Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-03-11
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

HOUSE oF REPRESENTATIVES..
MIR. Campbell from the committee on
private Land Claims, made a report,
accompanied by bill. for the relief OF
the heirs of Abiiah Hunt and William
Go. lon Forman. Twice read. &c.
On motion of Mr.. Cooke. the bill
respecting the Military Establishment
of the United States for reducing GER
tain branches of it) was committed to
the same committee to whom had pre-
viously been referred the bill making
appropriations for the military service
for the year 1920.
The bills from the Senate. authorize
inc the Secretary of State to issue let
tiers patent TO Richard Wilcox; for the
relief of Francis B. Languille; for the
relief of John Pellet were severally
read twice and referred, the first TO a
committee of the whole, and the two lat
ter to the committee of claims.
The amendments OF the Senate to the
bill " to provide for taking the fourth
census or enumeration of the inhabi-
tants of the United States" were read
and conquered in by the House.
The engrossed bill making appropria-
tions for the support of the Navy of the
United States, for the year 1890, was
read the third time, passed and sent to
the Senate.
MILITARY APPROPRIATIONS.
The House then resolved itself into
committee OF the whole, Mr.. Nelson
of Va. in the chair, on the bill making
appropriations for the support of the
Military establishment of the United
States.
FFo the same committee was to-day
referred the bill respecting the Militia
ry Establishment
The last mentioned bin was first Ia
I ken up, and, having been read
Mr.. Cannon moved to strike out all
the first section of the bill excepting the
enacting clause. and in lieu thereof to
insert the following:
That the Military Peace Esta-
blishment of the United States shall
consist of such proportions OF Artillery
Engineers, Infantry and Ridemen, as
the President of the United States shall
Judge proper to retain in service, not
exceeding in the whole, including Off
GERS. non commissioned officers and
Mivates. i've thousand"
Mr.. Cannon supported this motion
: bySa speech Of some length on the ne-
cessity OF retrenchment, occasioncd by
the state of the finances the iGutility
OF an Army in time OF peace--the Mi
litia being willing and competent to
perform any occasional service in which
An army may be employed.
Mr.. Clay avowed himself to be in IA
vor of reducing the Army, in preference
TO rcsorting to taxes, loans, or to an
invasion of the. sinking fund, to meet
the expenses of the governmental, on
the report of the committee of foreign
relations, the attitude Of the country
should not be changed to that OF war.
Meanwhile, he was disposed not to act
on the bill now before the committee,
but to defer it for the present, for the
purpose of acting on the military APP
preparation bill. II, after the report of
the committee of foreign relations
should be made, it should be thought
expedient to reduce the Army, the APP
preparations would shape themselves to
what should be the actual force and con-
dition Of the Military Establishment.
He therefore moved to 'iay this bill on
the table, with view to take I'D the
appropriation bill.
The question was taken on this mo-
ton without debate, and decided in the
Affirmative.
The bill making appropriations for
the support Of the Military Establish
nent, for the Current year, was then
taken up.
on coming to the appropriation for
the support Of the Milital, Academy
for the present year.
Nr. Saanon spoke at some length a.
gaa,nst this appropriation, on the ground
OF hostility to the institution itself r. con.