Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-02-06


rience which are staring US in the face.
That he might not be misunderstood on this
subject, Mr.. NIL. begged leave to call the at
tention Of the House, and the gentleman from
Pennsylvania, to the report of 1921, which, he
had stated on Friday, contained all, and more
than all, the information called for by the reso-
Iutions adopted by this House, on the motion
of gentleman from Georgia, In treating Of
the fact OF the operation OF this system OF for
ti6cations on the navy, the commissioners (of
one of whom, General Bernard, he could say,
there was not an ADLER man in his profession, in
this or any other country proceed 10 state,
shat Burwe'l's Bay, IN James River, & Charles
town near Boston, have been specially recon-
mended as the most proper sites Tor the great
naval arsenals of the North and South; Hamp-
ton Roads and Boston Roads as the chief rem
devious; aud Narraganset Bay as an indispen
sable accessory to Boston Roads"
"It is also from an attentive consideration Of
the whole maritime frontier, Of the Inferior and
of the coastvise navigation" the Engineers go
on 10 say, "that Mobile Bay on the Gulf Of
Mexico, St Mary's in the Chesapeake, the De-
laware, New York Bay, Bpzzard's Bay, New
London, Marbehead, Portsmouth, Portland,
the mouths of the Kennebec and Penobscot, and
Mount Desert Bay, have been fixed on as sta
tons and ports Of refuge" &c
Was there any doubt, said Mr. Mel. that
ports of refuge were needed, and where else
could the navy find refuge, but in those ports
here pointed out? These points were selected
for the express purpose of protecting and de-
Tending the naval operations Of the country; and
he hoped the gentleman from Pennsylvania
would be satisfied that, in this system of fort-
fications, they were looking TO his own object,
and giving to it efficiency and protection.
Gentlemen would perceive, in this great plan
OF defence was comprised system Of internal
communication. On this subject Of Internal
improvement, he had been, and he took pride
in saying it, an uniform and consistent advocate
of the doc rine, and of the constitutional power
Of this government in regard to internal i'm
proyement. He stood in this House eight years
ago, il not solitary advocate for the system, at
least under circumstances when it was cons-
dered almost temerity for any gentleman 10 adj
vocate the doctrine of internal improvement
He had seen this doctrine gradually gaining
ground with the American peope-he had
some satiafac ton in believing that it would be
one of,he great means by which the Government
would attain the object Gifts organization, and
he looked forward to the day when they would
reap the fruits of this policy He looked at this
doctrine as liberal one, and not selfish one:
he considered it as essentially connected with
the other great means of defence; but, he said,
when it should array itself in this House as an
insulated means Of appropriatng money, or as
an exercise Of power to stand in the way Of the
other great objects of the government, he would
use all his exertions, and vote against every
appropriation for it. In giving his vote in ia
vor Of this system, he had always been govern
ed by the consideration Of its connection with
other great national objects.
Mr. Mel. inquired how this system of inter-
nal communication was to he effected without
the aid OF Notifications? We make roads and
canals, and why do we SO? To facilitate the
intercourse with every portion Of this empire.
We open the way to every part; we cut ca
nal to connect the west with the east, or the
north with the south; and where is The advan-
,age 10 be derived from it? 1t would be found
in the termination of the canal at some large
navigable stream, which would connect it with
the ocean. And would not these internal COM
munications afford the same facility Of convey
ance to the enemy as to our own citizens, and
must they not, therefore, be protected against
the enemy? We may cut canal from the
Ches .peake TO the Delaware, but if there are no
forti6cat ions to exclude the enemy from the en-
trance to it, what is to prevent him from get
ting to the mouth ofthe canal, and avaling him
self of that very facility to transport his armies
What is TO prevent him from obtaining posses
sion Of this canal, and carrying the war into the
very heart of the country. The way is opened
to him, and he is invited to come: but, erect for
ti6cations to defend our waters, and he is ex-
cluded. This system offort6catons. therefore,
was connected with the system of internal inn
provement, and is most essential part Of it.
This system of fortifcalion, Mr. Mel. went
on to say, could not be accomplished in "a day,
or in year 1t would require more money and
more labor than could be employed on it 1t
must be done deliberately, according to the
means of the government, and in the manner
best calculated to provide for the exigencies of
the country. With this view the projected for
ti6cations were classified: some were to be
commenced as soon as the means of the gov
eminent would allow of it; others, which were
not so important, were deferred to more re-
mote period, and the third class to period still
more remote. He was afraid he should tire
the House by this detail, but it was his duty as
a member of the Committee of Ways and
Means, to lay this information before them
Those Notifications were laced in the first class
which were intended to deprive the enemy of
strong positions, where, protected by his mari