Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-12-20
ultimately be forced Upon us, if we shall continue TO

Tho nb,c nroneriy ere now exposed IN navy yards
TO conhacFacn and theft, for want OF proper hai'n.
Guards -1hcIts, 10 considerable exlenl nave recently
been detected and, doubtless, Others have been com
oiited winch never iii be detected. One hre, which
SINGLE additional marine might prevent, would pro
baby DESTROY IN few hours, more than ihe expenses
Of tie whole marine force for ten years Surely, II
cannot be true economy 10 leave much oil lie pup
c property exposed such grea, DANGER ior want OF
so very cheap protection, few additional marines
Il is an object OF great interest TO me, 10 make The
| Navy subseryirnt TO the encouragement oil American
Industry This may be done, not only Ny the protec'
! tou which it affords 10 American commerce, (nPon
which have already conmenicd,) but, also, by means
of The suppiics which 1t requires. We are probably
Tie only people in the world, who can, wlh peritc'
convenience, build, eqnr, nrm feed, and eolhe navy
Of The largest size, from our own home resources
nation of any magnitude, having oil the materials oil
war constantly al comaand IS essentially power
full Hence il il Of the utmost importance, that We
should adopt policy, calculated, at once, to cherish
and 10 devcopa these sources oil our strength and Sc
CURLY. The measures more Immediately necessary !"
accomplish this object, have already been brought 10
The notice of Congress but they have not yet been
acted on it would TO be proper that should again
refer to them.
The first in Importance is tie preservation of navy
timber, growing the public lands. no other coun
try possesses rich Of this material as the u
s Propery protected, it would afford supply for the
largest navy in the world, for indefinite time, with
out any sensible diminu.on. But regret to say thai
the laws which have been enacted with tins view, are
in some respects Imperative and in all respects nein
Gent Depredatons Of The most rulnous KIND ere daily
committed in spite of all the vigilance which this De-
partment can use, and in defiance of all the power
which it is authorized Ia exert. Our own people are
daily selling to the Government TIMBER winch they
take against law from the public lands and It IS under
stood that large supplies Of the mter are already
contracted for by foreign Governments. II 10 imp 'ss''
HE TO prevent these depredaiions under existing avs
TIE subject Isl in my OPINION worthy OF the serious
and prompt attention Of Congress. II they should
thoroughly investigate II, the information which th's
Department aiiud will not fail to convince them
If i!e necessity of Il reform The laws relating 10 II,
and of additional grants of power and means IN tie OF
fcers of the Government 10 whom them may choose 10
ln,rust this valuable part of the public property.
The subject, next in Importance, is the establishment
of navy yard the largest scale, on the waters oil
The lower Mississippi. had The honor TO give my
views npnn this subject, in report 10 the Senate, OF
The 3ls of January last Respectfully referring 10 'bat
report iorbear 10 repeat al large he Suggestions Inch
it offers | will only say lEat the object which have
IN view is To afford whatever facilities such es,a
blishmen; afford, to the industry of the whole val
ley of The Mississippi now cut off IN great degree,
from lis due share in the supplies of The Navy The
of tina. region wou!d fad there ready and conve-
nient market: an extensive rope walk-a necessary
appendage TO such navy yard-wouid present n con-
slant demand for hemp the provisions of the West,
now worth little nothing, from their superabundance
would fad 4 ready purchaser n ia'r prices Every
branch OF Western industry would feel, directly or in
directly, the influence of such establishment; while
The Navy ITSELF would be of abundant and cheap
supplies sufficiently convenient to the ocean, and yet
perfectly safe from the attacks Of any enemy.
Its by arrangements Of this sort, that the Navy
be made 10 return 10 the country twice the wealth
which is expended in support OF 1t. The wealth OF
nation does not consist the quantity Of gold which
may have in its Treasury the economy of naiinn &c
rot shown only in The smallness OF lis expenditures II
is rich, only in proportion its people rich and II
is economical only far rs il applies the public money
valuable 10 the people who pay It, than the
money itself. This s but another name for national
thrift but it is the only in which national economy
is o. any value. Nine ten,s of the appropriations TO the
Navy are paid back 10 people for materials,
labor and subsistence 1t is TINS put into circuG'ion
pr wing debts, supplying wants, Dnd sustaining Credit
E:cry dollar thus employed, increases The tar payng
qtty Of the people TO twice that amount; and this
tax paying ability is the true wealth Of the nation. The
expenses Of the Navy therefore, no, 10 be cons'
dcred dead tax upon The Treasury. They not only
70 back and circulate among people, but unlike
most other expenditures OF the Government they give
employment to industry, encouragement to enterprise,
and patronage 10 genius. They perform, to great
extent the oice Of protective Tariff, in developing
and bringing iato varcus soarccs of national
wealth particularly in copper, iron, hemp provisions,
and coal. The feet ct even small disbursement, 50
made upon the public prosperity and comfort is much
more important and extensive than the first view of
noud lead us 10 suppose. | am far from saying that
taxes ouah, be levied merely for the purpose o so
cxpendirc them No should be imposed, direct or
indirect. which is not required Tor The legitimate ana
proper uses Of Government. Bntf q necessity for The
tax can be shown 10 exist II the purposes TO winch
Is proposed apply it, c ay appear to be useful and
profitable 20 the country far beyond the measure OF The
tax i,sel il 10 be burden, and is relieved from
al fair objection Such my opinion is emp'atcnliy
The case with almost the entire appropriation to the ma
val service Ii is confidently believed that such appro
mir Ub,y1j ms COnT[Hlfnt and ET0D6F re
ncnve sgsfem 1cW d0hc may be, aud OF necessity must
b. applied far valuable 10 The people who
pay Them, than The money ITSELF and that, far from
being oppressive burden, they VIII operate as uea-
sare If positive relief.
In looking for the sources OF unnecessary expense
throughout. The naval establishment have found much
10 correct 1t cannol be denied that Navy has cost
much than il ought To have COST considering Tie
small number Of vcssea that we have usually kept IN
commission. do no: know that this could lave been
rary easily prevented under the former defective organ
zltion Of the Department. The mode heretofore pur
sncd of obtaining the supplies Of the Surgeon and
Pursecs department: has subjected the scamen 10
unnecessary charges, the Government 10 constant IN
position in many gross frauds and equony
to heavy losses These losses have been The greater,
in consequence Of the want of proper means of estab
fishing system Of strict accountability; which would
have enabled TIE Department no. only to sec the extent
Of the evil, but to apply The proper remedy The ou-
caux 10 which these sui, rc's belong, have been di-
gently and successfully engaged In oeFis'b9 su"ao'e
means Of guarding against aimar n,pos'l:ons for the
future The articles are procured as far posi-
h:e from those who make produce them that the
p,ciils-aiways large and often extorliona,e-which
heretofore been paid to the grocer the apoihecay
and The contractor ior clothing saved 10 the Co
varnmen; and Ike sailor. Such supplies as VIC are Sill.
compelled 10 obtain in The former mode, subjected
to rrorous Inspection which assures US Of their good
oualy and reasonable prices and when brough, into
the public stores the persons under whose charge they
rod to mt III th.l
gree of nnuteness which Pronscs 10 guard eitectnay
AGAINST any waste or extravaganza in the Of them
! have very little doub, that much Of the mechanical
Labor which has been performed at navy yards has
been too dearly paid for can perceive good reason
why mechanic should work fever hours IN the day,
or receive higher wages in public dockyard than III
private shop; on the contrary, il there he any differ
cncc, it saon'd be in iavr of lie Government IN con
sequence Of tho constan, employment and The
more pTomp, and certain pay II is certainly good po
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