New-York daily tribune., 1843-12-21
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.

BY THE REPORTER OF THE NEw-YoRK DAILY TRIBUNE
WAsHiNcroN, Tuesday, Dec. 10.
Tn the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES to-day, on
motion of Mr.. WISE, who stated that the Com
mittees of the House had no business before
them, the rules were suspended, and the Presl-
dents Message having been taken up and re-
ferred to it, the House resolved itself INTO Com
mittee of the Whole on the Union, Mr.. HOP
K1Ns in the chair,) for the purpose OF distribution
of the Message among the several Committees.
Mr.. WISE moved resolution assigning to the
respective Committees their appropriate parts
thereof.
Several divisions of the resolution were adopted
without debate. On that referring that portion OF
the Message relating to the improvement of the
navigation Of the Mississippi and of the West
ern Lakes and rivers to the Committee on Com
merce, a spirited discussion of some length arose,
touching the policy and power of Congress over
the subject of Internal Improvements.
Mr.. THoMAssoN of Ky. and Mr.. BARNARD
moved amendments changing the conditions of
reference
MIR. BARNARD thought the subject of new works
should 90 to the Committee on Commerce, while
that of the continuation of old ones belonged to
the Committee of Ways and Means. He OBJ
iected to the singing out by the President of the
Mississippi as subject Of appropriations. There
were other rivers which equally required them
There was the Hudson-on which floatcd one
hundred millions Of the commerce OF this coun-
try annually more than on all the other rivers OF
the country together, except the Mississippi and
which was navlgated by 900 vessels annually,
and this, as well as others, he earnestly insisted
should stand on an equal footing with the Mis-
sissippi.
Mr.. WISE said he had worded this division of
the resolution so as to cover precisely what the
message contained on this subject. The Presl-
dent had referred to the Misslssippi it was well
known that the mighty father OF waters IN It's
course touched numerous States, and that on the
admission of each of these into the Union entire
freedom Of It's navi CATION had been reserved ;
therefore while they, con.
sented to appropriations for the Mississippi, which
was embraced in the sovereign domain Of the
Government they might hesitate about giving
them for the Hudson river, which was entirely
within the sovereign domain of NewIork. He
had wished, in drawing tins resolution, to avoid
the gnarled points of this old bone Of contention,
the power OF Internal Improvements; and he ad.
vised the friends of them to take what was grant
ed them by the strict consructlonlsts and be sat
isfed! He spoke of the paramount Importance
OF improvement of the navigation Of this river
of making it 'gun-chamber and charging it
well, in order to be able to drive off enemies in
case of attack from the Gulf of Mexico and ad-
verted to the Military and Naval preparations
now making by Great Britain at Bermuda, where
she had laid up three years coal, to attacks from
whom all our Commerce OF that river was ex-
posed, &c.
Mr.. KENNEDY of Ia, was glad that the fres-
dent and the members of the House had at last
found out that there was such place as the West,
and vaunted much of it's strength at last and lts
determination to help itself regardless OF the
claims of other portions of the country New
York was great State but when it came to be
compared with the valley of the Mississippi it
was too small to be talked about, it might be put
in the breeches' pocket. He advised his friends
to vote appropriations for themselves and not en-
cumber them with the dead weights (of other ap.
propriations) which had heretofore been attached.
Mr. HOLMES seconded Mr.. kennedy's remarks,
dwelt upon the immense products of the Mlsslss-
ippi valley, the necessity Of a free market being
opened to them to all parts of the world, the
injurious operation of the present Tariff, advised
gentlemen to look to their own interests and des-
troy it, &c.
Mr.. WILKINS, of Pa, adopted similar course
of remark, justifying the special allus!on IN the
message to the Mississippi on account OF the
3, To 1-tfrpfI