Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-09-01
The ArInorIes--Nr. EsartOn's
Speech.

OF Congress upon the subject oil the Ma.
tional Armori, 5, is from the ChaIesiowu
Free Press:
Ii will be seen by reference TO our Con.
gressional sketch, that Mr.. Barton, OF
this District, and Mr.. Calhoun, of the
Springfield District, exeried themselves
nobly against the military dcspotsm at
tempted to be fastened upon the Armo.
ries. The vote OF the House against the
military system, proves that the views OF
these gentlemen were well regarded, and
that they deserve to be held in grateful
remembrance by their constituents.
Bot all their efforts, we fear, have been
unavaling. The organized o6ieiat cohorts
are too strong for the people. The pc.
Rod has arrived, when not only the Eek
ecutive claims the right to shape the ac.
ton of Congress, but the inferior depart.
ments dictate laws and regulations In
the instance before us, we have tho ex-
traordlnary example of the Ordnance De.
partment obtaining from the President the
suspension Of fifteen monlhs-aye, the
nullification-of an existing law OF the
land, aud then framing and forcing upon
Congress system to suit themselves -
And we fno the Representatives of the
People quietly submitting to the degrada.
ton Of being the mere registers of the uW
Of the Ordnance Department. Is this the
Democracy which we hear praised and
sung liom every stump and stand in the
Union, when demagogues invoke the aid
of the populace to vest them with author
ity ? Need WE cal! the attention of the
people to the degeneracy of the times p
Do they not see and feel that repr, senta-
tive government has become mere mock.
ery--a shadow without substance
The sketch of Mr.. Barton's remarks,
given in the National ln,eligencer, is
very meagre one, bu, enough is reported
to show that Mr.. b. maintained his posi-
ton ably and earnestly.
MIR. Barton addressed the committee
during his hour in remarks which we're q,
times so indistinctly heard ,hot nothing
beyond a general sketch 10 attempted to
be given. He said his principal objec,
was to strike out the second section OF the
bill. Ie had but little to say of tho gen.
pral features of the bill, and if equality
had been preserved, If they no, reduce, d
The navy, he would not have given a vote
10 reduce the army one single man. lie
this attack in the first pla ce, on
he navy of the United States, as ono Of
he most unfortunate party, as we'll as one
If the most unfortunate patriotic move.
ncnis, tina, had ever enlisted the att, n,ion
IF any delibcrative body. 1t had become
after the reduction Of the navy,
n order to enforce a corresponding reduc.
ion of all the departments of Government,
hat they should reduce the army but
he implored the committee never to touch
he skeleton of the army, but to prt serve
nj its regiments and companies us they
rad been established by law. He refer
red in terms of admiration to the pension
system of England, and TO the protection
afforded by her to those who had worn
themselves out in her service OIL land or
IN the water, and deprecated the PROPOSE.
ION of the gentleman from Tennessee,
Mr.. Cave Johnson,) and others, tina, those
who had spent the brs st Of their lives in
most arduous service in Florida should be
ut off from the army, and that the sec.
md regiment Of dragons should cease to
,xist. He raised his voice ngsins, any
PROJECT to abolish any company Of the ar.
ny Of the United States.
SIR. B. now came to tho second section
If the bill above stated, which he caused
o be rend. He expressed grea; indigna-
ion a, the course of the Ordnance De.
'artment with reference TO the superin-
endence Of the nrmories. Harpcr's Fer
y was in his district, and there were some
wo hundred votes there yet he disclam.
ID any personal or political motives here,
nut claimed to stand forth in the defence !
If liberty. lie went at some length into
he history Of the armory at llarpei's |
Ferry, showing that i, had been establish.
ID by one of the earliest acts OF Congress;
hat for forty years it had been under |
.ivil supcrin:endency the practicabilty |
md benefits of which had been proved by |
experience ; but now they had become |
wise above what was written, and the re-
corded evidence Of the experience of years
vas dls:egarded IN these improving and |
times, aud military superin. |
Evidence had been established there by |
he Government in direct opposition and |
without any authority of law. He refer. |
ed to the manner in which this movement |
or the change Of SUPPLEMENTARY had been |
Elected /; TO the report Of Col. Talcolt on |
he subject to the fac, that circulars had |
been addressed by him to each of the SEN |
Itors to influence their votes on the SUBJ |
ect to the dissatisfaction and excitement |
hat had sprung up among the workmen /
1t the armprles, aud to the cause thereof; |
o the oppressive orders that had been is. |
ued to the unreasonable length of daily |
abor required under the new regulations
O the discharge Of the laborers without /
ufficlcnt cause, &c. ; and said that the |
military upernlondence nigh, now be
orced on the people, but II never would |
,e carried out, aud the Wing party would
zee that under new dynasty the shack. |
os they imposed would be thrown Off
lie went for continuing the civil supern- |
endency, and resisted with much spirit |
he policy proposed TO be established. As
ar as he was politically concerned, il |
not 10 him what course was Ia.
Ken, but if this House were lnliexibly de- |
erm'ned 10 'asten military despoiism