Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-02-04

sary expenditure, SC. To adopt or reject them
rs they seem most beneficial or useless to the
eountry' All this can be done without being our
selves engineers, possessing very profound sci
entiiic knowledge on the subject. II is a business
Oh plain common sense. Admitting, however, that
more than sound sense Is required is our military
committee destitute of science, If il il. ,vbv did
we raisett II was appointed for the express pur
pose oil sitting IN judgment the plans of the War
department. TO give US their opinions of them,
the War Department,
There is question which has been re,s,,o.,,
asked, with very triumphant air, Will YOU ares,
the progress OF these works? Will you now stop
shoI. ana consent to lose the money already ex-
pended The answer is perfectly easy. Some
VI 'he works embraced in this bill are not yet be-
gan az 70 those under way, the propre,y of 90
"s o' or abandoning them, depends upon circum-
Stances. TX the works begun will be use less ~ hen
hnished, not dollar should be expended upon
them' whatever may be the sums folly has already
wasted upon them In that the first loss il easiest
repaired. 10 gentlemen suppose the country has
not penehted by the experience of the past wears
Rave we not been told, in the course of this dis
eussion' that one OF the projected works was
ao@Hooled because impracticable? There is a fact
| receh,iy stated To me, and good authority. that
there IS not drop of fresh water TO be got a, this
fortress Monroe, tor which large appropriation
Is ASKED the amount of which appropriation is
increased by the necessity of paying an annual ey-
pense OIL procuring drinking water for the yvorkmen
NO aouot we may he told that the resources of
science and ingenuity will remedy this defect.
question not their science, and give our officsrs
iun credit tor their ingenuity. Yet let us under
stand how this difficulty is to be overcome i,
would scarcely be doubted that small leet would
Soou REFUGE tort destitute of wafer But we are
gained upon to complete works already begun. and
70 oeein new works, the corner stones of which
are not yet laid. Ii gentlemen consider themselves
preciuded by previous appropriations from inquiry
"oou' inc nrst, are we to have no information abont
,hese! But, sir, what is most importan, in this
uiscussion is to fix the attention Of the House TO
'h's perversion OF appropriation bills The lesi-
Inmate OBJECT OF an appropriation bill is simply 10
provide money for object which has been pre
Viousiy resolved upon, and which has received the
form OF law. Yet, sir, we have seen, before this.
u'aer the pretext OF appropriation bill, officers
appointed, contrary to the plainest provisions of
pe constitution Now, we told that a mae
innocent scheme, which contemplate. the exnendi
.afe OF eleven millions of dollars has been adopted
oy AN appropriation hill. Where are we TO stop>
w nat Is thus government to come TO- if such prac-
tees prevail! Appropriate money, and the Exc
CURVE officers have all they want. They NAV do
win II just what they please. II they commit am
error, II Is beyond your power to correct it. and
unless you can prove that they have been actually
corrupt, even then, punishment is impracticabe
Let them plan what they please if you once beei,
TO give Them money far il, You must go on giving
money az long as they chose to ask il. Sir, am
not casting The least reflection ON the gentlemen
VINO MI these offices. do not say that they have
Deen guiity oil any thing improper; but do say,
ina. inc principle OF this procedure leads directly
to the srosses abuses, and TO the vilest corruption
MIR. mcl.ane, of Delaware, (chaisman of the
Committee OF Ways and Means) observed, in reply.
ha hn1 th..t
OF day, crafty the gentleman from Georgia, (Mr
Forsyth by consen,ing to discharge the Committee
oil the Whole. and lay this bill on the table He
would assure gentlemen that, chairman Of the
committee OF Ways and Means, he had for him
sell no interest whatever in the present BILL except
such as was connected with high public considera-
TONS Gentlemen asked for delay that they might
have time Tor consideration whethe, the purpo,e
OF these appropriations is, in its nature reasonable
II, Mr. Mclane said, he believ ed that the gentle
man from Georgia could reasonably expect 10 OBJ
tain any further light this subject, he would not
oppose it; but dsbelieving, as he did thai the in
formation which has besn called for will, when il
comes In The least enlighen the House. or the gen
te'uan, on that point, or that the gentleman from
Georgia can believe that it will, he could not con-
sent 10 delay bill of much importance to the
public service. He begged the House not 10 be
misIed by general insinuations, like those which
have been thrown out by that gentleman lie beg
ged leave 10 say, that lie believ ed he knew what
was the duty of the committee Of WAYS and Means.
in relation to subjects like tina, now under consider
alton. When the War Department proposes TO
erect new work. which has never been passed
upon by this House, it is the duty OF that Commit
tee lay the plan of such work. with the estimates
and the whole details respecting it, before the House
but, when that department asks an appropriation
Tor work which is not new but the plan of
which has been sanctioned and adopted bv Con-
gress, u is the duty OF that committee to show from
proper estimates, what is the sum reduired when
they have done this, they have, az a committee
performed their whole duty in the matter Farther
they do not go; but then further duty devores
OH them az members Of this House; and he begged
leave to say, if his honorable friend from Georgia
had been az astute he should be in examining the
Information submitted 10 the House, by the commit
tee OF Ways and Means and the War Department
he would net have placed himself in the attitude
in which ne now stands before this body He talks
of information being withheld by the Department.
ST, said MIR. Mel, the whole Of the information
tor which he clau.ors, Is already a. his command
and has been on the hle Of this House since The
year 1918. II has been, aud is, within his reach
whenever he chooses TO look al il. Sir, | think I
cannot be mistaken in this fact: and pray the at
ten,ion OF the committee 10 what | am about 10
state, because II Is indispensable TO risht under
standing OF Tins subject. In 1916, the Congress-
OF the United States organized Board of Engi-
neers, and constituted them distinct branch Of the
War Department. II made it the duty Of that
Board to visit our entire sea board, and after ex-
aiming it from one end to the other. to project
general system for the fertilization of the country
This measure was adopted by Congress when the
memory Of the evils that had been felt during the
late war. from the want Of adequate defcnces, was
fresh in every mind, and the energies Of the nation
yet smarting under what il had suffered were di