Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-12-23

Of the gentleman from \ York
II tbs wer" tho proposition, tie had relnara to make,
which he thought
Mr.. BARNARD said IL the podiicat On were not
accepted by the gentleman from Kentucky, he would
move IT asa snet amendment.
The CHAIR intimaied that it could not be So
moved nn The fist amendment Should be disposed Of
Mr.. WISE sa d, the proposition, then, was to refer
what was not IN the message e. al. The proper ma:
te's of reference what the message contained,
and not propositions started by rmbers OF that
House. And VIVA: the message; He would like
TO call the attention Of the committee TO what the
srge contained the subject OF the improvement
If the navigation OF the lakes ard rivers Of the
West II divided ato three points first, the
general SUBJECT ut giving attention In TIE LAKES and
rivers of the West, giving them all the attention
which The Cnnstltut on would enable Congress 10 be
stow. 1t did not say, whether that attention should
be given to the navigation u The construction Of har
bors. He presumed The gentleman somew what by
percriica when he attempted to point a distinction.
Lake Michgan-ay, even Lake George might be con.
sldefed Western lake, within The meaning Of the
Congress should gvs their et'en;:nn o al lakes and RI
of the county The navigation of the lakes and
of the interior had been always, heretofore
tered subject Of primary Importance whether consider
ed with /, The improvement of the country gene.
rally, OF 10 iac'lti;c military naval operations. The
message OF the President word ask d Congress
10 give their attention 10 the likes aud ali the
attention winch the Stats would allow Congress
bastow upon The subject An appropriation made,
cation of the Mississippi. and ila President had, in
addition 10 directing the attention of Congress the
general subject, alluded 10 tin, ever ia particular.
What did The gen.lamau lroH Kentucky propose
10 assert that the Pfeside! 81 something IN lis mes
sage about the navigation of oil tie rivers of the West:
II was wei known 10 tha. iouse, well as 10 the
nation at large, that the Mississippi had always been
distinguished from all other TiYcis on account Of its
magn!;ude account OF the vast extent OF county
which bounded by its walers-irom its source 10
lis mouth, ayed The borders oil many Sales, which
were consequently, al Of them deeply interested IN
the free navigation Of Il, wcies. That great extent
of country STILL to all ints3 and purposes, w'th
| III the territorial Jurisdiction o! tis Government -
THIS would be- admitted By he stfict cous'rucocist
Of The gric,est school. The improvement OF the
Mississippi, as compared with that Of any other
RIVER over which Congress had jurisdiction, was Of
paramount importance As TO the power of internal
improvement, If they allowed III. stict Of til.
Pharsess 70 decd, FOR aem and took only wha. they
grants d. they woull have than enough IN engage
their u:!aast atention-lhe gentleman from South CT
roua, wnl his rules OF strict construction Oh the ono
hand and the American system on the Other. - decide
to what extent the Constitution "oad allie" Congress
to 60 The message d d attempt TO dictate 10 Con
grrss what amount of attention they should bestow
upon the subject, bat left II entirely 20 tJe.r d :
sra;ion /, should he le 10 The discretion O: The
mi.,ee, WHEN the question OF internal Improvement
should arse, TO determine hoG far they should GO
No had drn.td the power Of the Government; 10
construct upon ;ie lakes, auy where 'e works tina,
might be necessary in case Of war, either oT military
or ma val operations ~! matters, therefore, connected
with nava! operations, properly unlimited 10 tae
| Committee naval affairs. They would End, when
the subject to b. taken up that the steam navy
upon the Of the Mississippi would require
large expend in the construction Of harbors and
thai species of Internal improvement incidental II
The military operations of the country and the great OF
| lect Of se!:-cc;cncc.
In conclusion he repeated hat he wished this sub
ject u "a the CommIttee Commerce before they
| entered into any debate in relation 10 it.
| KENNEDY said he was glad that gentlemen
this floor, had found gu; tIat there place called
"thc West" 1t had been long time the West
| had received mach notice There Ga0;her add
toEal remark which h = shed TO make, that gentle
men might UDderst I'D II !om the START way, that
"ibe West intended - take Of Itself, and Of
own interests, and IN lis way So far as THIS ques
ton concerned-lhc referring oi this message-hc
thought It small but woul spring qaes
ton that might he found TO be large before it
got rid Of and he, OF the Representatives OF
the West (aad he felt just exactly Of that nur
her now,) would say, "linnds oil, ll,men: you
have long enough acid without regard 10 the inter-
ess of the West, ana we VIII help ourselves NOW. -
| N1usbtat)
The gea.!am7n from Virrina bal gren tem some
good advice. That geniemaa anxious that the
West should III wth lis strength, and take advice
TIE good cid .;ai:l'-;lchel construct Of the
Constitution. He (lir. appreciated TIE geni!emans
mo,irrS. The gentleman was as aaSious nO~ 10 help
thc West Others were; ana Why: Because the West
had become an empire oi herself Tire gentleman from
Virginia had got notions Of strict construct 81
about han, whic: he feared they oi the West would
stumble Now ne or. i ) belonged to the straight.
iacket sect of strict construction s's 0 the Constitution
in renefa 0Eug hter.) and the Gentleman need not
tsrtua any fea5s. They Of the West would, however,
take of themselves, and not go farther than they
were authorized to do by even strict construction
| (.augher) lie would give h 5 VOID fer that. The
gentleman from New York To X some o. c;ions 10 lae
West; and he fllr. Kennedy thought that gentleman
spoke &c he West wi.h KIND # Tha; gen
t'enan talked about he West, and II! referred TO tn,
tlud5on river aad what did ,hat crn'la man
do He wanted to add tho. "spriny branch TO the
great waters Of the West fi.sughier He (Mr.
Kennedy edtntec TIA. the Hudson great
Il would do very we'll 10 drink out Of; (t was,
however, i,;le brack'sh, and TO; good the
AIissssippi) Eu how long Ind The Government been
ending money upon II He travt.hd up that Iiver
once, and oil the oh-i:ucons lie saw, artificial
o"cs-the poles stuck IN to fish by. But he would
tell The gentleman, u 10 aec,rd 10 al tie MssIs
slpp aud tie wat 81 The West, int the Hudson
was nothing more than 'sag.ng 3.anch cGmp1red
w,th tie Mss ssspp and - Tributaries The Hudson
river, IL vas true, was IN tie Sac Of New York,
| and lie would adm. that Nav ! RI. the Empire
State. But look 81 TIE great voley OF the West,
through which the 9iss.s Pg and her Tributaries fpw
ed, whose we've 10 t." Western noanIoins, aad
whose streams flowed through !ousands mad 'lousands
of MI Of rich and 'e,I,le aaa .or vbose commerce
she VAS the nai;oi ch&8ncl--nnd New York, great
as WIS s'1l.I
small, comparatively, that She might De put into His
breechcs pocket. Some gen men sneeEed at hc Mis-
sissppi valley, who never say II. tie (Ar. had
it, and knew how hr ought 10 express hns Il TO-
wards it. rhev. OF the West, a from 'l- elder
States descended f'om those who we've from tic
older SGtss-a least, al those tbs side OF The
mouD;.iny @ete-and the older States had been in the
hab Of locking upon them parent LOOKS upon aLsct
children The older States had bre too much accustom
ed look upon the West colonies Of these cid Sta:c5
! rEeY had been a. cf dfra VINO brC {: their
fathers hearth 10 make the West home; bat they
forgot that, in the West they had beyond her
kao alrdg.; and if trey sill locked upon tie West Is
mother does upon son, VITO had lett The pa,crLa!
| roof as always loosng, WHEN his head was covered
with Inc irost5 Ct many winlc.e, ard wien he had be-
come he head c! mighty family and powerful
,on as vaen he wns ;y'ng atoat hs mothers
knee in his nat We visgo, they were mach mistaken.
The West had become rairh'y Empire; and he
charged gentlemen m longer 70 achaie 20 a system
which had well nigh sraled the ch Id from IS mothers
heart No. 40; for (as one gentleman hat correctly re
matked the west no longer %anod n''k fer babes but
meat for men; and What more, hey woul5 have i.
lie would add o, ihit wh l. what t6ey wanled they
would 10 Ter themselves tsey would never tespsGs