Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-02-22

lit lul1ng toftitlCdtons y ordnance, aud incfcn>
i OF the Navy NJ, construction then was tina
tbs three millions oi the public money WAS 10 b,
appropriated for g that part of the military an,
naval >cts ice nc'udednndcr the heads OF ioriliica
nous, ordnance ard increase ofthc Navy And
knowing that three millions could well be cApcnd
ed on either object, that either iorihcations ord.
nance or increase OF the Navy would eonsum,
mote tEan three millions, and that the whole sun
] would he seIN inadequate for all three objects, and
not knowing which object might require most OF
the appropriations SAW no objection to leaving u
discretion IN the application of the sum 10 thcS,
three objects, a> rh,N might require il 10 be az
pended, upon principle similar 10 that which an
ilorlzcS Il" transfer ri surplus 81 one fund To the
deficiency NJ another fund, appropriated. Such
was my view ol tins lnti of the amendment when
II WAS prnpnsed-t Is certainly plausible, though
am inclined 10 ihuh II Is erroneous. now fear
thai something more VA, meant here than caught
the eye OF one who called upon to Vote 80
suddenly. The " ptosiso" OF the amendment
winch " provided such expenditures shall he rem
drrcd necessary for the defence OF the country,
prior to the neat meeting Of Congress-, re-
ealded 50 faf from bong an extension oil llo IA
ecutlvc discretion in the application OF the appro-
pilaton, rs Limitation OF that discretion, and
rs creating res onsihhN Oh the Executive mhicl,
would not have been imposed w,thout il. ifthcre
had been no such prosi>o, the money would have
been Appropriated absolutely, whether necessary
II not and il allowed not the President 10 Judge
OF the necessity OF cNprndng the money Tor Of
lenee, but of The purposes merely OF defence, and
made him responsible for the exercise of sound dis
erection, even IN rSpendinp the appropriation for
those purposes. This construction of that proviso
! | believe now to be correct but believe now
that no tongue can TIL how 1t ma, have hccn per
vortcd These views | expressed on the Sd of
March, 1898, en- the floor, and Hey wcre honest
y entertained. The sum OF none, was tiIlinr,
compared with the objects of expenditure. knew
ii would require ten millions for ioriihcaIon ord
nance, and the increase al the Navy, considering
/ the manner IN which the money OF the United
States Is squandcrcd on public works, or ra,h-
er our public contractors. thought the amend
nent not only innocent but necessary, Tor fcaco
. ~ well Il, for war.
But nov, sir, | should like 10 know, have u
right to inquire, wltclher the ingenious ambiguous,
doubtful wording of tins amendment had amy covert
and r,a,hcrons meaning II 50, il this appro-
pridtiun was ior secret service money ii II was a
nan-nap, fovclnm,it-nap, say, with all the
energy OF my soul SAY, the CoHHrrrIoN, the
TREASON, which set it, .hould he hurled from its
hieh seat, whether that seat be- IN this House OF the
" hitc House. Ii there was any ding foul, fall -,
OF fatal intended l., tins trap, | am innocent :
Was ! dupcd Was imposed on 7 Is ii not
too bad thai the House or til, Senate should be
charged with this indi, dnal ilaud, and that those
very persons WHO did the vrone, who are them
scl,r, guilt, OF TIL, miserable riek of setting tins
goycrnmcnf-tlap, ,houli nov IL setting the Senate
and tho House by the eur for the responsibility Of
their own Wrongs--lhatth they should now be kissing
on the quarrel and ,lutklmg in thrr sleeves at
the success OF der cunninr device ! do con
tenn and dbhor--I do denouncc Them and their
Device! They are caught Let them hang then
heads, the gully wretchcs, in eternal shame
Their guilt is established br,oud all coniroyorS,
by parole and record proof, and here hold III. IN
up TO the lasI, Of an indignant People Sir, when
this statement (hoIdine up Mr.. Lea written state
mcnD was made 10 me within the last two days.
Shuddcrcd 10 think lew rear may have been
innoccntly en my part, brought To aid IN an nnpar
donahlc crime against my country, ould all
the pruic stations Of innocence made with all the
tcryor of honest sincerity, have saved my humble
name from the everlasting suspicion of beng pan
Gc,ps 0iminis2 Sir, II harm 10 the country was
meant, ii was the ulcrpo,Itiou oi Divine Proyi-
dcncc, which has ever watched over the drsinics
OF this Republic, to guard II from secret and open,
foreign and domestic foes, and which " bringcth
good out of evil" tlat tie appropriation was not
, made. l lie coast remains ultorllied, lui better
50 1han thai onr fur,ilcaion, or standing army
should now be bristline with armament AGAINST our
own iibrrties Look upon hal may have been
the intention and the result God Almighty may
have sent an special providence Ia prevent tie
bill from passing to >aye tie GoSernmc MT from ru-
n and the names Of innocent ncn from eternal
obloquy and rcproaeh The gentleman from
New York (Nr. c. may st it do"n Ak one merit
OF his trick OF his intrigue, That 1t may have saved
the Government. 1t succeeded 10 defeat The for
titica,on bill, but prevented "A much greater mis-
CHIEF, and it is now exposed. Yes, sir, from what
is NOW KNOWN iEc sins of that awful noht. the
Sd of March, 1888, may have saved the Govern
ncni We now know, MI Speaker, that you
knew tie President desired this immense appropri-
alton, and thai you kept ii secret, and requested
others to say notuiug about it can .onirc-
ure no good object in keeping ilai secret. Can
any gentleman give me reason why the "krwS"
and wishes Of the Executive we're not made
! known
/ Sir, if a dcspotisn is 10 be sprung upon Us, ior
mcrcv'> sake LEI il be known, that We may strike
it down or escape from it Lei lis see and kno"
| it is approaching, that We may stand and stike
or Ike our fathers, " take tie wings Of The morn
ing, and ily 10 the uttermos parts Of the earth, Il
ESCAPE its IRON grasp and find home for the Tree
Do 40, give MS sccrti d,spotsm pray Goo
to save ,hi, country from secret dcspoiism !
there i, an objectionable political sin, it is the IN
tent and the overt act 10 bring abouta secrtf GrS
poti>m. | ask, why 50 much secrecy IN reia
ton to tie views Of the Executive necessary
Was there more meant than was expressed by tina
amendment | confess. sir, am bcwIldcrcd am
& L. 'I,, ,tt.,p n