Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-02-27
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

In the Senate, yesterday, after we went to
press, Mr.. Bell concluded his speech upon our
relations with Britain growing out of the Clay
ton and Bulwer treaty.
On motion Of Mr.. Seward, the subject was
then postponed, to give Mr. Clayton an oppor.
tunity to be heard further on the subject ac-
cordipg to his desire.
An Executive message asking for an appro-
priation of $4,000, 600, for the repair and i'm :
provement of the Notifications of the country
was received, read, and referred to the Com
mittee on Military Affairs.
And then they adjourned.
In the House, the Senate bill to continue
the land Office at Kalamazoo, Mich, with an
amendment, was recommitted to the public
lands committee. ...
Mr.. Bennett reported from the public lands
committee bill creating two additional land
Offices in Minnesota committed.
Mr.. Seward, rising to Q personal explana-
ton, showed that no portion Of the RESPONSE
bility for the election of Mr.. Banks to be the
Speaker rested on him personally, as had
been alleged by newspapers inimical to him
message was received from the President
of the United States. Transmitting and re-
commencing to the favorable consideration of
Congress, a communication from the Secretary
of War asking special appropriation of three
million dollars to prepare ornaments and am
munition for the Notifications, to increase the
supply Of improved small arms, and to apply
recent improvements to arms Of old patterns
belonging to the United States and the sew.
eral States.
The following is the communication from
the Secretary Of War:
WASHINGTON, February Is, 1856
SIR ImOrOvementa In arma nd MN
OF war having been recently perfected, where.
by their efficiency has been much incre ased
it is very desirable that these improvements
should be applied as far and as soon as prac
ticable, to the arms on hand, both in the gov
eminent arsenals and in the possession of the
States. Although our present supply Of arms
is as good as, and probably superior to, those
of the same date of manufacture of any other
nation, we should have, in the use of them in
their present condition, to cope at disadvan.
tage with others who may have been before
hand with sin the actual applies alton to their
arms OF the recent improvements. It has
been our policy heretofore to carry on grad
| ually and slowly the work of preparation for
military efficiency, both offensive and defen-
| sive; and, in pursuance of this policy, the es.
Inmates of the War Department, from year to
year, have been limited to the execution of
such work only as accorded with the ordinary
means of our armOries and arsenals, with but
a small force Of operatives in employment
The regular estimates last submitted to Con-
gress are based on those considerations In
view, however, of the propriety of assuming
at the earliest practicable period military eff.
| cheney as regards armament and munitions,
1--WE have it abundantly as regards men, ii
seems proper that more active and vigorous
measures should now be adopted that We
should increase the capacity for production,
and the force in employment at our armories
and arsenals; that we should prepare more
rapidly ornaments and ammunition for forti.
| fcations, that we should increase our supplies
| of improved small arms by the manufacture
of new ones, and by the alteration of those OF
past dates of fabrication, including both the
United States and State arms, and that We
should provide ample supplies Of ammunition,
aecoutrements, and implements for the imme-
date and most efficient use Of the whole.
In order to effect this, it is necessary that
more than ordinary means be placed at the
olsposai OF the Executive, and I respectfully
| suggest and recommend that application be
made tor an early appropriation Of three mil.
mons OF dollars for increasing the military
EMERGENCY OF the country, to be applied, at the