Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-07-17
To rHE EDIroRs OF THE nArIoNAL
= tErKLLIsxNcaR.
Washington, July 9.
Gentlemen

/ "'ntiS'on my "
Gentlemen,
Perceiving that my com mun,eat;on
to you OF the 3rd inst. occupied almost
three columns of your valuable paper
IN an exposition of the errors contain.
led in nine shor, lines only of the speech
3of the honorable Mr.. Randolph mon
the reduction of the navy, lam al
most discouraged from proceedihp.
10 whatever part Of this speech I cast
my eye find plumbers, which apps AR
the more unaccountabIe to me bee ausr
Mr.. X. as chairman IF committee of
Congress bad it peculiarly in his pow.
erto procure correct information-ro
independently of the means which ev.
lery individual member of Congress
possesses q mean the laws and thu
ipublic reports) the records of the Ma.
Ivy Department were open to him.
He says that he has DISCHARGED his du-
tty! Does the duty of an honorable
member of Congress consist in max
ing, in the most formal manner. r,u-
msrous mistatements to the House as
to matters of fact I? Is1it The duty of
the chairman of a committee of the
House of Representatives, when a
subject has been formally committed
to him by the House for Investigate.
lon. to patch up statements founded
/ only 10 his own wishes in relation to
that subject, and to disregard altogeth-
the facts upon which only the House
could form decision compatible with
the public veal Mr.. Randolph saws
that he is the only human Judge of his
motives for having thus discharged his
duty /! Were 1 one of his consritu-
snts 1 should exercise a judiciary pow
sr upon this point although he should
forbid it. But whether his motives
We're hon. or otherwise, is immaterial
as respects the impression which his
speech OF errors if suffered 10 es-
caPe correction might make upon the
minds of the public in relation TO the
navy. The public will Judge upon
that question from facts and it is INV
purpose to afford them an opportunity
of SO Judging. .
Mr.. Randolph states that the este
mate for the pay and subsistence OF
the marine corps forthe year 1909 was
16o, 900 dolls. True, that vas The
sum stated in the estimate prep,red
in the fall Of the year 1908, and in
(which 1t was contemplated to employ
on board of ship only i59 marines
of the whole corps; but what saws
the estimate of the 10th February.
1909, the estimate upon which Con.
tgress acted !! And what says the ap..
proPriation law for the year 1909 !
Why, gentlemen, we find that this cs.
innate calls for, and that the law an
lPropriates, 135 ,6f7 dollars-which is
about $4,000 dollars less than the
sum stated by the honorable me m.
lber.
| Did Mr.. Randolph know of the est.
mate OF 10th Feb. 1909? Did he G..
yer read the appropriation law for the
tyear 1909? should think SO from
his having stated that the expences Of
the year 1909 approached within one
million OF dollars of the expences ol
the year 18oo---for the estimate oil
10Th February does approach within
one million of the expence of the year
1900. Lie surely got this information
IRON that estimate--As to the est.
mate prepsred in the fall of 1903, the
amoint is two millions and a half less
than the estimate for 1890. Would il
: be uncharitaJIe thence to infer tina
Mr.. Randolph had both of these esti
mates before him? If he had, hs
must have known, that the estimat,
prepared IN the year 1903, was alto
Sether disregarded by Congress ane
he ought therefore never to have quo
ted from it--or did he quote from III.
J one or the Other as suited his specia
views
i. Mr.. Randolph states the estimate
! prlee OF pork in the year 1900 at i.
dollars--it was ID dolls. or 4 dolls.
barrel more than he states. He saw
that IN the year 1909 beef was rated a
IA and pork at rs dolls.--here agajr
he errs--the prices were s & 90 dolls
upon the estimated price Of proy.si
ons for the navy he lays great stres