Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-12-11

Engineers, is employed In constructing works OF
military defence, another portion. aided by scien-
tho and cnterprising officers. detailed from the
line OF the Army, Is cooperating with ciliZe,
Engineers. in developing the capacities Of the
the country for Internal improve nj and in build
ing up works which belong exclu~iyey 10 the de-
partmen' Of political economy. The Quarterna>
ter General, at the time assisted bv other of
hcers and soldiers OF the line, is engaged. no
merely in military ereciious and accommodation
Tor The troops but IN the construction OF roads an,
bridges Tor the citizens at large. And the Ord
nance Department, with the force under its con
troll, disp!aysa corresponding energy and skill, III
the fabrication Of arms and other munitions Of war
"a well for the militia OF the States IA for the reg
u'ar Army. Indeed. the reports from these tire
Departments exhibit the Army Of the U s no. in
he light in which standing armies in time Of peace
! have usually been regarded, drones who are
consuming the labor OF others, but rs body oil
military and civil engineers, artihcers and labo.
rers who probably contribute more than any other
equal number OF citizens, not only to the security
OF The country, but TO the advancement of its use
fol arts.
The Military Academy, it is believed. has con-
Iuered all the preiudices which formerly existed
against II, and Is scattering the fruits OF its science,
and communicating, by its examples, the lessons
oil industry and order there taught, not merely TO
The rest OF the army, but to the youths OF our
country generally: and the interchange of the
hcoretic science OF this National school with the
practical skill and judgment of our citizen eng
"~'S, ''h'h 10 iioW SOtHp on tuiCuSnOut UlP u
nited States, will soon furnish every part of the
country with the most accomplished professors in
every branch of civil engineering. The report
oil The last Board of visitors, remarkable for its
good sense and practical views, and herewith
presented, shows that this institution is still al
VancinG in usefulness; an! 1 beg leave 10 re-
commend TO the favorable consideration Of Con
gress, the many important suggestions which it
contains.
The report of The Chief Engineer, including
that oil The Board of yr,n ho
sure to receive the full and deliberate considera
non oil the National Legislature, and il would be
impossible. by any remarks of mine, TO add any
,hng to the intrinsic interest which this document
possesses Besides its military details, il presents
a full view Of the extensive operations, low in
train, under the superintendent Of this Depsrt
inent, for the accomplishment of the nunerou,
objects OF Internal Improvements, TO which The
recent appropriations of Congress on that subject
are applicable. There are, probably, no expen.
ditures oil the Government which come so directly
nome TO the interests and feelings of the great bo
dy OF the People OF tho United States, or which
are viewed with more lively and unqualified satis-
'action than those which relate TO Internal Inn
provenent: and may be permitted TO express an
opinion, that the liberal appropriations, both speci
nc anu general made to such objects, during the
last session OF Congress, We're amongst the most
valuable acts Of IFS I.egislature-and hone ,hat
the same policy may be continued.
In short, the organization and arrangement of
every department OF the Army, not IS relates 10
ITS efficiency merely, but to It's admirable systems
Of accountability and economy, are worthy of all
praise, and reflect the highest credit on my pre-
dcccssors, by when they have been devised and
put into operation. AS regards its distribution,
winch must depend on the varying circumstances
oi the country, some changes, in addition 10 those
winch have recently been made, vii! probably be
deemed eKpedient in the course OF the next sea-
son. The policy OF pushing military posts
(such as Fort Smelling on the Mississippi, Fort;
Lcavenworth, On the Missouri, ard including, per-
maps, some others on the Arkansas and Red Ri
verso so far within the Indian country and so far
ahead Of the regular advances of our population.
may well be questioned. Instead of projecting
our iTonuer Inhabitants against tie incursions oil
'hc Indians, these isolated garriscns must, in the
event oil serious Indian war, inevitably become
lie hrSt victims OF its fury AT present they only
serve to invite wild and proiitless adventures into
the Indian country, the usual consequences of
which arc personal collisions with the natives; and
the Government is then put 10 The expense of
military expedition v;idicatc the tights @. these
Struggling traders.
Had rot the season been too far advanced 10 cf-
lcct such distant movements it was in conenipla-
ton OF the Department, last summer when i, came
TO The resolution 10 advance portion OF lis force
so as 10 cover and protect our stationery and
iaboring population in the Northwest, TO draw in
at the same time some of most remote garri-
sons, In order 10 form connected line of defence
the several parts OF which should mutually sup
port each other, within which no hostile Indian
citizen, unless protected by military escort or
proper license 10 trade with the Indians, should
oe permitted TO pass.
Besides the great expense and hazard OF sup
porting these very distant posts, another serious
evil attends most OF them. The luxuriant yepcta.
ton which covers the banks OF our Western RI
vers. where troop are Stationed and which an.
nualiy dies and ro:s on the ground, produces th.
most fatal diseases; and this evil can be remedied
only 10y the introduction OF population and herds
10 destroy ana consume this excess Of vegetation
4 he garrison OF Fort LeaYenworth on the Mis-
souri,, has suffered the most severely from this
cause Ut is situated on dry aud eev ated ground
selected with special regard to health; but the
rich bottoms in its vicinity occasion the sickness;
and If is doubtful whether a change OF location TO
any other point, high up the Missouri, could es-
cape, or even diminish the cause Of the evil
1 unite with Major General Macotyb, for the
reasons he has assigned, in recommending thc
necessary provisions for mounting a portion oil the
men who compose our most remote garviso,s in
the Indian country.
Ii appears, from the report Of the Surgeon Gene.
raj, that owing ~ the increased number oil militia
~ posts, aud 20 the numerous dctacIlnep's from
tie Army engaged on Internal IinprovctDan ts.
the officers Of the Medical Staff are not sufficient
" numerous for the exigeHcies Of the service. [
therefore concur with him in recommending its
Increase, by the addition of four Surgeons and ten
Assistant Surgeons: aud I beg leave 60 remind
Congress, that bill was reported in the House
OF Representatives, during the last session. but not
dehIluycly acted on, for graduating the pay of the
Medical staff: and also take the liberty of call.
ing TO Their recollection the fact, that the laws
constituting the Department OF the CornnIissary
General OF Subsistence will expire on the third Of
Nj arch next.
The report Of the officer who stiperintends the
Indian Bureau, marked X, shows tbo manner in
which the duties OF this Department. growing out
% our intercourse with the Indian tribes, have