Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1836-07-05


IL extreme tic risos ~ ais place with grcs, sp
parent self graiulsion. sapaunccs tho fact to the
lIousc. aud 10 a note Of ,numph. informs ms that
We must stop taking shout the surplus Tor
We should now have opportunity OF spending
II.
Bai cir. gentlemen have not been content with
the rcquisiiiuns Of the Executive. The Depart
ucnts, contrary 10 nli former practices have been
solicited aud inportuncd and leased By resolutions
and letters Of committees, and personal rpplica
lions, fpr additional estimates. resolution Of
the Senate OF tho 18Th Of FEBRUARY asking for sd-
diional cstns,es produced brief letter FROM the
Secretary Of tho Navy, transmitting not his own
views, bat the mspinings Of the Navy Comnissi-
oncrs and detailed report OF the Secretary Of
War ovcrthrowing aud 'toppling down heallong."
mort Of he tall projects Of gentlemen for d.ssipat
ing the revenue on fortifco;ions--a report which
does the highest cred, Ia thu, distinguished officer
and which had its production been the only act Of
his life would have placed his name BY the side of
those of,hc most eminent statesmen Of the country
The answer TO this resolution ,as not very diges.
,ibe affair. The Secretary oftbe Navy said moth
ing. The Secretary of War interposed argu-
men' that could not be contro'cr,ed aud. what
was no less insuperabe, the President expressed
an opinion in accordance with h, Secretary. But
The Senate place themselves in IN imporing. atti
ude. and address the Secretary IN the language Of
supplication. Do, sir. be so good as to inform us
the most you can possibly eSpend during the year
in your Department What is the mdrinium a
mount"--that is the language-that can be expend-
ed This question was rather zoo extraordinary
for SO old fashioned man the Secretary, and he
seems to have been puzzled to know what to do
with it, He knew the extrayagant answer which
the craving appctites of those who made the in
quiry demanded aud tina, lie could not give it with
out abandoning the estimate he had deliberately
made al the commencement Of the session, aud con-
tradicting all the principles which he had ably
maintained it, his report But not desiring to be
uncvil to so respectable body as the Senate Of
the u. s.. he hands over the resolution to the chief
Engineer "lIerc sir. you answer it," From the
Reputation which the Chief Engineer has-wbetber
Justly or not viii not pretend to say of being the
most liberal aud latitudinarIen Of any officer the
Government in regard 10 appropriations, one might
NATURAL suppose he would have found no difficulty
in giving the required answer. But no such thing.
Even he, sir believes there is limit within which
expenditures should be clrcumscribed, and beyond
which they become WINS, cful and exiravagant--
lie too, declines to answer aud following the ex
ample of the Secretary, hands the humble
cnircaty Of the Senate to his subordinate; and we
al leprht have Second Lieutenant Of Engineers,
IN some half dozen lines, saying that, in his opln-
ION, some six millions may be beneicially expended
on Notifications, annually And it is upon this
naked opinion of second Lieutenant of Engineers
without any designation of objects, or any reasons
assigned for the extraordinary conclusion to which
he has arrived that are not to be called upon to
appropriate millions ofthe public money.
Sir, the Secretary of War repudlates the idea
of layishng our resources extensive fortiica-
lions on the scaboard Notifications which il would
require large standing army TO maitland which
no enemy would be silly enough to 90 out of his
way to attack, when he could accomplish any OBJ
icct Of invasion much more conveniently by passing
them beyond gunshot distance. He oyerthrows
most concusivey tie extended system Of defence
on which our former systems have been made, pro-
poses to con6ue our fertilization 10 the protection
of the important ports from naval approaches, and
to limit the extent Of those works 10 their capabliy
with the aid of steam batteries of accomplishing
that object and of resisting sudden attacks; rely
ing on the patriotism Of the people, aided BY the
facilities afforded by the internal Improvements OF
the country for the rapid concentration of force on
any point of attack as the great and leading means
of national defence. lie recommends re-exami-
nation Of sites and reconsideration Of plans, before
:
of reason and of common sense aud whoever a.
dopis the principles Of the Secretary, will find II
somewhat difficult to discover proper objects for
the expenditures OF much more than 1.-THE Of the
sun recommended no, not recomIncnded-e rfor'cd
from one of the clerks in the Office Of the Chief En-
gipeer. Besides, sir, we all know that when the
objects of appropriation are desirable there
il limit beyond which money cannot profitable
be expended in any given period of time. docu'
ment on our table shows that there remained 10
the treasury on the first day of January last, o
money before appropriated and not then expended
Ss726 600 OF this sum more than two millions
were Of appropriations for repairs Of ships, and the
increase and Improvement Of the navy; Sl33 900
/ for Navy yards, and although no fertilization bl
PASSED At tie last session, there sil iemaiGel
/ IN the Treasury at the beginning Of tie present
/ year over ffly Elk thousand dollars, of money
previously appropriated to foriifeauons-an al
/ this during the existing difficulties with France
Sir, either the Executive must have been wllfull!
negligent Of ats duties, or the unexpended MONEY
in the Treasury could not be Proftsbly expended
Gentlemen certainly viii not take the first horn o
The dilemma. Neither will l. We all know tina
the demand which the Government makes Tor tb'
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