The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-01-22

planation1
member has the floor.
BrAsDLEY- shall go into the political part Of this
iiscusson Mr. Speaker Tor it appears to me that we've
had discourses all subjects before this Commit
tee except upon the that properly under condera
ton The question is shall this part Of the Message go
Now sir what the assigned that the interests OF
the Ohio Mississippi Arkansas and other rivers are to be
given to Select Committed Is it 10 determine their
length or BREADTH the number of snags or sawyers
there is in them7 What facts select committee ex
pected to find out in relation to these rivers that
real question not one to how much money shall be ap
propriaed for the Improvement 'of these rivers What
hidden fac is there to be ascertaned by sending them to
Select Committee. If those who advocate this course
have any why this plan should be adopted they
have shown us none here. And sir may well abo
fish the Standing Committees Of this House at once
such subject this is to be referred to Select Commit
Now sir have heard great deal said here about
power Congress to make improvements and the de-
NAL of that power well what that power rested
Sir the only ground upon which Congress has the power
make appropriations that clause in the Constitution
which mentioned by the gentleman from Ohio win
toni Sir, there gentlemen frem the south who
think that has no make ;, a oRrTs
from other parts ofthe country take more enlarged view
Of the and that Congress clearly has the
one from Virginia particular Wise prded himself upon
being straight jacket constructionst- Lsughter) Sir
straight jacket is very useful and very convenient
article upon certain occasions. It's by various in
dividuals:under peculiar crcumstances-L aughter) II
has been considered fitting garment for king George
And what is fit for king would not say is not fit for
legislator Though don't say thatany legislator in this
dd-(Laughter) But sir, straight jackets are worn by
some periodically and thrown off periodicsliyw Laugh
sh1ugn w not Of St rs may BY
say when it was thrown off by them. It was
thrown off by southern Legislators, sir. when the
also when the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal construc
ted and also when the canal cut round the falls OF
the Ohio And indeed according the recent doctrines
preached in this House, there Is saying how far the
powers of this may not extend in this matter
The gentleman from South Carolina diOlme said that
this government derived the to appropriate money
for these Western Rivers from the old articles. act or
compact of confederation. Sir find such powers
then contemplate the necessity for comprising in it such
extensive powers have since been discovered exist
federation it says that all the waters that flow into the
Mississippi and the ST. Lawrence to the south and to the
north and ali the carrying places between them shall De
then States and Territories and for all the people OF the
States and Territories that might afterwards come
into the Union and that these highways are and are to be
thus free to all without tax for Nothing said here
about the power OF Congress to appropriate money to I'M
'nese snS Sas there
danger that OF the States that at that very
time about to be added to the Union from the North We
those waters and it to prevent this being done that
the ordinance adopted. 1t was solely for
free navigation aGi of these waters for ever. And
yet the gentleman from South Carolina said that
he could find in this old ordinance the highest powers
which this Government could exercise and that under
he would be willing to appropriate y or $13 100000 to
improve the Western Rivers Now, sir, ! find In the
Constitution the power to spend money to improve these
rivers and find it where else. The old act or art
cles Of confederation gave the power they who
made i never thought Of giving that power It's in the
money to improve the navigation Of the Mississippi the
Ohio, the Missouri the Hudson, and on this ground
spared out of the public Treasury If the power to i'm
prove the navigation of these rivers is not to be found in
the Constitution then an the money hitherto expena t
power to expend money for all purposes that are ma
tiona"-those the words. And on this ground sir
feel free to vote money for removing the obsrIc'
tons of the Hudson River the Connecticut, the Della
ware the bays and harbors your sea board But
| shall only vote such judicious regard to
economy and the public interests require. And now
sir with regard the reference consider that to take
this subject from the Committee Commerce would be
rejection on the Chair who appointed that Committee
1t would almost to say that the men on that CON-
mttee unfit to legislae this subject And who
they One is from Michigan, another from New York
State close to the ST. Lawrence two from New En-
gland, one being from Boston, from the city Of New
city Of Charleston and another from New Orleans on the
Mississippi itself Who are more fit than these gentle
the n 81 9aT sp0sd &c know and to
therefore, sir that the House will in this matter adhere
consideration of the Committee on Commerce.
Mr. STEWART again tried to get the floor it was given
Mr. srMLrx, Of Indiana. lie begged the House to con
slider the importance of this subject and that the mari
OF the Lakes required much protection as those al
sea- on entering the bays and harbors OF the Atlantic sea
Ohio river that therefore Congress could not spend
ney to improve 1t that they could not do any thing for
this noble river-it was unconstitutional
KENNEDY Tin an under tone) -What the Ohio river an
unconstitutional river
Mr. SEMPE said he for improving all these waters
He did not whether they were rivers lakes whe
Their they called Spring branches" or Noble
Mississippi" they all national works and as west
man, 60 for them Weisay to the general govern
ent you have all the perquisites and emoument arising
from these waters We have surrendered all rghtevery
thing to you-you have all the public lands-you
waters with and who then is to do it, but you?
Mr.. STEWART again begged to have the floor it was
given to
Mr. PETIT of IndianaSir there is but fifteen minutes
of time left to debate this matter and my constituents
interested.
Mr. ScHrNcK-I rise to a point of order. sir ami to
that the gentleman from Pennsy has the floor
Here there was great excitement and confusion il
wanted but quarter to two o'clock at which time the
question to be taken out Of committee Several mem
bsrs to the floor at once-some clamoring Tor one
thing some for another cries of "give it him." No,
no." sit down." "order"
Mr. PrTrrr-I should like to have the twelve minutes
that is left sir to debate this without interruption pre-
fer have this matter referred to select committee. be
have not confidence in the other Now sir there
have been words that used in this debate that do
by the gentleman from Ohis which, they had been used
to wards gentleman--
Here there tremendous excitement, Severn
members sprang to the foorcries OF ORDER" and the
Chair called to order
wryrHRop-The Chair cannot allow such PERSONAL
ties.
PErrrr-Well sir, then, in characerisng that scene
and those remarks in relation to the member from Penn
sylvahia shall be compelled to the reply that Nv AZ
made by the boy when his father whipped him for calling
him liar. After whipping him severely, he asked o
him, "You young scoundrel will you ever tell yonl
father that he is liar aganF oh sir, no. said thu
boy but father do tell what shall say when you
10 lien Much laughter Sir the conduct Of that mem
is such characterize But to the subject
sir. We have had here the lecherous and unhaowet
fha no the Middle States
the subject of these improvements Now, sir, wan
Of these. Give the hand Of honor and honesty
Sir shall not offer any indignity to the land of thu
sumpters and the Pinckneys! shall offer mo ndgnity
20 the land of Washington of Jefferson Of Monroe ant
Madison and Patrick Henry, and John Marshall although
she does boast that she gave whole domain witho
money or without price. and though they do wea
straight jackets there, sir. Laughter) Nor will re
ect the offer Of the great State Of New York. sir; for
am bound to remember sr-there forget tina
she is my own my native land Sir will not offer al
indgnity to the land of Massachusetts Bay-the land