Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-08-12
REMARKS OF Mn. DUNCAN, OF ONO.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AUGUST 5, Is4s
The Army Appropriation Bill being under consideration in
COMMITTEE Of the Whole, and Mr. DIcKEr having offered
amendment appropang hundred thousand dollars for
the establishment Of armory and two national oundes
Mr.. DUNCAN, Of Ohio, said ! am opposed, Mr.. Chair
man. to the appropriation and as by our rules, can only
occupy the floor few minutes, will briefly possible,
state my objections.
This amendment proposes appropriate hundred thou
sand dollars for Of armory and two national oun
dries for the purpose Of manufacturing arms. conceive
entirely unnecessary useless waste Of the public money
We have Just closed war with Mexico which have
had employed army of fifty thousand men, and we
told by the President few days since, his peace
that the glory had achieved in that the exhb
ton Of power and wake spirit we had manifested was ample
6 security for the future y that had sufficient guaranty
in past victories that nation would hereafter dare
lest If that declaration rue why manufacture more
arms Why expend the money drawn from the labor OF the
people for such worse than useless purposes Can gentlemen
suppose that emergency will arise requiring greater
armament than we now possess We at moments call
ten times the present force of country and by the
bill under consideration, reducing that force, small
it is proving conclusvely that have apprehen-
sions for our future security.
The gentleman from South Carolina Mr BURY says that
several States have asked for an increase of their
legal quota will to that gentleman, if those States viii
call Ohio she will give up all her public if they
needed elsewhere We have for them there the
carriages Of your guns rong in Streets and thousands
OF mukes daily becoming useless for want Of proper at
Snouu the SOUND OF be nedru
and just cause be presented to the people of Ohio, they will
be ready they always have been obey the summons and
rush to the defence of their country Should her soil be In
vaded her people defend their homes with their rifles and
fowlng pieces Every in the State provided with
the of selfdeence We have fears from foes
terndi nor eIterT1L
Sir, if act justly in intercourse with other nations
need fear thai shall be troubled with We
beginning to be pretty well understood by the nations
the earth, and of them will hastily provoke resent
ment England is the only Power that could possibly COM
pei to increase armament and should engage in
contest with her must be fought upon the She how
is deeply interested in keeping the peace II our friendly
relations with her terminated very much fear,
that it will be by act of ours, not hers. Her naona
being almost depends upon the preservation of with th
country and the interests of freedom and humanity cal
loudly upon us to and encourage the good feeling
now happily prevailing in the breasts Of our people,
The gentleman from Illinois (Mr McCLERSASD) urges
the establishment OF armory the site Of Fort Massac
would rather vote hundred thousand dollars to buy
model farm, spread the knowledge Of agricultural science
among the farmers OF Illinois, or establish university TO d
fuse the light of civilization and religion than expend it il
the manufacture Of and the cultivation OF taste for war
We have higher and nober purposes for which we can
should devote the mighty energies of this great nation W.
have commanding duty TO perform in the education OF the
rising generation and the proper instruction in the knowledge
OF institutions Of the which Europe yearly pour
ing upon shores. am happy to see them come but W.
must prepare them perform the functions Of feemen,
qualify them assist in guiding the desnies Of the nation
II by the cultivation of the arts Of peace not those OF cd
by the development of rich mineral and agricultural
that will arrive degree Of power never reached
by any other people.
But, sir should additional be needed the immense
private establishments throughout the country furnish
them at less price to the Government than they viii cost
made al the public armores and long before the country
could sustain any injury from invading foe. If we had
single musket the activity and enterprise Of czen
could in thirty days equip army large enough TO sane
against the world.
Here the Chairmans hammer dropped, and Mr.. DUscAs
was compelled abruptly to conclude.