Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-04-09

| 10 all the appropriations contoiheo III inc
Bill; but deeming other appropriations to be
necessary, they added these as amendments
thereto. The amount of the appropriations,
as made by the Bill in the House, was s439,-
900, (about one half the amount usually ap
proprated for these oblects) tire amount of
the additions as made by the Senate's Com
mttee, and afterwards by the Senate, was
S43O,OOO; amounting in the aggregate to
SSG9OOO. The War Department was con-
suited on the subject of these additions, as
were the Military Committees of both llous-
es; and they were adopted with the approba-
tion of all three The Bill, with these amend
ments, was reported by the said Committee
to the Senate on the 10Th of February, and
as soon as the estimates and evidence could
be procured, and the report prepared; but it
was in the midst of other important business,
then under discussion n the Senate. As soon
as the Bill with these amendments could be
taken up by the Senate, it was taken up and
discussed, out Of the order of the business on
the calender, and to the postponemeRt of all
other, and some very important business
Several further additions to the Bill besides
those reported by the committee, were made
bv the Senate, on motion of Mr.. Benton,
Chairman of the Military Committee; and
then, Monday, Feb. 3d. all these amend
ments were ordered to be engrossed. On
Tuesday, February 2lth, the bill with these
amendments. as agreed to, was passed and
sent to the House. According to my rccol-
lection, the vote on its final passage was
unanimous.
: Nothing moro was heard of this Bill by the
Senate, till about 3 o'clock of the evening of
the last day Of the session; when the Bill was
returned by the House to the Senate, with
several amendments to the Scnate's amend
ments, (disagreeing to some, and adding 9TH
, ers:l and all these were at once agreed to, or
\ compromised.-But the Bill when returned
;. was accompanied with this further distinct
and Independent amendment, viz:
".lnm be IL further enacted, That the sum of
THREE MILLIONS of dollars, be and the same
is hereby appropriated out of any money in
the Treasury, not otherwise appropriated, to
be expended in whole or in part, under the
direction of the President of the u. States,
for the military and naval service, including
Notifications and ordnance, and increase OF
the Navy: provided such expenditures shall
be rendered necessary for the defence OF tAe
country prior to the next meeting Of Con-
grcss."
- This amendment, after short but anma-
ted discussion, was negatived by the Senate,
and by large vote, in which the Senators OF
= Rhode Island concurred. This grant OF three
, millions of money to be disposed of by the
President for any warlike purpose whatever,
at his own discretion, without any restriction
, as to particular and specified objects, was
direct violation Of the Constitution, and OF all
our settled practice under it. 1t was stated
in the discussion besides, that it was in effect
TO put into the hands of the President the
power of peace and war; that we might sc
, well make him Dictator at once, with supreme
and irresponsible power, according to the
r practice of ancient Rome practice which
led to the final destruction of that Republic
Though this proposition had been obtrudet
upon the Senate, suddenly and unexpectedly
in the last hours of the last day of the ses
sion, it appeared to me then to be such one
as no American mind, alive to the obllgatlor
. of duty, could hesitate for moment To repu'
diatc; and it still appears to me III that light.
I Let it be noted that every appropriation fol
the Fortifcations proposed by either House
had been agreed to by the other, or had beer
compromised between them; that the Bill 81
far as Notifications were concerned, was per
p fected and finished by them; and that nothin!
o remained for difference between the tw'
e Houses, but the grant of the said three mil
IS lions, which the House had unnecessarily ap
" pended to this Bill, instead OF making II
is subject of separate and independent Bill, a
,r they might and ought to have done when
&c would have been disposed of by itself, with
out interfering with this or any other BILL
q The Bill thus perfected and finished, SO ia
l. as Fortiications were concerned, was sci
? back to the House by the Senate, with thei
g rejection of the grant of the said three mil
to lions. The House voted to insist upon the
c. vote to grant the said three millions, and re
n turned the Bill to the Senate with this vote
ne bot without asking conference. The Sci
he ate at once and without the least delay vote
IT, to adhere to their vote of rejection, and r
Sc turned the Bill with this vote TO the House.
NJ The House then requested Of the Senate