Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-01-13
ELLINGTON, IOWA: SATURDAY, JANUARY IS. 1914.
CONGRESS.

CONGRESS.
ascDase On Western Interests in
~ Congress.
ON DEC. 10, when the us.ial motion. 10 refe
different portions of the Presidents message !,
,ne appropriate committees, came up in Ii.
House Of Representatives, debate of some i'm.
poftancc as affecting western interest. sn,ano
up. The question before the House, was On ths
following propositions offered BY Mf. Wise:
"lhat so much Of the Presidents message. 4,
relates 10 the policy of attending to lakes and
rivers OF the West and as relates to the improve.
ment OF the navigation Of the Mississippi rive,
particusriy, be referred to the Committee on
Commerce '''e "
Mr.. THoMMAssoN moved to strike GU, Sc
much OF the above as referred to the Mississippi
river His object was to have all the Western
waters on an equality
MIR. BARNARD suggested that the resolution
ought to embrace the Improvement of the har-
b"fs and rivers of the Union generally, and thai
the proposition for aeac srorks should go 10 the
committee on Commerce. Works already COM
menced, to the committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. KENNEDY, (of Lad said he was glad
.hat gentlemen on this floor had found out that
there was place called sthe Vest It.had been
notice There was another ADDITIONAL remark
which he wished to make, that gentlemen nigh,
understand 1t from the start: it was, that. sihe
vest intended to take care of itself. and its own
interests, and IN its own way. So far AZ this
question was commemorative referring of TINS
messaye-he thought it was a small one: but il
would spring question that might be found to
DC large one before it was got rid Of; and he.
as one OF the Representatives Of the West. Tand
ne ieit Just exactly as one of the number now. I
would say, Islands off gentlemen; YOU have long
enough acted without regard to the Interests of
the West. and we will help ourselves now
(Laughter.)
MIR. K. continued his speech considerable
length.
Mr.. HOLMES OF South Csrolina was greatly
reloiced to listen 10 the speech of the gentleman
IRON the West. With that gentlemen he was
greatly rejoiced that the great West, like a
strong man after sleep, had risen and had re-
solved to shake her locks. He was grati6ed 10
hear the sentimentssof gentleman who car,e
from territory which had been planted by the
descendants the early colonists Of the New
England States; and that the West would rise up
and become great empire he fondly cherished
the idea. The west was progressing with
rapidity that few men, who had not looked care
fully at her statistics, had any conception Of -
The produce Of her soil multiplied, until actual
ly she produced forty-four bushels 10 every man.
woman, and child in the United States; giving
Of grain no less than one hundred millions bush
els more than could be consumed by the eigh-
teen millions of people in the United States
And what was to become Of this immense wealth
OF her soil? Her abundance, instead of being
blessing, would become q burden, unless there
was Improvement in the navigation of her wa
tcrs, and until she said to the Eastern and to the
Northern States. We must coma in for a par.
ticipation in equal benefits and equal rights, and
that we may transmit 10 other markets the vast
resources OF our soil There were already very
great amounts Of grain fioated down the Missis-
Slpp, which required facilities for its transmits
SION, and might soon require protection. They
had beard thu sound of distant thunder, and no
man knew when it would burst upon them, nor
from what quarter it would come; and so greatly
had the interests of the West been disreCarded
by the Representatives OF the whole people. that
there was not single mode of protection devils
ed for the commerce, in time of war, which
floated TO the ocean down the Mississippi
M wilkins Sot Ris5paasslgaa ss spshe Of
their vast superiority over the Hudson. There
was no such highway for commerce on the face
If the earth as the Ohio and the Mississippi;
and yet Was there any highway Of commerce that
was so much neglected as. the Ohio and the
Mississippi rivers had been by the General
nual appropriations made for the waters On the
s<aboard aud for the Western waters. Look at
what was done for the seaboard in The neighbour
hood OF the Hudson river, if not for that river it
self, me
Look al your Notifications, light houses, break
Waters, sea-walis, and the immense expenditures
in the equipment of the navy, all expended on
the seaboard. Look at your annual expenditures
at your great Atlantic cities-New York, Phila-
Aoi and Qalf nd hon vl-lt
your expenditures at New Orleans. 1t was inn
possible to reflect upon the vast importance of
The latter city, without being mortified at the lit
tie that had been done for II; and looking upon
its past history, it would be difficult to see what
favors had been extended to it by the Govern
ment, unless indeed, in sending Gen. Jackson
there to defend it in 1915.
The debate was further continued by Mr..
Beardsley and Mr.. Wise.
:. Mr.. HARDIN (of lllinois) was in favor of re.
ferring the subject to a select committee.
Mr.. II. continued What an amount Of suf-
fering and loss of property there had been in
consequence of the neglect Of improvement of
III. navigation of the Mississippi. The naviga-
ton Of all the other rivers of the Union was in
significant in comparison of the Mississippi; and
the interest Of the whole Union that require that
these Western waters should have the attention
Of men who were acquainted with the interests
Of the West.
The radical effect Of, all attempts to improve
the navigation of the Western waters was, that
those who had been the promoters Of those i'm
provements had not possessed sufficient knowl-
edge on the subject. MIR. II. made some further
remarks.
Mr.. BOWLIN (of Ms:o,lri) said he believed
the proposition now before the committee, was
to take so much Of the Presidents message as
related to the navigation Of the Mississippi river,
and refer it to the Committee on Commerce
And in reference 10 this proposition, as one in
terested in the navigation Of that great stream he
would take this occasion to express his views as
to the propriety Of referring the matter to that
| committee. He was entirely opposed to such q
reference, upon principles which be would ex-
plain before taking his seat. 1t must be kept in
view that the Mississippi and its tributary
streams were the most important navigable wa
, tiers in the UnioE; conveying upon their waters
more commerce than all the others cOnjoined;
conveying more wealth than the whole amount
| Of commerce which was carried on between this
| country and foreign countries. He had papers
| before him showing that the transportation upon
| those rivers amounted to two hundred million
| dollars annually; and Others, showing the mel
ancholy fact that upwards Of three hundred thou
sand dollars was lost annually, besides an enor-
| nous sacrifice Of human life in consequence Of
the dangerous condition Of the navigation.
These were stubborn facts.
Sir, (said Mr.. BowLIN.) the country washed
by the Mississippi and its tributaries has no per
son to represent her interest on the COMMITTEES
If Commerce. mean the esh water interests.