Editing Langdon Cheves (section)

====Naval Affairs====
As chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, Cheves had a key role in preparedness and appropriations for the potential war ahead. He began by submitting detailed requests to Secretary of the Navy [[Paul Hamilton (politician)|Paul Hamilton]] and Secretary of War [[William Eustis]]. By December, he had catalogued the nation's limited naval strength and begun to plan, with Hamilton's and Eustis's advice, appropriations for additional ships and fortifications.{{sfn|Huff|1977|p=57}}

On December 17, 1811, he submitted two reports on naval affairs. The first recommended $1,000,000 (approximately {{Inflation|US|1000000|1811|fmt=c}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}) "for the defense of our maritime frontier" by refortifying existing defenses. The second authorized the purchase of ship timber, repair of all vessels not in use, the establishment of a national repair dock, and the construction of ten additional frigates, "averaging thirty-eight guns."{{sfn|Huff|1977|pp=58–60}}

Cheves delivered a speech on behalf of the committee on January 17, 1812, defending a reinvigorated Navy as the only effective protection for American "commerce and our neutral rights on the ocean." The bill was opposed by orthodox Jeffersonians like [[David R. Williams]], who had long opposed the existence of any Navy whatsoever. The sections providing for the construction of new ships and a new dockyard were struck down, but the timber purchase and repair provisions passed on January 29. The maritime fortifications bill passed overwhelmingly, 88–25, on February 4.{{sfn|Huff|1977|pp=58–60}} Cheves's forceful advocacy for the Navy led former Federalist [[Samuel Taggart]] to remark, 
"whatever [Cheves] may be nominally he is in reality as high a toned Federalist as ever was [[Alexander Hamilton]]."{{sfn|Huff|1977|pp=58–60}}