The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-03
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The journal OF yesterday without having been
read was approved
AAkiNE CORPS.
Mr.. ATKINSON asked leave TO offer tho follow
Ing resolutioni which was read for information:
Rsiolesd That the Secretary Of the Navy be respectful
y requested TO furnish this House with detailed statement
showing The amount u pay and emolumsnts for the tSo
marine corps Of the United states, also the number Of ON
GERS aud marines Ia the service Of the United States the
number at each post the stations Of each oe and that
ne report whether In his opinion the good Of the service
requires the number Of officers and the grades now In the
pay Of the government and whether any reform and
what reform required In said corps and that he
ss MS ''p"'' WIN any ''"'A' deemed pertinent O' him
Mr.. ASHMUN objected.
Mr.. RATHBUN moved suspension of the rules
TO enable the gentleman from Virginia fMr ArKn-
sosl to introduce the resolution.
And the question having been taken, and two
thirds voting In the affirmative, the rules were sus-
pended
And the resolution being thus before tho House,
Mr.. AShMUN submitted that, being call for
information, II must lie over one day.
The SPEAKER so decided-except there should
be unanimous consent, or suspension of the rules
Mr. BOYD moved that the rules We suspended for
the purpose Of considering the resolution at this time
And the question having bsen taken, and two
thirds voting In the affirmative the rules were sus.
pended
And the question being on the adoption Of the
| resolution,
MIR. HoGE called for its reading, and il was
again read.
| Mr. BOYD demanded the previous question.
There was a second. The main question was or
dered, and, being taken, the resolution adopted
PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS.
Mr.. BURT rose and asked leave OF the House to
make personal explanation.
Leave being granted
He said IL will be remembered, Mr.. Speaker, that
a few days since, when personal alluson was mad,
TO me by the honorable gentleman from Kentucky
Mr.. q DAVIS, in relation TO a communication
made by the Secretary of War to the Committee on
| Military Affairs, Of which am a member ! stated
that the Committee on Military Affairs ofthe House
had made no call upon the Secretary Of War bu
that the communication which had been made by
the Secretary OF War 70 that committee, was mad,
of his own motion. The chairman Of that commit
tee, well myself, stated to the House that III,
information furnished the committee by the Score
Isry Of War was Of a confidential nature. | theI
denied, sir, IN answer TO the gentleman from Ken
lucky, that there was any other secrecy in tina
communication than such the Injunction Of con
fdence implies. conceive that the statement which
on that occasion made to the House has been con
troverted by the editor Of the "Union," in an article
Of the 3lst March. IL my desire, as is knowr
to the chairman Of the Military Committee, TO hav
made the correction which now desire TO make
the very morning this article appeared hut at hi
suggestion, 1t has been deferred unto the presen
time.
The article headed Estimates of the War an,
Navy Departments for national defence " in the edi
torial columns Of the "Unlon" OF the 3lst March
says:
! THE military and naval committees Of Congress-
according TO long established usage, communicate
with the departments, and asked their views as I,
the increase of our national offences"
Now | repeat, sir, that the Committee on MIlitar,
Affairs Of this House made no such communicated
: to the Secretary Of War.
The article proceeds:
"Thry 1.-THE Secretaries Of War and of the Ma
WI did not think proper to withhold from tn
committees OF Congress the estimates and sugges
tons Of the bureaus These were also communi
Gated, and in the usual manner, without any lnjunc
ton Of secrecy whatever except that the Secretary
War very properly suggested that some facts sc
forth in the reports of the military bureaus, AIT
Understood 10 relate to the weakness OF some mill
tary positions, should not be made public"
Now Mr. Speaker, have the permission Of tn
Committee on Military Affairs Of this House t
use, for the purpose my statement, letter to III
chairman from the Secretary of War, Of 3lst q
, December, ls45 The following is an extract iron
that letter:
"SIK: The chairman Of the Committee Of the Sen
ate on,MIitary Affairs, having sent TO me the resou
ton Of that body inquiring into the condition Of on
iorthca tons &c, and desired To be furnished witt
such information as had to offer ir regard TO III
matters embraced in that resolution, | transmitted 4
him a communication from Major General Scott Il
me on military affairs, and two reports one from III
chief engineer, and one from the officer in charge
the ordnance bureau, accompanied by remarks o
my own the subject treated of IN these docu
I h.ro IL
pcates of each Of these papers for the Of your
self and the Military Committee ofthe House, witt
the request that they may not be made public
would be detrimental to the public interest if III
facts therein stated should be known to foreis
power, which may, in the course Of events, beeom
the enemy oft the United States"
i have further to say, sir, that not only was thi
request distinctly made, as his letter shows, Blu
there was no inmation that a single fact in the re
psrts from the bureaus to him might be made pub
lie by the committee.
/ 1t is due to the Secretary Of War that | shou
say that, although he did, he states in his letter
communicate these estimates to tho House COMM,
tee in consequence Of the resolution Of the Senate
and not of any application to him by the commit
tee of this House, deem this communication emf
nently judicious and proper. l do not perceiv
that the slightest be imputed to the Sec
rotary Of War for making this communication.
had been called fer by resolution Of the Senate
and 1t was eXpedient and becoming that 1t shout
have been submitted to the appropriate committee Q
this House. The state of the country, at that time
rendered it, in my estimation not only proper, Blu
necessary.
Il THE CUMBERLAND ROAD.
Mr. R. SMITH moved that the House resolv
itself into Committee of the Whole on the state @
the Union, with view to take up the CHAMBERLAIN
road bill.
Mr.. DROMGOOLE made Intellectual effort Il
present memorial subject which he sal
was now undergoing the investigation of com
mittee.
The question on the motion of Mr.. SMITH havin
been taken and decided in the affirmative,
The House resolved itself into Committee Of tn
Whole on the state of the Union, (Mr. FoorE, @
Vermont, in the chair.)
Mr.. R. SMITH moved that the committee TAX
up the bill making an appropriation for the Cumber
land road.
= Mr.. BRODHEAD indicated the bill in relatio
to the licensing of canal boats.
II Mr.. RATHBUN indicated the bill in relation t
disappointment of officers.
i The question having been taken the motion Q
Mr.. SMITH, the vote stood-ayes 81, noes as..