Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the Second Session of the Eighteenth Congress Page: 31
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APPENDIX—To dales Seaton's "Register.
31
18th Congress, >
2d Session. $
Documents accompanying the President's Message. [Sen. and H. of R.
Inadequacy of the punishment annexed to it by law. In
time of war, it is suppressed by the infliction of capital
punishment; but it has not bet n customary to inflict the
sentence of death upon deserters in time of peace. Be-
fore the late war, punishment by stripes operated as a
partial) if not an efficient, restraint; but this mode of
punishment was abolished by law, at a time when it was
deemed necessary, in order to engage individuals ©{'re-
spectable connexions and elevated spirit, to enter the
ranks, to expunge from the government of the army
every feature which was repugnant to the moral eleva-
tion of man. It has been my opinion that it would be
come necessary, if the government should continue to
enlist into the army foreigners, who iiave generally been
accustomed to the lash, and cannot easily be governed
without it, to revive, by law, the punishment by stripes,
: under the discretion of courts martial; but, as you have
consented to the prohibition of their enlistment, it is at
least due to the character of our native soldiery, to make
a further experiment to govern them without resorting
to expedients which are not altogether in harmony with
the genius of our institutions or the spirit of the age.
Experience having proved that the established system
ofpunishment is inadequate to the suppression of the
clime, and that it is vain to rely altogether upon the in-
fluence of moral obligation, 1 can conceive no other mode
of securing the fidelity of the soldier than by creating an
artificial interest, which will bind him to the service.
With a view to this object, I would recommend that pro-
vision be made, by law, to retain a portion of his month-
ly pay in the hands of the Government, until the expira-
tion of his term of enlistment, and to make an honorable
discharge the condition of its payment. The smallest
portion which 1 would advise to be retained is> one dol-
lar per month, and the largest portion two dollars. A
sum smaller than the former would be inadequate to pro-
duce in the soldier the necessary interest, and a sum
larger than the latter would make too serious an inr.oad
upon his comforts. Assuming the medium, one dollar
and fifty cents, as the proper standard, let us examine
its influence upon the army and the public treasures.
At the expiration of his first year's service, every soldier
would have in the possession of the Government eight-
een dollars; at the end of the second year, thirty-six
dollars; and at the expiration of his term of enlistment,
ninety dollars. The regular monthly increase of the
sum in expectancy, would be a constantly increasing
motive to a faithful performance of his duties; and he
would be confirmed in his course of fidelity and obe-
dience to the laws, by the consideration that an honora-
ble discharge would put him in possession of a sum suf-
iicient to sustain him in transferring his industry, if he
should think proper, to a new pursuit. In the mean-
time, if he should desert, the sum retained from his pay
would, in some cases, be sufficient, anil in all eases go
far towards enabling the Government to provide a re-
cruit to supply his place. Thus, the expense of filling
vacancies occasioned by a violation of the laws, would
principally fall, as in justice it ought, upon the offenders
themselves, and not upon the public, against which the
offence is committed.
1'he more I reflect upon this subject, the more firmly
lam strengthened in the conviction that the frequency
of desertion will be materially abridged by the measure
which I have the lienor to suggest. If my position is
correct, it will be apparent that the efficiency of the ar-
my will be augmented, that its moral character will be
elevated, and that the branch of public expenditure
heretofore referred to will be brought within the. small-
est limits to which, under the most favorable circumstan-
ces, it is susceptible of being reduced. If it should be
found by experience that this measure is ineffectual, and
that it is necessary, by severe and humiliating penalties,
to punish, where interest and the sense of moral obliga-
';«t are inadequate to restrain, it will be a consolation to
reflect, wheia we are compelled to have recourse tu ex-
pedients like these, that those of a milder character
i have been exhausted.
I ' have the honor to be, most respectfully, sir, your
I obedient servant,
, „ „ JAC. BROWN.
Hon. J. C. Calhoun",
Secretary of War.
Engineer Department, Aov. 20, 1824.
Sir : In pursuance of your instructions, dated the 1st:
instant,to report "the application of the appropriation of
the last session,for fortifications to the several works, and
the expenditures necessary for their completion ; and
also a statement of the work performed on fortifications
within this year, ending 30th Sept. last; the works re-
maining to be commenced, according to the plans of the
Board of Engineers; the estimates of the Board of En-
gineers for those works; the progress of the Board of
Engineers in its labors, comprehending the operations
of the Topographical Engineers, from the commence-
ment of the year; the progress of the Board of Internal
Improvements, comprehending the operations of the
Topographical Engineers, under the act of the 30th of
April last, to procure the necessary surveys, plans, and
estimates, upon the subject of lioads and Canals ; the
act of the 24th of May last, to improve the navigation of
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers; the act of the 26th of
May last, lor deepening the channel leading into the
harbor of Presqu'Isle, and for repairing Plymouth
Beach ; the condition of the Military Academy, includ-
ing its present number, and the number which graduat-
ed last year; the amount drawn for the three first quar-
ters of this year, under the several heads of appropria-
tion, and the amount of accounts rendered and passed to
the Auditor for settlement in the same period," I have
the honor to make the following report, yiz;
1 beg leave to refer to the accompanying tables, mark-
ed G, H, and I, for part of the information above re-
quired.
Table G exhibits "the application of the appropriation
of the last session, for fortifications to the several works,
and the expenditures necessary for their completion."
It shows that, of the amount appropriated, $620,000, the
sum of |;512,4f7 86 was expended in the three first quar-
ters of the year, leaving the sum of $307,522 14 to be
expended.
Table H exhibits the amounts drawn for the three
first quarters of this year, added to the amounts in the
hands of agents on the 1st of January last, applicable to
the several objects designated ; and the amount of ac-
counts relating to those objects, rendered and passed to
the Auditor for settlement in the same period.
Table I exhibits "the works remaining to be com-
menced, according to the plans of the Board of Engi-
neers, and the estimates of the Board of Engineers for
those works."
The work performed on fortifications within this year,
ending on the 30th of September, will be found in the
following summary statements, in relation to each forti-
fication. Two of those fortifications, that at Brenton's
Point, in the harbor of Newport, Rhode Island, and that
at New Utrecht Point, in the harbor of New York, were
commenced this year.
The work at Brenton's Point was commenced under
the authority of an appropriation of fifty thousand dolf
L>rs, for purchasing the site and collecting materials.—
The site has been purchased and enclosed; the con-
struction of a wharf, and other arrangements for collect-
ing materials have been commenced, and some materi-
als have been collected.
The work at New Utrecht Point was also commenced,
under the authority of an appropriation of fifty thousand
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Gales, Joseph, 1761-1841. Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the Second Session of the Eighteenth Congress, book, 1825; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30752/m1/407/?rotate=270: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.