Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-05-18

of vessels: which appropriations for several year
past had averaged 81 .5S5O 600, and the estimate TO
o this year was 81. los 600 The committee wet'
aware that from the increased number OF vessels u
e commission the expenses under this head must ne
IcesSarly be somewhat increased, but they had re
commended reduction in this single item of over
million Of dollars. They also found an increase u
the estimate for navy yards. and that the Navy
Board contemplated eNpcnsesior several new build
ngs but believing this n very inauspieious time Il
commence the erection OF buildings, the committed
had reduced that item. They also found an increaS'
IN the estimates for the navy hospitals, and had no.
received sufficient information on that subleci, eu
hoped 10 do before the hill was disposed OF, aud
to lie able TO make reduction under this head
The committee had recommended a reduction from
the estimates OF 81 $50, 400. They had been mos
diligently employed, and had carefully revised tins
bill Tor the purpose oi reducing the appropriations
to the loves, possible pom, oi safety To the puSlc
service. The amount proposed TO be appropriated by
this bill ST. s56 600, and the amount heretofore
for several years appropriated had been abou, i've
and half millions. When they considered the
increased number Of officers aud grades and vos-
sells, they would see that every item had been re
duced rs much as possible.
| Great confusion prevailing in the Hall
| The CHAIRMAN said II must become his duty,
after so often reminding the committee of the d'sor
der, NJ did not subSdc, TO call on the members by
names observe order. Conversation was express
~ forbidden 10y the rules, and would not be toera
ted 10y the Chair unless the committee overruled
| his decision.
MIR FILLMORE concluded by observing that he
had briefly alluded TO the action OF the Committee OF
Ways and Means on this subject, AMI would con-
tent himself with what he had said, unless gentle
men desired to put any ntcrrogatoties TO hum on the
subject.
Mr BlDIACK inquired OF the chairman OF the
! Committee OF Ways and Means II this item Of the
bill provided only for the payment OF officers and
semen now employed, or whether It contemplated
an increase of the present numbeTl
MIR FILLMORE said the gentleman would per
ceive, on examination OF the detailed estimate he
had referred to- that the amount now asked was suf
feient only to pay the officers command, and mid
shipmen who would be arranged as passed mldship
men during the year. and the seamen actually en-
| poyed.
MIR TRIPLETT was understood to inquire
whether this amount was necessary not for the
payment oi officers IN command, but those now in
| servicC} The j ference between the amount of
| payment 10 those in command and those actually
IN the service was enormous. The subject ought
TO DC investigates, anT he hoped this House would
not vote the appropriation until after ar inquiry
most rigid. As one example Of abuse Of this kind,
he referred 20 the case Of Commodore Elliott, who
was suspended from service Tor -four or FIVE years
and the court martial also al led that his pay should
\ be suspended. The Psesdcn, Of the United States
struck that part OF the condemnation out, thereby
eavlng him for this period TO realize oil the benefits
! OF an officer m the navy without any part OF It's
abors, tolls, and dangers; AMI, strange rs 1t might
! appear, this was intended for q punishment on
him.
There were other cases of this kind, he was told.
Let those who knew or had heard Of other cases
speak Of them. lie regretted that the chairman OF
/ the COMMITTEE on Naval Affilrs was not present.
as he would like to inquire OF him whether the pay
OF oficers IN commission and not IN service WIS IN
cluded IN this item. II any member oil this com
muee knew, he hoped he would give the iniorma-
ton. He was opposed 10 including IN this appro
| prlatlon the pay Of Commodore Elliott aud other
! omcers II there were any m commission and not IN
/ service. He knew not this officer, and therefore
his remarks were not personal, but he applied this
principle TO oil cases. Il might he that the Presi
dent had commissioned more officers than there
were vessels and that there were supcrnumerar.es
lie was anxious TO cut down this class Of supernu-
meranes, but was willing to vote literally Tor ap-
preparations for the navy when they were applied
TO the expenses of lis actual service.
Mr. CALHOUN VERY indisuncily heard) was
understood 20 say that Il did not devo've on the
Chairman al the Committee on Naval Affairs 10 re-
Ply the inquiry OF the gentleman from Kentucky
tMr Iripleit,) but another Committee was charged
with that subject, viz: the Committee on the Ex-
pendnures Of the Navai Department.
Mr. FILLMORE, IN reply 10 The inquiry of Mr.
Tupeit said if he understood the estimate correct-
" this item includes these several grades OF officers
hrst, those in actual service on the ocean, second
those IN service at our navy yards and hospitals !;
and third, those waiting orders. In reference 10
THIS last class, Il the gentleman would look al the
document already referred to- he would find that the
amount Appropriated 10 them WAS S29i, 400, the
number OF the various grades Of which he read
amounting 10 $50 IN commission, waiting ORDERS
and 80 expecting TO be added TO the list There
was nothing here which the Committee of Ways
and Means wished to disguise. They took it as
| they found il.
Mr. CAVE JOHNSON, after a remark not heard
by the Reporter, was understood 10 suggest deferr-
! ing the bill until the Chairman OF the Committee
on Naval Affairs MIR Wise) should be present.
Mr. FILLMORE hoped they would not defer
the bill.
MIR EVERETT had understood the gentleman
from Tennessee mir Johnson) to refer to the fact
! oil number OF officers being shore, and not in
active SERVICE as conseq uenee OF the oct Of last
session establishing home squadron. lie mir L. }
supposed the effect OF that would be the direct re.
verse. When they put more vessels into Commits
sion the officers on shore would find more room for
employment
But he rose to call on the Committee on Naval
Affairs, or on any one acquainted with the subject.
Tor some information as to the appointment Of mid.
shpmen, IN which every section of the country had
deep interest. II appeared to him that there was
no manner IN which they could so attach the whole
country to the navy 20 distribute these appont.
ments among the different sections of the Union.
lie did not recolect that he had had the good
! fortune 10 get person appointed for whom he had
made application. During the late Administrator.
he had applied for poor orphan boy to get him
! into the navy. lie had not then quite arrived of
the age which was required; but he received en-
| courasement that when he became Of ace, his ap
pointment shoIid be made. At that time the np.
pllcaton was renewed, and he was told that the
situations were full. On the change ofthe Admit
nlstrailon he applied 20 Mr. Badger from whom he
| understood that there was not only no vacancy.
but that a surplus had been appointed 10y the pre-
cedng Administration. He had applied to the pre-.
sent Secretary, and had received an answer tina,
his application should be most respectfully consi.
dered. He found that lGs midshipmen had been
appointed since his application and yet his poor
orphan boy was not included in the number He
had thence been induced 70 look around and see
where these appointments went. According TO the
statement Of the Secretary, Of the appointments
made from the 4th Of March, is4l, 10 the 9Th Of
April lost, the whole number oi mdshpmen np q
pointed had been l5s, of which 3 were rom Vir-
ginla 90 from the District Of Columbia and 10 from
Maryland, and Of 70 other appointments. Is had
been from Virginia, from the District Of Column
bla, and from Maryland-giying to Virgini1 40
10 the District Of Columbia 90, and 70 MARYLAND %:
making lOl out Of 253 appointments This wns
no way TO attach the country 10 the navy; and #
% was not n rule Of the Department to make dis
uoution oil these Offices, It should he provided for
by law.
a long debate ensued on the proportions Of ap.
poinlments among the several States.I
MIR MERIWETHER said that when he n,ds
the motion he did not anticipate that II would have
taken such a turn. lie was sorry to perceive ,b,,
the question had assumed an aspect Of p,rty. Hiq
object IN making the motion was 10 obtain inCornn.
ton relative 10 the bill before the louise. md af,e
all he hod heard on the subject he had only To s,v
that he vas not more satisfied Ms TO the proprietv
oi increasing the appropriation than he had been be-.
fore the debate sprung up. The President had a %.
pointed this increase Of officers in the navy He had
H. -.