The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-03
gWemtp=Seoemth Gong1ess.
SECOND SESSION
In SENATE,
WEDNESDAY,, February 2, 1912.

The PRESIDENT laid before the Senate state
ment showing the appropriations for the naval SER
vice for the year l84l, with the expenditure under
each specific head, and the balance Of the several
appropriations unexpended at the close of the year,
with estimate OF the probable demands which
may remain each of such balances also, mes
sage from the President of the United States trans
hitting report from the Director Of the Mint, show
| ing its operations from the past year.
| Mr.. SMITH, of Indiana, presented the resolution
of the Legislature of that State, nsrucng her Sc
majors and requesting her representatives to use their
exerons to procure the passage Of a law granting
| pensions to the surviving officers and soldiers Of
Waynes campaign.
! MIR. EVANS presented the resolutions Of the Lee
gslaure of Name resembling the resolutions passed
| in 1910 in favor of the Bankrupt law.
| MIR. WOODBRIDGE presented memorial from
citizens of Pittsburg Pennsylvania, praying for the
passage of the Exchequer bill reported by the Sec
rotary of the Treasury, and particularly asking for
the retention Of that portion of the project relative to
exchanges.
Mr.. WHITE presented the resolutions of the SEN
ate of the Legislature of Indiana instructing their
Senators and requesting their Representatives to vote
for repeal of the Bankrupt law. He remarked that
he was inclined to the belief that the people of that
state were in favor of the existing law, it was
loudly called for by the condition of the country and
he had voted for the act desperate remedy for
desperate disease He likewise presented the joint
resolutions OF the Legislature of Indiana nsructng
their Senators and requesting their Representatives
to use their exertons to procure appropriation by
Congress- to complete the unfinished works in the har
Dor Of st. Joseph, on Lake Michigan also, the me-
mortal of the Mayor and Aldermen Of Michigan City,
asking for the improvement Of the harbora that place
and petition from citizens of Indiana relative to the
same subject He said that the State Of Indiana had but
harbor within the limits of her territory notwith
standing the people of that section Of the Union
cognsed the power of Congress to provide for the
protection Of commerce in the interior in the manner
specifed and upon this subject the voice of the West
would be heard.
Mr. PRESTON replied, and commended that the
Constitution did not warrant such an exercise of
power
Mr. CLAY thought that the harbor system, and
appropriations for harbors, had been pushed little
too far; but he should like to know from the Senator
what done with Sullvans Island to save the sea
from washing it away. They had the right to establish
lights enable mariners to get into harbors they
had the right to improve the harbors which nature
had made !; they had navy, with its ships and guns,
to enlarge and extend their commerce. every
sea; and had they no right to improve the har-
bors of the West He would go far as his friend
from South Carolina in administering the Govern
ment with economy, and keeping the harbor system
within proper limits and he thought that it dis
graceful to here from day to day, resortlng to
miserable Treasury notes, while the country was
bleeding at every pore from the operation of such
proceeding; but he hoped that when the revenues of
| the Government would permit, every reasonable
want of the people would be provided for and that
the country would have break-waters and harbors
| wherever they were wanted ("
| Mr.. PRESTON said that the power to construct
works Of this kind was not to be found in the Consti-
tuition, and the exercise of it would extend the in
1 huence of the Government beyond the proper limits ;
and ii would not only be violation of duty
but an injury to the citizens of the several
States, in which the great rcsiduary power re-
spectively invested. He rejected the idea of the
right Of the Government to interfere in the domestic
habits. Of the people of the States. If they made
| rivers, why could they not make canals; The town
,,1L had, lrlt ~
build them lighthouse, was the argument upon the
other side. And, they might infer from the power Of
erecting lighthouse, that they could build Gadsby' s
hotel with much propriety az contend that because
they could erect lighthouse, t.ey could create har-
| bors.
Mr. CLAY asked, who would say that the SEN
ator from South Carolina right in getting up
here, and saying that the Constitution, cathedra,
meant this the other There were two OPP
pose theories with regard to the powers of this Go
vernment, but the safest position middle ground;
and the Atlantic had the navy to protect its com
merce, and the harbor question had been decided
from the commencement OF the Government and means
applied to facilitate internal commerce by repairing
and making harbors, he asked the Senator to adhere
to the Constitution, not by taking one-sided view of
the subject but by adapting the legislation of Congress
to the wants of the entire country.
/ Mr. PRESTON remarked that he had not
tended that what could be done for portion of
the Union could not be done for another for
such argument would have been absurd
4 With regard to the remark that he had pronounced
an Interpretation of the Constitution, cahedrd, he
would inform the Senator from Kentucky that he did
not do ; but had merely exercised the privilege,
which belonged to him Senator, of expressing his
own free and Independent opinions, which he hoped
he would ever entertain. They stopped internal
Improvements two years ago, by refusing appro
pratIon for the Cumberland road and also, in some
degree curaied the extension of hatbors and lie
but in position where he had ever been and he had
always entered his solemn protest against system
to the public fisc. If they struck the pick-axe into
the solid soil of the State of Michigan they would
be under the necessity of applying the shovel to the
sandy soil of North Carolina which old enough
to be the grandfather Of Michigan and for the benefit
of which no harbor had been made by the General
Government from the day of its admission into the
Union until the present time.
Mr.. GRAHAM observed that as the Senator had
alluded to North Carolina he would remark that a
few days ago he introduced bill to improve the navi-
cation of Currituck inlet, and that when the subject
came up, he would undertake to show that the Gov
eminent had the power to do so.
j Mr. WHITE replied to Mr.. PREsToN and contend
! ed that the Government under as much obga-
ton to protect fishermen upon the coast merchants
l upon the Atlantic
Mr. WOODBRIDGE presented memorial from
citizens of Pittsburg, praying that Congress may levy
such tariff of duties will protect home industry,
4 Mr. BAYARD presented the memorial of the Pre-
sident and Directors of the Bank of the Metropolis
in which they complain of not being permitted after
March next, to receive and pay out current notes,
and also of the short duration of their charters; and
they pray that relief may be extended to them in
both particulars
On the motion of Mr.. SEWER, it was
Resolred, That the President of the United States
cause to be communicated to the Senate copy of
the report Of the Commissioners appointed the
4 part of the United States to run the boundary line
between the United States and Texas, together with
the field notes and all papers connected with the
same, embracing the instructions to the Commits
| sioners
Messrs. CLAY, HENDERSON, WHITE, CLAY
TON CHOATE, YOUNG, KING, PRESTON
! and GRAHAM, presented rcmonstrances against an
amendment nnstnoncmcnt a rcneal of the Bank