The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-28


Of this days
Sc qnd BE- il further enacted That the entire proceeds
from the sales VI the public lands aeerahg % sals
building and squipment OF Ten additional steam vessels Of
Of the first class Of frsstrs and or this purpose hs
forthwith thu Of millions and seventy seven thou
sand dollars being the amount during the past year
from a%S ,as. Sst a. Any gsss. 2 Be eoesd Of the
material the vessels provided Tor IN the hFst 'ecoh
Of this bill.
The PRESIDENT stated that the gentleman from
Alabama, [Mr. BAGBTl held the floor.
Mr.. BAGBY arose, but yielded TO
Mr.. HANNEGAN, who said he desired TO make
an explanation Of some OF the remarks offered oy
him Yesterday. He had stated to the Senate, that
the convention now in session in Missouri, for the
purpose ofremodeling the constitution oftha State,
had unanimously expressed their opinions on the
Oregon question. He remarked at the time, that
he had received the information from friend now
in his seat, Mr. ATcmsos.l In passing through
that gentlemsn's room, he found that he MIR. A
had just opened paper from home, and IN il was
contained the resolution which both supposed had
emanated from the convention. IL was not so
however The resolution had been adopted by a
body as high as the convention and over whose de-
alterations distinguished member OF the convention
had presided. Tho meeting was held at the seat OF
government, and was attended by large con-
course Of the most respectable citizens Of Missouri,
collected from every quarter Of the State. That
Vas the body which had given the expression OF
popular sentiment and feeling TO which he had
alluded yesterday.
Mr.. EVANS desired to ask the chairman OF the
Committees on Naval Affairs IL he had any objec.
ion 10 lay on the table the papers from which he
had yesterday road, and that they be printed.
He believed that the bill had been drawn in accor-
dance with the recommendations OF the honorable
Secretary Of the Navy, and the heads Of the differ
ent bureaus, and he was Of opinion that the docu-
ments should be put In possession OF the Senate.
No EAlREIEI I'D remarked FeDV that the
bill had been drawn in conformity with the recon-
mendation Of the Secretary Of the Navy but not
those Of the heads Of bureaus. He aPprehended
that the document had not been designed for presen
tation TO the Senate In an official wayi but he sup
posed there could be objection TO placing in the
hands Of the body.
The communication from the Secretary OF the
Navy was then handed to the clerk, and ordered to
be printed.
Mr.. BAGBY then proceeded, and said: would
have conlented myself with giving silent vote on
the bill now before the Senate had il not been for
the basis which the committee had rested its claims
to adoption by the body, as well as these measures
OF which it formed part. II will be recollected by
the Senate that early in the session the senator from
Michigan Mr.. CAss introduced a series OF resou.
lions Of inquiry relative to the proprety and neces-
sity ofaugmenting the defences Of the country-reso
udons quite proper in themselves, and which were
referred TO the appropriate committees Of this
body-one portion of them to the Committee on
Military Affairs, and another TO that on Naval AZ
fairs. The bill now before yoa is understand
an emanation from that reference | have two OBJ
jections to the bill before you | object TO il first,
as peace measure on thekcore ofeconomy; is too
arge for a peace measure. And object To it, sec
ondy as a war measure, because il is entirely too
small. The great point however, for the considera-
ton OF the Senate In the discussion Of this question
is one to which the arguments Of all-and especially
Of my friend from Maine-is whether there is any
-. r ~.
whether there ~ anything in the present aspect Of
foreign relations, either with Great Britain or
other powers, which renders such an augmcnta
ton of the naval force Is contemplated by
the bill necessary and proper. In determining
this question, 1t will be proper for the Senate to
take much wider range than the mere examina-
ton Of the provisions Of the bill IL this is a war
measure-tits object be to provide for the naval de-
fences Of the country, ask ifit will not become in
dispensaby necessary, in carrying out the presump
ton that an augmentation OF the national defences
is required by the exigeney Of the times, also to
increase the army and put the militia in a condition
for immediate service' l object to tho bill, first,
then, as peace measure, on the score Of economy.
You were told yesterday and told properly, that
the expense of your naval peace establishment is
| now about six millions-upwards of six millions
The bill reported by the distinguished chairman Of
the Committee on Naval Affairs, proposes to in
crease that amount about five millions and three
quarters, making the whole round sum of twelve
millions Of dollars. | find by reference to proper
sources Of information that subject, that the ex-
pcnses Of the peace establishment of your war de-
| partment are about eight millions. [ do not deal
in fractions, but speak in round numbers which APP
proximate however, pretty closely to the actual
amount If, then, sir, that state Of danger exists
if that state Of alarm and apprehension described SO
often on this floor be well founded-ifit really ex-
ist-why then, in furtherance of that system of de-
fence which is now represented absolutely neces-
sary, you will be required to increase your army
establishment in the ratio and thus at the very
outset you will have, at two single Jumps an addi-
ton of eight millions to your army establishment,
and six millions to your navy establishment
amounting in all to fourteen millions of dollars.
What my friend from Missouri will require for the
purpose Of effecting better organization of his
branch of the service, not informed; but if the
appropriations for that branch be on the same scale
with those for the others, do not hesitate to say
that you will before the end of the session. be called
on to appropriate more money for the three branches
of the public service than is required for the whole
current expenses of the government. Instead OF
twenty-one millions which, according to esti-
mates, will be sufficient for defrayng the actual ex-
penses of the government you will have, in the first
two months of the session, chalked line of pol
icy which will inevitably, beyond all doubt, run the
expenses Of the government up forty millions II
the country be prepared for that--if this system OF
expenditure is to be carried out-f this is the time
and this the bill on which to settle-we have been
for almost seven weeks pretty much at sea, without
rudder or compass; but the proposition brought for.
ward by the senator from Maine presents an act
and by that act the policy of the government
is clearly indicated and marked out The answer to
this may be, that this is peace establishment. We
have been told over and over again, that it was in
vais for the members Of this body to attempt to
shut their eyes to the threatening aspect of our for
eign relations. 1t becomes the duty of the Senate
therefore, to look closely the aspect Of these for.
eign relations, and to find a conclusion to which
they may come in regard to this bill, and see if all
this be understand that the Oregon question is
the only one with regard to which any apprehen-
sion exists of serious collision between this country
and Great Britain. | understand that it is in con-
sequence Of the unsettled condition of that question
that distinguished senator-yes, sir, not only dis
tnguished by long course Of public service, but
whose views upon all occasions are entitled to the
most grave and respectful NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
apprehensons ofdanger Sir, in relation to the as
pect of our foreign relations it has been my msfor-
tune from the begnning-and that misfortune still
xists-to differ entirely, and totally, and funda.
mentally from all the views which have tendency