Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-02-21
Tmfntp=sirtb Con1rrsS.
THE CUMBERLAND ROAD.
THURSDAY. Feb. 6, 1910.

y
calling on the Secretary of the Treasury
for information whether the estimates in
his annual report included any sum for
the further continuation of the Cumberland
Road.
On this resolution there was considera-
bic debate, by Messrs. SMITH, of Indiana,
WHITE, ROBINSON, CRITTENDEN, Brown,
NoRvELL, WRIGHT, and Preston, in
which il was admitted on both sides that
an estimate for the Cumberland Road
was not included in certain $50 100000
where it was supposed it ought to appear,
if any where it was also generally main
tanned that neither a recommendation nor
an estimate for the road was to be foundin
the report at all f.; aud it was argued on
the one side that it was improper, unusual,
and indicate to ask the Secretary of the
Treasury whether such an estimate was
contained in report which was already
before the Senate, or to ask him, if it was
omitted, what were his reasons for omit
ting it. 1t was also maintained on the
same side that though the Secretary of
the Treasury had not recommended APP
preparations for this road, it had been
done by the Secretary of War, so that it
might be still considered as under the
fostering care of the Administration.
1t was argued on the other side that
Congress was not bound to look to all the
aspects of Janus-faced Administration,
to ascertain what were its real intentions;
that recommendation from the Secretary
of War on this subjcc was irregular and
irresponsible; that the Departments ought
not to be excul pated from their due re-
sponsibility; that the responsibility for this
road ought not to be doubtfully thrown
upon Congress, but that they ought to
know whether or not the Administration
was in favor ofpresent appropriations for
the road.
Mr.. DAVIS moved an adjournment.
Negatived by vote of2l to Is.
On motion of Mr.. CLAY, of Alabama,
the motion to take up the resolution Offer
ed by Mr.. PREsroN was laid on the table
by yeas and nays as follows;
YEAs--usssr- Allen, Ren, on brown Bnch,,.
an. CLAY. Of Alabama, Fulton, G,univ, Hubbard,
King. Liam, umpkin, Mo"'ou. Nicholas. None'I,
R"a"e. Sewer. Smnh. Of Connecticut. smith. OF
Indiana. Strange. Sturgeon. Tappan. WAL er.
Wall, Williams, Wrch'-25
NAYS-Nessrs. Beus, Claw, OF Kentucky.
Clayton. C'iuenden. Davis, Henderson. Phehs
Prentis-, Preston. Robinson, Ruggles, Spence,
" ehs;er, Whne, Young-l5.
The Senate then adjourned.
FRIDAY, Feb.7.
The resolutions offered by Mr.. PRES
TON, calling on the Secretary of the
Treasury for information in respect to
the Cumberland road, came up in its Or
der.
Mr.. Young offered the following sub
stitute for that originally offered by Mr..
PRESTON:
Resoived, Tha, the President be requested to
communicate 10 The Senate whether, in The general
,epor, of The Secretary ofihe Treasury, made al
The commencement oG the present session Of Con.
gress. and the EST imaies 'nerein contained Of ex
pendlures proposed, he has included any arpro-
pria ion Tor The construction and cont nnalo on Of The
Cumberland road; land Ilno, whether the ON ssion
was IN Intentional or designed b., HIM or the Sec
rotary orWar.l
Mr.. CLAY, of Alabama, moved to lay
the whole subject on the table: on which
question there was a tie, the yeas and
nays being as follows:
YEAS. -Messrs. lien. Benton. Brown. Blu.
chanan, Calhoun. CLAY, Of Alabama. Culhberi.
Hubbard, King. Lumpk;n, NorvelI. Pierce. Roane
Sewer, Smith, of ConnecIicu' Sturgeon, Strange,
Tapran. Walker, Villains 20.
NAYs.-NlessIs. Bets. Clayton Davis. Dixon,
Fulton. Grundy, Henderson, Knight. Nicholas,
Phelps, Pren,iss, Preston, Robinson. Rugg les.
Smith. Of Indiana, Webster, While, Wright, and
Young-20.
The VICE PRESIDENT said, as he
thought it for the benefit of the Cumber-
land road that this inquiry should be made
he voted in the negative. So the motion
to lay on the table did not prevail.
Mr.. GRUMPY suggested that it would
be best to strike from the substitute the
call on the President to obtain informal
ton, and simply ask him to inform the
Senate &c.
Mr.. KING said, as he had perceived
something of the kind would pass, though
unusual, uncalled for, and unnecessary
he moved to strike out the latter part O
the substitute which made inquiry as to
the intention of the President and Secrc'
tary of the Treasury.
Mr.. WEBSTER was understood It
saw that he did not wish to ask either thu
intention or opinion of the Secretary, bu
simply whether this item was contained
in the general language of the report
He would therefore vote for this motion
to strike out.
He was also understood to object tc
the Insertion in the bill of the usual re
ference to the five per cent fund. Ill
also suggested that, in this call on TIN
President, reference ought to be made t