Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-05-21


question was did these distractions result fro:!
circumstances which occurred in the reyolu,iOr,
~ war? Mr.. w. commended, that there wa :.
great distinction betwiyt distractions occurr;r.
from such causes, and natural distractions. w.
further went into an argument TO show the eyns
denc,, on the ground that former expcndi,ufs.
would be wholly lost. if the present sppropG,,
ton should not BE- granted; aud concluded by 70,
ufving to the benefit which had resulted from f.,
mer appropriations.
Mr. Reed and Mr.. Mercer severaI!v followed
IN suppart IF the proprety Of the appropriation
The question was then put, and decided in
the affirmative.
81 The amendment was carried.
A motion was then made by Mr.. Letcher for
reconsideration on the appropriation fnr impro,
ing the navigation of the Cumberland river, and
to reduce it from $500 to $4,000
The motion was sustained. ayes, 14-noes g.
Mr.. Le,cher said the motion was made in %,
sequence OF the suggestion Of many persons tia,
tne tormer sum was too large. He wished, =,
the same time to observe. that hi, opipon va.
was sill unchanged as to the bill Itself
Mr. Hail asked for an explanation as 10 Tho
nature of the obstruction, which was given by
Mr.. Leicher
Mr.. Mardis asked for the ayes and noes, which
were ordered.
Mr.. Irwin asked, if there were any estimates
for this appropriation?
/ Mr.. Le,cher said, there were no formal e,,
mates; but he would ask, in return. what esr
mates had been presented to the House as 20 the
improvements in the Ohio and Mississippi rivers
for which the gentleman from Ohio had voted:
The distractions were notorious. and the intend
ed purpose and manner Of applying the approur
alton well understood.
/ The question was then takea BY yeas and
nays. and decided in favor Of the amendment.
ayes. 85-nOes, IS.
Mr.. McKennan, of Pennsy lvania. then offer ed
an amendment making an appropriation for &c.
pairs and Improvements on the Cumberland road.
Mr.. Mckennan then proceeded to show, tha,
the district from which he came vas. By It's isO.
lated situation, cut III from the benefit Of all the
appropriations of this kind made by the govern
,nent. Several cities had sprung up in that d.
trict, owing to the opening of that road. and
which must, for their future prosperity, depend
upon the preservation If that road. Mr. MEX.
proceeded to show the Importance Of the improve.
ment. as we'll as the benefits produced BY d,.
J part of the road which crosses the AlIegany-,
! route which had some years since been consider.
ed impractlcabIe. lie considered the Cumbsr.
land road as a splendid monument of the wealth
of the country, aud the industry Of its inhabt
ants.
1t was a great commercial, and mlll,r
road; and il it should be suffered TO 90 to decay,
the injury would br iucalculabe, both to the GOV.
ernment and to yiduas. To show lis importance
as great mail route, letter from the POSTMASTER
general, TO the member from Pa. was then read
! 1t stated thai not less than fourteen mails daily
were transported on it. From these various cOA.
sideratious, Mr.. NIX. advocated the naiOn..
| character of the work, and argued at length Oh
its advantages, and on the necessity Of pressr'.
Inv 1t in proper state of repair. He quoted
! from the report of the Secretary of War the Cpl.
uion of that officer showing that If the repairs
were not made, the road would speedily fall nO
utter dilapida,ion. He trusted that tins s,i
work would not be abandoned. lie hoped ibeaP
preparation would be made. he amount nece'
sary was considerable, but II it should be giant
ed, no further appropriation for the purpose would
be necessary. Put the road once into state
complete repair, and no more would be asked Tor
He would conclude without further trespa,'In!
on the time Of the House, By asking the clerk %
read the report Of the chief engineer on tue SUD-
ject.
The report of Mr.. knight having been read
Mr.. NJ KEENAN, moved TO appropriate S1A'
9sS. for the repairs Of the Cumberland road
Mr.. Crawford opposed the proposition VINO,
from its wild. extravagant and ultra nature M
considered calculated to ure. very serloo''''
the great cause of internal Improvement w"'.
he declared himself the sincere friend, as Inde'''
lie had shown by his vote on the bill Tor oeer
tension of this road westward. lie ad'eH'O
forciby and impressiveIy, to the '"men'' ei
penditure which had already been made % a.
count of this road, and to the very estimate s'S'
bis colleague (Mr. McKennan,) had re'ensp ~
and which showed that every necessary rp-~
thereon might be made Tor sum INFINITELY r., 4
as little, perhaps. as $50, 900. he ooe'lts ,,S,
so, to the amendment, because there was 'as'S:
a specific bill before the House on the saCls.,
and expressed his opinion that the enormo''s'.
proposed ought to stand by its own stfeO su.a
tall bv its own weakness-it ought no, 10 Vs,
tanned By the props which the internal l"ps ~
men, appropriation bill afforded. He couG w.
therefore. vote for it, unless the sum shOu''
reduced to $780, 900. ,..,,l
IA 4 4 he