Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-12-12

has, hpcn
'i' J Iv add to villa: have, former occasions,
;, ON This subject generally, that in the regulations
which Congress mny prescribe respecting inc CUSTODY
of the public moneys, II Is des'raoe t' as I
finn nc u,ay be deemed consistent WIN Their sale Keep
;,r hnuIi be p;Yrn 10 the Executive agents M che
can be more deeply impressed than am % ihe SOUND
moss Of the doctrine which Restraints aud limits by spec
fir royisions Executive dscretIon rs lar as 1t can Ge
Jnur consistently with the preservation OF its consr
,innI character respect to the control The pub
lie money this doctrine is peculiarly applicable. and
is in harmony with the great principle which 'et
was sustaining in the controversy with the Bank OF
the u States; which has resulted in sevcring TO cx
tent dangerous conncXion between m"ncycd and Po
lical pawrr Tine duty Of the Legislature to define, by
clear and positive rnaclcnls Inc hatuf" OF lc
action which belongs to the Executive TO supcrncnd
springs out Of policy analogous to that which fnjons
;oon all the branches of the Federal Government an
abstinence from the exercise OF powers not clearly
granted In such Government, possessing ony limited
and specific powers the spirit of its general admnstra
ton cannot be wise jus when II opposes The reference
of all doubtful points TO The great source OF authority,
the States and the People; whose number and diversified
relations, SECURING them against The influences ana e1
cil.nrnts which may miSlead their agents. make them
the safest depository of power In lis application to the
Executive with reference TO the Legislative branch OF
tb,A Government. the same rule Of action should make
the President ever anxious TO avoi le EXERCISE OF any
discretionary authority which be regulated by Con-
pr,ss The biasrs which may operate upon him will not
be- 50 likely to extend the representatives OF the Poo
pie in that body. -
In nv former messages to Congress have repeatedly
urocd The propricty of lesSrning the rcOnary
th9ry lodi red in the various departments but has pro-
ccd no effect as vet except the dIscontinuauce ut CO.
ira allowances in the Army and Navy, and The sutstItu-
toa Of fixed salaries in the latter 1t is believed that
b, s, principles could be advantagrously applied IN
all cases and would promote the efficiency and economy
of the public SERVICE ut the same time that greater s
scl;on and equal justice would be secured 10 the
public officers generally
The accompanying Report Of the Secretary Of War
,rSSio of
parlsn cndcA his care, in all It's diversified rela-
lions during the past year.
am craiiticd in being able 10 inform you, that no &C.
crrrencc has required any movement Of the military
farce cxcrr such as is common to state OF peace. The
services of the ARMY have been limited to their usual du
ties at the various arrsons upon the Atanc ana iHu
frontier, with the exception stated by the secretary OF
War. Our small military establishment appears IL oe
ADEQUATE to the purposes for which it is maintained, and
it forms nucleus around which any additional force may
be collected should the public exgcncies unfortunately
require any increase Of CUR military means.
The various acts of Congress which have been recent
Is rasscd in relation the army, have improved It's con.
ion and have rendered its organization mere useful and
efficient 1t is at all times in state Tor prompt ana VI;
goras action and it contains within Use The power ci
extension 10 any useful limit; while Al the same tlIe II
preserves that knowledge, both theoretical and pracucai,
which education and experience alone can give; and
which, if acquired and preserved in time OF peace
must be sought under great disadvantages in Time OF war
The duties OF the Engineer Corps press heavily upon
an addition its The nature Of the works IN
which Tic officers engaged, render L. ccssary probes
Gional knowledge ard experience; and Their" is no econo
my in committing 10 tl: more duties Than they can
perform, or IN assigning these TO other persons
rily eno!oycd and clrn cf necessity. without all
the qualifications which sch service demands recon-
mend this subject t. your attention. ami ais" thc prno-
sition submitted al the las, session OF Congress, ana now
renewed, for reorganization OF tic me l'TgFaPh!ca'
Corps This reorganization he effected witioutany
any addition the present expenditure, an" with much
advantage To the public service Tie branch ~ duI:cs
which dcvu.cs upon these officers is atal l!es interest
ing ~ The community, ana the Information iurh'sheu ny
them is ustiu in peace and III war.
hluc JSs aud Inconvenience have been experienced
in consequence Of the failure Of the bill containing the
ordinary appropriations for Notifications, winch passed
oc branch Of The National Legislature al the last session.
but was los, in the other This failure the more re-
GREETED only because II necessarily interrupted ahd
Gc!aYrd the progress OF system oil national defence, pro-
icc.cd Immediately after the last war. and since steady
pursued but also because it contained contingent a
tro.a:io inserted in accordance with the views OF The
Executive in aid of this important object, and otirr
branches Of the national Defence some portions OF WHICH
might have been most useuly applied during inc pas
season. invite early attention to that part ol te
Ronort of the Secretary of w ar which relates 10 ls
cct aud recommend an appropriation suilccntv uefa
to accelerate the of the Notifications. agreea
hlv 10 the pronqSOn submitted by him. and to place oul
whole Atlantic sraLoard in complete state ct defence
4 lust regard to- the permanent interests oil me country
evidently requires this raSure but there are also cncr
reasons which, at the present JunctuTe, give IL peculiar
force and make IT my DUTY 10 call TO the snpJccl your
special co:lsi,:rrlti"n
The present sy stem Of Military Education has been in
operation sufficiently long to test its usefulness, ana II
has given TO tie army valuable body OF o;cels ~
not alone in the Improvement, discipline and operation
@, the troops that these officers employed. They
are also extensively engaged III the administrative and
fiscal Of tie various matters conildtd 10 TIC
War Dcrarlrni; in the execution Of the SIAN Gnties
usually npprra:nng to military organization; III the re-
nj nj iit,, Ind:
various expenditures growing out oil our iDa!ah fe'a
lions; in the formation Of roads and i'll the improve
mcl Of haI,nrs aud rivers; in the construction "l orl
Gcaons: in the fabrication Of much of the maicr!c re-
Guir;G r i, IaiIc defence; and IN The preservation
distributions and accountability of the whsle; and III
other miss, lnrous duties, not admitting OF classification
These diversified functions embrace very heavy OK
pcturcs Of public npncy, and require !idcliy science
and business habits in their execution; and system
which shall secure these qualifications is demanded by
the public interest. That this n ect has bccn in great
measure, obtained by the Military Academy, is shown
b. the state Of The service and BY the prompt nccoun'
biii;r wics las generally followed the necessary Cd
yanccs. Like all other political systems, the present
.nrdc Of military education, doubt has lis tnperiec
lions both Of principle and PRACTICE: bat trust these
can be improved by rigid inspections, and by legislative
scrutiny, without destroying the institution itself
Occurrences 10 which We as well as all other nations
arc halle, beth III our internal and external relations
rG;n, 10 the necessity c efficient organization OF the
hi;iitia. ain again induced by the Importance OF the
subject, to bring TO your attention. 10 suppress do
ncs,;c violence, and 10 repel foreign invasion, should
these caia!tics ovrrtac US, must rely, in the first
Instance upon Tie great body Of the community, whose
will las instituted. AID whose power must support The
Government. 4 large standing military force Is not
TO the spirit Of our institutions, nor to the feel
inms Of cornuymen ana the lessons Of former days
AID ll!c also Of times, show the danger, as
we'll the expense, CT these permanent and
extensive military organizations. That just medium
which avoids an Inadequate preparation one hand
and the danger and expense OF large force on the
o.l;sr, is what constituents lave right to expect
fiui, their Government This object be attained
only by th,. maintenance Of small military force
and by such an organization Of the physical strength
Of tic country as may bring this power into opera
item, whenever its services required. a cessi-
L. h.l...,.