The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-06-13
CONGRESSIONAL.
REMARKS
MR.. CUSHING, OF MASSACHUSETTS,
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.


on the Naval appropriation bill, and the question be-
ing on the motion of Mr. Meriwether to amend the
clause for pay Of commission warrant, and petty Off
GERS and seamen, by striking out 49, 23 and
inserting s., 1886, 900
Mr.. CUSHING said, he well remembered at the
close of the last Con lress, in both Houses, the al
most unanimous expression of desire for the aug
mentation OF the Navy or at least for the malnten-
OF II on the footing OF strength and etclen
cy as at that time patriotism regard for the public in
terests and honor, were then the lips of every
member of Congress, and when the present able
head of the Navy Department nunicated his
port at the commencement Of the present session OF
Congress, his recommendations in favor Of the Navy
were received throughout The country with senti-
ments of congratulation and pride. Mr.. g. little an
cipated that he should have to listen to re-
marks which, if they did directly call in question the
value and Importance Of the Navy, yet indirectly
have that tendency, and still less that such serious re-
auctions wouli be proposed in the personad and ma
Terrell of the naval service.
The Committee of Ways and Means proposed
reduction Of more than million of dollars from the
estimates for the building and equipment OF vessels
A gentleman from Maryland Mr.. Mason) had gwen
notice oil his intention TO move an amendment provd-
ing for temporary appropriation instead of per-
manent one. The motion pending was for reduc-
ton of 100000 dollars in the pay of officers and
men. These successive suggestions, in their spirit, If
not in their ayowed purpose, struck fatal blow to
c., might, in the course of the debate go into the
question whether the Navy should be maintained at
its present strength not but his object, at present.
briefly to explain of those points in the ex-
penditures and practical administration of the Navy,
which had been made subjects OF question or objec-
ton before the committee.
The gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Mason) had
said he was against any permanent provision for the
support Of the Navy until there were means to meet
it by tariff of duties. Mr. c. said it was not true
that means had been provided to meet the appro-
priatons of this bill The House had already made
provision for the service of the current year by
means of Treasury notes and the Loan bill. Gentle
said, suppose the loan were not taken. He would
suppose this with regard to any part of il and
to that part of which the Government had
immediate need, this had ceased to be thing of pro-
liability only, and had become a certainty and of
what avail would new tariff act be with reference
to these appropriations II could not go into opera
ton and yield revenue for months TO come and the
idea OF any necessity of waiting for the passage of
the tariff act, before passing the ordinary appropria
ton bills, was altogether faacous, and founded on
erroneous conceptions of the condition of the Trea
sury.
But the gentleman from Maryland wants to look
into the expenditures of the Navy Department. Well
the information upon this subject, of general char
acter, before the House already, in the report of
the Secretary of the Navy accompanying the Pres-
dents message, in the annual Treasury estimates
and in other documents communicated to the Senate
the House; instead of there being absence, there
really was an extraordinary afluence of information
on those subjects
MIR, TRIPLETT here suggested to Mr. Gushing va
rious points upon which he desired information.
Mr.. CUSHING was glad that the gentleman had pre-
sened these matters Of inquiry for the House; he
took himself to say that there nothing in the
documents relative to the naval service to which
the Secretary of the Navy would not most cheer
fully give further Information if desired, and from
the paper before him, partly printed documents
and partly manuscript matter, he, Mr.. c., would en-
deavor before he took his seat, to answer all the
questions propounded by the gentleman from Ken
lucky, (Mr. Trplett.)
The gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Mason) had
spoken of the officers innumerablc who out Of
vice, unemployed, and yet subjecting the Govern
ment to expense. The gentleman from Illinois Mr..
Reynolds) had alluded to supposed similar fact he
begs the gentlemen to understand the precise facts
concerning this, he Mr.. c., should presently COM
muncate them to the House. The gentleman from
Maryland had alluded to the fact of court martial
sitting in Baltimore, and had said that this
subject of exception to the service of the Navy Did
the gentleman desire that there should be Judicial
discipline in the Navy of the United States-that
there should be court martial, no investigation in
regard to the offences committed Did the gentle
desire that the Secretary Of the Navy the Pre-
sden should exercise arbitrary discretion OF dis
nissa of officers on their mere ipse DIRT? He had no
doubt of the fact that, when the proceedings of that
court martial became officially known and laid before
the Secretary the Navy and perhaps by him before
this House, w uld be found that most useful services
had been rendered by this investigation to the dsci-
pline and the interests of the Navy. He admitted
that court martials expensive, and more expen-
sye than they ought to be but did the Secretary of
the Navy or the President have jurisdiction over
them' They must use the means Congress had Civ
to them, There were better, more economical
and more useful means for the accomplishment OF
the ends OF public Justice and the discipline of the
Navy, than the system of temporary Judge advocates
by the establishment OF permanent Judge advocate
recommended in the bill for the reorganization OF the
Navy, which Congress alone could pass.
1t said ny gentlemen that here vast
augmentation Of the proposed expenditures The es-
Inmates of the Secretary of the Navy, he admitted,
greater than those of last year. If it ma
teria to 60 into that question: he should be able to
show ample reasons why they should be larger-why
additional force and more vessels in commission
should be employ. d-why vessels should not be
left to rot in the yards the loss of which more
serious than the and tear of the vessels the
ocean in the service OF the United States But, in
fact, this particular question had been withdrawn
from before the House by means of the form In
which the Naval Appropriation bill, now stood the
estimates of the Navy Department had been reduced
more than million of dollars by the Committee Of
Ways and Means.
MIR. MgRwErHER was understood to INQUIRE whe
ther this item had been reduced by the Committee
Mr. w JONES Ca member of the Committee OF
Ways and Means) said this item was not reduced a
all by the Committee
Mr.. CUSHING had been speaking of he SUN total OF
the estimates, which was no AuOovo put III TINS OIL
there proposed reduction from that Of s ,
3000 900. Gentlemen had repeatedly spoken of the
augmentation of the toa of the estimates of th
year, as compared with last year. The original diff
ference in the estimates for the two years was 81 400,
600. Tie Committee OF Ways and Means had pro-
posed reduction of 81 300 600, leaving diferenc,
of but IL 100 600. From this there to be de
Quoted Incorporation for the home squodron, which
stood on separate basis The gentleman from Vr
gina Mr. Mallory had refer ed to the fact that wher
the bill providing for the home squadron was befor,
the House but eight gentlemen voted against it,
When they took the expense of this from the differ
between the appropriations proposed by this bill
and those of last year they would find that there hat
been but very little augmentation and that requr
ed by the change ofsystem ofthe Secretary of the Ma