Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-01-30
EIGHTH coNGREss--First Session
Thursday, Jan -, lo4l
~ e.i,s, sf,Lt

body, aIreeaoly To law, statement o! lhe cohUacts
made by the several Bureaus.
The Senate then proceeded consider the resolniion
submitted day or two since by Mr.. Srmple, asking
for information TO the Consular system OF The United
States
UNITED STATES CoNsULS, &c.
Mr. HUNTINGTON SAID, there was some incrma-
ton that he desired TO have addition to tina: called
for by the resolution touching the ssamen discharged
in foreign ports, and relieved by Consu!s, yet he would
not emtarrass the resolution this tune, but would
take another occasion 10 offer a resolution.
Mr.. FOSTER moved To amend the resolution, by
inserting The following words al the end OF The first
clause distinguishing SUCH cit zens OF the
United States, from such as are pot"
Mr.. SEMPLE had not the slightest objection TO the
addition but would accept Of ii as MODIFICATION
The resolution, changed, was then adopted, and
is fllows
Resoioed, That the Ptesiden, of The Uned States be
requested to 10 be communicated .oShe Senate
st A list Of all the Consus, Vice Consuls, and
Commercial Agents, now in the service Of the United
States together with the country and parlcu!a. port,
place, which they reside, distinguish ing such IS
cttzaas Of the United States, from such not
End. Watcher all the Consus, Vice C1asuls, and
Commerctal Agents aforesaid, have made regular re-
turns of the fees and perqus'tes which hcg have re-
celved, and Of the tonnage and commerce ci he uui
States within their respective cOn5nlates agencies,
according TO the instructions ofhe Secretary OF State
:;fd The amount OF fees and perquistes which each
Consul, Wee Consul, aud Commercial Agent has re-
ceIsed, during The years 1872 and loi3 as far as re-
turns have been received
4h The number of vessels, and the amount of ton
nare of the United States winch entered and cleared
within each Of the consuates and agencies aforesaid
during the year 3I2 and The year lSa3, rs far as re
turns have been received and also The number OF sea-
men belonging the United States that have been pro-
vded for, and home from each OF the several con-
sulates, during the tune aforesaid
FOX AND WISCONSIN RIVERS.
The Senate resumed The consideration of the bill TO
grant certn quantity of land to AID in the improve
nent Of the Fox and WISCONSIN rivers, and 10 connect
the same by cana-the question being tae amend
ment offered by Mr. Tappan, to strike out portion o!
the Isl, Cd, and Sd sections OF the bill.
Mr.. WOODBRIDGE was, he said, member Of HE
committee whlch reported this bill and he had assent
I'd TO it as originally drawn. One of his leading mo-
,vcs for supporting The bill was his desire 10 increase
he value of the public domain, and make il avaIlabe
for the purposes Of However fertile the SOL
II would be vnueless without good roads Wherever
roads had been made in the West, the country became
settled, and cities and towns grew up as FLY magic.
II the york TO be DONE IT should be done quickly;
because, after Wisconsin became State the Govern
ment would refuse make the appropriation FOR IT, and
the State would not he able 10 do II. The lands too, IN
the mean time would be sold at the minimum price,
whereas they could be made much more valuable by
the execution Of the work. II was no longer matter
of doubt that the most effective Of defence IN
times Of war was the rc y of communication by good
roads and canals Give this communication between
the Lakes and the Mississippi, md The defence of the
Western country would be easy and certain, III very
economical way. During the late war, the Govern
paid money for the transportation OF troops
stores sc, acrcss tins tract OF country, than would
pay the expense Of the work proposed including the
canal and the improvement CT the CATION Ut the
Fox and Wisconsin rivers.
Mr.. TAPPAN said his object TO postpone the
execution of the work till Wisconsin became State.
His amendment would be supported by those rho
IF AZ tha he Oe to
and more economically by Wisconsin, when It became
member of the Union, than IT could be done by u.
General Government now. Those who thought that
the work could be we'll done now, would vote against
the amendment.
MIR TALLMADGE preferred the oil as i stood;
but he disposed TO yield 10 TIE opinions Of other
gentlemen on the subject.
Mr.. WOODBRIDGE said the expense was limited
~ the bill, and it matter of certainty that the
expense would not fal! the public Treasury. 1t was
true that if there was any fault be found with
aLle corps of Engineers l. that they were too re-
gardless of expense in HE construction Of great ma
t onal work OF this kind.
The amendment OF Mr.. Tappan agreed u.
Mr.. KIN q said the sale of the lands intended tn
yield sufficient sum to defray the expenses of the
work. and, TO render lhs certain he proposed en-
amendment preventing the sale of the lands al price
less than hat proposed in the bill That part of the
land which is reserved from the improvement, he pro
posed 10 keep back from sale II the Government should
otherwise order.
Mr.. SEWER said il was important that the lands
should be sold and the country settled and the money
carried into the Treasury. lie opposed TO the
amendment.
MIR. TALLMADGE hoped the gentleman would
withdraw the amendment for, if there were persons
who would buy the lands al the price OF ten dollars
and fifty cents an acre now, they might rs well be
sold now.
Mr. KINGS object was, he said TO reserve the
sale of the lands till the money wanted for the
improvement.
Mr. HAYWOOD would make apology for con-
suminp small portion of time in expressing his views
on this bill lie was opposed to the whole b and
should move its indefinite postponement. lie wanted
know, what had become OF the doctrine, that these
lands belonged TO all the States of this Union. Here
We were taking across the Chamber about giving away
vast tract Of country, as if II vas small plantation
We to appropriate the lands-God knows TO
whom-wllhout even asceraining the quantity oil lana
included in the grant He challenged the right OF Ike
Senate to give away lands belonging 10 the IT, States
He denied the constitutional power of the Senate to
abstract the proceeds OF the sales Of these lands from
the Treasury for the benefit OF any StIp, or Compa
nv or Territory. The argument that /. could be gwen
To Territory merely mode oil whipping Tie de-
vii around the stump. If the improvement was one OF
national Importance, why not take the money directly
from the Treasury Why do 1t in this incsat mode :
lie denied the right TO 10 IL, and he denied the poles
Of doing it, lie referred 10 the votes OF Senators here
on The distribution BILL 10 show the utter moons stency
Of their present course, win Inc
held on that occasion. lie struck with the Indi
ference with which the Senate were talking OF giving
away such vas, amount of land lie conianded The,
the effect of the bill might he-and he feared 1t would
be-to vest the grant in COME corporation II Inc mo-
ney was be gwen l.. collect II first, ard do The
work afterwards not commence the work hrss aud
then collect the money One object s, 10 GU. canal
from one river TO another and the route ~ INST TO be
surveyed ard returned What follows: The practice
and construction are, that where money appropriated
FOR given purpose is the duty Of the Executive I"
see the purpose carried INTO execution. by Tins prov'-
sion we rpnoved this thing from The charge OF the To-
phica Engineers and placed under Inc ection
of the President. lie moved the indefinite postpone
ment Of The bill.
Mr.. TALLNADGE said he had not wished 10 enter
into this discussion, supposing that the principle on
which the bill was founded was undlsPuted. The 90
sacl. suggested by the gentleman would be ionnd very
slight and could be easily removed Inc principle OF
these grants had been well established ana mad been
always acted on. II the Ere canal had been con-
siruced before The late war; the whole cost oil IT'S con
structon would have been paid 10y the expense Of one
campaign on the Northern frontier, lhs great work
was proposed with view II effect communication
bet seen the Mississippi and ne Lakes-an object Q!
incalculable Importance in military point ct view
The work vas one easily executed and Nature had
arranged for this communication between the river