The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-04-02
SPEECH OF MR.. PROFIT,
OF INDIANA,
ON THE CUMBERLAND ROAD QUESTION
CONTINUED.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE, Feb, 10, 1910.


more than once, sir, during that canvass, ana
well do remember the bitter denunciations
poured out by him on the late President and
his policy was at indianapolis, sir, when
the election to I'll the vacancy occasoned by
the untimely death Of Mr.. Kinnard took place.
i My colleague then took the field third time
as candidate professedly belonging TO no
party, and was again defeated by Mr.. Herod,
| who was an open and avowed Wing. Mr..
Speaker, it is painful for me to dwell on this
subject, for see it gives my colleague pain,
and will close this brief and mild history Of
his political course by saying that, at the late
election. my colleague, who is much admired
for his talents by all parties at home, became
an independent candidate against Mr.. Herod;
and what with the failure OF the Cumberland
road and his own popularity and acknowledge
ed ability, he out.Heroded- Herod, and he is
here, at last, member Of Congress. That
e'belongs to party non is not TO be doubt
ed or denied. |, sir, said Mr. p, have no OBJ
lection to be called Federalist by any gen
tleman on this floor who, throughout the last
and present Administrations, has differed with
me in politics; because, sir, majority Of
those who here pirate about Democracy and
Federalism know not what the terms mean
But Mr. Speaker, | will not suffer one who
has changed so recently to assume all the
Democracy, and to call me Federalist, with
out administering such reproofs as may be-
fit the place and tho occasion.
But, Mr.. Speaker, my colleague, Mr. How
ard, after vainly endeavoring to exculpate the
President for opposing the West, says that
the President has always signed The bills pass
ed for appropriations on the road; and my
colleague seemed very much elated with this
act of Executive kindness. All that | can
say, sir, is, that if my colleague is grateful
on that account, he is in my opinion thankful
for very small favors. Sir, this opposition to
the West by Mr. Van Buren, is not new or
unexpected to me- He has always voted
against us. He voted against the Cumber-
land road when in the Senate in 1924 and
1925, as shown by the journal now before me.
PIP. 1872, 1913. Again, in 1927, he voted
against appropriations on the road-Senate
Jour p 265.
He voted against the graduation and reduc-
ton Of the price of the public lands at a time
when that measure was deemed of vital i'm
portance for, the settlement Of the Western
country
A bill passed Congress once, sir, to appro-
pirate money on the Wabash river. The veto
was applied, sir, and the reason given was,
that the appropriation was in bad company,
and was united with injudicious works Of I'M
proyement. We were given to understand,
then, sir, that, if Congress would pass bill
for the Improvement of the Wabash, discon-
nected with any other work. it would receive
the cheerful sanction Of the Executive. The
people Of Indiana, with that credulily which
is the accompaniment Of honesty, believed
these assertions. How, sir, were these pro.
misses fulfilled! AT the next session, bill
providing for the improvement of that river
passed both Houses Of Congress, and was
sent to the Executive for his approval. 1t
went, sir, into the pocket of the President.
He did not even give the body in which it
originated an opportunity to pass 1t by the
constitutional majority. And now, sir, Mr..
Van Buren, glories in his promise to " fol-
low in the footsteps" But, sir, will give
you another striking instance of the Presl-
dents opposition to the interests Of Indiana.
Some years ago Congress, with its usual
liberality, made donation to the State of In
diana for the purpose Of constructing canal
to connect the navigable waters OF the Wa
bash with Lake Erie-the grant being the
alternate section for six miles on each side of
the canal The State selected some 500,-
900 acres, but neglected to select all that
was due her by the terms Of the grant. Since
then, the State, through the Executive, Gov.
Wallace, proceeded to select the remainder
of the lands due her, and notified the Pres-
dent of her action. Mr.. Van Buren, consult
ed the Commissioner of the General Land
| Office, Mr. Whitcomb, and the Commissioner
reported favoraby TO the right Of the State to
| select the lands But sir, Mr.. Van Buren, had
no idea of permitting her thus easily to re-
ceive a benefit. He referred all the docu-
ments on the subject, together with the re-
port Of the Commissioner, to the Attorney
General-thinkipg, no doubt, that some sur
mise or doubt could possibly be tortured into
construction against US but IN this he was
disappointed. The Attorney General in an
able report, decided that the State was en-
titled to the land. Did this satisfy the Pre-
siden,, sir No, Mr.. Speaker, his opposition
TO our interests was not to be defeated thus
easily. Instead of notifying the Governor OF
Indiana, as he was bound to do by all prece-
dent, he ordered all the papers and both the
favorable reports TO be laid before the Sollci-
tor of the Treasury. The opinion of his
highest legal ADVISER was referred 10 d SUI
ordinate and at last, sir, the President was
gratifed in his wish to do us injustice, by re-
cening from the Solicitor report unfavorable
to our claim, and then, sir, he eagerly availed
himself Of an excuse to throw the whole mat
ter before Congress- And here it is in this
political vortex, still undecided; Indiana, IN
the mean time, must suffer injustice. Now,
sir, challenge my colleagues, or any other
friend of this Administration, to justify or ex-
cuse this conduct of the Executive But,