To carry into effect subsisting treaties, 186,868 18 In addition to the sums appropriated by the military service bill, the sum of $15,000 was appropriated for building an arsenal at Augusta, in Maine; and for internal improvement, the following sums: For improving the navigation of the Ohio, 30,000 For the preservation and repair of the Cumberland road, 30,000 The other appropriations for internal improvements, introduced in a bill for the improvement of certain harbours, and for building piers, &c. were as follows: For improving the harbours of Hyannis, Saco, Cleaveland, Saugatuck, Kennebec river, and Pascagonla river, For building piers, &c. 41,150 40,926 45 Certain appropriations falling under this class of public expenditures, were also made in the bill for building light houses, &c. These were— For building light houses, Beacons, &c. 31,126 10,078 40 To these last bills, Mr. M'Coy, and Mr. Mitchell, of Tennessee, offer. ed an earnest opposition, and called for the yeas and nays on the final passage of the former, which, being taken, stood 129 affirmative, 28 negative. The miscellaneous appropriations not enumerated above, amounted to $35,300; and the appropriations for private claims, settled at the treasury, 811,820 86. In conformity with the settled policy of the United States, in relation to fortifying the sea coast, Fort Adams, at Benton's point, Calhoun, Macon, at Bogue point, At Oak Island, At Mobile point, the following sums were appropria. ted for the completion of the forts hereafter enumerated, viz : $70,000 55,000 90,000 55,000 15,000 25,000 70,000 At Chef Mentiur, Jackson, Repairs and contingencies, In presenting this bill, Mr. Dwight informed the house that it had been the wish of the committee of ways and means to reduce the appropriations for the current year; and after application to the war department, the committee had determined to recommend the above sums, which were a pro rata diminution of the appropriations of last year, amounting in the whole to a reduction of $140,000. The recommendations of the committee were adopted by the house, and afterwards the bill passed the senate without amendment. On the 21st of February, the house took up the bill making appropriations for the naval service of 1827. Mr. Barney moved an amend. ment, appropriating $20,000 for the purchase of a site for a naval yard at Baltimore; which was decided in the negative. Mr. Cook then moved an amend. ment, authorizing the auditor of naval accounts to make transfers of accounts and balances to other accounts, so as to adjust and settle the same. This amendment was adopted, and a debate then commenced on the appropriation of $36,710 to the African colonial agency. 30,000 80,000 15,000 propriation, because similar appropriations had been used to found and support a colony at Liberia, contrary to the intention of congress. Certain labourers were sent to Africa, under the act of 1819. The first colony was unfortunate. A treaty was then made by the agent, aided by a United States naval officer, for the purchase of land. A war finally ensued, and a fort was erected by an officer of the United States, and arms and ammunition provided.Money was then furnished by the United States, and a war ensued, in order to put down the slave trade; and a piratical attack having been made upon the colony by a Spanish vessel, some sick Spaniards on shore were taken prison ers. Other acts of hostility were committed; and now the agent requests a military force from this government. The reply of the secretary cen. sures the conduct of the agent ; but does not impugn his motives. If he had only recaptured Africans, the department would have sustained him; but, having gone further, the society must be answerable for the consequence. Mr. F. wished to know how far we were going. The connexion Mr. Forsyth objected to this ap. with the colonization society must be dissolved, or it must be legally duct of the agents, refuted the authorized. statements made by Mr. Forsyth, and referred to the annual reports from the society. He also moved an addition of $30,000 to the appropriation, which was negatived. The original appropriation was then agreed to. Mr. Cook did not mean to go into a reply to these remarks. The house was called upon to make the appropriation under an existing law, in order to carry that law into effect. The United States government had determined to set her face, and array her moral and physical power, against the slave trade. In fulfilment of the law, the president had sent out an armed vessel, and blacks taken on their passage to a land of bondage, had been restored to Africa. The original appropriation under that law, is now exhausted; and now one hundred and eighty Africans, who are in possession of the United States, are to be sent to their own country. The gentleman from Georgia thinks that they will be happier here than in Liberia. He would not open the door for the slave dealer to prey upon them. sum asked is only for captures already made. The Mr. Mercer defended the con For pay, subsistence, and provisions, Repairs of vessels, Mr. Hamilton moved an amend. ment, confining the expenditure of the appropriation to the subsistence and transportation of the captured Africans, but it was nega tived, 75 to 37. The bill then passed the house, and was sent to the senate for concurrence. In that body, the amendment moved by Mr. Cook, authorizing the transfer of accounts, was stricken out, 33 ayes, 8 nays. The unexpended appropriations were then reappropriated as a substitute, and the bill was passed and sent to the house, where the amendments were concurred in. By this bill the following appropriations were made for the naval service for 1827. Repairs and improvements of navy yards, Ordnance, Enumerated contingencies, $1,922,496 54 450,000 231,700 72 50,000 35,000 220,000 5,000 Non-enumerated do. Expenses of marine corps, 212,134 Surveys of dry docks, 2,707 27 African agency, 36,710 Arrearages prior to January, 1827, 20,000 By a subsequent bill, $500,000 to, but unanimously approved of were appropriated for the gradual by the whole nation. improvement of the navy, pursuant to a particular recommendation of the president in his annual message. By this bill, as it was first introduced into the senate, an annual ap. propriation of half a million for six years, was made for the improvement of the navy. The president was authorized to take proper measures for the preservation of the live oak on the public lands, and also to reserve all public lands, having live oak thereon, for the use of the navy. Two dry docks were also authorized, the one to be erected north and the other south of the Potomac; and if, upon inquiry, it should be found expedient, the executive was authorized to cause a marine railway to be constructed at Pensacola. An examination was authorized of all the navy yards, and the president was authorised to establish a naval academy for the instruction of midshipmen and other naval officers. Mr. Hayne, the chairman of the naval committee, advocated its passage, in an eloquent speech, reviewing the naval policy of the United States, from the first existence of the government. The navy, he said, had fought itself into favour, and the policy of the government in augmenting it, adopted immediately after the war, had not only been strictly adhered By the first act, passed April 29th, 1816, $1,000,000 per annum was appropriated, for 8 years, for the increase of the navy. Five years afterwards, this appropriation was reduced to $500,000, but the remaining time was doubled, so that the same policy was still adhered to. The time will expire at the end of this session; and it is now proposed to continue the same policy. He thought that experience had demonstrated, that a navy was not only the safest, but the cheapest defence of this country. The people were of that opinion, and the policy adopted by the law of 1816, was the first result of that opinion. The object of that policy in the first instance was to give to the United States a navy, consisting of 12 ships of the line, 20 frigates, 16 sloops of war, 4 schooners, and 3 steam batteries. That object has been attained. It is true that these vessels are not all finished, but they are in such a situation, that they can be speedily brought into the public service, and the balance of the appropriations on hand, will be sufficient to place those unfinished, in a state of preservation. The question now is, shall we stop here, or adhere to what may be considered the settled policy of the country, and continue the an. nual appropriation, and make it ap. In Under these circumstances, he was unwilling to subject the navy to an annual contest for such appropriations, as were necessary to preserve its efficiency, and promote its improvement. The demands annually made on the national funds, exceed our resources. many of these, individual and local feelings and interests are deeply involved, and he was unwilling to be told, that the navy bill stood in the way of some break-water or some favourite scheme of internal improvement. To prevent this, he wished an appropriation for the navy, which should be a standing charge on the treasury, liable neither to be increased nor diminished by transient causes. A fund of this nature is always resorted to, whenever a great national object is to be obtained. He referred in illustration of this remark, to the annual appropriation of ten millions to the national debt-an appropriation productive of the most beneficial consequences. He considered it to be true economy, for the public to appropriate the public money for such objects, as involve the true interests of the country; and that it would be more promo ted by permanent appropriations, than if they were procured upon an emergency. Experience has proved, that the frames of frigates can be obtained in this way, at about the same price as those of sloops of war under annual appro. priations. He then proceeded to consider the objects to which this fund was to be applied. It was not now intended to in. crease the number of public ves. sels, but looking to the future, it was obvious that the increase of our commerce, and of the wealth and business of the country, will render an augmentation of our navy necessary. To adapt our public establishments to the condi tion of the country, they must be constantly progressing. To stop short in our course is to retrograde. Ships then must be built hereafter, if not now wanted; and to render them permanent, they must be built of seasoned timber. The live oak of the south derives all its durability from being seasoned. The live oak cut in 1798-9, for the navy, was placed under sheds, and remained in that situation until 1813. It was then perfectly sound, and was used for the frames of the Independence, Washington, Franklin. This material, which is superior to any in the possession of any other nation, for vessels of war, is fast disappearing; and we are admonished by its rapid consumption, to take immediate steps and |