The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1844-01-26

should our country hesitate, with the extraordinary
facilities which il possesses for building equppng
and manning public vessels to continue the grad ual
expansion Of the navy ia pursuance Of the policy
commenced at the beginning of the Government
The appropriation called for is unusually
large because number of vessels are on the stocks
anu require further sums for their completion and
equipment Not few of the vessels now aloat also
need repairs and some of them are unfit for service
Our noble steamship which was burned requires also
to be replaced, ut least by vessel of equal magn
tude and force. Nine millions OF dollars for all these
| purposes, and to maintain the squadrons which now
bear our flag at home and abroad is not large appro
pratt on. nor bey'n | our means.
Reading the bitter sneerng and unpatriotc remarks
oil Mr. Adams, in opposition to the home squadron
and IN favor OF general reduction in the means of
public defence we could moi but contrast his present
views with the sentiments which he entertained be-
fore he suffered his mind and heart to be soured by
political disappontments, portion of his country
ana countrymen to become TO him objects of hatred
and maevoence, instead Of regard and We turned
involuntarily TO his annual Messages to Congress
while ne filled the first magistracy, 10 assure our
selves that -oAs memory did not deceive US and that
IT was possible for man OF Mr.. Adamss age ana
character In so brief space TO forget and repudate
a line OF policy he had so earnestly advocated.
La his first message, under date December 5, 1925,
Mr. Adams speaks of the Navy follows after emu
merating the various duties it had performed during
the preceding year:
| " 1t were indeed vain and dangerous illusion to
believe, that in the present or probable condition
OF human society, commerce extensive and so
| rich as ours could exist and be pursued in safety
| without the continual support Of military marine
the only arm by which the power of this Confederacy
can be estimated or felt by foreign nations and the
only standing military force which never be dan
gerous to our own liberties at home. A permanent
naval peace establishment therefore, adapted 10 our
present condition. and adaptable TO that gigantic grorM
r'h rhich the nation is advancing in its career among
the subjects which have already occupied the fore
sight of the last Congress- and which will deserve
your serious deliberations. Our navy, commenced
at an early period of our present political organiza-
ton upon scale commensurate with the inclpient
energies the scanty resources and the comparative
indigence Of our infancy, then found ade-
quate to cope with all the Powers of Barbary, save
the first, and with of the principal maritime Pow.
ers OF Europe
AT period of further advancement, but with |
little accession of strength it not only sustained with
honor the most unequal of conflicts but covered itself
and our country with unfading glory. But it is only
since the close of the late that by the numbers
and force Of the ships of which it composed, it
could deserve the name Of navy. Yet il retains
nearly the same organization when il consisted Of
only five frgates The rules and regulations by which
1t is governed earnestly call for revision and the
want of naval school of instruction, corresponding
with the Military Academy at West Point for the
formation of scientific and accomplished officers is
| felt with daily increasing aggravaton.
"Ihe act of Congress, of Goth May, 1924, author
iZing examination and survey of the harbor of
Charleston, IN South Carolina, of st. Mary's in Geor-
gia, and OF the coast Of Florida and for other pur-
poses, has been executed far as the appropriation
| would admit Those of the Sd Of March last autho-
rzing the estab shment Of navy yard and depot on
the coast OF Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico and au
thorlzng the building of ten soops of war; and for
other purposes are in the course of execution"
In his second Annual Message December 1896, |
he dwet still more at length and more emphaticaly
"a fNn fal. for Loo. 4.
of the Navy, which he pronounced "a fund of
National property, The pledge Of our future glory and
defence" He says:
cit was scarcely one short year after the close Of
the late war, and when the burden Of It's expenses
and charges weighed heaviest upon the country that
Coz gress, by the act Of 18th April, 1916, appropr
ated million Of dollars annually, for eight years
TO the gradual increase Of the navy. AT subsequent
period, this annual appropriation reduced to half
million for SIX years, OF which the present year the
last. yet more recent appropriation Of the last
two years for building ten loops of war, has nearly
restored the original appropriation of 1916, Of mil
lion for every year The result is before US ALL We
have twelve ne-of battle ships, twenty frigates and
sloops Of in preparation; which, with few
months Of PREPARATION may present line of floating
Notifications along the whole range of our coast,
ready to meet any invader who might attempt TO set
foot upon our shores. Combining with a system Of
Notifications upon the shores themselves commenced
about the same time under the auspices OF my mme-
uldlc predecessor, UllntflO NNSlcm1llC3lN puT-
sued, it has placed in possession the most effect
i've sinews OF war, and has left us at once an cram
pie and a lesson FROM WHICH OUR DUTIES MAY BIZ
INFERRED. The gradual increase Of the navy was
the principle of which the act of 29th April 1916
was the first development. II was the introduction
Of a system 10 act upon the character and history of
our country for indefinite series of ages. Ii was
declaration Of that Congress, to their constituents
and to posterity, that the destiny and the DUTY
of these coniederated States 10 become in regular
4 ttrn.s nd hN fty "A
narai poce. That which they proposed to accom-.
plish IN eight years IS rather 10 be considered as
the measure Of their means than the Limitation of
their design. They looked forward for term OF
years sufficient for the accomplishment Of definite
portion OF their purpose and they left 10 their I
successors to al up the canvass Of which they .
had traced the large aud prophetic outline
The ships Of the line aud trigates, which they /
had in contemplation will shortly be completed. /
The time which they had allotted for the accomplish
ment Of the work has than elapsed. II remains
for your consideration how their successors may
tribute their portion of toll and Of for the bene
fl of the succeeding age, in the gradual increase of
the navy There IS, perhaps, part Of The erereit o
the constitutional poioerS n The federal government ichch
has giren general satisfaction 10 The peope 4 the
Union than this The system has not been thus yilo-
rousy introduced and hitherto sustained, to he now
departed from or abandoned. In continuing 10 pro
ride for The gradual Increase Of The nary it may not be
necessary expedlent to add for the present any
more the number Of our ships but should you deem
il advisable TO continue the yearly appropriation Of
half million to the same objects, il may be profit
ably expended in providing supply OF timber to be
seasoned, and other materials for future use in the
construction Of docks, in laying the foundation Of
schools for naval education, to the wisdom Of Con.
gress either Of those measures may appear to claim
the preference"
Ia the sane strain Mr.. Adams spoke Of the Navy,
in his third and finally in his fourth Annual Message
bestowng upon it the encomiums which it deserved,
and urging upon Congress the expedency Of continu.
ing to axe measures for It's support, improvem Mt and
increase the surest means of preserving and en-
arging the commerce and making the name Of the
Republic respected. Yet there never was a time
since the Republic founded when the foreign re-
ations Of the country in better condition, or
when all its affairs promised longer continuance of
quietude at home and abroad, or when the flag whe-