The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1841-07-08
NUMBER Al.

policy Of taking superintendent from CIV
life, as shown by past experience, is the van
Of the proper qualifications 10 the person
usually selected Some degree of science
= as veil as practical knowledge in the con
1 strucilon aud use Of arms, are indispensable
n requisites ia the superintendents. fhe &c
] sired and proper qualifications are rarely Il
] be found united in the same person In civt
] lIle, whose services can be commanded b.
/ the Government. Another and more Sc
! rIous objection 10 the system Of supervision
heretofore practlsed, is founded in the de
. iectye and inadequate control which the
Department has been ablo TO exercise over
J tbe superlntendents. Ii has been found
. impossible, In some instances, 10 enforce
The most saIu.aTy regulations. The neces.
sary degree OF difference TO the orders aud
wishes Of the superior authority, il is mani.
fest, has not been felt. This, probably, is
the inevitable result Of the nature Of the in.
teTest and Influences, Ia no manner con.
uectet wiki the objects Of these establish.
meuts, which too often control the conduct
Of the superDtenGents. For these reasons
II IS deemed Of great importance that the
armoues should be separated, as far as pos.
slbls, from all connexion with the party
politics Of tie day. The force of the Oh.
jectlons suggested, 10 a civil superinten.
dence, cannot be better illustrated than Ly
/ the statements contained 10 the accompa.
nyiug memorandum Of the Ordnance De.
par,ment, which appears TO be taken chiefly
from the correspondence between that De.
pattmeDt and the superintendent Of the az.
mory at Ilarper's Ferry.
But tho eApediency Of continuing the sn.
perin,endency Of these officers must finally
BIO decided by Congress. Some hesitation
was felt in dropping, temporarily, the civil
pernieudency bu, as neither Of the late
supefin!enden!s, though Of much personal
worth, was regarded as possessing, in doe
degree, lbose particular qualifications which
are important in the management of such
establishments, their removal was though.
tit occasion to introduce a new SYSTEM
Time has not yet been allowed to test, SUI.
iclentiy, its advantages or defects. If It
shah be the pleasure of Congress 10 allow
the existing vacancies under the law, as It
nov stands, to continue for q short period,
The public interests will be subserved, what.
ever may be The result Of the experiment.
if the policy recommended by the Ordnance
Department, and so far sanctioned by this
Department, shall succeed, il will be well
Tor the public service. fit shall fail, there
viii no longer be any preiext for future
changes and the Department will look 10
the selection Of the most competent super
inteudeuts from The walks Of civil life, and
to the means Of improving the efficiency of
these establishment by such ney regula-
TORS under you direction, az may be sug.
gested by experience.
Additional appropriations, TO the amount
Of SS25, 647 So, are required by the Pay
and Quar,ermaster' Departments for the
service of the present year. The amount
asked by the Quartermasier General ap.
pears 10 be- indispensable. Ii Is about the
sum which Congress at the last session fail.
ed 10 appropriate, though included in tho
estimates and understood TO be ia part for
arrearages for The year ls40; and large
portion of the present demand may not be
improperly set down 10 the same account.
A portion Of the SUN required by the Pay
Department is for arrearages Of the year
ls40, as will appear from the report Of the
Paymaster General.
The agents and superintendents hereto.
fore employed in the construction Of the We,
ricus improvements on the lakes, The sea-
cost, and III the interior, have been dis.
excep! such as have been retained
al a small compensation, 10 guard some Of
the most important works remaining in an
unfinished state, aud the public property
connected with them. In few instances
it has been found expedient 10 employ an
agent to take care Of the property Of the
Government collected for the construction
of these works until Congtess shall deter.
mine upon the question Of continuing or
abandoning them, where there was no fund
on, of which they could be paid. Some of
these agents have been paid from the pro.
ceeds of tho sale Of a portion of the public
others can be paid only by fur.
Their sales, or under an appropriation by
Congress. 1t has also been ascertainsd
.hat The expenditures upon several of these
works have exceeded the appropriations
made for their construction. These arrear-
ages are generally due to contractors ard
aboters IN no way responsible for this err
-oy and provision should therefore be made
for the payment of them. The amount ne.
cessary to discharge them, as well as TO pay
The expenses of the agents employed as
above stated, appears from the report of the
Chef Of the Corps of Typographical En-.
.iaoers TO be 500, 997 -.
The subjec, Of The axpedency Of compet.
ING the Cumberland road, and of improving
certain narbors and the navigation of Ger:
tain great rivers, which may be regarded
as necessary and proper in making ado.
luale provision for the public defence, pro.
pose TO postpone the further notice of until
The stated session Of Congress, as the con.
sheraton Of It will involve the propriety of
making appropriations for various works OF
internal improvement not necessarily con-
nec,ed with that object, and, consequently,