The Arkansas advocate., 1834-06-20
REMARKS OF MR. GARLAND.
 OE IOIIIGI ANA


 on the l'lth ult. on the motion made by
 Mf. 4. ? NaiTFs,, to increase tie ap
 preparation for the prosecution of the ilIi-
 Pfoyemehts on Red ftYef to ys5e ,GeG, and
 the motion of Mir. ASHLEY, to increass t i;
 to Sl0o,o0o.
 Fif. GARLAND said that tiis being an appropriation intended to prosecute and complete aa important Improvement ill his dlstflef, he hoped t would not be consider ed inappropriate ia him te submit few e3- sersaiions in support Of the proposed in- crease.
 II %lil not isald Ns. G. De necessary 10 add many remarks to those already submit ted by ny colleague Mr. WHTF,) the gen. tlenlaa from Missouri, Mr. AsnlEY,) the gentleman from Virginia, ,ir. MERGER ] and the gentleman tiom Arkansas, {Mr. sEvlER,) to prove the importance and no- eessity ol completing, at as carly q day as possible, He llsss is ;;s9 istts flat since been commenced on ;he Red river in the northwestern section of the State of Louisiana.
 To ali who are acquainted with tie geo. graphy Of the portion of country through winch the Red river runs, t is well known, that t waters an extent oi territory Hot much exceededby any river on the continent, rich II Is soil, and agricultural products, the produce ot the forest and the mines. 1t penetrates far into tic interior of that vide extent af coantrg helongng 10 the United States and the Mexican Confatleracy, has lt5 sources in Of near the Rael,y Moun- tains, and Is navieab!e for boats of eonsde- rabie burden to tie noighborhood of Santa fc, the capital ot New Mexico, ofs of the most extensive and tin natural resourees) richest states in the Mexican Republic.
 He only obstruction to its navigation s that commonly known as the Rolf, extend- ing distance of about 40 miles through q portion Of my District, and the south western section oi the Territory of Aikan sas. Beyond that point, travellers and na- Ylsafers all concur in informing us, tha; fhe impediments to the free navigation of the river, for considerable portion of the year, are triiling, and nay be easily sursauatel. sihe Retl IS formed by he accumulation ol' iloaiiHg timber aad the depasites of earth at different points, extending inc distance a,- ready mentioned, with many intervals be- tween them entirely nnobstructed. During the annual floods, the current. ben.r ob- structed by these Rafis, s forced out Of sle natural channel iato lateral ones, aanl,allq lnundatlng u wide extent ot very rich land ;; and, as has been correctly stated by the gentleman from Arkansas, has driven and will continue (so long as t remains in it's present situaton) to drive from their planta- tions, tEe planters who are sitpated near it.
 The practicabilliy of the removal Of these Instructions to the navigation, has been fully tested by repeated surveys made by officers attached ;o the Army or Engineer depart- lnent, and by the gentleman who lateIy su- Pefintended and directed tEe work that has already been executed; who is net only sat Ished of the practcabiliiy from an actual examination, but has proved il by actual and successful experiment..
 This Is not nep porh, according to the meaning oi tlioso words if these days, Ibtit is one upon which considerable sun has already been expended, and has progressed fully ! third under the srperiniendence of a Government agent; #, therefore, Is not ;a- ble to the objection that has been urged against other appropriations, which have been asked fer improvements never hereto fore patgonzed Of attempted by the United States. The question Is not now whether Congress will consentio undertake this inn- portant improvement, bat whether 1t shall be prosecuted or abandoned, after It has been partially completed, and a large sum already expended!
 The Committee wIlI, hope, now permit mo very briefly to detail few ot. the ad- yantages that will result to the whole com iaetiiy from the completion of this improve ment, in military and commercial point of view, and as a measure ia which the coun- try generally has a deep interest.
 The Red river, after 1t leaves the limits of my State, is the southwestern boundary of tle United States for a great distance; it is in the rear of the country that has been set apart for the permanent location of the Southern Indians. affords an easy cornmu- nication with nearly all the region inhabited by those people, and the possession of ii will net only enable us to control the tribes now peculiarly lhe objects of our protection, but also to keep in check those farther west and northwest.
 As far as this river is our boundary, 1t Is exclusively our own. The Mexicans have no other right but that of navigating li.--- They will never do any thing to improve it's ,..,;,,atio,,. inc Ind;aus cannot do any thiu9: ihe Stale of Louisiana ought not to be ex- pec.ed to incur what to her would be all enormous expenditure, because it would be taxing her citizens for the especial benefit of inc United States. This raft, or success sion of rafts, is in that portion of the State
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