The Arkansas banner., 1851-03-04
-- 'F washlartoa. Fsbsusry s, 1881.

lrsgrss tha, IL Is deemed by She Department en- iireiy iuexpedieu. ie comply with the :rqaesi of the Isgissssars ef AtkaasAs. evea if R had the power to do %.
 With mach respect,
 Year Ohedent servant,
 C. M CONRAD,
 Secretary of War. Hon. R ". JoaSsox,
 House of Representatives.
 ORBsASeE DEPaRTMKNF
 washingtoa, fekraAry-7. 1851. IIoa- C M CONRAD.
 Sscrrsary Of War
 Sra: have io aeknosiedgs the receipt, on the 9th instant of the Hon R W. Johnsoa's letter 10 yOa of tie IsI. enclosing memorial of the Legis la,urs Of Arkansas setting forth that the Arsenal, a, Little Rock. is unnecessary the public sersice. and useless expense to the Federal Government :; requesting disceatiuusce oG said Arseaal, and the removal of ths arms aad maai,sons Os war. there deposited, to Fort Smith. and at tne. iBtia esce the Sen,tOrs and Representatives frOra the State be used to procure grant of the public land and shitiings of hs Atsensl 10 the Trustees of St Johas Coaegs. of Arkaasss, for site and iocssion for that College On the sub e-i of the memorial, and of the poiat. slated in Mr Johnsoa's letter, have to report
 That the erection of the Arsenal, st Little Reek undertaken in accerdancs with an apprOpria- tioa made by the act of 2I July ls35 for the pur- chase of sites and ths eonsructsn of Arssaais fer the deposite of arms in Arkansas, Missouri and st Memphis, In Tennessee That act seems 10 have been passed in partial parsasncr of the policy ferred 10 In the foliOwsg extract from report made by the late Colonel of Ordinances. tCOl. BomfO,d. J to the Secretary of War be sth March. ls36. ia answer 10 a feselution of the Senate. viz:
 ''In relation to Arseuas, 1t has been urged upon the De- ariment. by maay whose opinions demand consideration, that every State shoaId have Ar seuai or Depot of arms and munisions within its territorial l'nts. Should this opinion prevail. aud be carried into efFec. by legislative authority. il would be necessary 10 construct foar,eeH Arsenais or DepOts including the one proposed for tine State of North Carolina, for which a bill hss heen repor. ted by the military committes of the House of Rep rrseStaiives.
 A prominent advantage ,e the public interest ia the establishing of these DepOls consists in their for the safe keeping of arms issued to the States under the law Of 1898, "fsr arming the whole body of the mlIiua",o be held subject to the orders of their several Governors. which would insure their being always available in any emergency.
 IL would be proper 10 arrange every new Depo. in such manner as admit of its increase ersatsn- siOn in cass ,he pubic srrvice should require it al.h.-.. f.- by the addition Of snch baildings. tools or ma chinery, ss the ease might demand.r
 Under ths act of 2d Iuly, ls36 before stated, inc immediate yicinity of Little Rock was. after due exsmiustioa and by sanction ef the War Depart meut. selected as the position for the Arsenal ia Arkansss; thirty six acres of Isad purchased as site al a cost of S3,59o, and the erection O buildings was commenced Subsequently, sPPrO prailons were maee by Congress, from time 10 time 10 continue the construction of the Arsenai ts, original arrangement having been made It admit of its extension in case of provision being made therefor and il now contains all the building requisite for Arsenal of deposile and repairs.- These buidings ars constructed in the most Perma nent manner. and consist of large Arsenal e
 
 shops for armofes. carpenters, smith and earrisg makers. gua-hoase and stables, all of | ick. ani worth about $9s. .00o--making the value of th 1, buildings snd grounds upwards Of one hundre' thousand do olars. The total value of the arms muntiCns of war. aud other public property in sior stthe Arsenal was, by the last nve n,ory 3ath June 1850, S6l 4I9.76. To remove tAis property, Whici is now safely storei. would bs attended with con siderable expense. There is not proper aecommo dation for i, al Fort Smith, aaF it's removal ther would. ln my opinion, soon create call for tn erection of additional baaiags in other words Inc esiabshu cut of new Arsenal that poiat il lea of lhs absn ioued one al LtiIe Rock h i excepting as ace of deposi.e s,ore-h house; ba i, csis but little to maintain il, and the arms, &c there deposiied. are available. in case of sudd~l emsrgency, fer the of the citizens of the State thas entirely fulfilling the obeci ef hs policy whicl originally established il This Arsenal and that a Baton Rouge, the only United States Arsenals Il the South western States In my oplnioa, ihe gov erames, shOaid keep possession of both Of them but in case of decision to abandon the Little Roei Arsenal useless for military purposes, The dispe si,lOn to be made of it is already provided by ih act of Congress, approved March Sd, lsi9, entitle "An act authorizing the sals of certain militar, siles
 ned herewith.
 am sir, very respectfully.
 Your obedent ssvaat