State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-06-28


of Ways and Means, TO ascertain if they
were necessary, or itsone deductions from
their amount might not reasonably be
made. Formerly, when an unexpected
requisition came III, you could discover by
the sober demcanor of the committee of
Ways and Means, that they Were fearful of
the effect 9th new call on the house, and
that they regretted the necessity which
compelled them to advocate it. Now, the
scene is entirely changed. No sooner does
the chairman of that committee receive a
call for new appropriation, even for few
thousand dollars, than his countenance is
lighted up with unusual Joy; and on the
prospect of new Indian war, and the con-
scquent call for an appropriation of mil
lion, his eXultation is extreme. He rises in
his place, with great apparent selfgratula-
ton, announces the fact to the House, and
in note of triumph, informs US that we
must stop talking about the surplus, for
we should now have an opportunity of
spending it.
But, sir, gentlemen have not been content
with the acquisitions of the Executive.
The Departments, contrary to all former
practices, have heen solicited and importu-
ned, and tcased, by resolutions and letters
Of committees, and personal applications,
for additional estimates. A resolution of
the Senate of the 18th of February asking
for additional estimates produced brief
letter from the Secretary of the Navy,
transmitting, not his own views, but the
imaginngs Of the Navy Commissioners /;
and detailed report of the Secretary of
War; overthrowing and "toppling down
headlong," most Of The tall project of gen.
tlemen for dissipating the revenue on for
tfications-a report which does the highest
credit to that 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 the most eminent
statesmen of the country. The answer to
this resolution was not very digestble
affair. The Secretary of the Navy said
nothing. The Secretary of War interposed
an argument that could not be controverted;
and, what was 10 less insuperable, the
President himself expressed an opinion in
accordance with the Secretary. But gen.
tlemen were not to be put aside by one re-
ftIsaL The Senate place themselves in
an lmploring attitude, and address the Sec
rotary in the language of supplication.
DO, sir, be so good as to inform us the most
you can possibly cXpend during the year,
in your Department "What is the mari
mum amount 1T at is the language-that
can be expended? This question was rather
too extraordinary for so old fashioned n
man as the Secretary, and he seems to have
been puzzled to know what to do with it.
He knew the eXtrayagant answer which
the craving appetites Of those who made
the inquiry demanded, and that he could
not give it without abandoning the estimate
he had deliberately made at the commence
ment Of the session, and contradicting all
the principles which he had so ably main
tanned in his report. But not desiring to
be uncivl TO so respectable and gentleman
ly a body rs the Senate ofthe U. States, he
hands over the resolution TO the chief En-
gineer: "liere, sir, you answer it," From
the reputation which the Chief Engineer
has whether justly or not | will not pre-
tend to say Of being the most liberal and
alitudinarian of any officer in the Govern
ment in regard to appropriations, one might
naturally 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 circunscribed, and beyond
which they become wasteful and eXtrava-
CANT. lie, too, declines 10 answer, and
following the example of the Secretary,
hands over the humble entreaty of the
Senate to his subordinate; and we at length
have Il Second Lieutenant of Engineers, in
some half dozen lines, saying thar, in his
opinion, some six millions may be benefi
cialy expended on Notifications, annually
And it is upon this naked opinion of Il
Second Lieutenant of Engineer re-, without
/ Il - nl
assigned tor the extraordinary conclusion
TO which he has arrived, that we are to be
called upon TO appropriate millions OF the
public money.
Sir, the Secretary of war repudiates the
idea of layishng our resources on extensive
I Notifications on the seabOard- ortlficatons
which il would require a large standing
army to maitland which no enemy would
he silly enough to go out of his way tc
attack, when he could accomplish any OBJ
ject Of invasion much more conveniently
| by passing them beyond gunshot distance
! lie overthrows most conclusively the ex
tended system of defence on which our
former systems have been made, proposes
to coniine our fertilization to the projection
of the important Seaports from naval ap
proaches, and TO limit the extent of thost
works to their capabiIity, with the aid o
steam batteries, Of accomplishing that oh
ject, and of resisting sudden Attacks; rely
ing on the patriotism Of the people, aided
by the facilities afforded by the imterna
improvements of the country for the rapiC
concentration of force on any point of at
tack, as the great and leading means of ma
tlonal defence. lie recommends re-eX
animation of sites and reconsideration o
plans, before commencing new works.
sir, this is the language of reason and o
common sense; and whoever adopts the
principles of the Secretary, will find i
somewhatdiflicutt to discover proper objects
for the expenditure Of much more than I
1.-THE of the sum recommended Inn. no