The North-Carolina standard., 1836-01-28
: NATIONAL DEFENCE, S-s
MR. BENToN's SPEECH.

IL Senate of the United States, Jan. z ~
The following resolution submitted yes
.erdsy byMr BENTON was taken up
for consideration. y f
ResoLued, That the surplus revenue o.
the United States. and the dividends 0.
stock receivable from the Bank of the Uni
ted States, ought to be set apart, and ap-
piled tothe general defence and permanent
security of the country. That the Presl.
dent be requestedto cause the Senate to be
informed, $50 - >
/. The probable amount that would be
necessary for fortifying the lake, maritime,
and gulf frontier of the United States,
and such points of the land frontier as
may require permansnt forti6cations.
& The probable amount that would be
necessary to construct an adequate number
OF armories and arsenals in the U. S.
and to supply the States with field artillery,
especially brass field pieces, for their mill
tia, and with side arms and pistols for their
cavalry.
8. The probable amount that would be
necessary to supply the United States with
the ordnance arms, and munitions OF war,
which proper regard to self-defence would
require to be always on hand.
4. The probable amount that would be
necessary to place the naval defences ol
the United States (including the increase
..of the navy, navy yards, dock yards, and
steam or floating hatteries) upon thefooting
of strength and responsibility which is due
to the security and to the welfare of the
Union.
The resolution having been read. Mr..
BENTON rose, and said that the objects
contemplated by it were of general and
permanent nature, and required attention
without regard to existing circumstances.
To place itself in a state of defence was
the duty of all countries, which desired to
preserve their independence, or to live with
honor The United States were not in a
state of defence, and it was their duty to
attend to the object. The public debt was
paid a large surplus revenue was accumu-
latng, and the country was every way
prosperous. Projects were devised to dis
tribute these surpluses among the States !;
but he was in favor of setting them apart,
and dedicating them to the defence of the
Union Formerly. and by law as old as
the Republic, these surpluses were all se
apart and continued separate fund, cal
led the sinking fund, and inviolably ap-
piled to the sacred purpose of extinguish-
ing the national debt. BY this means, the
debt had been paid. He was for revivine
and continuing this policy, with change
Of object. from the debt to the defences of
the Union, and would wish to see all the
surplus revenue take that direction until the.
country was as secure from receiving as it
is averse from Offering offence. 1t would
require all the surpluses, and many years
of exertion to accomplish the object
Mr.. B repeated, his motion was for OBJ
jects ofa general and permanent character,
and he felt it to be his duty to make it,
without regard to impending events and to
extrInsic circumstances. But there were
events and circumstances which should
give emphasis to his motion, and stimulate
its immediate adoption A French fleet
OF sixty vessels of war, to be followed by
sixty more, now in commission, approaches
it Tor the avowed purpose of observing our
conduct in relation to Francel It is styl.
ed in the French papers, a squadron ol
observation; and We are sufficiently ac.
quainted with the military vocabulary OF
France. to know what that phrase means
In. the days of the great Emperor, we
were accustomed to see the armies which
demolished empires at blow, wear that
pacific title up to the moment that the blow
was ready to be struck These grand ar.
mics assembled on the frontiers of empires
gave emphasis to negotiation, and crushed
what resisted. A squadron OF observation
then, is a squadron of intimidation first
and of attack eventually! and nothing
could be more palpable than that such was
the character of the squadron tin question
1t leaves the French coast cotemporane
ously, with the departure of our diploma
tic agent, and the assembling of our Con
gress; it arrives upon our cast at the We
ry moment that we shall have to vote upon
French affairs and It takes a position upor
our southern border-that border, above
all others, on which we are. at this time
peculiarly sensitive to hostile approach
What have we done, continued MIR. B.
to draw this squadron upon us2 We hav
done no wrong to France; we are maxim.
no preparations against her, and not evel
ordinary preparations for general and pei
manent security. We have treaties, an
are executing them, even the treaty tha
she doesnot execute We have been exc
cutting that treaty for five, years. and ma,
say thar we have paid France as much IN
der it as We have in vain demanded fror
her, as the first instalmento Of the indemn
ty ); not in fact by taking money out Of ou
treasury and delivering to her, but. whs
is better for her, namely, leaving her ow
money in her own hands, in the shape {
diminished duties upon her wines, as prt
vided for in this same treaty, which we ex'
cute, and which she does not In thi
way France has gained one or two mi