Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-03-14

sfcola, when in cur possession. WI,
more protect the ba. of Mobile than ~ 4
iortlhcations at New York will protrcp
the Delaware. r'''''s
MIR. Newton delivered his sppt;,,, u
in favor of ar adequate appropriate I
for for'ifcations. enlarged On Ibe;s
Importance to the protection of onr saa
ports ; to the interests of commerca
and as connected with them, to tba
terests of agriculture. A few miIIion
expended for the permanent and nerra,
protection of such interests, ought
be no object. He dwelt particularly !
the Importance of the fortifcationy. y y
Old Point Comfort, &c. at the montb +.
the Chesapeake, and said that trns ~, va"
nomy required the prosecution Of III
which are commenced to Completion -
speedily as practicable.
Mr.. Trimble spoke at some length
explanation and confirmation Of wba
had been said by other gentlemen as
the authority by which the Execut;va
had entered into contracts for the ereo
ton OF Notifications. The sum prono
sed ny the committee ofways and means
he thought, ought to be granted, as nol
being more than necessary to pay fol
work done and in a course of perform
anCe.
Mr.. Clay repeated the idea, that thu
money appropriated ought to be consl
dered the Limitation of the power of tbd
Executive to make contracts. Witl
respect to the deficiency in the reyenua
so far from taking hold of the stick NJ
the Bank of the United States, he haf
been in hopes, as there seemed to b.
great difficulty what to do with III,
Sinking Fund, that Congress would
have consented to appropriate it to ths
payment of the debt which we owe "a
the Bank of the United States for thai
stock, having due regard to the S per
cent. interest which only We had stipu.
lated to pay on that part Of the publid
debt.
Mr.. Smith Of Va. spoke at soma
length in favor of sufficient appropria.
ton. The only question ought to be,
is the expenditure proposed necess arr
for the public welfare. There was I'D
money which this government could
lay cut to so great All advantage as in
erecting fortfcations. They were a
cheap defence in war; and whatever o.
Their gentlemen might believed he thought
he saw alarge speCk Of war" in the
holizon--and not with Spain alone.
We ought in due time to make prepara1
ton for a contest which sooner or lated
must come. In illustrating the impOr-
tancc of Notifications, Mr.. S. said thae
during our history three Of our largest
and most important commercial cities
had been saved by them-alluding, in
the Revolutionary war, to Charleston
and in the late war to Baltimore, ands
New Orleans--fOr. much as was due To
the bravery and skill of its detendeEss
at the entertainments, it was also true
that Fort ST. Phillip, below had been
equally necessary to, and efficient in
the preservation of New Orleans. Re-
sorting to foreign history, he quoted
that Of France, to show that she had
been saved by her engineers, artil.
lerists, and Qualifications, &c. HeN
hoped the appropriations necessary tOb
this important object would not be
withheld.
The question was then taken on hlI-
inc the blank with 100000 dollars
and negatived by large majority 81
The question was then taken on FILL
inc it with 100000 dollars, and Geci'
ded in the affirmative, by vote OF u
to FL.
The appropriation for repairs; &C. at
West Point, was moved by Mr.. cannon E
to be stricken from the bill; but 'A'
House decided to retain ii.
The appropriation for completing inc .
Arsenal at Augusta III Georgia. 9 a
came up. Mr.. Cobb stated anu W.
Reid confirmed the statement ,haI
however otherwise eligibiy situated i's
location was in 80 unhealthy a slIe' aS
to make it unfit fer occupations. @nO
that there was no prospect of this o.
lection being obviated. The aPprop..i e
ton was, after bearing statement q" Of
Mr.. Smith of Maryland, in del'hI ,o y" "r
it, stricken from the bill, by q 'o'0 V
&c ne