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Passing Of The Army Bill

Passing Of The Army Bill image
Parent Issue
Day
11
Month
July
Year
1842
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

On Monday, after a speech of Mr. Levy, of Florida, in defence of the Florida war, Air. Everett, of Vermont, made an earnest appeal to save the army. Mr. Adams followed, and took the position, that the revolution and indedepcnce of this nation were founded on the principie of abhonrnce of armics, and that the existence of a standing' army in a country like this, was mfinitely dangerous to its libeties. [It is in.possible to describe the effect wrought on the House by the simple annunciation of these senliments, done with the cxtrordinary emphüsis that Mc. A. alone can give. Every one feit that one sentiment had eettled the question and sealed the fule of thu bilí. Mr. A. went on.] This principie was carried so far, at the time of ihe revolution, that in the revolutionary army, all the enlistments and commissions o' every officer and every man in that army were limited to "the continuance of the war," and at the mement the war was conchided. the ( 'ommander in-chief. by one the most splendid acts in the ar.nuls of mankind, urrendered hiscommission. and the wbole army was disbanded. This state of things continued for years, during which we had no army at nll, until the Indian hostilities required a military force, and Congress raised C00 men, but beyond ihnt the nation defended itself. So at the close of the war of 1812, Congress immediately reduced the army from 45 regiments to 10,000 men, and in 1821, to 6000, and to that he wished to return. He had been alnrmed at the estimates submitted by the Dcparfments at the beginning of the session; Iwelve millions for the army, and nine millions for the navy. Here is the place to look for extravagance. Where was the money to come from? Under our glorious compronnse of J839, our entire revenue cotild not excecd 19 millions, he doubted ifwe should realize 12. Hrre is tho place to r'!n neb, w here vin will c Ijiillii i i - . , 1 i L' isiïjsni.16 a poidun of our fbrts, than ' raise men to man ihem.

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News