The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1846-02-07

IbIe consideration Of Congres.
communication wss here read
from the Secretary Of the Navy, which
HAD been made by the COMMITTEES the Ol
as Of he blh and several other state
ueut, from ether quarters, all calcu'a'ed
to sustain The views Of The ccmmrlee,
nd Illustrate the reSourCcs Of the coun.
Try, The large appropriations coulem-
IpAed by The bill, aud the objections ur
ged, were referred to, bul, he said, the
Expenditures, contemplated were left
Discretionary with The President The
appropriation, Cor the building Of the
steamships was the only one not left
discretionary, and these it was per(ec ly
ippareol would be required whether
war should ensue or peace be preserved.
Popular expectation, he said, is decided.
" in favour Of The measure, or so ne
Other measure of The kiud. The pub.
lie eye Is turned to our Navy, whose he
roc deeds during the last war were en-.
Shrned in The hearts Of every lIue Amer
csn.
Mr.. Benton, contrary to general ex.
peclalon, made speech decidedly pa
ciic, and in opposition to any increase OF
our naval deleucp. lie said that he had
nol made any war speech this session,
because he had seen nolhiug which jns
tilted The belief that war would ensue'
And as he had 90 apprehensions Of war
he saw no reason for adopting war meas
ures, He was decidedly opposed TO
the bill, and to The recommendations
of The Secretary Of the Navy. The pro
visions of the bill we're examined in de-
tail The present expenditures for the
Navy, he said, amount TO about Sc 600
900 more, m king in all SIC 100000
Tor The Navy of The United States iu
time Of peace. THIS bill comes forward
rs war measure, in time of peace, and
an appropriation OF sl2, 100000 called
for, when The whole government, ac'
lCOlhlU8 W llt Sdt'lldlCHS 10 ~ JSSNNN w
be carried on tor S2l 100000.
He opposed The bill, as war meas
ure, because he was not willing that the
American Senate should declare to
Great Britain that the American people
are prepared Tor wal! lie had shown
by his course, on former occasions, 10
which he referred, that he mad not been
altogether blHd 10 what was necessary
for The nalIonoi defence. But he was
opposed 10 measures, IN time oil peace,
cuIaled 10 involve he country ia war.
From the close of the war The govern
ment has acted upon pIan, a system,
which he was ready TO carry out, but he
was mol ready TO depart from that sys
lem. to plunge the country into war,
cal when there { aUthinS 10 chow chat the
peace Of he country is not 10 be prcSev.
ID. His position in regard 10 war or
peace would never be equvoca, and he
wished The measu res al the CoLnDry to
5e equally quiVocaI.
lie went on 10 show that those pro
posed were Of an cqniy0ca character,
and also that the eAJrls which had been
made 10 past years 10 augumSnl our land
and naval forces bad been unsuccessful.
lie would not undertake to argue the
policy Of the present naval peace eSlab
Ijshmenl; but are we prepared to doubel
treble it, in time Of peace, and to make
il war establishment Are we pre-
pared 10 establish permanent military
usval establishment Have the coast.
quencSs TO flow from such an establish
ment been duly consjdcred2 Even
Great Brit,n does not keep up such an
establishment The ordinary expense
of the navy in time Olwar is l8,O00,"I
900, and in peace, about $4,000, 900,
And are we TO keep up an establish.
menl a. the same expense in peace and
in war; Are we prepared TO increase
our expenses fro 100000 10 l2,OOO,-
900 Of dolIar,? At the close of Gen
Jacks0L'S administration, the number
of men employed in our Navy was a
bout 1000. This has since been boub |
led, and now It's proposed to double
the double, The present distribution
of our naval forces he considered iDIu
dicious, There was no more necessity |
now for naval force 10 the Meuierra |
mean than there is for Navy in Chcs1
peake Bay. lie wss opposed to the
bill, lie saw no necessity for any wal,
measure; and he moved the postpone
men, Of its consideration " the FIST day
Of May.
Mr.. Hanegan made one Of The mos,
eloquent speeches Of the session. lie
would purchase peace neither with land
dollars aud cents. Il we are to purcl3s,