Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-02-20
EXTRACTS FROM THE
SPEECH OF Mr.. WENTWORTH,
OF ILLINOIS,

OF ILLINOIS,
In the House Of representatives., January
9, lS44-ln Committee Of the Whole
on the state Of the Union, on the re fer
ence Of the Presidents message.
Mr.. WENTWORTH rose and address
the committee as follows:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: As a representatives
from State deeply int; esled in the inn
provement of three Of the great western
rivers, the Wabash the Oho,and the Miss
issippi,) bat from distric. more immedi-
ately interested in the improvement Of the
lakes and all the nothern frontier waters,
rise to ask a division Of the amendment,
since | believe the interest Of the lakes is
perfectly safe in the hands ofthe Committee
on Commerce; and,as an act Of courtesy 10
my friends representing the riparian dis
trctS of the rivers,l am willing to give that
branch of the amendment such 4 direction
as may best suit them. Far be it from me
to create any nvidious discrimination be-
tween the interest Of the northern frontier
waters and those Of the Mississippi and its
tributaries. All ask is, that the immedi-
ate representatives. Of each shall control
the reference OF their respective interests;
both OF which are common sufferers, and
have been for the past five years-ever
since the session Of '33 and 80, when all
appropriations for the West and the North
west, for the improvement Of rivers, erec
ton oflight- houses. reconstruction of harbors,
and even for that great and useful national
highway, (,he Cumberland road begun
with the plighted faith Of the nation to COM
plete it, were denied. The trivial except
ions to this assertion, CLEANED by Titles here
and there, can have no effect upon its ex,
tent, when we consider the Importance of
the matter. All these great and impera-
tive interests of the country have been mos,
outrageously neglected. Too long alto
gether too long-have the people of near
" half Of our Union, from the dspropor-
ton of former representations on this floor,
been knocking at tncunaers of Congress,
making just and lcng repeated complaints,
and demanding their u.eJuestionable de-
serts. Up to this time, they can scarcely
be said to have had admitlance, and relief
has been administered to them ONLY as
crumbs thrown from the windows, as the
waste Of the prodigaity lavished upon our
army and navy. Why, sir, during the
short tune Of which have been sp eaking,
there has been expended upon our navy a
lone rising $30,000,0 C0; and, when you
seek for for the advantages Of all this,
tell you that you may as we'll seek the
tracks which our ships have lief, on The
ocean.
The Presidents message has represent
ed our country at peace with all the world.
Our flag proudly floats upon every sea,and
is respected by every nation upon the hab-
liable globe. On this very floor, our navy
has ben called ga peace establishment, "
and no man has presumed TO contradict il.
Now, is all the money demanded Cor the
use Of our navy in the estimate of the ne
cessary appropriations Of the present fiscal
year, SO, 200, 00o,) requisite 10 our peace?
All though the last war, when the gallant
Achievements Of our navy gladened every
American heart,and won herself unfading
lau,els, the expenditures never were as high
as the estimate for our present period Of
universal peace.
now come 10 the main branch Of my
which is 10 divide the amend
ment. In the first place, sir, will state,
that am not friendly to special COM
mittee to take charge Of any branch of
this subject; because a select committee is
always understood 10 be appointed with re-
ference to a favorable report upon some
specific object, and therefore never has the
weight in its recommendation that a stand
ing committee does. have confidence
tnat the Committee on Commerce VIII do us
Justice; and it is a good maxim to ''iet wei!
enough alone" But,if the more Immediate
friends of the river interst, who represented
territory contiguous to any of our great wes~
tern rivers, wish that interest referred to a
select committee, (as believe they do.) !
certainly shall vote with them as an act OF
courtesy which want all my northern friends
to yield 10 them. Yet, whilst we are will
ing that they should be the guardians of
their own peculiar sectional interests, and
have their select committee,we must claim
the right of overlooking our own interests,
and having our lakes referred to the Com
mittee on Commerce, as they always have
Dccl anu dS III lS IOT ttielT lDlefC5t HOW W Dc
On this ground, sir, INST urge division
of the proposition ;and, much as am nclin
ed TO crafty my Mississippi river friends, |
can never vote for the proposition IN in It's
present shape. As an act of courtesy to
those gentlemen, am willing to send their
interests TO any committee they wish. though
think they would be perfectly sale-ihaI
exact justice would be done them with the
Commerce Commute. But they ask too
much when they ask to have the lake IN
ierests taken with them. Sir, have been
all my life, to any log rolling sy
tenn of leg station, which has been ca!ama.
Gus whenever adapted. never can con-
sent 10 see one great measure yoked TO
another for the purpose ofgaining strength
1t is poor design that cannot sand on It's
own intrinsic merits. Both these great
cardinal propositions Of improvement have
merits of their own;and upon then, let each
stand. In the hands Of the Commerce Com
miitee the lake interests are safe. From
the composition Of that committee, they
could not be Otherwise. Why, then, take
them away from their usual place o. rs.er-