Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-07-31
CONGREss OF rmE uNIrEp srATEs.
WspssspAr. July 2s, lsil.
IN SENATE,

ment Of State in relation to auearagcs of outfits
the dplom,tie agents of the Government.
Mr. PRESTON, from the Committee on Fore
A Relations, reported without amendment the bill
l carry effect the provisions Of the treaty with Me,
\ CO. Mr. L. explained the position in which q
\ commission was placed, and the necessity that ext
| ted for the passage OF the bill.
MIR BUCHANAN would saw rs n member
the Committee on Foreign Relations. that he ha
examined the bill and saw nothing IN It that shou
| forbid immediate action, but on the contrary tn
there should be great Propre'y in passing it ut ono
4 Under the provisions of the treaty, tne claimant
\ were to be paid soon as the claims were osial
lishcd, but 10y some strange inndvettence in the a'
] OF Congress the award could not be made until III
whole claims had been passed Now this a'
was in direct violation OF the treaty, and injuriou
To the interests Of the claimants.
MIR PRESTON said 1t was due TO the Commi
sion to say that the docket clear at least befor
the umpire, and he believed before the board also.
MIR WOODBURY. presumed that the inaiver
7 tencc in the law was occasoned from the cIcum
stance that, under the French and Neapolitan trea
ties, the claims greatly exceeded the indemnify, anC
hence they had to reduce the several claims to thei
relative proportions, and that was the tina
caused the delay IN making the award.
The bill was then read three several times by
general consent. and passed.
! Mr. PRESTON then moved to take up the bill
making appropriations for various for,i6catons fo
ordnance, and for preventing and supprcsSins In
dian hostilies.
The bill having been resd through
Mr. SEWER said he did not perceive that there
had been a single dollar appropriated by the bill for
l the posts on the Western frontier. He would like
TO inquire OF the chairman OF the Committee on Mi
lltnry Affairs whether the bill contemplated the
appropriations for the present year. for, If Il did, he
must call his attention totwo or three of the posts
on the Eordor OF his State that would require look
lag to.
] MIR PRESTON said the bill had been reported in
precisely the form that It from the other
House. The appropriations were IN addition TO
, IL =
sedulousy down to the smallest possible limits.
We have IL, MIR L. said from all the Departments
that these appropriations will be necessary keep
nj work the force at present employed. The Wes-
tern posts had not been neglected; but the object OF
this bill was not appropriations for new works. but
! in consequence of the Departments saying they
could probably employ all the sums required.
Mr. SEWER was aware that these appropriations
were not asked for new works; but what surprised
him was that in the bill before them they had gone
on to ask appropriations for posts on the Atlantic
border only, when the Western frontier, which was
more exposed, had the right to be considered
those of the Atlantic States even on the ground Of
necessity.
MIR PRESTON said the Senator could offer any
amendment he pleased. The bill was then in Com
. mttee of the Whole. de might well state that
strong considerations existed tor placing the forts
the maritime border in rs deisnSiOle a position as
possible and in the shortest period Of time. The
public aware that difficulties had arisen, which
were becoming more and mO.c intricate every day;
and this had created state OF uneasIness IN por-
lions OF the public mnd, and committees had come
on TO represent their exposed condition. Ii had
been thought advisable TO put these psces IN a
state to prevent coup de main; otherwise the bill
would not have been presented at the present extra
session. With regard to the West, he apprehended
there did not exist that Immediate urgency which
the Atlantic border required. The appropriations
in the bill had been yielded to with reluctance, IN
der the supposed necessity OF the case.
MIR SEWER said that at the last session esl-
mates had been made for repairs Of Forts Smith,
Gibson and TOwsOn, on the Arkansas border, but
they had been cut down al least one third. II they
were going on with general system OF defence, he
desired that these FORTS necessary 10 the defence
OF his State, might DO overlooked. Why not
insert them, rs well as the forts on the ALanticl
There plenty Of money; grant had Just been
made adequate to eighteen millions OF dollars,
which he hoped would DE properly appropriated,
NO! squandered part lily or useessly.
Mr. PIERCE hoped the bill would be postponed
The Senator from Arkansas, who had Just taken
his seat, was mistaken IN supposlug these matters
related 10 an old bill. Ii was a new one. No one
was more DESTROYS than himself to have the country
placed in proper state OF defence; yet he was not
disposed 10 vote supplies on estimates, when IN a.
most every instance, the cost had been three
times greater than was supposed. lie was not dis
posed to vote for estimates Of this kind, Eecause
eighteen millions had been placed at the posll OF
the Administration; that was reason shy the
money should be Improperly expended. IiU debate
had arisen for the tast Two or three sessions, when
1t had net been urged upon them to let the appro-
priatlons be as small they could possibly get on
with for the present, and whyl Because the whole
system OF military and navaI defence should under
60 change 10 keep pace with the lights and i'm.
provements of the age. The Senator from South
Carolina had himself said tina, he would vote li5er.
ally Tor appropriations when a proper projst was
presented, which should re carried out urder the
direction of naval and military science; but would
not vote for $4,000 on one, and $4,000 on anolh-
er, without regard 10 propriety-thus wasting the
resources, of the country. He alluded to Fortress
Monroe, which had been erected at such an enor-
nous expense, and could be turned against the cili-
II intended 10 defend. That was one,
and there might be others which money should
not be wasted. II he could be satisfied that the
money would be well and properly expended, then
there would not be so much objection. The last
20 items IN the bill for the prevention and suppress
son Of Indian hoslilities indls penSabe. With
these exceptions the bill ought To be postponed.
When full, clear, and satisfactory report Of a sys-
TEN that would answer for time TO come should be
received then there would be no difficulty in obtain
ing necessary appropriations.
MIR HENDERSON was aware that 10 all mat
tiers Of this kind they had take much on trust as
TO where appropriations were most wanted or most
demanded. In looking 1T the bill, he perceived
there estimate Of Sls5 900 for Massachusetts,
which he was not prepared to say too much,
but II would take great deal Of reasoning TO make
him believe that SlS5,OOO were required for fore
IN Massachusetts, while only 100000 would be
the uelcUCC OF the NnOlG great OuflJi
Western commerce. IL would take the argument Of
great artistic IN wario convince him Of that fact. II
there should be war with Britain, whele would the
forces of that country be concentrated, but on the
South, where they had made denomination be-
fore, and where good fortune rather than good man
ngemeni had succeeded in driving them oh7 Why
should not the great outlet Of the Western empire
DC properly protected The country had more in
terest in u than IN New York; there was more
commerce, more property NJ stake, than IN three.
foUrtEs Of the country beside. lie would never
stand calmly by, and see appropriations called for
much greater than was proposed for 50 import
ant on object that Of the defence Of the outlet OF
the whole valley Of the Mississippi, and vote the
same, unless he saw more convincing arguments ,han
te mere asrgnpsii Of d bill.
Mr. KING was always disposed 70 grant liberal
appropriations Tor the public offences both on land
and water. Flo thought the Goyemmen NJ ought C
go on gradually TO perfect the system OF defence
and he agreed with the Senator from Mississ 20
(Mr Henderson, IN the importance Of guarding IN
entrance Of the great Valley Of tho West in oil D,
most exposed and assaiiaDo points. gCrCr.
line over our extensive coast would be more CYpgn
sivs than the Government could stand; and nf Oh
Senator from New Hampshire had minated th
We might have 20 change the whole plan 10 ksc
pace with the aCknOw edged Improvements boo mil
tary and naval science, he hoped there might be
proper erposs, which the fol est reliance could
placed, from the War Department or from Il
chairman q the Committee on Military Affair
Here was Fort Warren, az Boston, Tor which S45
600 had been appropriated at the last session, ai
now 100000 were asked, making an aggregate
FUHan IaF