Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-02-06


gentleman that The 100000 appropriated Tor afy
dock al the Navy Yard Pensacola had Lot been
there, but transferred 10 other objects Does not lhat
gentleman know that the amount ives nsuihcirht 10
complete II? The gentleman from missouri t"f.
Hughes) had some misgivngs about the word increase
in the bill transferring these appropriations. D"t ne
would ask him how is the mouth Of the Columbia IVeF
be defended if Territorial Government is IL pc es-
tablishment in Oregon, except by increase q he
Navy. II he (Mr. b. the Secretary OF the Navy
he should have eye sngly gradual increase Of
the Navy TO meet the very contingency winch tue gem
tlenIan from Missouri wishes, and that is the orgnhiza-
ton of Territorial Government in the Terrtsty oil
Oregon. To send army across the Rocky fioun-
tans would Millions then the proper course @neid
be his attention TO the Navy that it may float
lriumphan, in vIndication of our National rights
Mr. HUGHES sad he was not against the Navy,
but was opposed to It's abuses.
Mr. BLACK said he much opposed 10 tbuscs
any other gentleman this floor but be " AFRAID
other gentlemen would follow Mr.. Hughes i, his Il
tack upon the Navy for its abuses, Lasng Interior
views. Come forward and specify the abuses oil wsiie'
complaint Is made, and III would go sshnsi tHen oE'
tn bill limitation OF the powers OF the Secretary oil
the NAVY and not an enlargement had been asserted
| He did not know hr, lie should vote for the Oregon
bill bnt he certainly would not unless Texas vas en-
braccd To accom- lish this, the Navy must he ~
creased because it Is more economical AID effective
than 10 send an army across The Rocky Mountains -
| Tie estimates of the Navy Department had been re-
farred 10 by gentlemen; but he would ask them II the
estimates Of the Departments are 10 be taken as cohcu
sive for Tie action OF this House: Certainly not
Congress had undcitiken TO parcel out the money M
der different heads giving some bureaus more t!an
they wanted whilst others had not enough, and tins
bill only proposed transfer Of those sums unexpeG-
ded from one object another Ii there is any fault
in thus parce!lng ort belongs 10 this House, and
not to the Secretary; and he hoped no distinction
| would be made in this matter with this administration
| md those of Gen. Jackson and Mr. Van Buren,. lie
took his seat, hoping the transfer would be mace
Mr.. HOPKINS was opposed to the general principle
of transferring appropriations from one object to mat oil
another but IN favor ot SPECIFIC and distinct ap'
propraiinns of the public money
Mr. WISE said IL was not 4 general transfer, but q
transfer ouly nf uncxpen.ed balances.
| Mr. HOPKINS said, as the bill stood il was gene
raj transfer; because the abroad were entitled
to their pay aud when they came home from SEA an
| Appropriation vond have to be made by Congress ~
supply the deficiency OF transfer; and the trends OF
this transfer contend that 1t is not general transfer, he
would move amendment 10 that effect and then he
would have objection 10 it. He proposed 10 amend
as tolows-"darng the presen. fiscal year, winch l.
| United the time of he transfer.
| Mr. WISE said that since the organization Of The
Navy Department, it had exercised the discretionary
power OF transferring funds from appropriation to
that Of another 10 meet unforeseen contingencies, u
the necessity of the service should demand H. OF put
ting Tie ships Of The Navy l,at This bill only pro-
poses t. take appropriations from head ard apply
them 10 another IL does not propose, az asserted, 10
20 into the Treasury and take the pubic money ior
this purpose. Has the Navy Department, trsnscended
its powers in this instance; Where? And how: II
the object Of gentlemen ii to prevent aonse OF the
public money the best would be to take these
idle funds of the hands of the Secretary, and eP
ply them TO the Of the Navy, instead oil leaving
them present idle in his hands II the sdmnistfa.
! ton were corrupt supposed it would be thankful
10. these funds To lie idle in it's hands Then, u gen.
tIemen wished 10 avoid corru pton, would be policy
TO eSpend this idle money which would tend 10 cneeR
corruption bu. Withholding this transfer, gentlemen
do no, strike the right nail on the head Instead o.
preventing corruption the refusal to transfer these un
xpended balances the hands OF the Secretary would
| be- the means Of increasing It.
| Mr. HOPKINS explained, and said, that 1t the
transfer made from the pay OF the seamen abroad,
II would have TO be supplied by an appropriation, ana
! this his objection.
Mr. WISE said, that he admitted that the seamen
abroad will have be paid but there ctder I'M
expended balances, besides the pay oil seamen abrnad,
v lch could be transferred, which only shil!ng
The public funds from hand To the other, 10 meet
unforeseen contingencies, which must accrue III HE nd
mins.raton OF the Navy Department.
GlIere there was conversation between Mr.. WISE
and Mr.. HUGHES, of an expanatnry character. IN
relation abuses in The Navy, and about the purcha
sing Of cypress canoes by Lieutenant Mclaughlin, IN
the Florida campaign
| Mr. WISE said that the gentleman from Tennessee
lAlr. Cave Johnson whom he looked upon as goose
watching the Public Treasury, (and in all sincerity for
his friend from Tennessee, he goose either Tor
he very vgllnt in watching the public Treasury
had already called upon the Navy Department for ING
information IN relation TO Lieut. Mclaughlin, which
would be presented in n few days. But lac would tell
the gentleman from Missouri Mr.. Hughes] that he
would give dollars apiece for those cypress canoes
for bis own use although there was plenty OF cypress
where he lived; and that the administration OF Mr..
| Tyler was as pure any other administration SINCE
the formation of the Government, not even excepting
| Gen Jacksons lie said calls were made by gentle
men this floor upon the Departments tor infoFma-
ton which would take their whole force to answer
lhen and the other day his friend from Tennessee WI
Cave Johnson) had addressed order in the form OF
an inquiry about the appointment of masters mates,
which was absolutely order to stop the sailing OF
the gate RartoD, until the validity OF those appoint
ments could be ascertaned Yes, an absolute order from
tins body which is but branch OF the Lcgis!- tive
Department OF the Government, to that OF The Exc
cu,ive not even inqulrlng whether such retcntion
would would not be injurious 10 the pubic service
When the these calls were sent here they
printed and finally sent INTO the document room
hsre forever to sleep without any further notice 'aGeh
Of them, and which of NJ use whatever Some
gentlemen appear have idea whatH o the !abo:
they throw upon others by these unnecessary calls
The gent cmon from Ohio (Slr Brnkerhcti Sad that
the Navy not what It was twenty yeas AGO,
when it fought itself into notice; but he woud tell
tina; gentleman tia, no man Lad higher regard for
the vaor of u Decatur, Perry, end others, than he
had vet the Young officers OF The navy would compare
IN every essential particular, with them, when the 'ie
shall arrive Lock at your ships, and compare ihcin
with those Of any other naon-thc Warspse, and the
French corvctcs if you please that have heen in the
ports of the United Sta,rs-and they will be found 81
perio. in discipline, and cleaner III every particular,
from their keelsons 10 their oly-stoned decks Com
modores Warrington cambridge Rogers, Stewar. and
Barron land there not better dfciphna!ian IN
any service than Commodore Barron,j mad brought up
these boys, and they The jewels OF The country,
worthy being the npnarchs of any ships deck, no,
only Of lhe American Navy, but of The world lie had
no doubt but that there some encouragement III
the Navy Department, but if gentlemen were ANXIOUS
To find corruption, let them go into the indian Depart
nent and General Land Office, where 1t does exist to
nm alarming extent, and they wi, hnd enough 10 en'-
pluy then, without throwing their shafts at the Navy,
winch should be fostered by the Government You
have established school for the boys OF inc Army,
viierc ;hey are educated while those OF line Navy are
neglected giving them bu. common English rducaiions
perhaps cyphrring far The rule OF hee yei villa all
these obstacles thrown in the way oil the !"n"5 men Ct
The Navy there among them men o. ti'en's aho edc
Cal
Mr. BARNARD then took the Hoof, and spoke
ogans the transfer, end con;ended Tor srec'c apP'op
a;Inns. -
MI. DAVIS of \ y, spoke in favor OF The transfer,
preferring i, TO specific appropriations
Mr. on IN spoke in favor c the transfer, illustrating
his argument with anacdoe
Mr. MILTON Brown spoke against The transfer