The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-01-26
5pceeh of our member of Congress.

We have sean some mention of speech from
our member OF congress IN committee of the
whole, whilst the subject of the reference of the
presidents message was before the house. which
will be reported, we understand, at full lcnCth in
the Washington Globe, as soon as the editor
can find room in justice to the speeches that
preceded it. The National lnteligencer thus
sums it up:
Mr.. Wentworth wished, as Repre-
sentative of tract Of country deeply in
teEested in the lake interest, to say few
words upon this occasion, with reference
to the division Of this subject. lie was
willing to vote liberal appropriations for
the Mississippi river. That interest had
too long been neglected. The interests
of that whole portion of country had too
long been knocking a! the door of this
House, and been refused for the most
part admil!ance and relief. The whole
extent OF appropriations for that coun-
try had been 100000, while 920,-
100000 had been expended upon our ma
Wy.
Blu, while he was willing TO vote for
these appropriations for the Mississippi
country-while he was willing to join his
Mississippi friends and 90 with them in
the support Of their interests, he must ask
of them not TO overlook the lake interest,
The principle objection to referring this
portion of the message to the Committee
on Commerce was, that too many of that
committee were from the East, and that
10 Western men were upon il. lie was
in favor of referring that portion Of the
message relating TO the rivers of the West
to a special committee, as an act of cour-
lesy TO his Western friends, if they wish
ed it. He believed il for their interest
thus to have it referred and he believed
it for the interest of the section of the
country III which he was more lmmedl-
ately inierested-that i. was for the Nor
lhern frontier interest, embracing an ex-
tent of country something like 1000
miles, 10 have the subject of the lakes re-
lerred to the Committee on Commerce,
where it had always gone, and where ii
legiIimalely belonged. If they had Il
special committee upon this subject, its
recommendation would not have the same
influence upon the House as the recon-
mendatlon of the proper standing commit
tee. 1t would be understood by the
House that this committee had been APP
pointed with special reference to this
very object. But he had confidence that
the Committee on Commerce would 90
in favor of liberal appropriation for the
lakes, and he believed also that they were
willing TO show the same Justice TO the
Mississippi river. His friends, however,
thought otherwise, and he went with
them; but, confident that the Committee
on Commerce would do the lake interes,
the Northern frontier interes,--juslice,
he would specially ask that this question
might be divided, and that this portion of
it might be referred to the Committee Of
Commerce and in this opinion Mr.. w.
believed his colleagues cordially concur
red. He could not consent to the refer
ence of that portion of the interests which
he represented 10 select committee, be-
cause he would not leopard i, in the least.
Mr.. w. referred partially to the compost
ton of the Committee on Commerce and
repeated the expression Of his confidence
in that committee; iemarking that, rep
resen,ing as they did great commercial
points, they would be recreanl TO themsel-
yes, recreant to their constituents, if they
neglected TO carry out these measures
which from one great and common inter
est.
Mr.. w. wished to be permitted to
make an allusion to some remarks which
he had seen in different papers in relation
to the project and the negotiations there
on in his own State, of binding together
the different portions of our common
coun,ry-he alluded TO the completion OF
the Illinois and Michigan canal, aad TO the
recent appointment of Governor Davis to
investigate this subjes,. Opposed to him
as he was in principle, he was rejoiced al
his appointment, and any allusion to pol
itical influences in this matter he must re.
pei as an assault. upon the dominant party
there. The dominant party had taken, as
was natural, suitable man of the other
party, so that in this great measure OF
national importance all political bases
should be avoided, and both parties be
united in this great and grand object oil
connecting together the waters of the Gull
of Mexico with the upper lakes and with
the Atlantic ocean. Mr.. W. had no fear
of the integrity Of tina, State, of its being
bought with British gold the State had
been tried and it was TOO late to be appre-
al, | .,,,.l :,