ing scenes which he had to encounter in that the mode of issuing the same; and also to report a system for the establishment of a commissariat quarter. for the army," I have the honor to submit the following Report:

our military establishment, it will be necessary to consider it under distinct and proper heads. To ascertain, then, "whether any, and if any what, reductions may be made in the expenses of our military establishment," I propose to consider its number, organization, pay, and emoluments, and administration. To the one or the other of these heads all of its expenses may be traced; and, if they are greater than what they ought to be, we must search for the cause in the improper extent of the establishment-the excessive number of officers in proportion to the men-the extravagance of the pay or emoluments, or the want of proper responsibility and economy in its admini

stration.

To the other good qualities of Mr. Adams, may be added a partiality for learning, a respect for In order to form a correct opinion on a subject the productions of genius, and a disposition to en-involving so many particulars as the expense of courage merit of every description. With his discriminating mind, his surprising and systematic industry, his considerate observation of men and things, his stores of knowledge, his regular and moral habits; he must have been, in any rank of life, among any class of citizens, a distinguished personage. He is a man who will not proceed without understanding his subject. He sees eve. ry thing; he examines every thing: he is, intel lectually, every where present in the multiplicity of transactions confided to his superintendence. If some scribblers, conceiving themselves the levers which raise or depress, at pleasure, the opinions of the people to any point of political elevation, have scurrilously assailed him, and endeavored to paint for him a foul and false reputation, their dark and unnatural sketches have faded away before the light of his genius, as the mists of the valley disappear beneath the influence of the sun. These scribbling defamers, consistent in nothing but calumny, in attacking him betray the anomaly of their own mental organization: They decry the doctrine of hereditary succession, and yet they would make Mr. Adams the legitimate inheritor of the blemishes thrown upon his father's administration!

In fine, by whomsoever John Quincy Adams is intimately known, he will be respected. His character does not develop itself at once. His mind is like some of those statues and pictures of the masters of antiquity, which require much steady contemplation before all their beauties can be perceived; but they grow upon the eye of an attentive observer daily; until, identifying every excellency, assent is yielded to the superiority of those faculties which, at all times, and in every situation, have fixed the attention and won the esteem of eminent and enlightened men.

MILITARY AFFAIRS.

Report of the Secretary of War, upon the subject of the reduction of the expenses of the Military Peace Establishment, of the United States; on a change in the ration established by law; and of a system for the establishment of a Commissariat for the Army.

Pursuing the subject in the order in which it has been stated, the first question which offers itself for consideration is, whether our military establishment can be reduced "with safety to the public service," or can its expenditures be, with propriety, reduced, by reducing the army itself? It is obvious that, viewed in the abstract. few questions present so wide a field for observation, or are so well calculated to produce a great Considered as an original question, it would indiversity of sentiment, as the one now proposed. volve in its discussion the political institutions of the country, its geographical position and charac ter, the number and distance of our posts, and our relations with the Indian tribes, and the principal European powers. It is conceived, however, that a satisfactory view of it may be taken without discussing topics so extensive and indefinite.

The military establishments of 1802 and 1808, have been admitted, almost universally, to be sufficiently small. The latter, it is true, received an enlargement from the uncertain state of our foreign relations at that time; but the former was established at a period of profound quiet, (the commencement of Mr. Jefferson's adminis tration,) and was professedly reduced, with a view to economy, to the smallest number then supposed to be consistent with the public safety. Assuming these as a standard, and comparing the present establishment, (taking into the comparison the increase of our country,) with them, a satisfactory opinion may be formed on a subject which otherwise might admit so great a diversity of opinion.

Our military peace establishment is limited, by the act of 1815, passed at the termination of the late war, to 10,000 men. The corps of engineers and ordnance, by that and a subsequent act, were retained as they then existed; and the President was directed to constitute the establishment of such portions of artillery, infantry, and riflemen, as he might judge proper. The general order of Department of War, Dec. 11, 1818. the 17th May, 1815, fixes the artillery at,3,200, In compliance with a resolution of the House the light artillery at 660, the infantry 5,440, and of Representatives, passed the 17th April last, di- || the rifle 660, privates and matrosses. Document A recting "the Secretary of War to report, at an exhibits a statement of the military establishment, early period of the next session of Congress, whe-including the general staff, as at present organizther any, and if any what, reduction may be made ed; and B exhibits a similar view of those of 1802 in the military peace establishment of the United and 1808: by a reference to which it will appear, States, with safety to the public service; and whe-that our military establishments, at the respective ther any, and if avy what, change ought to be periods, taken in the order of their dates, present made in the ration established by law, and in an aggregate of 5,323, 9,996, and 12,656. It is

But the danger, it may be said, is not so much from its numbers, as a spirit hostile to liberty, by which it is supposed all regular armies are actuated. This observation is probably true, when ap. plied to standing armies collected into large and powerful masses; but, dispersed as ours is, over so vast a surface, the danger, I conceive, is of an opposite character, that both officers and soldiers will lose their military habits and feelings by sliding gradually into those purely civil.

I proceed next to consider whether any reduc tion can be made with propriety by changing the organization, or by reducing the number, of officers of the line, or the staff, in proportion to the men. It is obvious that, as the officers are much more expensive in proportion to their numbers than the soldiers, that the pay of the army, in re

obvious, that the establishment of 1808, compared | with the then wealth and population of the country, the number and extent of military posts, is larger in proportion than the present; but the unsettled state of our relations with France and England, at that period, renders the comparison not entirely just. Passing, then, that of 1808, let us compare the establishment of 1802 with the present. To form a correct comparison, it will be necessary to compare the capacity and necessities of the country then, with those of the present time. Since that period our population has nearly doubled, and our wealth more than doubled. We have added Louisiana to our possessions, and with it a great extent of frontier, both maritime and inland. With the extension of our frontier and the increase of our commercial cities, our military posts and fortifications have been greatlylation to its aggregate numbers, must be increased multiplied. Document marked C exhibits the or diminished, in the increase or the diminution number and positions of posts in the year 1802, of the former. It is impossible to fix any absolute and document D those of the present time; by a proportion between officers and men which will reference to which, it will be seen that, at the suit every country and every service; and the or former period, we had but 27 posts, the most re-ganization of different countries, and of different mote of which was, to the north, at Mackinaw, periods in the same country, has, accordingly, vaand to the south, at Fort Stoddert, on Mobile ri-ried considerably. Our present organization, of ver; but now we have 73, which ocupy a line of which document marked A contains an exhibit, is frontier proportionally extended. On the Lakes, probably as well, or better, adapted to the nature the Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansaw, and Red ri- of our country and service than any other, as it ver, our posts are now, or will be shortly, extendseems to be the result of experience; for, by a ed, for the protection of our trade and the pre- reference to document marked B it will be seen, servation of the peace of the frontiers, to Green that it is nearly similar, with the exception of the Bay, the mouths of the St. Peters, and the Yellow general staff, in which the present is more extenStone River, Bellepoint, and Natchitoches. Do-sive, to the organization of the military establishcument marked E exhibits a statement of the ex- ments of 1802 and 1808. It is believed that the tent of the line of our frontier, inland and mari-|| proportion of officers of the line to the men will time, with the distance of some of the more re-require no farther observations. mote posts from the seat of government, drawn The staff, as organized by the act of the last up by Major Long, of the topographical engineers, || from the most approved maps.

fairly to be included. Their duties are connected with the permanent preparation and defence of the country, and have so little reference to the existing establishment, that, if the army were reduced to a single regiment, no reduction could safely be made in either of them. To form a correct estimate of the duties of the other branches of the staff, and consequently the number of officers required, we must take into consideration not only the number of troops, but, what is equally essential, the number of posts and extent of country which they occupy. Were our military establishment reduced one half, it is obvious, that, if the same posts continued to be occupied which now are, the same number of officers, in the quar. termaster's, commissary's, paymaster's, medical, and adjutant and inspector general's, departments, would be required.

session, combines simplicity with efficiency; and is considered to be superior to that of the periods If, then, the military establishment of 1802 be to which I have reference. In estimating the exassumed to be as small as was then consistent with penses of the army, and particularly that of the the safety of the country, our present establish- staff, the two most expensive branches of it, the meat, when we take into comparison the prodi-engineer and ordnance departments, ought not gious increase of wealth, population, extent of territory, number and distance of military posts, cannot be pronounced extravagant; but, on the contrary, after a fair and full comparison, that of the former period must, in proportion to the ne cessities and capacity of the country, be admitted to be quite as large as the present; and, on the assumption that the establishment of 1802 was as || small as the public safety would then admit, a reduction of the expense of our present establishment cannot be made, with safety to the public service, by reducing the army. In coming to this conclusion I have not overlooked the maxim, that || a large standing army is dangerous to the liberty of the country, and that our ultimate reliance for defence ought to be on the militia. Its most zealous advocate must, however, acknowledge that a standing army, to a limited extent, is necessary; and no good reason can be assigned why any To compare then, as is sometimes done, our should exist, but what will equally prove that the staff with those of European armies asssembled in present is not too large. To consider the present || large bodies, is manifestly unfair. The act of the army as dangerous to our liberty, partakes, it is last session, it is believed, has made all the reducconceived, more of timidity than wisdom. Not to tion which ought to be attempted. It has renderinsist on the character of the officers, who, as a ed the staff efficient without making it expensive. body, are high-minded and honorable men, at- Such a staff is not only indispensable to the effi. tached to the principles of freedom by education ciency of the army, but is also necessary to a proand reflection, what well founded apprehension per economy in its disbursements; and should an ean there be from an establishment distributed on attempt be made at retrenchment, by reducing 30 extended a frontier, with many thousand miles the present number, it would, in its consequences, intervening between the extreme points occupied?" probably prove wasteful and extravagant.

In fact, no part of our military organization re- tionary war, and in 1802, 1815, and 1818. By a quires more attention in peace than the general reference to those documents it will be seen, that staff. It is, in every service, invariably the last in under most of the heads, the variation of the difattaining perfection; and, if neglected in peace, || ferent periods has been very small, and that, on when there is leisure, it will be impossible, in the a comparison of the whole, the pay of an officer midst of the hurry and bustle of war, to bring it is not near equal now, if allowance is made for to perfection. It is in peace that it should re- the depreciation of money, to what it was during ceive a perfect organization, and that the officers the revolution. I will abstain from further reshould be trained to method and punctuality, so marks, as it must be obvious, from these state. that at the commencement of a war, instead of ments, that the expense of our military establishcreating anew, nothing more should be necessary ment cannot be materially reduced without injury than to give to it the necessary enlargement. In to the public service, by reducing the pay and this country, particularly, the staff cannot be ne- emoluments of the officers and soldiers. glected with impunity. As difficult as its operations are in actual service every where, it has here to encounter great and peculiar impediments, from the extent of the country, the badness, and frequently the want of roads, and the sudden and unexpected calls which are often made on the mi-and economy. Our military establishment is litia. If it could be shown that the staff, in its present extent, was not necessary in peace, it would, with the view taken, be unwise to lop off any of its branches which would be necessary in actual service. With a defective staff we must carry on our military operations under great disadvantages, and be exposed, particularly at the commencement of a war, to great losses, embar-without economy or responsibility, not only ex rassments, and disasters.

It only remains to consider, in relation to this part of the resolution of the House, whether the expense of our military establishment can be reduced by a proper attention to its administration, or by a more rigid enforcement of responsibility

doubtless susceptible of great improvement in its administration. The field is extensive, and the attention of the government has not heretofore been so strongly directed towards it, as its im portance deserves. Here all savings are real gain, not only in a monied, but a moral and political point of view. An inefficient administration,

hausts the public resources, but strongly tends As intimately connected with this part of the to contaminate the moral and political principles subject, it is proper to observe, that so many and of the officers who are charged with the 'dis. such distant small posts as our service requires,bursements of the army. To introduce, however, not only add to the expense of the army, by ren a high state of economy and responsibility in the dering a more numerous staff necessary, but in-management of a subject so extensive and com. crease the price of almost every article of supply,plicated as our military establishment, is a task of and the difficulty of enforcing a proper responsi. great difficulty, and requires not only a perfect bility and economy. To an army thus situated, organization of the department charged with it, the expenses and losses resulting from transporta-but a continued energetic and judicious enforce tion alone constitute a considerable sum. Underment of the laws and regulations established for the best management our army must be more exits government. The organization is the proper pensive, even were our supplies equally cheap, sphere of legislation, as the application of the than European armies collected in large bodies, laws and regulations is that of administration. in the midst of populous and wealthy communi.The former has done all, or nearly all, that can be ties. These observations are not made to justify an improper management, or to divert the attenfron of the house from so important a subject as the expense of our military establishment. They, in fact, ought to have an opposite effect; for, just in the same proportion that it is liable to be ex-expenses of the army, but has given both to the pensive, ought the attention and effort of the government to be roused to confine its expenses within the most moderate limits which may be practicable.

done. It is believed that the organization of thé War Department, as well as the general staff of the army, is not susceptible of much improvement. The act of the last session regulating the staff has not only made important savings in the

department and the staff a much more efficient organization than they ever before had. Every department of the army charged with disbursements, has now a proper head, who, under the The next question which presents itself for con- laws and regulations, is responsible for its adminsideration is, can the expenses, of our military es- istration. The head of the department is thus tablishment be reduced, without injury to the freed from detail, and has kisure to inspect and public service, by reducing the pay and emolu- control the whole of the disbursements. Much ments of the officers and soldiers? There is no time and reflection will be required to bring the class in the community whose compensation bas system into complete operation, and to derive advanced less, since the termination of the war of from it all the advantages which ought to be exthe revolution, than that of the officers and sol-pected The extent of the saving which may re diers of our army. While money has depreciatedsult from it can only be ascertained by time and more rapidly than at any other period, and the experience; but, with an attentive and vigorous price of all of the necessaries of life has advanced administration, it doubtless will be considerable. proportionably, their compensation has remained In war, it will be much more dificult to enforce nearly stationary. The effects are severely felt economy and responsibility; but with a system by the subaltern officers. It requires the most well organized, and with officers trained to merigid economy for them to subsist on their pay and thod and punctuality, much of the waste and emoluments. Documents marked F and G exhi-frauds, which would otherwise take place in was, bit the pay and subsistence during the revolution, will be prevented. In peace there can be no inand as at present established; and document superable difficulty in attaining a high degree of marked II exhibits the allowance of clothing, fuel, responsibility and economy. The mere monied forage, transportation, quarters, waiters, station-responsibility, or that of purchases and disburseery, and straw, at the termination of the revolu-ments, will be casily enforced. The public now

sustains much greater losses in the waste and im- || wars, from this cause, were probably much greater proper use of public property than in its monied than from the sword. However well qualified for transactions. In our military establishment, res- war in other respects, in the mere capacity of ponsibility in the latter is well checked, and not bearing privations we are inferior to most nations. badly enforced. The accounts are rendered with An American would starve on what a Tartar would considerable punctuality, and are promptly set- live on with comfort. In fact, barbarous and optled; and even neglect or misapplication of public pressed nations have, in this particular, a striking funds, by the disbursing officers, are not often ac-advantage, which, however, ought to be much companied with ultimate losses, as they are under more than compensated by the skill and resources bonds for the faithful discharge of their duties. || of a free and civilized people. If, however, such Accountability, as it regards the public property, a people want the skill and spirit to direct its reis much more difficult, and has heretofore been sources to its defence, the very wealth, by which much less complete. Returns of property in ma- it ought to defend itself, becomes the motive for ny cases, particularly in the medical department, invasion and conquest. Besides, there is somehave rarely been required; and even where they thing shocking to the feelings, that, in a country have been, they have not been made with punc-of plenty beyond all others, in a country which tuality. It cannot be doubted but what the pub- ordinarily, is so careful of the happiness and life lic has sustained very considerable damage from of the meanest of its citizens, its brave defenders, this want of accountability. Every article of pub-who are not only ready, but anxious, to expose lic property, even the smallest, ought, if possible, their lives for the safety and glory of their counto be in charge of some person, who should be try, should, through a defective system of supply, responsible for it. It will be difficult to attain be permitted almost to starve, or to perish by the this degree of perfection; but it is hoped, by poison of unwholesome food, as has frequently making each of the subordinate departments of been the case. If it could be supposed that these the War Department liable for the property in its considerations, are not sufficient to excite the most charge, a very considerable improvement and re-anxious care on this subject, we ought to rememduction of expenses will be made. ber that nothing adds more to the expense of miOn the quality of the ration, and the system of litary operations, or exposes more to its disasters, supplying and issuing it, which I propose next to than the sickness and mortality which result from consider, the health, comfort, and efficiency, of defective or unwholesome supplies. Impressed the army mainly depend. Too much care cannot with this view of the subject, considerable be bestowed on these important subjects; for, let changes have been made in the ration, under the the military system be ever so perfect in other authority of the 8th section of the act regulating particulars, any considerable deficiency in these the staff of the army, passed at the last session of must, in all great military operations, expose an Congress. The vegetable part of the ration has army to the greatest disasters. All human efforts been much increased. Twice a week, a half almust, of necessity, be limited by the means of lowance of meat, with a suitable quantity of peas sustenance. Food sustains the immense machinery or beans, is directed to be issued. Fresh meat has. of war, and gives the impulse to all its operations; also been substituted, twice a week, for salted. and if this essential be withdrawn, even for a few In the southern division, bacon and kiln dried Indays, the whole must cease to act. No absolute dian-corn meal have been, to a certain extent, standard can be fixed, as it regards either the substituted for pork and wheat flour In addition, quantity or quality of the ration. These must orders have been given, at all the permanent vary, according to the habits and products of dif-posts, where it can be done, to cultivate a suffiferent countries. The great objects are, first and mainly, to sustain the health and spirit of the troops; and the next, to do it with the least possible expense. The system which effects these in the greatest degree, is the most perfect. The ration, as established by the act of the 16th March, 1802, experience proves to be ampie in quantity, || but not of the quality best calculated to secure either health or economy. It consists of eighteen In addition to these changes, I am of opinion ounces of bread, or flour, one pound and a quar-the spirit part of the ration, as a regular issue, ter of beef, or three-quarters of a pound of pork, ought to be dispensed with; and such appears to one gill of rum, brandy, or whiskey, and at the be the opinion of most of the officers of the army. rate of two quarts of salt, four quarts of vinegar, It both produces and perpetuates habits of interfour pounds of soap, and one pound and a half of perance, destructive alike to the health and mocandles, to every hundred rations. ral and physical energy of the soldiers. The spirit ought to be placed in depot, and be issued occasionally, under the direction of the commander. Thus used, its noxious effects would be avoided, and the troops, when great efforts were necessary, would, by a judicious use, derive important benefits from it. Molasses, beer and cider, according to circumstances, might be used as subOur people, even the poorest, being accustom- stitutes. The substitution of bacon and kiln-dried ed to a plentiful mode of living, require, to pre- corn meal, in the southern division, will have, it serve their health, a continuation, in a considera is believed, valuable effects. They are both much ble degree, of the same habits of life in a camp; more congenial to the habits of the people in that and a sudden and great departure from it subjects section of our country. Corn meal has another,' them, as is proved by experience, to great mor- and, in my opinion, great and almost decisive adtality. Our losses in the late and revolutionary II vantage; it requires so little art to prepare it for

The objections to it in relation to the health of the army, are fully stated in a report of the Sur geon General to the War Department, (marked 1) which I would respectful y annex as a part of this report. Under this view of the subject more need not be added, except to urge its importance, both on the score of humanity and policy.

cient supply of ordinary garden vegetables for the use of the troops; and, at the posts remote from the settled parts of the country, the order is extended to the cultivation of corn, and to the supply of the meat part of the ration, both to avoid the expense of distant and expensive transporta tion, and to secure, at all times, a supply within the posts themselves

use. It is not easy to make good bread of wheat || By a judicious collection of provisions at proper flour, while it is almost impossible to make bad of depots, combined with an active and energetic that of Indian corn. Besides, wheat is much more system of transportation, it would be seldom neliable to be damaged than the Indian corn, for thecessary to resort to any other mode of purchasing. latter is better protected against disease and the To provide, however, for contingencies, the pureffects of bad seasons in time of harvest than any chasing department ought to be efficiently or other grain; and, when injured, the good is easily ganized, and a branch of it, as already stated, atseparated from the bad. Experience proves it to tached to each army and military department. As be not less nutricious than wheat or any other it is the means to be resorted to in cases of negrain. Parched corn constitutes the principal cessity, it ought to possess those high and discrefood of an Indian warrior; and such are its nutri-tionary powers which do not admit of exact concious qualities, that they can support long and trol. It is in its nature liable to many abuses, and, fatiguing marches on it alone. to prevent them from being great, more efficient I next proceed to consider the system of sup-regulations and checks are required than in any plying the army with provisions, or the establish- other branch of the general staff. ment of a commissariat, and as they are connected The defects of the mere contract system are in their nature, I propose to consider that part so universally acknowledged by those who have of the resolution in relation to a commissariat, and experienced its operation in the late war, that it the mode of issuing the rations, at the same time. cannot be necessary to make many observations The system established, at the last session, will, in relation to it. Nothing can appear more abin time of peace, be adequate to the cheap and surd, than that the success of the most important certain supply of the army. The act provides for military relations, on which the very fate of the the appointment of a commissary general, and as country may depend, should ultimately rest on many assistants as the service may require, and men, who are subject to no military responsibility, authorizes the President to assign to them their and on whom there is no other hold than the peduties in purchasing and issuing rations. It also nalty of a bond. When we add to this observadirects that the ordinary supplies of the army tion that it is often the interest of a contractor to should be purchased on contracts to be made by fail, at the most critical juncture, when the means the commissary general, and to be delivered, on of supply become the most expensive, it seems inspection, in the bulk, at such places as shall be strange that the system should have been constipulated in the contract. Document marked Jtinued for a single campaign. It may be said, contains the rules and regulations which have that, when the contractor fails, the commander been established by order of the President, and has a right to purchase at his risk, by which the presents the operation of the system in detail. It disasters, which naturally result from a failure, is believed that it is as well guarded against fraud, may be avoided. The observation is more speas any other department of our military supplies; cious than solid. If on failure of the contractor and, judging from the contracts already formed there existed a well organized system for purunder it, will, when improved by experience, pro-chasing the supplies, there would be some truth bably make a very considerable saving. It would in it: but, without such a system, without depots improve the system, to authorize the appointment of provisions, and with the funds intended for the of two deputy commissaries, one for each division, supply of the army, perhaps, in the hands of the with the pay, rank, and emoluments, of major of contractor, his failure must generally be fatal to a infantry, to be taken from the line or from citi- campaign. It is believed that a well organized zens, and so to amend the act of the last session, commissariat, whose ordinary supplies are obas to authorize the President to appoint the assis-tained by contract founded on public notice, postant commissaries, either from the line, or citizens. sesses (besides those peculiar to itself) all the adWhen the assistant commissary is not taken from vantages fairly attributable to the system of issuthe line, to make his pay equal to that of a subal-ing rations by contract. It is equally guarded tern appointed from the line, it ought to be $50 against fraud, and its purchases can be made on per month, with two rations a day. It should be terms more advantageous. A considerable objec-› the duty of the deputy commissaries to perform tion to the system of issuing the ration by consuch service as the commissary general might pre- tract, is, that the merchants and capitalists are: scribe, and particularly to inspect the principal deterred from bidding, by the hazard of issuing depots, and, in cases of necessity, to make the the ration; and thus the sphere of competition is necessary purchases. When a suitable subaltern contracted, and the contracts for supplying the cannot be had, or when his services are necessary army often thrown into the hands of adventurers. in the line, the power proposed to be vested in This objection is avoided under the present systhe President, to select from citizens, would be stem, by which the ration will he cheaply supimportant. It is not believed that any other al-plied, and the danger of failure almost wholly reteration would be necessary in peace; but the system would require great enlargement in war, to render it sufficiently energetic to meet the many vicissitudes incidental to the operations of

war.

moved.

All which is respectfully submitted.

J. C. CALHOUN,

Manufactures, Commerce, and Navigation.

It would then be necessary to divide the system into two divisions, one for purchasing and the other for issuing of rations, with as many deputy A letter from Copenhagen states-" It is posicommissaries of purchases and issues, as there tively known that the Swedish government has may be armies and military districts, to whom renewed the orders already given to the governor ought to be added a suitable number of assistants. of the Island of St. Bartholomew not to permit; The basis of the system ought, in war, to be the privateers of governments not acknowledged, to same as is now established. The ordinary sup-sell their captures in that island. It is even asplies ought to be by contract on public proposals. "serted, that as these proceedings have been con