Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-03-08
From tho Washington Gazette.
MONDAY. MARCH 4.
MI fFiRY cONHlND ~ FLORIDA.

MONDAY. MARCH T.
MILITARY cONnlND IN FLORIDA.
Mr.. WILLIAMS of n. C.. laid on the table
the following resolution:
RESOLVED Tia; ,h President he requested IN inform,
this House whether tat portion OF the tho United
81 ties now ny Fi"ii IS commanded nv the officers of the
the latter by what authority he is entrusted with
maud.
Mr.. TRAcY called for the consideration of
the resolution instructing the naval committee
to enquire into the expediency of applying a
part of the aanual appropriation for the in
crease OF the navy, to the construction of
small vessels.
Mr. LowNDEs was against the resolve.
Mr.. CANBRELENG was for the resolve Law
ing on the table few days, in consequence of
the report of the naval committee, made last
Saturday.
Mr.. HARDIN saw no improperly in refer
ring This resolution to the naval committee /:
be was for diverting n portion of the $500, 900
for building small vessels, and did not see the
utility of continuing the increase of 74s.
Mr.. GAssErr moved, for some brief rea :
sons, which he offered, 70 lay the resolution
on the table.
Mr.. Tracy could see no reasonable obiec-
tion to its adoption: its import was plain it
would NOT even increase the Iabors Of the ma
val committce-it contemplated nothing but
an enquiry
Mr. HILb would in future wish its nvesti
gaion, but for the present would vote for Law
ing il on the table.
Mr.. FULLER explained the state Of the ap-
proprlatiOn, for the increase of the navy, and
concluded by observing that il was not mate
rial whether 1t was adopted or not, the en-
quiry it contemplated would not interfere with
the labors of the naval committee.
The motion fur laying the resolution on the
table was put and negatived.
Mr.. GOLDEN spoke for some time against
the adoption nfthe resolve, and in favor of
keeping sacred the annual appropriation of
100000
Mr.. HARDIN said he would not go beyond
the appropriation of s 100000: we had not
the means without borrowing he advocated
the construction Of smaller vessels, which, ne
said, there was strong claim on the nation
to provide, to operate against the pirates, &c.
Mr.. BAssETT was against the innovation of
breaking in upon the naval appropriation he
said he heard no argument to convince him the
enquiry was necessary. He adverted to the
original intention Of Congress, in providing
for the increase of vessels. He understood
Commodore Chauncey had sloop of war built
in 90 days, il was then literally nonsense to
build ships not wanted, and that could be pro-
vided ia SO short time. He was for building
constructed in less than three years. Practi-
cal men were for building large vessels he
saw no advantage in providing small vessels
in anticipation, and that to divert the sppro-
priaiion was a dangerous experiment. He
should vote against il.
Mr.. TRAcY followed i'm some observations
in favor Of the resolve. He was for delibe-
rate enquiry, aud not for premature decision.
He saw no evil in the temporary diversion of
the fund from building large ships, when we
were SO much in want Of vessels Of inferior
force. The resolution was then Gdopted by
decided vote.
Mr.. WRrGHr, of Md. offered resolution
proposing 10 enquire into the expediency OF
preventing the transportation Of the mail on
Sundays, which the house refused to consider.
by large majority. The engr0ssed bill max
ing appropriations for the military service for
1899, was taken up at its third reading.
Mr.. CocKE moved that the bill be recon-
nliited TO committee Of the whole, for the