The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-20
suPERISTEyDENCE OF PUBLIC WORKS.

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The public have other in the subject indicated
ever kind shall be managed in the way which win best
subserye the public interest II Is true that the question
Of the superntendence of the national aores has
mixed up with that of the supervision Of the Capitol The
Patent Office the water works Of this District the
building of eustom-house and other works with which
il appears to have affinity far as regards the
question of military superintendent over eiuu works;
for whatever may be said of the character Of the
latter class Of works the armories established and main
tanned by the nation for the manufacture Of its arms,
and for other purpose than the supply of its armies and
the maintenance of its military strength, hardly be
classed amongst works of civil character This view OF
the is sustained by law which established distinct
branch Of the military service called the Ordnance de
partment and assigned to II the following duties viz The
inspection and proving of all pieces Of ordnance
balls shot shells ANAL arms and side arms and equipments,
procured for the Of the armies of the United States and
direct the construction Of all and carriages and
every implement and apparatus for ordnance and all am
munon wagons travelling FORCES, and arfcers wagons
the inspection and proving Of powder and the preparation
Of all kinds Of ammunition and ordnance stores to fur
nsh estimates and under the direction of the Secretary
of the Department Of War; to make contracts and pur-
chass for procuring the necessary supplies of arms equip
ments ordnance and ordnance stores This law also de-
clares That to insure system and uniformity in the diff
erent public armores they hereby placed under the
direction of the Ordnance department. and that the colonel
Of the Ordnance department. under the direction Of the
Secretary for the Department of War; is hereby authorized
draw up system of regulations for the government Of
the Ordnance department forms of returns and reports
and for the uniformity of manufactures Of all arms ord
nance ordnaQce stores implements and apparatus and
for the repairing and better preservation Of the same
Whatever pausbiity therefore there may be in the alb
stract objection to placing military in charge of civil
works it does not apply TO the national armores Unless
then the superintendent of these establishments by ord
officers be found detrimental to the public interest,"
or it is apparent that change viii be advantageous to
that interest the public have nothing to gain by disturbing
the existing law and arrangement All that the country
and the people the best mode of experimenting the
armorest little them who get the Offices and
etuoluments pertaining to the superntendences or who
may be personal gamers by the continuance of the present
system or BY change TO another As the arlnores have
been for many years under each mode of superntendenee
by civilians and by ordnance officers the question OF the
preferable one is matter which may be pretty accurately
settled by the results of actual experience To arrive at
these results recourse be had official reliable
ords and the justice gronndlenes of the various asser-
lions that have been made in regard srmory matters
NAV be thus determined To those acquainted with our
treasury system accountability, and with the vigilance
and fidelity of the Second Auditor and his assistants in
whose Office all the armory expenditures are examined and
adjusted it need be said that it is impossible that any
expenditures public money al these places can be cred
tied without appearing in the accounts rendered. and being
sustained by proper vouchers Not cent can he drawn
from the treasury for remittance there without authority
of law Every RENTED must be accounted for in
vouchers showing specifically when how and for what
object il expended Each of these vouchers undegocs
rigid scrutiny in the Treasury Department end all are
there fled and any time be appealed to- to answer
unerrngy any question expenditures These vouchers
show the following expenditures and products at the
mores during the period of twelve and fourth years lend
ing with the fiscal year last pas since the
of the military superinendency, as compared with the
same during equal period immediately preceding Of The
civil superintendent:
Springfield -armsry.
Arms made. Expenditures