Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-12-08


Gay successful. AT tue last Session of CO9grce, tie.
condition OF the funds was still unpropous 10 ,c NOV,
sure but the change afterwards occurred TIA,
had the authority existed 10 redeem the nine ,.l iory
now rcdeemabie by exchange of stocks or loan
at FIVE per cent it IS morally certain that it might have
oeeh elected and with 1t yearly saving OF niuetY
thousand dollars.
W ith regard 80 the collection of the Revenue of I'm
post cetan occurrences have, within the last year,
oeeh disclosed IN Que or two Of our principal ports,
WHICH eng ecu Tie attention OF Con their last
session. and may hereafter REQUIRE GIrle~ consiSer,
tion. CntI wiin very few years, the execution Of
The laws Tor raising the rcvcnc, like that of all QUE
other laws has been more by tle moral sense
Of the community than by the rigors of n icalors ma
caution, or By penal sanctions Confdinr in ihc ex
empiary punctuay and unsuliied integrity our i'm
porting merchants, gradual relaxation from The nro
visions of the collection laws, close adherence to vici,
would have caused inconY enience Expense 10 their
had long become habitual and iudulgences had tecn
EXTENDED universally, because they had never been A.
buscd. 1t may be worthy of your serious considera.
on whether some further legislative provision NAV not
be necessary 10 come in aid of this of unguardcd
security
! From the Reports herewith communicated of the
Secretaries OF w and of the Navy VI i;h the subsI;
airy documents annexed them W III be discovered 1.
present condition and administration Of our Military
establishment on the land and Tie sea. The organ
i1at!on OF the Army having undergone change since
as reduction TO the Prrsebt Peace Establishment in
1921 IL remains only to observe, that il is vet found
adequate TO all the purposes for which "A permanent,
armed force In time OF peace be needed, useful
IT may be proper add that from difference of a.
pn'on between the late President of tie u States and
the Senate, with regard to the of the act
of Congress of 2d March, 1921, 10 reduce and fix the
construction of the act of Congress Of 2 March, 1921
To reduce and fix the Military Peace Establishment Of
the United States, it remains hitherto so far without
execution, that no Colonel has been appointed to con-
rnand OF the Regiments of Artillery. A sur,lc
mentary or explanatory act of the Legislature appears
TO be the only exrsdieni practicable remoy ing the
difficulty of this appointment.
In period of profound peace, the conduct of Tie
mere military establishment forms but a very incons
deTabe portion of the duties devplvug upon the adj
nnistraton of the Department of War 1t ,,il be seen
by the returns from the subordinate departments of the
Army, that every branch of The service is marked with
order, regularity, and discipline That from tie Com
ma: ding General through ali the gradatous of super
iDdendence the officers feel themselves have been
citizens before they were soldiers and that the elorv
OF Republican Army consist in the. spirit Of .
freedom by which ii animated aud of patriotism by
which it is impeied 1t NAV be confidently stated
mat the moral character of the Array i'll a state Of
continual improvement, and that all the arrangements
log the disposal OF It's parts have reference
to that end.
Bat TO the War Department are attributed other dr
tles having indeed relation TO future possible cond
ton OF but being purely defensive and in their
tendency contributing rather TO the security and per-
Inanency OF peace: The erection of the Notifications
provided for by Congress and adapted to secure our
shores from hostile Invasion The distribution of tile
fund OF public gratitude and Justice 10 the pensioners
of the Revolutionary The maintenance of our
relations OF peace and protection with the Indian
Irhes; And tie internal improvements and SURVEYS for
the location o! Roads and Canals which during the last
three sessions OF Congress have engaged so ,nuch of
their attention, and may eDgross large share OF
their future benefaciions ia our country.
by the act of the 3Gh of April, 1894 suggested and
approved by my predecessor, the Thirty thousand
dollars appropriated for the purpose of causing TO
be made the necessary surveys, plans, and estimates
oil tie routes of such roads and canals as the President
of the United Ssaes might deem Of national import
ance in commercial military point of lew or ne
cessary Tor the transportation CT The public nai-tLc
surveys, plans, end estimates for each when COM
pcted, TO he laid before Congress.
In execution of this act, Board of Engineers was
immediately instituted, and have been since most as
s'dnoasiy and constantly occupied in carry Ing if into
effect. The first object 10 uhici their aiors were d.
rected by order Of the late President was the exan-
nation OF the country between The tide waters Of the
feomac, the Ohio, and Lake Erie. 10 ascertain t,e
practicabiIiiy of communication between them, to
designate the most suitable the same and
TO form plans and estimates in detail of the pense OF
executions
On the Sd of February, in 1925, they made il.eir
hiSt report, which Immediately communicated TO
Congress and i'll Which they declared that ha ing ma
iuFcy considered the circumstances observed by Them
personally, and caitiIi, studied the results of such OF
tic preliminary survey then completed they
we're decidedly Of opinion that the communication was
practicable.
At lie last session Of Congress before II BOARD ,f
Engineers enaHed to make up their second rev.
port containing general plan, and preparatory est-
mates for the work, the Committee of tte House of Re,
prcsentatives upon Roads and Canals closed the session
with report, expressing the hope Ihe plan and
estimate OF The Board of Engineers might at this time
be prepared and that the subject be referred TO the
carly and favorable consideration Of Congress al tiIer
present session. That expected Report Of the Board
Of Engineers is prepared and will forthwith be laid be-
fore you.
Under the resolution of Congress autborizino tie
Secretary Of War 10 have prepared complete system
OF Cavalry Tactics Of tie United States to be reported
10 Congress al the present scsspT-a Board of distin
guished Officers OF the Army and of lie Militia has
been convened, whose Report will he submitted TO von
with iia OF tie Secretary Of War The occasion was
thought favorable for consulting the Board aided
by the results Of correspondence with the Governors
Of the several States and Territories and other CHI.
zens OF Intelligence and experience upon Tie aclcno-
ed2ed defective condition Of Militia syetcm ard
upon The Improvements Of which it is suscephble--
Tue report Of the Board upon dis s9boc also SUI,
United for your consideration.
~ Want Of room con'pc.s TO defer tc remainder of
the Message ill our next.