Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1836-03-04

our condition now, though year after year
evety year. the false cry has been heard
from the watchtowers, "alrs well |" Eve
ry session Of Congress, every return of the
session, have we been most graciously greet
ed with the formal and fashionable congrat
ulaions and fluctuations on the happy ano
unparalleled present condition, and The pros
poets OF the future prosperity of our country
and, Mr. Speaker, here we are caught ma.
ked, defenceless, unprepared and unprepar.
ing for defence, with our hands in the lions
mouth Let those who have all the time had
this Information, and who have all the day
been standing idle, recommending nothing,
reporting nothing, advising nothing, no !
not until this very moment, bear the blame
l, and those with whom act, are innocent.
Sir, l say, | knew that, with all this i'm.
mense want OF appropriation, three millions
would be but drop in the bucket for
either Of the objects, lort6cation, ordnance,
or increase of the Navy Knowing this,
voted for that amendment Not with refer
ence to war, for, not more than twenty.iour
hours before, the gentleman from New York
(Mr g. had Withdrawn his resolution TO
make contingent preparation for war; though
that gentleman proposed the three millions
amendment. and now assigns the necessity
at The time OF preparing for war as the rea.
son The gentleman from Massachusetts,,
(Mr Adams) withdrew similar resolution,
and voted the very next day for this amend
ment, and now tells us that the next step
for those who voted against that amendment
was to join the enemyr' After the with.
drawal of that resolution upon French AZ
fairs but tho do,, b.Tnrn he, h. oh
OF the committee on Foreign Affairs, could
|, could any not initiated, doubt that these
three millions were not proposed for war ?
voted for the amendment for reasons of
peace, not of war. | thought it the best
way TO keep peace TO be in state of readi.
ness for war, and that sound economy as
well as policy required the appropriation |
For the reasons | have given, wanted no |
estimates, no more data than had already |
But, sir, many gentlemen had not then
this information; the estimates, the data
No information, no estimates, no data were
by the Departments, or by the
committees. There was time enough for
the estimates to have been furnished for /
tell you that notice was given to me person
ally beforehand and it must have been in
contemplation before the notice, that this
amendment was TO be offered; and the gen
tleman from New York (Mr c. shall not
claim to have given notice, and still urge
that there was not time for the data to be fur.
nlshed. Indeed all the time his resolution
was pending to make contingent prepare.
lions for war; these data and estimates should
have been prepared they should always be
ready. But no information of the kind was
furnished those even who might have been
willing to vote upon faith in the President.
The faith OF some was monstrous strong -
did not know that he wished such an appro-
prlation, or even that he thought it proper.
why, SIR, when returned home. and was I
accused by my opponents OF voting the Pres
dent three millions Of dollars, | honestly |
Ind sincerely told my friends, that the Pres. t
dent never called for the appropriation, and
presumed he must have thought it unne- ,
;essary, or he would as in duty bound, have ,
.:ertain y recommended it by message, or ,
trough some Department Never until | t
aw his message to this Congress, did | c
NOW that amendment was I'm accordance |
With the views of the Executive" And, sir.
venture to say that large majority of the a
asst Congress were as ignorant as | was S
j any such views of the Executive |
an prove here on the spot, by member a
I the Committee on Foreign Affairs (Mr d
'eyton) that he was totally ignorant of the o
Jews OF the Executive" or Of any informa. Il
on from the Departments in relation 10 this n
Tree million amendment
But, sir, now know, 10y evidence newly b
lscovered, that some few did know that the n
resident did desire this appropriation of d
lree lions; that they, though chairmen
the principal committees never communi- "
lted 1t TO their committees, much less to the d.
lousei that they whispered it to a few 9TH b
IS and told them mot to say any thing S
3out It, You, Mr. Speaker, you, / charge le
I'm the Gun OF that TACT You may DENY Is
In your place or not. If you DENY it, / bt
n ready with a witness TO prove that al
Here Mr. Wise read a written statement W
ven to him by the Hon Luke Lea, of Ten.
'ssee, corroborated by the statement Off ve
on. Samuel Bunch Of Tennessee. in The re
flowing words tn
"On the last night Of the last session of NJ
oclngress' pending the question of the three Ct
iii'on appropriation, two of the members mi
that Congress hesated as to the proprietv rei
voting said appropriation, when one Of DO
EN- proposed to the other that he would ma
axe inquiry of one Of the members of the bel
'mmlltee of Ways and Means, who sat bri
ar them whether this appropriation had he
en- asked for by the President. which he sh,
d. and received for answer that the com. an
ttee had been asked for it, or it had been wi
lmated 10 them that he desired it, but that If
II need not say any thing about it; which tai
swer was immediately communicated to reI
the other member II v,as ,bo,, - s;,,