Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-04-02
TwENTY-NINTH CONGRESS.

stitufon. The motion 10 receive was laid upon
the table.
A memorial was presented from the North We,,
part of Missouri, to annul the treaty Of 1897,
Memorials were presented for Marine Hosn;,.i
at New Orleans, and for National Armory at For,
Massac.
The resolution Of Mr. Webster, calling for COME,
Of the additional correspondence upon the Nor,b
Eastern Boundary question, was adopted, with The
usual provision, il not incompatible with the pubic
interest
Mr. Allen, agreeably TO notice, moved an Exeeu.
tive session at one o'clock, and the Senate adjourn.
ed soon after three o'clock without definite actin,
upon the subject under consideration which !, un'
derstood TO be the treaty with Belgium.
HOUSE.-The bill for raising two regiments Of
mourted riaemen was under discussion the greater
part Of the day, but no question was taken
Tuesday, March "a SENATE.--A MESSAGE
was received from the President of very mner.
tant character, in answer TO the resolution of NJ
Dayton, calling upon him TO give his opinion il the
circumstances Of our foreign relations required an
increase Of our Army and Navy at this time. and
also what those circumstances are.
The clerk having read the message,
On motion Of Mr. Allen, ii laid on the table
and ordered 10 be printed.
Mr.. Webster then and said: rise for the dur.
pose OF submitting an enquiry relative TO matter re.
ferred TO in the message and not for the purpose Of
making any commentary or remark Whatever on The
message itself We perceive, from the message Inc,
read, that il is the judgment Of the President that an
increase OF our means Of delence-boih military AMI
naval-has become necessary bv the circumstance If
the country. The amount or extent of that necessar
increase is not stated in the message But the Pres.
dent says that estimates showing the extent of The ne
cessafy increase in the means Of defence military
and naval, have been communicated from The aon,n.
pirate departments Of the Executive government 10
the appropriate committees Of this and the other House
of Congress- for their Amusement and consderaliop-
will not complain, sir, at ell Of this mode Of commu-
nicatng TO the Members OF Congress the Judgment Of
the Elective upon such highly important and vital
questions; and do not complain Of it, because as the
President says, IL is not unusual. Recently il is not
unusuai but the practice is Of recent origin, and in
my judgment, is not TO be encouraged Do not know
whether the honorable members Of the Senate who are
respectively at the head of these committees have
communicated these estimates, in any way 10 the
body to which they belong aud rise, therefore, for
\ the purpose of enquirng Of them-beeinnng with The
honorable member from Missouri (Mlr BeutouO The
head oil the Military Committee, what that communi-
cation TO which reference has been made is; and
whether he cannot suggest some form Of bringing
knowledge of il 10 the whole body of Inc Sen.
aiej because it IS stated in the Message that these
estimates were made by the sanction of the President
himself; and OF course il seems to that these est.
mates, thus sanctioned, should have been brought be-
lore the Senate
Mr. Benton, in reply, said: The proper in,roduc.
ton TO the answer 10 the honorable Senator's enquiry
addressed TO me- will be the statement in the fins; 10.
stance how is that the departments with the sane
ton OF the President have Communicated these est
mates 10 the committees. The reason OF that proce-
due IS that at the beginning of the session. esolu
ton OF this body having been adopted directing certsn
committees, and among others the Military Committee
nlnqure whether any, and If any, what additional de-
iences and preparations necessary. in the present
state Of The country, as q matter of copsse the COM
m'ee sent that enquiry TO the proper orean-the Sec
retury Of War. He returned an answer TO that inou
~, which is in the hands OF the committeemanv
OF n being n he ma
IL Is all IN their hands-but, up This time the CON.
mlee have not deemed it necessary TO take any action
upont. ' -'1'N
Mr.. Fairfield next rose and said: am also called
upon, and the statement have 10 make IA eipplv his.
In consequence OF the passage Of resolutions offered
BY the Senator from Michigan, (Mr. Cass) directing
lhe military and naval committees to inquire what
were necessary for the defence of the couu-
ty letters were written by the direction of the com.
mitee on Naval Affairs TO the Secretary of the Nav.
and he IN answer TO this and other inquiries deemed
PeIuhen' 20 5ne case, made communication, which
has been read 10 the Senate and been published. In
conformity with his recommendations, which were IN.
destood at The time 10 have the sanction of the Pre
dent Of the United States, the bill was reported by The
Sonn,,ee when Is now before the Senate, providing
lot the building Of ten war steamers
Mr. j. NJ. Clayton asked whether the Committee on
NaVa Analrs had reported all the information commit
nea'ed by the Secretary OF the Navy; or whether any
other communication had been made TO them BY off.
GERS oil me Navy department, which had not been laid
before the Senaiei
: Mr.. Fairfield. The communication of the Secrets.
~ was accompanied by report made by Chiefs Of the
bureaus 10 the Secretary himself and was transmitted
TO the Committee by him, with the understanding hat
u was TO be returned. II was sent 10 The Commute
N order to and them in framing the BILL and making
tne proper estimates II was large, vouminous doc
umen', no, submitted TO the Senate, because il was
understood that IL be returned 10 The Secretary
oil the Navy. II was accordingly returned,
Mr. w oster again rose and said. | intend 10 Dur.
sue ,n,s subject with single remark only. desire to
put two inquiries to the honorable gentleman at the
head of the Naval Committee first SbetheI ,bs Seene
iary OF the Navy in communicating TO him these es,i.
mates, informed the Committee that they had received
me sanction OF the PRESIDENT and secondly whether
.ne communication which he says the Committee made
TO the Senatecontans the same Internationally vii;
that the naval estimates proceeding from The Depsr
eni had tne sanction ofthe President and were made
under his direction! 1'N WY
MI. Fairfield, ia reply, said the communication Of
me Secretary Of the Navy, that il had received the
sanSoh o. ,he PRESIDENT, was made myself-t
Senate. N'''''"D " ~
MI webster; understand the gentleman then to
gay hat lhe only authority given him for considering
4ese estimates as made out under the direction and
~, or Tue PRESIDENT, was verbal communication
NJ 'hat enect 10 him as Chairman of the Committee
naval Affairs by the Secretary of the NAVY and that
nol even That was submitted BY him to the Senate on
presenting the bill for the augmentation of the Navy
oS gi uays SINCE We see, them the posture Of this
ui' nave only iarther 10 say that hope that as
soon as i may be convenient 10 The honorable member
Mno y chairman oil the Committee on Military Affairs,
anu VINO, presume, has received Information in the
Ss'ne way' una, The estimates from the War Depart
se"' nave mad The sanction and are made under The
direction Of the PIesden-tbat he will ss soon as con-
enehl-al that is in his discretion-communics TO
oe, as lar as proper, and farther, what those
sVpehuatlons are. II there be portion proper to
pIVae u Is quite safe in the discretion Of that
genueman and his associates in the Committee, and
.nefe am quite content TO leave H. Bnt such ponions