Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-01-12

untl ,he last year, when the appropriation
was suddenly reduced. Mr.. Med. appealed
to the candour and sound sense aud good feel
ing of this house, whether there was any thing
extraordinary in the fact now presented, that
an appropriation was necessary tn supply the
deficiency of the past year. For the last Sc
ven Or eight years, an appropriation has been
regularly made of 200, 900 dollars, and in that
time system had been brought into exist
encs founded on that annual appropriation,
which could not be kept in operation on
less amount of annual expenditure. Was ii
possible, he asked, instantaneousy TO with
draw one half of such an appropriation from
any system, extending over the whsle interior
surface of the country? All that could be
expected by last year limiting the appro-
priation To 100000 dollars, was, TO give fair
notice to all concerned that every exertion
must be used hereafter To reduce and limit the
measure of these expenditures. To expect
that the system could be maintained upon The
nall oi the necessary appropriation might be
compared To an expectation, that the human
body would maintain its usual health and
activity on one-half of the blood contained
in it being suddenly withdrawn from IFS veins.
MIR. MD. here made number of remarks,
The eblect of which was to shew that great
reduction of the expenses of the Indian
system could not, in the nature of things, be
suddenly effected, and that time must be
gwen To realize the operation "f any law in
tended TO produce that effect He next advert
ed TO the distinction which ought to be taken
between the system of Indian trade and that
species of diplomatic intercourse which was
Indispensable to maintaining the relations of
peace aud good understanding with them
which distinction, he thought, had not been
sufficiently marked in debate. With regard
TO the alarm which had been sounded of a
violation of the constitution-for ii seemed
that IN these days scarcely any question could
be agitated which did not involve IA violation
of that sacred MISUNDERSTANDING, said he, we
shall bet ter observe its spirit, If we look into ii
more and talk about it less. 1t was strange
that IT could enter into the mind of any hu-
man being that the question now before the
house had any thing to do with the constitll-
non. Gentlemen would do well, he said, to
examine the machinery of our government
Ihey seemed To think that the Secretary OF
War was TO tell the house, not only what are
the facts in regard to the intercourse with the
indian tribes, but also what are the provisions
OF the laws on the subject. But gentlemen
must lind out these for themselves, and put
their own construction ON them. For this
they had no right TO call on the Secretary
II they were toresort to such practice, throw
ing themselves Oh the Heads of Departments
Tor every thing, they would make this house
sure enough that registering body which
some gentlemen seemed, without cause, TO
anticipate that it might become. Some gen.
temen, Mr.. MD. said, seemed not to under
stand how moneys were drawn from the Trea-
sury. If they supposed that the Secretary
OF any Department could lay his hands
on the money without previous appropriation,
they were entirely mistaken, sc. He made
some further remarks on the expenditures in
the Indian Department, the sudden cessation of
which, he argued, would have drawn the
Indians down on our frontier, on their missing
Their annuities and accustomed presents, sc.
1t seemed 10 him, however, that the house
had been unnecessarily drawn into an investi-
CATION as general as the present. Let US, said
ne, make the partial appropriation which is
now asked for, and if il shall be found hereaf-
ter that the expenditures are improper, we
can withhold the other appropriations which
we certainly shall make if these appear to have
been proper. He looked upon the bill under
consideration as very simple matter-a mat
ter of course, which had been sweled to a
great magnitude by what appeared to him to
be idle, Improbable, and unfounded fears
1t seemed as though gentlemen could rot re-
celye respectful request from another de.
partment without looking upon it as though
armed men were at the door requiring the
house to register" it. Mr.. MD. concluded
by expressing his hope that the appropriation
would pass, without being particularly solicit
tous as to the form of words in whichit should
be expressed.
When Mr.. MDuffie concluded, Mr.. .4ler.
Smyh of va. rose and ntimated his wish to
make some remarks on this subject but as
the hour was late, he moved that the com
mIttee rise and ask leave to sit again; which
motion was agreed to-and
The house adjourned.