The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-06-04
Fcom the Phil North American
CUTTING DOWN OUR NATIONAL DE

lvOTkn
CUTTING DOWN OUR NATIONAL DE-
FENCES. 81.
No act of Congress during the present session has
awakened such general surprise and regret a. that
whieh has invaded the effective force Of the army and
navy. RetIenchment in any other shape would DC
borne with much less solcilude and remonstrAnce.-
The public regard n act Of suicidal folly. They
can find adequate for IL In the condition OF
the National Treasury so long as the great question
OF revenue, through the provisions OF Iarih, IS IN
the hands of Congress. they know that oohs'esS
has the power to create revenue and they will not ex
cuse in this body act, the only apology for which
lies in failure exercise this power They VIII not
accept the exgency that exists defence Tor the
deed, while that exigeDcy can obviously be removed
Honest poverty which knows remedy infc.s no
humiliation reproach, but penury and distress re-
sutng from recklessness or apathy is disgrace 1t
carries in its own existence the evidence of unmitigat
ed shame. To plead poverty therefore, in defence
of this act Of Congress- while no effort is made to re-
lieve it, and while its authors are themselves In the
full receipt Of all the emouments which the most pros
porous condition of the public Treasury could war
rant, is adding insult to injury
This Incorporate act of Congress proposes rednc-
ton Of military and naval forces, especially the
former, to their condition in 1884, since which time
our population, and foreign commerce. have nearly
doubled. These forces considered al that time
but poorly able to protect the interests cOnfded 20
them but the embarrassed stale of the country and
the weight of large public Debt, reconcied the ma
ton for the time being to these inadequate defences
And yet then, Of security never settled
into repose; it constantly kept in state of peIu-
turbaon by some fresh act of outrage. The public
obliged seek consolation for tie injuries and
dshonor thus inflicted in the real supposed inabil-
ty to provide adequate defences But if the deiences
of that day were unequal to the conhded interests OF
the nation, what can they do, with that vast &C
cession of exposed interests which has SINCE arisen
If aggression was experienced then, What may be ex-
pected now? If our commerce and our Indian IRON
tiers were in jeopardy them what, with only the same
means of protection, must be their condition nopl
We have colonized our Indian tribes In shape
that will enable them to throw their whole effective
force, at given signal, on our white settlements
Human ingenuity could not have invented a plan OF
Indian colonization full of peril to our frontier
Our only security for hour lies in the mutual jea-
lousles of the tribes The deep injuries which have
been done them driving them away from their
homes and the graves of their fathers rankle in their
memories, and they may at any time forego their mu-
tua alterations, and rise in their savage strength to
avenge these unprovoked and common wrongs
Should this occur, and nothing is more likely, the
terrific tales of Florida would be forgotten in the
horrors of the tragedy that would ensue. And yet
in the midst of this increasing peril it is proposed to
reduce our only means Of defence Ito leave our ex-
tended frontier to the mercy of foe with whom fe-
rocy IS instructive, and who is spurred to revenge
by exasperating sense of wrong.
Our foreign commerce too, in the extent of its ex-
posture has kept pace with Indian frontiers. 1t
has penetrated every cline, spread itself over every
sea- and is pursuing its objects among the most
uncivilized and savage sections of the globe. The
naval force which we now have ahoat is utterly un-
able to afford the protection required All it can
pretend to do is to chastise here and there out
rage months perhaps years after it has been
committed But an immediate protection, sufficient
to prevent these acts of lawess violence out of the
question. Our only resource is to suffer the injury,
and then like snake that has been trampled upon,
try to stag the heel that has MANNED us. Such is
the protection which this reducing act of Congress
extends to the interests and honor of the nation
But farther; our dificut ties with England have not
yet been adjusted; hardly the first step has been
taken toward satisfactory arrangement. And is it
wise and polite for in this stage of the negotiation
to deprive ourselves of the only means of defending
the rights and maintaining the claims, which have
asserted9 Shall we voluntarily place ourselves in
such condition that we mus crave from the indul-
gence generosity of Great Britain what might
have demanded from her justice Will the inability
prompt to acknowledge them? Does the history Of
her treaties it'll other nations warrant any such ex-
recitation We may perhaps, in creduity, grageiy
sentiment Of derision Of all the positions in " hch
we have been placed for the past twenty years. in
reference to this power the present is the last usli
fly reduction of our naval force. 1t would be much
wiser in this juncture forestal future in its
increase than consult present exigency in Its reduc
| tion A few thousands expended may prevent
a catastrophe, that will involve millions. The wisest
legislation is that which looks the deepest into the flu
ture This reducing act of Congress is blind even to
the present.