The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-01-11
NATIONAL DEFENCES.

Among the maxms of wisdom incucated
BY the great Father of his Country in his Farewell
Addfess-rhere is one, not the least worthy of our
attention, that tells US timely disbursements to
prepare for danger frequently prevent much
greater disbursements TO repel i'll These are
times when the importance of lessons we have
received are more deeply impressed on our
minds by the force Of circumstances; and the
unsettled relations existing between this coun-
try and England are Of such character as TO
impel US 10 make preparations to meet the crisis
OF war, should il occur. We cannot forete
whether the difficulties existing between the
two countries will terminate in a hostile collision
or not but, the causes of dissenson are 50 nu-
merous, that the possibility Of war IS vastly
increased. Having the possibility of contest
with nation so powerful impending, our pre-
partitions TO meet the danger should be mmedi-
ate, active, and unceasing.
From the events OF last war, We were taught
TO devise means for ensuring the protection Of
our extensive coast. board Of engineers, soon
after the peace was organized, which was entrust-
ed with the duty of fixing upon eralplinciples
Notifications. This Board has continued in ex
istence ever since, and has made frequent re-
ports which have been transmitted to Congress.
Such was the energy apparently exerted IN car
rying out the suggestions Of the Board at the
commencement Of its career, that II would
hardly have been deemed rash twenty years ago
10 predict that all the Notifications il then recon-
AL baa ~ ~ md ,.,l
before this day We read 10 journal. printed
nearly twenty-five years since, the following
passage on this subject, Notifications are
erecting for the defence Of all the most mpor-
tant points assaiidbie on the shores Of Lake
Champlain, the lower Chesapeake and Missls.
sippi; and, at other places, extensive works are
silently approaching the desired strength" Who
would not then have supposed, from the Ian
guage Of this paragraph, that before the close Of
the year 1925, at least, the Notifications recon-
mended as the most important would have been
completed and armed? And would it have been
then conjectured that many of those classified
as Of second or third rate importance would not
be begun in 1912? And vet. what is the infor-
nation given by the present Secretary OF War
III HIS report W congress " H0St oil tle
works of primary importance including the
largest and most expensive are nearly com
peted.n In another place he says The onis-
SION TO make the necessary appropriations, has
prevented any thing more than partial execu-
ton Of the plans for the defence Of the Northern
frontier T. Under the appropriations made
IN September last for the defensive works at
Detroit, Buffalo, and the outlet of Lake Cham
plain, means have been taken to select sites for
their construction &c. Again: g. II will be
seen that some of the most important works for
the defence Of the harbor Of New York cannot
be continued for the want of the appropriations
that were recommended at the late session. Ii
u of the utmost consequence TO the protection
OF that city that prompt and decisive action
should be had on the subject" That much is
10 be done TO put the country in state OF de-
fence Is obvious and that immediate and ener-