The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-06-02


Wy BILL.
In reducing the appropriations from the official es-
Inmates for the Army aud Navy, Congress, think,
are acting unwisely and preciptately. This is no
way to maintain the spirit of these corps, sustain
their efficiency but the contrary, is calculated to
iniure boh by the njudicous legislation of men who
really know nothing about the matter but who, hav
ing spent hundreds of thousands in useless and
tentious debate hope tomake up the to the coun
try by taking it off from the Army and Navy esti-
mates.
The best way, in some cases, to retremch expendi-
lures is to increase expenditures. This may pa
radoxical, but 1t is nevertheless true.
The proposals of the Secretary of the Navy, is a
case in point. For the thorough organization of his
department, he submits scheme which will involve
an increase of immediate expense over what the de-
partment now disburses. But any one, with but
Slight knowledge of the plan, cannot but perceive that
such increased present expense will ultimate in
positive saving of money, and prevent, in a great
measure, that waste and misappcation of appropria-
tons which have disguised tue people, particular
" of the West, with whom this retrenchment finds
its most active advocates The root of the evil so
often complanedof in the vast required for the
Navy is not reached by this retrenchment of Con-
gress it is just enough to embarrass its operations,
without correcting its abuses they must search into
the movements of the Board of Commissioners, if
they would find the hole of the Navy purse, and the
horse-eech cravings of "give, give" which have so
often, and so teaZngly rung upon the ears OF Con-
gress. DO away this expensive Board, and give Mr..
Upshur, or whoever may be Secretary, the effective
organization which the Department demands, even
though at first will increase the expense Of it, and
in very short time the country will have saved by
the regular and supervisory management of Ma
val affairs, far than Congress will now deduct
from its appropriation. We repeat what we have so
often asserted, that we do not desire Navy larger
than the protection of country and seaboard de-
mands but what is the facti 1t is that the United
States Navy not sufficient for these purposes. Wit
ness the coast of Afrca-witness China, where, dur
ing all the English difficulties not vessel of war,
bearing flag, has been seen, to protect our cti
zens ard int rests 1t is true that the Navy has been
somewh increased of late, by the fitting out of the
two steamers by commissioning the Home Squad
ron and by increasing the number Of officers
-Four fIigates, also, now ready to be launched,
the Cumberland" the "St. Lawrence" the "Rarl-
TAM and the Savannah :" three briggs have re-
Gently been launched the "Somers, the Bainbridge,"
and the "Truxton; )" one steamer has also been
completed the "UDion," and three Tiers being
built. All this force the protective and commercial
necessities of the country demand, and shall these
vessels, already paid for, be laid up in ordinary
to rot and decay instead bearing our flag to distant
and making il familiar and respected in every
port1 1t is a niggardy, parsimonens policy which
would thus cut of any of the supplies of the Navy
and cannot fail of exciting discomfort and dsgus