The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1856-03-27

,EY AIss1ss1P.
| neesssary an additional estimate O
q, 900 900, unless circumstances hav,
tsanspired which look to war? WI!
tAs ascessity Of this extraordinar!
sstimate, il there 10 not something o
war connected with it?
Nj. QUITMAN. The question i
very readily answered. Somethin,
has occurred, and is occurring ever
day, in this progressive world. I'm
pv0vsmenn in firearms are beinl
made from day to day. There neveI
was . period within fifty years il
which Improvements in arts have q
rapidly advanced ~ now.
M. CAMPBELL. Iwould inquir.
whether the Secretary Of War is mo-
now authorized to adopt new i'm
psovsments, and vhether he doe,
not adopt them Witsaat SPECIAL direc'
ton Of the Houss? =.
M. QUITMAN.' I will reply
frankly, that l believe the Secretary
10 20 authorized; but he informs you
in his letter that he has come to the
conclusion these changes should be
more rapidly made than heretofore
There must be point Of time for ar
irving at such conclusions. In this
instance it may have been suggested
BY the possibility, even remote, Of
war.
The Secretary states that it was
not taken into consideration in ma.
king tho annual estimates. 1t is,
inferable that the policy
suggested in the letter arose in his
mind subsequently. 1t was natural
that it should do 90 whenever q dis
tant possibility Of difficulty with any
foreign Power arose There 10 no
special reason assigned in the mes.
sage. Had the President desired
this appropriation in consequence Of
serious apPrehensions Of a war, be-
lieve he would have 10 stated, as l
think it would have been his duty to
have done. The gentleman from
Ohio knows--as every member Of this
House knows-that both the British
and American papers commented
freely upon possibility Of some dis.
turbance Of our peaceful relations
with Great Britain, in consequence Of
the reported interruption Of friendly
between the British Minister
and Mr.. Buchanan. Without regard
ing the issue Of war - at oil probable,
myself, % . member Of the Military
c Committee, had determined to inquire
into the state of our defenscs. Some
on this subject must have
arisen in the mind Of every person,
however indirectly concerned in them.
Il was not that war was even proba-
bic, but barely possible. The very
prospect Of the paci6cation Of Eu-
'opc, while the two great Powers,
England and France, were in arms,
'cnding their strong fleets to the
West Indies, furnish abundant cause
or us to be looking to our military
lefenses. We know that it has even
,een officially intimated that they
night be disposed to extend their
Irrogant .supcrintendence over the
Iifairs Of America. In all this it
Gems to me there is sufficient cause
or the Executive to propose q more
apid advance than is otherwise usu-
i in preparing our military defcnses.
Mr.. CAMPBELL. II the gentle.
nan from Mississippi will permit me,
will say that there are always, and
t all times, possibilities Of war. The
'oint to which wish to direct his at
ention Is this: 10 there any stronger
now, Of which he is in
ormed, Of . war between this country
nd Great Britain, or any other
ountry, than there was at the time
vhen the annual estimates wero
lid upon our tables? 1t is impor-
ant that we should be informed upon
lie subjec,-that we should know
that has occurred within the last
inety days to render it necessary and
roper that O., 600 900 should be ap-
ropriated for the purchase of arms.
low, if he knows Of any probability
i admit that there is always a pos
bility-Of war, let him inform US.
Mr.. QUITMAN. have never
cen in the habit Of making any nice
istinctions between the different
rades Of probabilities. will say to
le gentleman from Ohio, that proba.
y there is = little increased possibil- I
Y, and q little more likelihood Of
ar, at least il we. are to depend on
,mmon rumor. What the views Of
e administration are, | am not in.
rmed, nor do l feel authorized to
leak in relation to them. But, sir,
is message, and tho purposes for I
hich it has been presented, strike 4
. a. 90 natural, that a. member I
this House, and not chairman Of
q Committee on Military Affairs, q
ould have felt it my duty, il the I
of War had not presented
is document, to rise in my place
ID present similar suggestions. !
easoning thus upon the matter, ] I
I've expressed my views, and leave +
the gentleman himself, and to other |
embcrs Of this House, to determine {
ll 49, Z. an !: