TFNOMCAiIilNA. MINERVA.
R JLE1GH ,-Pubiishbd bvbry TUESDAY by HODGE k BOYLAN.
Jwtntyjiiv ShUfyigi P"'"'
From the Palladium.
REMARKS, i
On Mr. Wolcott t Addrefs to th't Peopled
the United States.
Nb. VIII. p .
Particular tranfadions of the for
mer adminiftration, are the next ob
it;fii thit fournavv vards were
purchafed without authority, and
the money mifapplied, which was
paid for them.' Mr. Wolcott, in
juftification of there purchafes, re
leri to the publication ot Mr. Stod
derti dated May 1 ,1 80? and which
hat appeared in all thofe public p
y en, whofe independence of the
men in power does not lead them to
keep back information from the
people, which ; may injure their in
luence. Mr. W. then obferves :
" I can add nothing to the force of
his arguments, which mud be confi-
uticu A3 (.uiiLlunri.) uj ail mvu " "
are not decided Converts to the cry
of fpecific appropriations : For the
laturaction 01 tucn minas, nowever,
I take the liberty to ftate a fad, not
noticed by Mr. Stoddert.
In March i8oi,Congrefs exprefs
ly appropriated,- the expenfes at
tending" (not " completing" as mcnti
-oned by Mr. Gallatin) fix feveoty
f our gun fhips ; arid for completing na
vy lords, docks and wharves, the fum of
five hundred thoufand dollars." It
is proved by Mr. Stoddert, that the
parchafe was attended vUL-an ob
vious benefit to the United States." The
whole expenie has been expresit -janc-tkned
by a fuhfequmt, if not priot appro
priation. Upon principles, conceded
h tit committee, and po which ihtir ff
tern of fpecific appropriation refls, the wTtole
tranfadion, therefore, fhnds com
pletely, jufiified. When will accufati
tions asainft theifohnjeradjuiniifra
. uou teaic, 11 uicir tunuuu taiiuui
be protected even by the adk cf the
legiflature?"
It may not be amifs here, to recall
to the recolledion of the public, by
a very fhort abftrad, the jmpprtant
principles and fads contained in the
letter to Mr. Stoddert, to which Mr.
Volcott refers. Thefe are that
adof Congrefsdireded fix 74. gun
imps IU UC UUIU, WOT 6UHt Or piir-
ohaied" as the Committee chofe to
mifreprefent the adthat an aft of
Congrefs directing a thing to be
done, and appropriating money for
doing it, does confer " full and am
ple authority, nol only to do the
thing itfelf, but to do' every thing in-
Cldental to it every thing oithout wh'tob
the thing direEled could not bt performed.'
As there was neither timber nor ma
terials in the arfenals . of theJJn.ited
States, for building-fix 74 gun mips,
rt cannot be doubted, therefore,
cuat tne act autnormng them to be
built, gave complete power to pur
chafe the materials and timber. So
of yards :there-was not one vard.
ijuuuc or private., in the United
Rtitt! Ct f. k..:u: n -? i r i
vi y uunuuig mips or lucn a
fize: it was effential fuch yaids
mould be pr ocuredl he aathere-
. w. , ....UcU la gne, ana ,cua give my
power to procure them by hire or by
purchafe: as fhpuld beft coniport with
public mtereft. The remaining ob
lervations of Mr. Stoddert; tending
to lhew, that the purchafe of "the
navy yards was for the public benefit,
and was " economical a well as le
gal, are fo important that we (hall
prefent them entire. V ,
I know not how many years
have clapfed, fince CongreTs autho
rized the building of three frigates.
At that time, the bufinefs of building
imps of warot large fize was hew in
this country iandit is not furprif
ing that great errors were committed
n making the arrangements for
jeds of the criticilmi ot tne xumnm
tee, and of the defence of Mr. Wol-
- in t neie. inc an is w.
TUESDA Y,
building thefe lhips:. One verygrea..
error, and for which the public have
feverely paid, was, hiring inftead of
buying grounds, to build them upon.
After hiring the ground, it was found
indifpenfible that wharves and other
improvements mould be made on
the ground fo hired, atld at the pub
lic expenfe. But the evil did not
flop heretor the yards were too
contracted, as all private yards are,
to admit offuch dtftribution of the
enormous quantities of timber, re
quired for large fhips, as .to enable
the workmen to get at the pieces,
hourly wanted in the progreflipn of
the fhips ; hence it became neceflary
ifr emplorgreat numbers if" labour
ers merely for the purpofe of re
moving timber. I have not fuch ac
curate knowledge of the expenfe in
curred in the improvements made on
private propeity," ana uleleis to the
public When the fhips were finiihed,
and in the employment of labourers
whofe ferviccs, under a difFerent fyf
tem might have been difpenled with,
as to pretend to exadnrfs in dating
the fum ; but 1 hate no hefitatJori in
averring, that it exceeded the whole
cpft of the fix navy yards purchafed
by me.
With a full knowledge of thefe
fafls before me, would it have been
a proper difcharse of duty, to have
fallen in the fame error ? Would it
not have been a fhamef u' facrifice of
the public inteveit, a wanton wafte
of the public money ? - It is my pride
that the error was avoided, and that,
fuch a courfe was purfued, as will
reftore to the public a large portion
of the money ex?endeti on the yards,
fhoulda mealure, fo pregnant with
folly and madneis, be reforted to, as
afale of them."
A juftification fo cpmpkffe and fo
honourable td the laft adminiftration
leads us aliriolt to commiferate the
condition of this Investigating com
- " ' t .
niitteerTiJTOere TeauKu to tne nc
cefliry of either leaving their party
wholly deftituteof thofe official fup
ports for their calumnies, of which
they flood in fo much need, and
which was the fole ob eft of the cre
ation of this committee, or of mifre-
prefetinff proceedings, which, on ex
amination, rebound o highly to the
honour of tho'e whom it was their
buffriefs to difgrace. Surely, if in
dignation at the bafenefs of the- de
fign would permit, we might well pi
ty men, who would codefcend to give
the credit of their mrnesto the mali
cious inventions of unprincipled de
magogues j who, content with the
humlMe office of pioneers for detrac
tion, had not ability to fel ft inftru
ments fuited to th'eir purpefes, but
feize only uDon luch as elevate thofer
charaders, which they undertook, to
proltrate. ;
The next objecYbf rhe cenfu're of
the committee is theeredion ot cer
tain buildings near Philadelphia, un
der the dir'e&ion of the Secretary of
W?t. They affert that thefe ; were
" wiauthorifed' that "they have been
carried on in a manner highly exteifive,
and are yet in an uufinifhed flafe - &
that the expenfe ' has been paid out
of -the appropriations heretofore
made for the Quarter Mailer's De
partment ; and declare their" opini
on that this expenditure of money
could not be jufiified at any time, but
more partfeularly at a moment when
the United States were borrowing
money at a high rate of interefito meet
objefts, whicn the legiflature confi
dered neceirary and had fanttioned
by law." .--JJ'hefe buildings may be
a laboratory, and arfenal, or a ma
gazine. " 1 heir erection is jufiified
upon the fame gwral principle as the
purchafe oflhenavy yardj jVA
were necejfary to the uccesful execution of
measures enjoined by liu."' Goncemin g
this neceflity Mr. Wolcott remarks :
ncceimy Mr. w o cuu uim .
joerore tneie ouuajngs were crcu-j
Nymbir9, 1802.
ted,tl
the Ui
believe there did not exifl, in
nited btates, a fingle public
bdlldinK icceflible br water tranfbof
tation, in which arms, military f lores;
clothjng, and other valuable ar del et
of pttblic property, depofited. No
lefs 4 Aim than twelve hundred thou
fand;dollars, was appropriated, in
1798!, for the purchafev of cannony
fnall arms, ammunition, & military
ftorjt A confiderable proportion
of thefe fuppHes, was expected to be
drawn, and was actually drawn, from
theiuketof Philadelphia and its
v iemitf At leaft , one central
magazine, acceffibly by f water,
was neenary for receiving ftich
fuppyCT-aWefe"imp6rted;'"and
for ffefltiri diflriH'itions to,,the
navy! and to carilon ' ' coaft.
1 Before these W1 . iled,
the public proj ei .y va. wbuted
in private buildings, m various parti
of the.city of Philadelphia,' and its vi
cinity, where they could not be con
veniently infpe&ed, and where they
could not be guarded by the military,
without hazard of diftuibing the or
der of the city : a great accumulate tt
of military iupplies, in the n;idit oi a
popului city, was unlafe 'f the powers
yefted in the Executive Department,
in a feafon of military preparations,
were known to be of the higheft inv
pirtance, and the nature of jhe dif-
cretioiury authority, actually intruft
ed ly law, tothePrefident of the U
nited Stares, feemed neceffary to iM- j
ply the right to judgeu of the pioflfuit-1
abl means ol prerrving tltpublic proper-
t a power which, when compared
with others, was ot no importance."
Concernine- the exflenfivtnpfs
and unfiniit id flate of the buildings,
Mr. Wolcott proceeds :
,-"If it was intended that it fhould
be yjderftood, that more many has $een
tpr&bti vasveceftsn, confidering
the extent and folldtty sJ tit buildings, then
it is certain a hafty opinion has been
pfefltv-without acquiring due fri-
formation: It the luggefticn is, that
the maiariaU, dicorathns, or ivorkmatifhip,
woe too cojlh, then it is anfwered that
the buildings are tack flrufiu-ei, and
an appeal is made to the pu.Mic, on
a companion with buildings ereded
by the. different Jltc or by the city of
Philadelphia, or by incorporated
wnfanief, whether the defign was un-
ftnldbte. It IS true that the while defign
has not been completed but this idea IS
communicated by the exprefiion that
this pile of buddingsi is net in an unfinihed
jlate. Ihe public ur.deritood, that
the sxpenditures hitherto made are
ufdef;, let the ietfles of the people of"
Philadelphia, and its vicinity, decide
on the corrednefs oi this iitfprell:-
With refpedVto the' expenfes : be
ing defrayed put of the appropriati
ons heretofore made for the Quarter
mailer's department he oblepes,
"I fliaU not attempt to reconcile
this aflertiori with their firit decla
ration, ' that the appropriations tor
the army have been confidered as
conitituting but ene general fund,"
but to proceed to remark that the
observation appears to imply an opi
nion that the fund appropriated for
the Quarter MafierDtpartment could
not lawfully be applied tor ereding
tiecejary magazines. With fuch men,
as on reflection maintain this opini
on, it will be in vain to realon, re
fpeding themeafures of the former
adminiitration, as the' opinion will
prove, that there remains ho conv
irion fource, ironi which arguments
can be deduced. Unqueflionably it
has been confidered as a primary .duty
of the Quarter Mailer Department,
to proviae alt magazines, by purchafe leafe,
etetherwifet as fhould be deemed expedient '.
this WSM'Af efiablihed principlcTiX
ing the revolutionary war, and every
fbfeqtient regulation and inftrudi-
n, wun wnicn i. am acquamicu, ;u
-fded on thcfamc ide4f It eatt.
-
Vol. VIL Numb
hot furely haVe been imagined, that
Upecific 0pprcpriattotit for diimcl items of
cxpence, in me Smarter Mailer De
partment, were neceflary if not. the
expence has been defrayed out of the
....... J- 1 .',....!
proper tuna, even upon tut principles tjjumea
wy the Utmmtttet.
Mr. , Wolcott adds, . ,
" Thereis anillufion to tne Loans.
negociated for the) public, at an in-
tereit pt-elgbt per cent fpr ten yeais,v
which caniior be mifunderftood
Thefe are faW by the CdmmJttce to
havebeen fcbtamed'at a high ra!
of interett." Mu) Gallatin ' has not
thought ir unfuirible, fn an offidai
U exorbitant I .thai I at all tim
ready to tx plain the reafoni ef my
1 r 1 . . ..
cwiiqici. wnen reauirea t nut tn m .
dired' imputajtions,' from any quai
ter,it muft be.fufhcient to obferve,
that this fubjed has been fullv con-
Lfidered by a Committee, of equal au
thority wuh the Committee ot In-; .
veftigation, the members of which,
with the concurrence of Mr. Nichol
fon, qtHtfiimoufly reported, that they .
1 ' -1 1 ft . : 1 . r
law 110 reaion 10 aouct mar tneie
Loans were negociated upon the befl
terms which could be procured, and
with a laudabie view tp the publig
ihierea." ;
The purchafe pf yards for the ufe
of the navy of the United Mates
the ercdion of the arfenals for the
preservation of its' military appara
tus ; - fuch arc the obieds which this
patriotic committee have- chofen to
cenfurej That prudence which in
times o; peace and profoerity prepare
means pf defence, auainfl times of
dahget and adverfity, and which has
been feleded by the eulocifts pf the
ftatefnen of other countries as the
choiceff theme for panegyric, is in
this the occafion .of official reproach
and legiflative obloquy Not thofe
who would direa nadonaj wealth to
' 1 u.- n. 1 r't-71
and profpertty, but thpfe who flatter
their van-Vy, or make mean appeals
to their avarice, ar the men, whom
Americans, ot late, delight to honor I
Not thoie; who would proted from
foreign inrafion their cities and
farms, their wives and their chil-
dren ; hot thole who wPiild place
public and pi ivate Happinefs on its
Pnlyational foundation, fecwityand
capacity of felf-protedion? are the
flatcsmen whom our citizens now
reward and elevate : but thofe great
patriots alone are the objeds of their
affetlions, who pretend to prelerve
pence in the pockets ot individuals;
thofe who modulate their voices
to every varying note of popular hu
mor; thofe who give oread lops to
the mouth ot labour, and who fet
whifiwry free for the throats of mfur
eents" Thefe are fhy Gods, oh, Is-
1 1 m . a 1 it . a 1
rael V JJow down and worinip tneie
llrange objeds ' of adotahon .which
ye have let up in your high places.
Eerily they are the work of your own
hands. If ye can, rejoice in them and
be glad. C
tor Halt ai thti Vftie :
Domestic Medicine :
, OR, A ' '
T R E A T I S E
PREVENTION ak CURE
DISEASES,
By Regimen and fimple Medicines,
WITH
An APPENDIX, containing a DISPEN
S ATQRY for the Ufe of PriTite
Pruflitioners.
TO.WKICH AKI ADPIV,
Obfervations on the Diet of the
Common People ;
Recmmending a-Method, of 'living leh em,
peofire, and more conducive to heattnj
than the'rrefent. w
By WILLIAM BUCHAN. M. D.
Fellow of the R yal College of Pbyfim-,
'kvaaf.
"
1