Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-01-29

them, similar TO that which ne nao ouereo Z
way of amendment 10 this bill, said hss"ou
leave the subject to them at present. II
there lore withdrew his amendment.
The committee then proceeded with th
consideration of the details Of the bill.
Mr.. Smith, of Md. moved an amehdmer
going to retain one half OF the topograph
cal engineers, and followed his motion b5
number of remarks Oh the valuable service
this corps bad rendered; the destitute COZ
di,:on of the government, and the milisar.
service, of Typographical information, at tn
commencement. OF the late war; the disaster
which bad ensued therefrom, Instances
which he detailed; the mass Of useful All
essential information which they had glveh
and were daily acquiring by their surveys
for the pubic use, &c.
Mr. Cooke opposed the motion, and spok
to shew that the information wanted IN sou"
OF The instances referred to by Mr.. S. nigh
have been acquired by any OF the c'lizeL
in the vicinity OF the scene OF operatIons'@c'
He was further opposed to any material
meudlnents, as they might tend 10 defeat tn
bill; it was course deprecated and aVolu
ed a, the last session by the friends OF tn
tariff bill; and be wished to shew the hous'
that the friends OF this bill could not be our
aanked land that, though militia had been"
much decried, he wished it to be seen tina
on this occasion there was something llk'
discipline in their ranks land that they woui"
not be decoyed from their object by amend
ments, &c.
Mr.. Smith said he really had never bearo
so broad declaration as this in the house
that the friends Of reduction were to rail-
! round bill, good or bad, right or wrong
He avowed himself friend OF the bill, ST
far as it regarded reduction Of the army
but he desired to make The organization as
perfect as possible, &c.
Mr.. Mercer entered into detail Of many
Of the duties devolved on the topographica
corps, for civil as well as military purposes
to shew the great value of their talents and
services to the nation be adyerted to the
small number (lo or ls) OF which this corp
even now consisted, and the little expense
they were to the country. He referred par
ticularly to many instances in which then
talents and services had been Of The utmos
importance to tie national defence, and ma
ny in which, had they been employed, they
would have prevented defeat and disgrac'
TO the arms Of the republic
M. concluded bis remarks By moving IL
amend the amendment SO as to retain tn
uhole, instead Of holt OF the corps of topc
graphical engineers. Believing, howeve
that the provision retaining the corps of en-
| gineers would be construed to retain the to
biographical corps connected Herewith, h.
hoped this motion would be withdrawn, tina
| it might be made when another part of tho
bill should be reached.
The motion was Withdrawn by Mr. Smith
MIR. Ford moved to strike out the provi
sion for retaining surgeon general, consid
ering him to have little or nothing to do, ant
that bis duties might be discharged by tn.
apothecary general.
This motion was opposed by Mr. Storrs
and was supported by the mover; but wbC
subsequently, withdrew his amendment, te
obtain farther information on the subject.
Mr. Smith, Of Md. moved so to amend The
bill as to give the quarter master general (a
at presently the rank, pay, and emolume Mt
OF brigadisr general, instead Of reducing
his rank, pay, &c. to that OF a colonel o
cavalry, as proposed by The bill.
The question On this amendment was de
cided in the negative-ayes 80, noes SO.
Mr.. Mercer moved to strike out the 6ftl
section of he bill, which abolishes the topo
graphical engineers and their assistants
wishing, as he before stated, to retain il
service the whole Of that corps, and turtle
advocated his object.
Mr.. Hardin spoke at some length agains
the amendment, and to shew that the infor
nation collected by this corps and embodied
in maps was not of such importance to mill
tary movements-,he whole face of the coun
| try, in its water courses, roads, bridges, &c
constantly changing, rendered the map
made now useless in future wars, &c. H'
might moi be averse to retaining pant OF th'
Typographical corps, bu, deeming this bill
The result of much military knowledge ant