.
| In The hFst place re would call to tie
recollection of gentlemen, for ;hey appear
to have forgotten or overlooked the Cir
cums,auce. that the present naval esta.
oi'shTneDt was fixed in the years1sco, 1901,
| under the administration OF Mr.. Jefferson,
! wish The app, oba.ion and Consent Of bim.
sell, and he believed, Of every o her repub-
Lean then in coBggess That at that time,
| the establishments was thought proper
and reasonable. one; and that after com
pletIrg the Eignses now proposed to be re-
| paired, the establishment will then be less
1 t.x tEr.s ho -,
and reasonable by the republicans at that
tine. He asked, wha. circumstances had
taken place Since 1900, iso1, 10 Justly q
| further excision Of the naval establish.
ment, or with what propriety can those
who then consented 10 tha, establishment
be accused ofinconsistency of conduct, or
change of political principles, for consent.
ing 10 an establishment now. less by three
friga,es, than they then though, bo.h rea-
sonable and propsrl
| Since that time the u. S. have bee n
blessed with vast increase of population
vast increase OF wealth, particularly mcr.
camille wealth, and increase of revenue
SC. At The same time with an uneYamp ed
diminutiop oil public debt and wilhal,
they have in the mean time he'd their
fights, commercial rights particularly, as
sailed by both the s ear belligeren,s of Eu
ope without any prospects of relaxation
from either, &c. He asked whether they
could God in any OF these circumstances,
causes 10 justify at The present moment
dismaniing their navy or cutting off OF
lunnerviug the naval ann of their govern.
ment lie was persuaded The whole Of them
would naturally produce contrary ten.
!dency. He said these impu'ations has
Oeeh thrown ous by some gentlemen, TO,
! whom he had The highest aspect, and he
believed with the most CANDID, though
| mistaken convictions on their minds bul
heir errors would be easily corrected by
an attentive review Of the events. which
preceded tie causes which produced and
The events which followed the change o.
administrator IN 1900. During the iede
raj administration, the federal party COP
ccIved the erroneous opinion, and acted
under The mistaken impression, that the
constitution OF the u. ). wan,ed energy ;
and to supply this want they undertook o
liegisiale energy INTO It. For this purpose
they devised expediepts to Justify it, and
resorled 10 phyHcsI force, mics and ne
ives, 20 supply this niisconce,Ved f4tal de-
iect in the constitution, aud to form he
essential substitute tor energy; whIcn was,