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Vol. I. WASHING ION CITY, PRINTED \\K SAMUEL HARRISON SMITH, NEW-JERSEY AVENUE, NEAR THE CAPITOL. No. XXII. Five Lot.is. per ahs. WASHINGTON CITY. FRIDAT, December 19, !SOO. CONG R E S S OF THE UNITED STATES HQUSK OP r.EPRr-SES'fATIVr.S. iv, Dec. 17, 1800. Mr. Waln obtained leave of abfence for S;.- '.■ weeks. M . Stone alfo obtained leave of ab ffincu. Mr. Varnum called up his resolution, laid on the table on che Ulftant, for i lm ing the I anient of artillery to th: c battalions': it at prefent confilts of four b a t lions. Mr. Oris dee! mad himfelf furpriled at the refoluticm offered by bis colleague, as b bad not known any act paffed in that houfe with more unanimity, or winch ap pr cred at the time or Since to be attended w.h mor.- jenfcral ib.i Bfaction, than the ad on which the prefent eftabliftiinent ot iHery md engineers was founded. At th- time the a '. w s paffed, the body of arSlleiy mi ien i "by railed va. part of the permanrnt view it h id fi ic:' r.-c f Sue houS in e,e,y form in which it had been pre !. - i! the cafe, it would >, • , ' a hiftory ofthe ■ftnblilhbneni of this body of our military f re. Pr ■•■■ th 17"M, the corps of ers confifted of one I ': 79 I, in a time of profound p d in-.reafinr the eftanblli tn ffltLtO S cenlilting of Sour lr.il- tah - In M iv ] 716. an act w e.ouiiiniin »; the txill nee ol th ittfly directed to be railed. In April 17*98, before C mgreSs contem plated the exifbr.ee of that emergency Which iS'-'rwircls occurred, before the pro visional army was authorifed, or a naval equipment with a view to actual ho'tility with a foreign power was be run, an.Li pift- ! direcVurr th - railing an additional re :, *o conlift of three battalions, an: this not merely for three years, as hid been hitherto ufuaJ. but for five years. On the 3d of M irch 1799, an a& paffed for the better organization of the troops ol the United States, augmenting the* nuni b't-softhe companies and'regiments of in fantry and cavalry, and directing that the I regiment oi artillery Should confill of Sour battalions in Stead oS three. The provisions of this aft were Such as maniSeft c-d Si" determination of Congrefs that the artillery thus directed, and that only Should be rifted in any event. Thus the an tation was not authorifed for the pnrpofe of meeting tiie crifis or of constituting a part of'fefie temporary iu-r.ni ■; ments for del bu' as a refource for infl-liftion and defence at all times and noon all oCcaSions. In the hft feffi'iii of Congrefs two aft iv.iff.\l which materially affected th military eftsblifhment. One of which Sufi 1 all further recruiting in r< Serence to the twelve re Smen! j ; bue was Silent in re meet to the artillery. The other for authorising the Prefident todifband the infant' dry, but eJt. preSsly restraining him from diminidling the numbers of the artillery—Was he not. therefore warranted in the affertion that the preSent eft.iblifli.ient of the tw< llts of artillery and engineers had Sled with the greateft del bera tion, and Sanctioned as p. favorite meafure. That i; was intended to be cl erilhed as nurfery Sir thoft branches of military fci tnrjt; will :h are : - !t of acquifit»on The National Intelligencer, WASHINGTON "ADVERTISER. FRIDAY, DEGEMbER 15th, 1800. which cannot be learnt or practifed upon a Sudden emergency ? While every other part ■ofthe military ellablifhmeltt had experien ced a radical reform. The organization of the artillery had hitherto remained exempt from objection anddifpute. This being the cafe, was, it not incum bent on the gentleman, who had Submitted the refolution before the houfe, to point out Some of thofe discriminating circumftances that recommended tlie adoption of a neafure at this time which has been hitherto deemed inexpedient? Was it not incumbent on him to thew tint he did not intend the accomplishment ol' this meafure as a prelude to tlie entire annihilation of the little germ of an army that now re mains to this country. For his part, Mr, Otis declared, be was not ambitious of aiTu.ning either credit or refponfibility that would a'rife from a refor mation that would leave the country defti iii c of defence. He v, as willing that thofe who Succeeded in the administration of the government fhou'.d reap the honor and ad van age of this reform. Whether the force at prefentauthorifed by law was more than adequate to the pro tection of our extended fea board* and our 00 lefs extenSive frontier, would clear! pear by a ftatcment of the diftrlbution of it that is intended when the regiments are compleat. He had taken Some pain; to inform him felf of this fad and had prepared a inent to (hew exclufiw of officers com missioned and non-comnrllioned, the num bers that would be Stationed at the respec tive p its. Mr. Otis th m went minutely mto a Statement of the numbers allowed tr every port i the Artillery ire to be employed, the rcfuUs of which were as followa : In Georgia and S. Carolina 192 Virginia and M.i.yLind 192 Pennsylvania New-York. 288 Connecticut 48. P.hole I fluid. 1 M MaiTachofetW' 132 On N m-th Weftern frontier ] from Niagara to Mobile Bay. And this number was to be divided a inonc; nearly thirty different garrifons. Now, let any man. acquainted with the extent of our Country, and who knew how vulnerable it was in. many points, forming aline in one direction of 1500 mdes, and in the other direction of more than 2,000 : let any man decide whether uch an extended country could be ade juately defended by a force le s than 2000 in iiumh-r? When the numerous harbors to be defended, on the Seaboard, and the lumber of forts on the we Stern front,ci requiring garrilbns to protect; them from the attacks of the Indians, were con fid.'red. could any reafouable man affirm that artilleries and engineers were too many '. Cannot we fupport this eft ibliflimcn: ' Vie we too poor ? True economy itfeif would dictate a conSiinance ofthe force.— For the militia, however ufeful in other circumstances, could afford but little de fence to our Sorts and harbours without a Corps of regular artillery to fupport and en ,c their efforts. Heput entirely out >S view all considerations derived from th; four existing regiments of inSantiy. They vre entirely occupied in defending on •v -ft-'i-n frontiers from Indian invufion. She, r Services were there recp.fired, as the nilitia would not be kept in rcadineS, ti Sudden aggrefEons, but at an enor mous expenfe. We arc extremely young in the Science if engine ring. However Competent the nilitia may be to the £rea: of v! timately defending the country, they are lot in fuch a Situation as to be' enabled tt imteSt our Sorts and harbours on a Sudden divafion. If the militia* are incompetent to this'end, we muft rely upon a Handing 'orce Infantry and cavalry might Soon be created—But artillery and en Sneers nit the growth of a day. By difmitfin;. hefe, you deprive yourfi L'-s of all the f lid advantages, tp be delved IYjiJi the mih- tia, who in co-operation with a Small re gular force of this defcription would be for midable, but who, unaided by them, wouic. be inefficient. The reSolution in queftion he alio con sidered as quite premature. What change, he eiitpjired Since the laft feflion, when the maintenance of this battalion was re cognized as expedient, had occurred in our foreign or domeftic relations ? A convention it is Said is made, with France. But Aye are ignorant of its term?, its na ture, or extent. It has not yet been ra tified, and when ratified, who will anfwer for its due execution, or the confequences which may enfue—lf it reftores our friend ly relations with France, may it not pro duce a miSunderftanding with other pow ers ? Do not circumltances exifl that render it highly prudent to Secure and ftrengthen our Weftern pofts ? He was perfuaded that if a powerful nation like the United States, would declare its ina bility or reluctance to Support this mode rate military force ; it would incur the contempt of other nations. They would hardly eondefcend to treat with us fin a compensation of injuries, or if they made treaties, they would violate them i full confidence of impunity. But it was Said by the gentleman, that as this battalion had not yet been r.ufed the inference was obvious that it was not neceflary. But for what renfon had the raifing of it been delayed ? It would be reCollecUu that during the laft felhon of Con the late Secretary of war prefeiited to .this Houfe, a project for reducing the two tnts of artillery to three battalions each, and in lieu ofthe fourth battalions to fubflitute a corps of artilleriSis and en gineers, and a military academy in which they might be initiated into the princi pl s of tiicf. ufeful and neceflaiy Sciences. While that report was pending before tin legislature, it would have been imprcipei and inexpedient to recruit for this teuiS battalion. Had the fubflitute been adopt ed, the nieafurc would have been Super ceded. But the report of the Secretary though many parts of it were in his opi nion highly defcrying of attention, was not accepted by Congrefs. Since thai period, the Seat of Government had be n removed. The former Secretary cf th war department had reCgned, and form time of courSe had been loft; he knew however that Some of the officers had been appointed, and bad reafon to believe that the corps would Soon be perfectly 01 d.—Another reafon, Mr. Otis alcdgtc was, that the attention of Government hid been printip. lly directed to organize the temporary ami;. It being con that the permanent eftablifliment might proceed more leifurely. On the whole. Mr. Otis Said, that he was not one ol hofe who were diimayed at the ci he political affairs of the country, am. he trufted there was fbH a majority in tin . who una wed by a change oS times a»d imShak.cn by the profpeeft of I their meafures hereafter reverfed, woul. lerSevere while they had the power in naintaining the principles and meafureh :o which the nation was indebted for its lignity and prosperity. If the adminis tration of the Government is defined to ,c, let thofe who fuccecd tak. ihcmfelves the burden of reform ; and if t was intended by this refoltrtion, that h« herald have au opportunity to partake ii he glory and advantages of it, with al lue acknowledgment he begged to declhv •he offer. 336 Total 1536 I ,et thofe, into whofe hands the futur< ovcrnment might fall, realife t] Sons that have been raifed, let them per form all the engagements they have made. It them preferve and augment the public •jrofperi.ty, and while they enjoyed the ex lufiv.- credit of their meaSures, thei hould en th.ife conditions receive all the pport and approbation which in his hum 'ilc Sphere he could afiord.—But he had m lea of adopting meafures that would betray Vinptoms of regret and contrition for he paft, and be hoped Mr, Sri, nls would lo ithingthat mould be conftrued into a leath bed icocntnnce of a conduct which .;oaStftutfd their glory and their pride—.Re- Paid In Advance. firing himSelf from a f'oort political ca reer, he had the confolation to reflect that iiis efforts had been directed to the Support if no meafure, which would not be a Source af Satisfaction, if he were retiring- from the Sphere of existence. And he doubted not that the other gentlemen had been ac tuated by the fame motives and would unite in the evidence of their Sober convic tion by voting againft the reSclution. Air. Vahnum obterved that his col league had not confined himfelf to a true Statement of fa efts. It was well known that the military force raiSetl in 1794 was for a (landing army, of which character was the firft regiment of artillery. But when the Second regiment was raifed, the country was in a ftate of alarm. We were told war menaced us, and were tenified with the idea of invufion. Still it was determined by Congrefs that the regiment Should confilt of no more than three battalions. If then at that period, when the danger was exagge rated by our fears, three battalions were thought Sufficient, can more be thought ■ >,:• now, when there is no alarm, no ar or iiivaiion i Mr. Varnum war, of opinion that the battalion? were Sufficient for every i:i nal purpofe to be accomplished by ar- He did not mean to fi y that they eu 1 to the defence ofthe country in cafe of invafion. The idea would be ( hildifh. In Such a cafe our reliance muft be upon the militia, upon the great body of the people themfclves. Tdie gentleman, who had preceded him, had dwelt on tlie unfavorable condition of X, and the 1 tile knowledge we eiled in relation to aitilkrifia era. Yet that gentleman reft in M..fT.ichufetts.alone, time anie£ of artillerifts and engineers, ped and .well difciphfied, ready, nts notice, to tuiti out in de c lavs of the United States, or c. Other ftates were probably vided, y (Ctafion we had for tfcij def* troops was to di i'ev<\ our harbors rem any hidden attat k. For this ight companies were fully On the occurrence of a great r. n;uft. not look up to thefe men, nit to th? people. Our true defence, cur reat and only defi nee confifted in the n>v- ■jftia. He believed them to be in Such a 1 te as to protect us from any danger. Mr. Rutlii,.k was Sup died at the rev narks of the gentleman from Maflachu etts. He had Stated no faifts, he had re erred to no. documents; but had c. limfclf to a declaration of his belief that he four battalions of artillery are untiecff r.J had concluded by pronouncing, as i" had frecguntly before done, a panegyric upon the militia. He thought ar highly of the militia as the gc-ntltin in did; and tie ;'rlt more ftuPthemi He did not define to ! Iraq them from the plough and the enjoy. ncnts of domeftic felicity, to carry them to the Sea coa.fl, there to confine them for 1 ng periods in fort's, under the pretence of a mi ' rable ccconomy. A coniparative view of the relative ev acuees of a Standing foice and the militia .•.'ould convince the gentleman that tlie kit j er was by Sar the moft ex'vnfive. Let him call to recollection the ftate of uir fortifications at the clofcof the revolu '■nnary war. Fortifications then covered the face of the country. But no Sooner waspcacr -fto'-id to as, than the people believed it would laft forever. Government received the Same impulfe, and ft fibred the defence ■f the country to fall into decay. Aid what were the cor.fcqucnre; ? we w« l ■ "11 d noon to repair then.. Thi refi.lt would be produced by tl at pitiful Spi rit of ceconrmy that the gentleman wifhej o revive. Mr. RutlcdffefpoxeriOt Frr-m^ocnmen*.!:. Rut wheat he Said was derived from acttl-t bMrvattoM. In travtllinp from the fouth ■aard he had Seen on the S-a ctSl harbors md forts mift'riSly r an Soiled. His friend firm T.jSiTac.hufens had not >een correct in his fdatement. The num. hers he had a ill "neej tod lit irnl places were aot tliofe actually there, but thofe c***»ti m« oh ted to be ftstioned, when t><e efl nent ivas com}-: