Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-06-08

more than twenty-five feet. It's length
would be only from | S to 20 miles. The
country on both sides oil he route was
extremely rich, as rich, indeed, IS IL pos
slbly could be, and capable of producing
large amount OF agricultural products.
On the importance OF this work to that
country, and 10 the United States gene
rally, he dwell at some length, and then
replied to The objections made by Mr..
Rankin, on the ground of the obligation
OF the compact with Virginia, and showed
by computation that the proposed appro
prhtlon OF land would advance the value
oil se public lands to much greater
amount than that OF the proposed appro
prlatloA.
On motion of Mr.. Tracy, of New
York, the committee then rose reported
progress, and obtained leave to sit again.
Mondy, May 10.
NAVIGATION OF THE WESTERN RI
VERS.
On motion d Mr. Buchanan, of Penn.
sylvania, the House took up the bill
from the Senate :" for the Improvement
OF The Ohio md Mississippi rivers.
Mr.. buchanan offered, as an amend
meni to lhy bill, the following:
" That the President OF the United
States beI and he is hereby, authorized
| 10 causg The navigation OF the Ohio Ri
yer to be improved over the following
sand.bars, or either of them, al his dis
crelior,, 10 wit: the sand-bar which cross
es iald river one mile and quarter be-
10, Film, Island The sand-bar two miles
abve French Island; the bar just be-
ios Henderson; the bar below Straight
Hand; the bar below Willow Island,
Irihe Mississippi bend and the bar op-
losi,e to Lower Switzerland, below
Cumberland Island; and, for the pur.
pose OF ascertaInlng and directing the
tesl method Of carrying the provisions
Of this act into effect, he may employ
any of the engineers in the public SER
vice which he may deem proper: Pro
Iuided nevertheless, That an experiment,
shall first be made upon one of the sand
bars, and, il, in his judgment, it shall be
successful, then, and not not otherwise
Iie IS hereby authorized to cause expe-
riments to be made upon the remaining
bars"
Mr.. Stewart, of Pennsylvania, was
opposed TO this amendment OF the bill,
as being calculated to embarass it, and,
in effect 10 def.at it. He objected es-
peclaty 10 the provisio, which requires
previous experiment before The ap-
preparation is 10 be applied. The OBJ
slacles in the Western rivers are, he
said, SO various in their kind, that no ex-
pertinent on ope-eould apply to the rest
of them-and The President must de-
pend on the opinions of others as to the
success Of the experiment when saade,
&c. He preferred direct legislatio on
the subject to any other contingent pro-
vision. Mr.. S. went on at consid erable
length sheW the proprioty Of the
amendment adopted in Committee, ma
king Brownsville The point of commence
ment where the proposed improvement
me, the national road, and rendered
complete and entire the chain of COM
between the East and West,
&c. stating a variety of facts to show
the great advantages to the west which
would result from this measure.
Mr.. Henry, Of Kentucky, replied,
and advocated The amendment, on the
ground, that it was Of paramount impor-
lance to obtain recognition of the prin-
ciple embraced IN the bill, and that the
particular modification of it was net Of so
great importance. For The sake of con-
ciliating the opinions of all who were
friendly to the Principle of the bill, he
was willing 10 yield his own opinion as
to the details oil il and with that view,
he was in favor of the amendment.
Mr.. Mallary, of Vermont, moved to
amend the proposed amendment so as
% cause tue experiments to be made,
instead OF one, sc.
MIR. Buchanan rejoined-expressed
lis regret that the debate should be re-
1ewed--lhe committees repor, was con-
tined to certain bars in the river which
we're not of different kinds, but Of one
hnd-and oil he wished was, that trial
nigh, be made on one OF these before
money should be expended on the rest.
Mr.. 7rim6te advocated the amend
ment. He was in favor of an expert
ment. and thought it ought first to be