Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-04-09
FORTIFICATION BILL.
FACTS FOR TIE PEOPLE.

| The first movement on the subject of th'
! annual appropriations for Fortifications, n
the last session of Congress, took place, as
! matter of course, in the House of Represen
! tatves, where the Constitution requires tina
all money bills shall originate. On Tuesday
Dec. 9Th, Mr.. CoNNoR of North Carolina, n
mong other resolutions for distributing tht
several topics of the Presidents message
moved the following resolution which wa
adopted by the House:
"Resolvcd, That so much of said message
as relates to the Finances, and to the Banl
Of the United States, be referred to tho com
mitteo of Ways and Means"
Under this resolution the Committee o
Ways and Means took cognizance of all mat
ters submitted by the President to Congress
for which annual appropriations are necessa-
ry, and among others the Fortllications al
ready authorized and erecting in dfleren,
parts Of the country. On Friday, the Cd day
of January, Mr.. POLK, as Chairman of the
Committee, reported q bill making approprl-
ations for certain Fortifications Of the United
States heretofore commenced, for the year
1885. Read twice. Let it be noted, that il
was THREE WEEKS and THREE DAYS, after the
subject Of Notifications had been referred to
this committee, before they reported, though
they confined themselves to the works here
tofore commenced, and for which little or no
new information could be required by Con-
gress. Wednesday, Jan. l4.-Thc House
resolved itself into Committee of the Whole
on the state of the Union, Mr.. HUBBARD in
the Chair, and took up /" the Appropriation
Bill for Notifications heretofore commenced"
Mr.. Polk explained the items of the Bill
and showed why no appropriation was asked
for Fort Calhoun, and the Fort at Grand Ter
re, Lou. lie stated, that the present Bill cailed
for four hundred and hirty-ttUo MouSan4 DOL
lars less than the similar EW Of The last gear
The Bill of the last year N63iD for Fortiica-
tons, as appears by the acts published, ap-
proprated s;S7I ,044 to those objects. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Folks OWN sHEwING, there
fore, his Bill of this year must have been
S439,O00 for Fortifications and no more.
In consequence Of the exposed situation of
Boston, Mr.. Everett moved to amend the Bill
by adding $4,000 fer the Fort on Castle Is
land:
MIR. McKim made similar motion for
$4,000, to be added for the repairs of Fort
Mcilenry, near Baltimore:
And Mr.. Thompson, us,icr Instructions iron,
The Military Committee, offered al amend
ment for the repairs of the Fort and sca-wall
at St. Augustine, Florida, $4,000.
All these necessary and salutary amend
mcnts were rcsolutely opposed by Mr. Polk,
and voted down by strong party majorties.-I
1t ought to be remarked here, that though the
Appropriation Bill, rs reported by the Com
mlttee Of Ways and Means, is ordinarily con-
fined to works already commenced and erecting,
1t Is usual to introduce amendments for new
works and for other objects, when the Bill is |
discussed in Committee Of the Whole: And
these are adopted either on a favorable re.
port from the Military Committee, or on the !
subject being recommended by the War De-
partment, or on such other evidence from
competent military authority as the Commit |
tee mag think fit to require. In the case of
the amendment which was proposed by Mr..
Everett for the work on Castle Island. in Bos- |
on IIarbor, after showing the vast amount of
" Yard, Charlestown, he offered the opinion
'f the Department in favor Of this work, and
'lso that of Col. Thayer, who had examined
Costle Island, and reported in its favor. Mr.
Mckim did the same with respect To the de-
fences near Baltimore.-And Mr.. Thompson,
who spoke for the Military Committee, show
I'd to the satisfaction Of every one that un-