Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-07-29

II 'tn6FN ff's the' ever Nas tNhfu VI EcpolEo NV
the judiciary Commiitee-su * post tieto Law
| 'snctoni,.g The ievying Of ship money, ~hien ia
now continued Tor nearly a month in till oreta'icr
The House was asked to pass Il. and by 40 do n
To sanet'on and,o assume he responsibility OF th
outrageous violation OF the Constitution in IN 4
its tendetcst and most vital parts-an pos, fac.
taxing OF the Poop 2; tax ON their property, VII G
by law was now Tree; and a tax levied by sAo u
tive authority, without even the form OF law. "a.
hsing state at ~, sent, hc wanted 10 know " NJ
friend from New Eofk had received any leuer
| which might inform the House how the twe'
millions Tor the army, the eleven millions iOr tn
navy, and the FIVE millions IN part Tor thei
| own pay, were 10 be met and siushedl Had thu
gentleman any letters On that subject Had any
| Fortunatus presented himself with purse deer
enous to settle all these demands1 The bills rar
that the money was 10 be paid "out Of any money
in the Treasury not otherwise app, oprated," wher
| not dollar was there ~ appropriated We wer,
becoming n laughing stock IL the world.
When this subject Of the army appropriation bill
had before been up, Mr. A. had declared that he
had been bred and educated IN the greatest abhor
renee al unnecessary standing armies. and he had
supported motion then made by the gentleman
ffom Tennessee TO reduce the army Of the United
States. That was the principle with Inch We had
gone through the Revolution, and he hoped the
House would continue TO adhere to II. lie hoped
every member would remember to the day OF his
death that the Revolution closed by proclamation
thanking the army for its emncnt services and then
disbandng them. That was the sound principle on
which our fathers had acted. But now they were
told not only that they must not dishand the army
or any part Of It, bnt must the contrary. increase
1t from ten thousand TO twelve thousand five hun
bred men. TINS second regiment OF dragons mus,
by all means be retained. Whyl Oh, It was such
a capital regiment; such an admirable corps; and,
besides, most gallant citizen ot Georgia hid got
It up and therefore certain gentlemen that House
who not long ago were most ardent friends al re-
duc,on, had now received some letter or advice
which made them think that It wssa glorious in>
s,iiution and we must retain ~ IL,ugher Were
it ssiblc for Mr. A. to add to the high ties imon
which had been rendered to the gal,antry OF the
very spirited officer the head OF that corps there
was not man who would do IL with greater pea-
sure He had no doubt the regiment was fine
regiment the colonel excellent colonel, all the
other officers brave and faithful men, and all the
rank and hle wrothy oil such officers; but in the
days OF his childhood it had not been the practice TO
maintain armies for the sake OF the officers com
handing them. Then armies raised and KEEP
on foot for the good OF the country merely, and
when the necessity for their services ceased, they
had all thanks. and honofs, and pensions, and were
recommended TO the gratitude Of the country; but
there was no retaining them in pay because they
had excellent officers 10 command them. MIR A.
said he still adhered to the preiudcss OF his youth
and he hoped the period had not passed away when
the People might dismiss an army no longer need
ed, simply because its officers highly meriio-
rious men. As TO this second corps uf dragons,
the very law creating 1t contemplated its being dis
banded as soon as the occasion ceased for which il
was raised, and that WAS the Florida war. Now
It that war wssnot moro than finished by the dona-
ton OF two bundled thousand dollars the people
| TO induce them TO go and live there, and the reduc
ton Of the Indians to about eithty souls in all, il
never would end. There was no necessity what.
ever for retaining that regiment in service.
IL was now pretty well understood that our quar-
rel with England was so far settled that there Va,
not the most distant prospect OF a war with thai
Power. And yet he had heard said that precise. Y
because a treaty had been agreed upon with her We
must Keep up our army. Gentlemen who had vO.
ted TO reduce II now were strong for keeping il up
and were increasing it, because, forsoo,h, our diff
culues with England were settledi MIR A. woulC
not agree 10 thai process of reasoning. He WISHED
the House to hold on 10 It's prosso OF reduction
Let us retrench; IL could do nothing else, let N
do that The Wings were haunted with not re
trenchIng as they promised. Now, of all retrench.
menis IN which Government could engage, Their,
was none like the reirenchment of a standing army
Gentlemen cried out for re;renchmsnt, and yet talk
| ed OF increasing the army To IL 600 men. Mr.. a
would venture to say that forty millions would no
pay the appropriations of this year II Sccep'eC
the estimates of the Secretaries Of War and the Ma
w, the recommendations of the Commander in
chief and Of our own Military COMMITTEE. lie was
therefore Tor acheTng to the prnviSo IN the bill
! Let u stop the appropriations. True, this would
not, of ITSELF reduce the army. There must be a
concurrence on the part OF the Executive; he alone
could dsband this second regiment OF dragons and
u the House refused money TO pay them, he pro
hably would. The action Of the House was not de-
hnuve; the President could transfer approximations
for something else, and continue the corps; but
was strong expression Of the opinion of the House;
the strongest they could give and that was what
he wanted TO see.
a similar ease had recently occurred in regard 10
the navy. The House had then refused TO concu
in the Seoate's amendment going TO strike out q re
iucton made by the House. Now, If hey acted So
IN regard TO the navy, forfiOr they ought 10 luke
the same course IN regard Ia the army. As 10 the
ravy there might be diversity OF opinion, espe-
cslIv as tirre a standing law for rs increase
and regular appropriations for hat object had been
made Tor four years together. Bot no such law tx
s'ed for increasing the army. In the navy the mo-
ney was for services already renderei here they
were Tor services vet future. He hoped the House
would agree 10 insist and II the other bill 20 reduce
the army should come up IN the mean time, no harm
wonld be dore.
mr EVERETT said tat he had voted against
the reduction prJviso when Il was before the House
because he held II TO be impolic to change the mi
tafy position OF the country pending IN importa nj
negotiation with foreign power; but since tn
time the debate or Saturday had taken place, anr
! induced him to change his course and reverse hi
vote. The country by numerous runners, hst
learned that our regulations with the Brush Com
missioner were coming 10 q favorable iss.e; such
impression had existed bo;h in the House anj out o
/ the House. But the debate he hsd listened 10 o,
Saturday, with the Tumors which hoi met his eA
since then, led him 20 doubt the ce,t,in,y Of sue
| an issue, and still operated to cause that doubt q
continue. When listening to the debate, lie Ia,
thought that the wind was directed westward, an,
was intended to be heard m ii certain qu,ns
west Of this building; but ne was inc ned {,
believe tia. the wind came from the west gen.
teman who was understood 10 sneak the iansuag,
Of those who controlled that nsgo'iaton had ina
mated hat, in its present stale at least the arrange
ment which had been agreed upon was TO be vio-
Lifted.
MIR f. had scarce supposed this could possib' :
he, when the whole process Of the negotiation. II
all its stages had passed il were under the very
eyes OF the President; yet, from remarks Of the gen
tleman from VIrginia, (Mr Gmerl taken IN con.
ncxion with the position in which shat gentleman
Stood to the Executive, Mr. r. bad much apprehen.
sion that It must reilly be so. II such were the
STATE Of the case, the concurrence with The Senate
was the only mode in which that could express its
| opinion in the matter The deteru nation 10 re
I d &c the army would show The Executive that the
! House was not disposed TO put additional aims into
| his hands The power of peace and war was not
With him, but with that House. II the negotat
we're 10 bo met and defe' I'd in thst quarter, ths
House must commence de n0Us. But even n the
rumOrs he had heard, should provo 10 he true, he
could not but believe that the Treaty which had been
agreed upon would be ratified by the Senate. SIC
L. said he had concluded to voc against concur.
renee, and 10 insist reducing the army.
Mr. GllMER, who had just entered the House
IN some haste, SAID he hsd rad the good fortune
10 hear the remarks Of the honorable gsn,lem n
from Vermont. Had he alluded in them to MIR
Gilmer7
Me- EVERETT replied thai he h,d MrE IN.
dcrstOod thlt gentleman 10 hive deprecated the in
PRODUCTION Of the subject Of the Brush negotiation