Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-02-22
VOL. IXv:.....vO. 81.

than over am for making preparation wien I
fear that the question peace or war dcpeptls un-
ON one man aione--he has enough to do his hid,
drug here and elsewhere --and when ! lock ut our
strength compared will, that of other nations.
The naval forces OF the United States, France.
and Great Britain are:
In Commission,
Ships olhnc. Fr'caes. Sloops Of. steamer. 8 v.
) United States, IL o 6
France, u 10 SO 50
Great Britain, 10 IS 81 Is So
Force oRoot and building.
United States, II 1t 1t 6
France, 81 "a sS 23 100
Great Britain, l29 l2s 90 90 l66
S20, 552 900 additional appropriation is reour.
odtogiveus our relative naval strength. compared
with France and Great Britain. So, 500, 600 per an
mum rcqnned Tor ten years, to attain aud keep a.
float such II force
ihink, sir, nhcn we hook upon this compare.
tive statement, Nc cannot say to France did the
vol to the lamb in the fable "'Tis crime O.
nongh that she cannot resist ~
And ! think thn tins " i'll show us sir ,ifwar was
expected OF intended, there was n strong necessity
10 commence preparations Tor war. Our own
quarrel, our own weak state appropriation and our
cnomy's strength, should long ago, say |, have ad-
monshrd the watchiul guardians of the nation to
be making ready. They have been furiously
charging upon others, upon the Senate of the last
Congress, Tor not putting the country in state Of
defence. And now, sir, il il can be shown that
they are themselves The euiHiesf Of the guilty. in
THIS high offence, what shall be done with the cul-
prs Shall they moi have the poisoned chalice
returned to then own lips, which they have offer
cd 10 others BE IT remembered, sir, that the
Executive conducts our foreign rclalions---he has
known the chances and dangers OF war much bets
ter than W.. Ay, sir, some developments we know
were withheld from us. II the countr, should
have been pre- pairing ior war, then should not tho
President have been making some recommended
TONS OF the KIND here are the recommendations
oil the Executive, the estimates, thu messages, tho
communications of the Departments up 10 this very
week OF this session None no not one Was
the President for war during the last session
hen did he cal, 81 intimate call Tor the defence
OF the country Sir, will il believed that the Se-
oreiary the Navy has. not this session, unit, this
presen, week, furnished your Committee Of Naval
Aiaiis with The estimates, the ordinary estimates
of appropriationt
And hire, sit, ! nust be permitted 10 vindicatn
the notable minority Of eig ltcon intend I, do
TINT now--to mark facts here fer rs We 20 along,
and note events a they occur; tor ami,uw more
than sufficiently admonisllcd never to leave tho
defence OF my acts IN one Congress 10 any subse-
qucnt Congress which may follow Yes, sir, no
estimates were furnished tho committee 10 which
''''hE ny hi' NAVY HIS NiheT uHtlt
KICKED out oi II. II il was great sa not to
vote the three millions additional Tor the increase
OF the Navy last winter, ~ il sin not To ask for
one cent up In this time this winter Sir, il will
be rccol'cccd that,on the llh ofJanunry the hon-
orablc chairman Of the Committee on Naval AZ
fairs, (Nr. Jar,is) introduced resolution - that
the Committee Naval Affairs be instructed 10
inquire INTO the cXpedlcncy increasing the naval
force IN commission | opposed that resou-
IL. u
friends IN TIM House, in notable minority of eiel-
teen To vlndicalc tia, eighteen and to excmpy
FULLY the exact manTu,re oftlc tho three millions
mendmrt las, session, sir must detail to YOU short
history OF the facts of the case. Some time pre-
vous to the time when the resolution offered
by the honorable chairman (Nlr. Jnryis,) he and
were walking that highway Of tho nation,
Prnns,lva avenue. We met, ,ir a distinguished
member Of the Boa,d of Navy Commssoncrs--a
commodore, who shared in the hawai- fights and
victories Of tho last war We stopped TO hold
conversation, in which that officer Of tlc Navy De-
patIncnt frankly admitted that our Navy required
IL large appropriation, much larger appropriations
than had been called for by the Secretary, and
said tina, i are Sot 'nto ,cdr pHh France, ace
mond be mhippcd for the FIRST THREE YEARS"
Well, sir, replied, " if we were To he drubbcd
for that length Of t,mc think we had better take
care not 10 get into the fight, or had better begin
TO prepare for i, as soon as possible" tie said,
" alter We were whipped for about that length Of
time, We would begin 10 get ready" and begged
the honorable chairman and mySrito have an eye
10 the necessities and wants Of the Navy.
SIR, am willing TO take all responsibility which
/ belongs to me, and sometimes more than belongs
TO me, in cast of emergency. Bot | had begun
to suspect, what suspect still that this French
is but mere key to unlock the 7rensury, and tina,
Congress is 10 be made, through the cry of nations
al defence, to take the responsibility of turning it,
and opening tie door for patronage. Ifthc money
should happen to be required, and the appropra
ton be popular, the praises all would be shouted
TO the Executive, who had not recommended it
aud, If unnecessary and unpopular, the curses and
the blame would he sure to fall on CONGRESS. ],
therefore, sir, determined, far as | could, to
block tie gamc-o make those Who should. take
The responsibility. was willing, and am still, to
vote for any reasonable appropriation, y called
TOR, but was determined 10 know what addition.
/ al appropriation would be " IN accordance with
the views Of the Executive" before the election
of the next Congress Accordingly SIR it was
proposed in the Commit tee Naval Affairs
inquire of the Secretary of the Navy whether any
additional appropriation for the increase of the
Navy required. This inquiry directed tn
be made by our honorable chairman, (Mr. JARvls.)
some time before he offered bis resolution of tho
r llth instant, and was tllen pending. No answer
had been returned to the Committee on Naval At-
: fairs, though il seems now answer had been
, given to the honorable chairman. Now, sir, when