Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-03-07

made on this subject by British and American naval
officer Until lo42, under all administrations, the pc
hey Of the country was inexorable-to have none OF
these foreign connexions in tha, year this policy
departed from. The very convention was made which
President Jackson, in 1884, had pontedy refused and
already the evils Of such departure from wise
policy Besides this indefinite appropriation Of money,
we have dissension about the treaty itself The British
Government cons;rues it one way; construe it ano
ther-and the President, in his message TO the House
of Representatives. evidently CONSTITUTES it both ways
and then contemplates contingency in which he may
see it necessary that the Government shall send its
whole naval force TO Africa Very much like war; this
And fine commentary on The peace treaty lis very
authors already speaking Of contingency which may
arise under IT, and which may send navy 10 Africa,
to protect vessels there from British visitation.
Mr. B. sad there other things in the bill TO
which he shonld not object. So far as it provided for
carrying into effect all that within the scope of
the treaty making power, he should make objection,
much he dsl,ked the treaty Bot this provision for
the squadron he held TO be ard gross
and fatal departure from the wise and old established
policy Of the country To this part he objected, and
should take nj! proper occasions TO manifest his oppo
stion to H. The session expiring; much bu-
sness pressing. lie could not make speech; but
he could not lose the opportunity of placing himself
fully aud unfqavocaily before The country utterly
opposed to tins African squadron-a squadron which,
besides entanglng US in foreign alliance, involves a
vast expenditure of money, and sends the tenth part OF
navy TO Africa, 1t time when are DENYING ap-
propriate defence To The West-dsmounting our dra-
goons the frontiers Of Missouri and Arkansas and
retrenching 2 per cent from the pay Of officers whose
whole pay is barely adequate to the support Of
the mselves and families.
Mr. ALLEN submitted amendment TO come in
at the end Of the 6lh section, TO the effect that the
TO be applied TO the support Of the squadron the
Of Africa shall not exceed $4,000. Mr.. A. said
that this amount the the estimates Of the
department.
MIR. ARCHER said the Senator from Missouri 1Mr.
Benton had acted in perfect good faith with the
ances which he gave rtay-that he would con-
but few moments in the discussion of this bill.
That the reason which induced him TO abstain from
making any reply TO the remarks Of that Senator,
cept as TO point-that this bill appropriated
amount gross Jet be applied in the discretion
ofthe Executive. He (Mr AZ contended that there
was no violation of the usual practice this CASE the
appropriation necessarily subject TO be applied
cording 10 the discretion of the Executive. AS to
striking out the 9th clause Of the bill, he had no obec
ton to it whatever for he considered the provision
tanned in that clause to be wholly unnecessary There
specific provision requisite, order 10 give to
the Executive the power of making the application Of
the necessary TO carry the provisions of the treaty
into effect.
Mr. CALHOUN said, there was no specific appro-
priatnn, because additional expense added 10
the existing expenses OF the Navy. II no Treaty had
been made the same difficulty would exist with regard
the Right of Visitation The Treaty had not created
the dtlicutyit had grown out of other subects-and
IT war should hereafter take place. in onsequence
of The British insisting upon Tie Right of Visitation, so
FAR from the Treaty being responsible for producing it,
we would be, in consequence OF the existence of the
Treaty. in infinitely better position than before
because would then have not only the law Of ma
tons in favor but that which was infinitely stron-
ger, and which could not fail to command the sympa-
thies Of the word-he express stpulatons OF Treaty
lie belle we'd the inlerpre put upon by the Pre-
sdent, the true Interpretation. He would not
consume tie time of the Senate upon this matter. lie
did think there The slightest necessity for the
amendment and he would, therefore, vote against it.
Mr. ALLEN said, he thought it right and proper that
the American people should know something about the
additional expense which would be enaled upon this
Government by the Treaty Under the present bill,
the Executive might go on and appropriate ten millions
of dollars 1t for this reason he DESTROYS Of
fixing upon specific sum-or, unless limit were
given to the expenditure in this way, it could never
be ascertaned how much expense the Treaty had en-
tailed upon the Government. lie asked for the yeas
and nays upon the motion.
MIR EVANS said, if the gentleman would refer to
the report OF the Secretary Of the Navy, he would find
that additional expense was to be ncurred-a
change Of destination for part of the gross amount
was oil that would be required.
Mr.. ALLEN said, he believed il was not customary
to put the whole number of the vessels composing tho
American Navy into commission OF once, during o
time Of peace
The allegation of the Senator from Maine was, that
the same number of ships would be employed without
the Treaty as with it. One of two things must then
be the casc-ei,hcr that few ships had ereofore
been employ d-[Mr. EVANS. That is i.]-or else
that a greater number than was necessary were to
have been commissioned without reference TO the
Treaty.
Mr. CALHOUN said that the object of the Senator
from OHIO turned out to be, to ascertain the adj
tona expense which this country would be subject.
ed to in consequence of the treaty. He submitted in
all candor, TO that Senator, whether there would be
any additional expense, equiste at all events
10 have a large force upon the coast Of Africa; and
whether the whole expense of that force 10 be
trbutabie TO the existence of the treaty. And he
would submit 10 the Senator still stronger question
The Senator Of the existing state OF things
in this country and he was also aware that Great
Britain had acquired the RICH, of visitation and super
vision partly by own agency and example. We
had ourselves induced her take the she had
We were the first 10 condemn the African slave rade
and yet it was we'll known that all slavers in
the habit Of making fraudulent Of our flag. He
submitted, then, whether upon considerations of ho-
nor aud duty, were not bound TO send vessels TO
that coast 10 prevent such abuses; and whether the
charge incurred for that purpose should be attributed
TO The treaty.
Mr.ALLEN observed that, the Senator's argument
was good there occasion for lis to enter into
treaty at ALL and its only effect would be TO place
sci yes under obligation 10 do that which
bound to do before But he had yet TO learn that there
was necessity for keeping tenth Of our fleet upon
the coast Of Africa He would undertake TO say that the
expenses incurred by Of the treaty would
than qu,drupe the expense which, wthoutiit, would
have been requisite for that branch Of The public service.
He opposed to that article of the treaty upon
higher grounds. Great Britain possessed the greatest
maritime power of any nation upon earth she had
twenty guns TO she consequently by this
arrangement, dsposng Of one tenth of naval orce
and, 10 that extent, weakening our power Eighty
guns, TO US, were something; TO her, nothing This
was very important consideration, independently Of
the enormous increase OF expense
Mr. ARCHER en,reated the Senator from South
Carolina not TO persist in raising general debate upon
the subject Of the treaty and he appeaed-and he
thought his appeal would not be in valn-to the Sena
tor from Ohio, whose motion had given rise TO this dis
cus.ion TO forbear pTorac,ing the debate at this time
A single word would suffice 10 dismiss the whole SUBJ
ject. The question whether il was policy 10 have
certain number Of guns upon the African coast, could
not now by possibility arse-nnd why' Because we
bound by treaty stipulatons Whether expedient
or not, were bound TO employ that particular num-
Der for the next five years. in the suppression of the
slave trade. He submitted TO the honorable Senator
from Ohio whether he desired TO be rumental-ro
matter whether be deemed the force too great or not
in involving this country in the commission Of breach
of public faith That honorable Senator and the Sc