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

'e'" hds areauy received the sanction OF the Co.
veThnent, and Is in actual progress OF completion
IL Is system which was loudly called for By the
experience OF the late war. and received the APP
prooation OF the people OF the United States He
need not address to the committee a word on the
proptiety OF continuing the system that it Was
SO lar a'sva'ced The eXpedieacy of continuing il
al any gi'en rate OF yearly advance, depends GU
Two considerations first, the general eSne-
cheney oil the system itself; and secondly, the ef-
iect oil such rate ot advance upon the works con-
cefhed. AS TO the system. of national defence, it
was surely proper that The Government should pro-
fiue 10 meet whatever cNigencies may arise; and,
come when they may, We ought 10 be prepared for
thein Now, It was not for him, or for any gentle
man. TO say how soon works of defence may be
wahted-but one thing was Obvious, that such
works ought 10 be completed as speedily AZ prac-
tieaoie. II the means of The Government warran,
their Immediate completion, they ought 10 he con,-
peied immediately
AS to the apprehensons of the member from
tennessee, on the subject of the public debt, let
me give him, said MIR. Mex word of comfort
on that subject. The Committee of Ways and
Means nave had that subject under their careful
attention, and have prepared report which they
nave directed me to make this House by which
IL VIII appear, that, after paying the expense Of all
Inc objects provided for III these appropriation
bills, the nation will this year be enabled 10 pay oil
year 1879, as well as mos OF the debt due to the
Bank OF the United States Yet The gentlemen says
the public debt Is O be paid
Every gentleman VINO Is acquainted with these
works must know, that, after expending half a
million oi dollars upon ratification, unless we
90 on to make appropriations for continuing the
work, what has been done will immediately begin
to suffer dapilation, and the money, already ex
peaded will be lost 1t is, therefore, necessary, on
4 tn ,to n,
Keep The works once begun III active progress
ne gentlemen says tine present is an unusually
large amount Tor this iortiiication lie is mistaken;
his assertion is Incorrect The sum last ear APP
proPfia'si $500 900, and that the wear before
was either 100000 or 80 900. believe 81. 900
ne SUN now asked FOR Is about the amount orIi-
narIly required TO fulfil the annual contracts; be-
sides, The work being now advanced, more labor
can be performed upon it in the same time than
could be heretofore. But, ii gentlemen will lake
Inc trouble OF consulting the estimates which hay
been submitted To the House by he War Depart
nent, they will find ;iai the sum of 500 900,
last year granted, Insufficient 10 meet the con-
tracts by I'll 900. The S5li5, 900 nov asked for
Is lne ended, IN part, 10 cover that Deficiency
Mr.. Cooke returned his thanks to the Chairman
OF the Committee oi Ways and Means for The i'll
formation he had given The House, that there was
some prospect OF paying portion OF Q,e public.
debt. did not say (obseiYed MIR. Cocke) that II 4
public debt never would be paid: but this Wiii
say, That his house, at the suggestion oil tat gem
tienan, iasi year e.rchangcd i,s stocls 10 the a.
mount OF twelve millions. Why did we do This If
1t was not needed! Would II not have been bet
Ter 10 some Of the money we are layishjng
on this system of Notifications, than to beg our
creditors TO let US of by paying them four and
hall and five per cent interest," instead of six and
seven per cent! BESIDES, there must be- somebody
put In these forts TO protect them after they are
built, and this magnificent system will result in
forcing this House TO increase tie army | think
sir, foTesee that event. But we are TO keen the
works lii progress, lest they should fall down and
80 10 rum w ell, sir, have no objections 10 go
on win them at a reasonable and proper rate: but
why so on 10 expend such immense sums to com
pete them now, and then involve ourselves In the
necessity OF other vast sums To- man and defend
them! The gentleman tells US there are contracts
for The completion of them. Sir, know there are
contracts every year beyond the amount of our
appropriations. But, for my part, sir, if any of
our officers choose to take Tie responsibility on
liemsel' es OF making contracts unauthorized by
this House, they should have the whole benefit OF
such contracts TO themselves. They have no an
thorily 10 make such contracts. Shall be told
Mr. Chairman, that aay Engineer that chooses can
nvovethe faith oi this Government beyond the
amount OF Tie appropriations. granted b. ilw
Sir, IT Is doctrine vii! never subscribe 10 - ii
he can bind Us for dollar he may bind US for a
million.
MIR. Kremer, of Pa. said, he was OF op:rion this
bill ousb not TO pass at all, and, with this view OF
the subject, he SHOULD move to strike out the enact
Ing clau-e. This system of extravaganza had been
now going on for years We had gone on from
year to year squandering the public money TO cree
parcel OF Publications that were totally useless
and stood az so many monuments of our folly Nc
doubt they had afforded good jobs, but they were
death To- the People. The gentleman hsd told II,
that the public debt is 10 be paid off Sir the
same syren song has been rung III our ears for the
last nine wears same lullaby lullaby be
| perfectly secure! your whole deb, will soon be
paid. ten years more, ten years more and the day
will aniyc." Sir, il is high time we should profit
/ by experience, and hope my honorable friend
from Tennessee Will join Let US Try to strangle
/ the monster al once.
| Tie question was now taken On the motion oil
/ Mr.. Krcmer to strike Out the enactinp clause ot
tie bill, and division being demanded it was de-
cided III the negative, Mr.. X. himself alone voting
/ fof II.
MIR. Forsyth, oi Georgia, expressed his doubt
whether this House prepared to pass this bill
with the inlorsiation which it had before il, Early
In the session an honorable collesge OF his, Ms
Tattnall, y had submitted resolution for the rur.
pose Of obtaining from the War Department de.
tailed report tie subject OF the system and plan
Of Qualifications proposed Tor the national defence,
specifying the location and the cost of each parti-
cular work already erected, and the location and
estimated cost Of such are contemplated, &c.
This resolution had been adopted by the House,
but to this day no information had been received
under it. Mr. i. begged leave TO recall to the re-
collection OF the House what took place in the of
that resolution. His colleague had then stated,
that, ut the two proceeding sessions, this very in
formation had been called for, and that neither oil
these calls had been yet answered And this in
formation. said Mr. F. i; msy be impracticable to