The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1853-02-10
Springfield Armory and Tobacco.

whole on the state OF the Union on the DliI Ha-
king appropriations for the support Of the army
for the next fiscal year.
Mr.. German offered an amendment, that from
and after the 1st of July next, much of the
act of Congress of 1912, places the national
armorieS under the superintendent of the Off
GERS Of the Ordinance corps, be repealed, and
that said armories be placed under the civil
superintendent, as prior to the passage OF said
act.
Mr. Evans said it appeared that the cost of
the manufacture of arms had been greatly re-
duced since the armories have been under mill
tary superintendence. Congress ought not,
therefore hastily to legislate without calling for
information from the War Department. He
knew that the Secretary of War is opposed to
the change Persons in Springfield are contin-
lily ouarrelling as to whether the Armory there
shall be under military civil superintendent
If this change should be made, it would be
merely to provide sinecures for politicians.
Mr. CORN IN remarke that last session he made
report upon this subject, accompanied By a bill.
1t occupied the ground and sufficiently elucidated
the points to be acted upen. lie took Issue with
the gentleman from Maryland, and insisted,
with the documents before him, that arms were
manufactured at those armories. considerably
cheaper under the civil, than under the military
superintendent. Those places were kept for
officers, who were not fit to be in
the service, and who should be put on the retir-
ed list 1t is by the rule of despotism, the one
man power, that the military officer governs the
civilians Let him rule soldiers, not citizens.
Petitions from persons employed at Springfield
and Harper's Ferry, come hither asking for the
restoration cf the civil euperintendence
Mr. Carter asked what is the trouble?
Mr.. German replied, ''the complaints are as
diversified as the men who make them. The
main point is the tyranny and desRotism practi-
sed by the military superintendents."
Mr.. Ingerson said a large portion of the peo-
pie of Connecticut whom lie represented, were
deeply interested in this subject. He should
do injustice to the industrious mechanics of his
district were he to pass silently by the oppres
sive tyranny at the Springfield Armory-tyran
nv that ought not to be tolerated in the State
prison of that State. There were complaints of
that tyranny, and he was sure that when the
House had listened to the dispositions he had
recently received they would as one man rise to
put it down. The talk about economy under
the military superintendency was the veriest
sham argument which could be adduccd. To
show what tyranny was exercised, he read from
these papers that one of those men. for going
to the wash room two or three minutes before
the bell rung, was severely reprimanded. If
workmen, morning or noon, is not in when the
l. ba 1oSn of iay a11
for the second offence is liable to be discharged;
that the superintendent forbade workman
from keeping bible in his drawer, and refused
to let the mechanics have spit-boxes, although
they proposed to supply them at their own
pense; and other instances of tyranny were
mentioned.
Mr.. Stanley considered that all this talk was
for ssBuncombe'' Every man to his trade
He thought it was possible there were abuses in
those armories. If so, let complaint be made
at the proper quarter, that the evil might be
remeded by the substitution of another Su-
perintendent. The depositions of the gentlemen
were ex parte, the officers having no knowledge
that the things stated were to be sworn to-
Mr. Ingersoll remarked that the gentleman
represented Buncombe. Laughter
Mr.. Stanly said he recollected very well the
man who gave the name to Buncombe. The old
fellow was gallant descendant of Whig of
the revolution and had motto over his gate
way-ssWelcome all to Buncombe Hail.
ILaughter. But the gentleman from Connect
icut complained that the Superintendent would
not let these men chew tobacco in the workshops.
For this regulation of cleanliness and decency,
the Superintendent deserves thanks, for chewing
is vile anti Christian, barbarous habit introduced
into civil life for purposes of degradatin Laugh
ter. Don't members abstain from smoking
here He only wished he had ..King James
counterblast against tobacco" to be read there
(I.aughter.)
A voice-A bill has been introduced in the
Mas ssachusetts Legislature to prohibit smoking
and chewing. Much merriment.)
Mr.. Stanly This is better than the Maine Ii
auor Law, to which l opposed But one
half of the boys who grow up topers commen
ces their course by smoking cigars and chewing
tobacco.
voce-You're right.
Mr. Davis of Massachusetts, said the gentle
| man had made good argument against tobacco
He understood the gentleman from Conecticu