Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-03-01

ance of the live oak lumber from The lands Of the
United States, il had been proposed to establish
plantation of that valuable timber tor the future
use of the navy. After Mr.. w. had come to
Washington, the former Secretary Of tie Navy
| (ir. Snuthard) had decided to adopt the plan,
and without consulting him, had determined ON
| purchasing site for the new establishment near
Pensacola. 1t happened that he and his friend,
Judge Breckenridge, owned a tract of land in
that quarter. The Government was DESTROYS of
purchasing 1000 acres Of it. The Government
itself applied to them, and proposed the terms
The contract was submitted to the House, and by
it approved. The Department acted on the re-
port of Commodores Warrington and cambridge;
and what they did was sanctioned by special
act Of appropriation. which passed both Houses.
Shortly afterwards the Administration passed in
to other hands-a new Secretary Of the Navy
was appointed, aud in thinking upon various pro-
jects of reform, the Secretary fell upon that trans
action and he introduced into his report the sug
gestion, that his predecessor had made the pur-
chase under an erroneous construction OF the act
for the gradual increase of the navy. He refer
red the House to the section of the law which had
thus been misconstrued, and when the section
was examined, it was found 50 have relation to
dry-docks. So eager had the gentleman been in
his attack, that he had not even seen the law of
which he spoke. Yet the appropriation had been
made at a time when majority of the House
was favorable to the present Administration. and
that after it had been examined and sanctioned
BY the naval committees of both Houses Mr..
w said that he had detected and exposed tine
error of the Secretary, BY which means he had
brought down upon himself the indignation Of
the Navy Department. The new Secretary soon
after reported more errors of his predecessor -
Mr.. w. had defended him in letter which he
could not get them to publish because the best of
all reforms had not then taken place; he meant,
the dissolution Of the late Cabuet So he had
been obliged to publish the letter at his own ex-
peuse. The appropriation was 4, 900 dollars, and
it was paid to Judge Breckenridge and himself,
for 600 acres of land, OIL l76 acres of which
there we're ascertained tn be 20. 600 trees of live
oak, 25 feet in height. This timber. in the judy.
ment Of Commodore Rodgers, was worth more
than the whole. tract of land had cost To ex-
anime his timber growing, on less than 900 acre,
Of land, the Navy Department despatched ,lunp
OF war, and United States Engineer. With the
report made Of this examination the Government
was not satisfied. Another agent wa, despatch,
| ed. aud anOther report was obtained The for
mer agents were dismissed, and new ones again
appointed, in IN. hope that their report would be
unfavorable. Bur, instead Of this. the repor, re-
commended the continuance of the establishment.
/ whi,h it declared to have been much mis- repre-
sented; and it concluded by recommending the
employment of ten additional hands Yet. Mr
w. said. he had been blamed and denounced on
that floor for bring concerned in a contract which
had been first sought by the Government itself
and bv which they had obtained timber on les.
than 200 acres Of the tract. worth more than the
had paid for the whole 1000 acres Such had
been the reform of the late Secretary of the Ma
Wy.
Mr.. w said. he had received these statemen,
from the present Secretary of the Navy himself.
But there was another story connected with
this affair; and as the gentlemen had thought fiji
to Introduce the subject. he would tell it. On
the 18th ct April last. an agent had been employ,
ed in reference to this timber, with a salary oil
1900 dollars year. The gentleman was rela
tive, he believed near relation, Of the late Sc
cretary. The day after the dissolution of the
late Cabinet had been resolved upun. when it was
known who to go out Of office, the salary OF
that individual had been increased. 600 dollars;
he was to receive 240O dollars. This was par,
of the information which would be brought out
bv the amendment he had proposed. The Sc.
eretary having secured this relative, by raising
his salary ia $1,000, Immediately appointed six
more agents, and all these had of course To BE-
put upon the same footing; aud in all the sum oi
$4,000 year was given out of The fund for the
gradual increase Of the Navy. and this at the time
when certain celebrated caricaure had alrea.
dy made its appearance. exhibiting the foot of a
very eminent individual on the tail of certain
rat. All these off, had been created, and spe-
cial favortes put into them bv the naked authori.
ty of letter from the Navy Department. Yet
he had been attacked and abused, supply for hav-
Ing sold tract of land at the request Of Govern
ment. and at its own price Mr.. w. stated, that
the moment he found the Administration we're
dissatis fed with the contract they had made, he
had expressed wish to take back the land but
he had not been permitted to do so. Hi. friend
Judge Breckenridge had even gone SD far as to
present petition tn the House that the contract
might be resrinded, but the petition had been re-
jrc,ed by the unanimurs recommendation of the
Committee Of Naval Affairs. At the same time
he was publicly attacked on the ground of his
contract, and several hundred copies Of the Globe
had been sent in bundles, ranked by the late Sc
cretary, into his district. just before his election.
More than one gentleman offered to take the land
N no do 0f