The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-31

The bill, by consent, was read a third time ana
passed.
Mr. TIBBATTs, from the Committee on Com
merce, offered report and resolution in relation TO
the Louisville and Portland canaf referred to
the Committee Of the Whole on the state of the
Union, and printed
HARBoRs AND RIVERS,
Also, bill making appropriations for the i'm
proyement Of certain harbors and rivers.
Mr. CRoZiER called for the reading Of the bill;
which was read. $50.
Mr.. C. inquired if il would now be in order to
move to recomni, this bill with instructions.
The SPEAKER replied that the motion TO COM
NIT to the Committee of the Whole on the state Of
The Union, being privileged question, would take
Mr.. CRozIER inquired, then II 1t would not be
IN order TO instruct the Committee of the Whole to
report certain amendments to the bill
The SPEAKER replied that it was not competent
for the House, under its former usages to instruct
the Committee of the Whole on the state of the
Union; and that the gentleman would attain his OBJ
ject by moving the amendments which he wished in
committee.
Mr. CRoZIER, Mr.. GENTRY, Mr.. WIN
THRoP, and Mr.. q. DAVIS, respectively suggest
ed to the Speaker that the motion in order, and
that there were various precedents for it,
Mr.. BRINKERHOFF suggested 10 the gentle
man from Tennessec that his object would not be
flrthered al all by this movement; but that his OBJ
ject would be effected most readily by proposing
the amendments which he wished in Committee Of
the Whole on the state Of the Union.
The SPEAKER, on brief examination of the
question, recopsidered his decision, and pronounced
the motion TO Instruct the Committee of the Whole
on the state of the Union to be in order.
Mr. CROZlER then moved that the Committee
of the Whole the state of the Union be INSTRUCT
ed to report an amendment to this bill, making an
appropriation Of 100000 for the improvement Of
the Tennessee river.
Mr. G. expressed the great reluctance which
he felt TO Interrupt the receiving-of reports from
committees by the motion which he had made;
but he thought that the House, and the gentleman
from Ohio, Mr.. BRINKERHoFF, ] would be satisfied,
on listening few moments to him, Of the propriey
of the course he had taken. He was not familiar
with the usages of this House, in the introduction
OF bills of this kind; but he here bill appro
pratns for different western riversAfor the Missls
sippi, the Missouri, the Arkansas, and the Red
rivers. How this subject came before the COM
mlttee, ne was at loss to tell. He presumed the
chairman who reported it could give this informa-
ton. The President in his message did not men
tion the western rivers, unless the phrase Gin
land seas" was construed to include them. Why,
he thought this very modern phrase. But 1t
seemed the committee had included these rivers
under the general designation Of finland seas. %
lie commended that the Tennessee river was as much
an finland sea" as either the Missouri, the Mis-
sissippi, the Arkansas, or the Red river.
Another reason why this river should have been
included was, that it had been specially referred
Mr.. McCLELLAND, from tie Committee on
Commerce, explained that the subject of the rivers
which had been reported on was referred to the
COMMITTEE on Military Affairs originally, in the re-
port OF Col. Albert, Of the Corps Of Typographical
Engineers, and was taken from that committee, and
referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Mr.. CR0ZlER thought it was a matter of injus
tce that that gentleman had not also mentioned
the tennessee river, and that was the very reason
why he had made the motion he had made at this
he nh tI,o l,..
who lived on that river had not been sufficiently
alluded to. He admired the zeal Of gentlemen, who
pressed the appropriations for these nh.- .i~es he
would cheerfully Ha,s e.. .h-- appropriations; but
much and more importance than many Of the rivers
appropriated for in this bill. And for this he had
the authority of distinguished typographical engi-
neer, Cob H. 8. Long, from whose report Of for
mer date he proceeded to read.
Mr.. G. continued to say that the report inst read
was that of the engineer, whose particular business
1t was to survey the rivers of the country and re-
port thereon; that in doing So he had represented
the Tennessee river Of us much importance as any
ofthem. He (Mr. c. would read another extract
from the engineers report, as follows:
although this neighborhood seems to afford no very fa
yorabie site Tor the establishment of smory yet
ation to great national thoroughfae Or later to
the great basin Of the Mississippi give claim special
Ths thoronssare alluded to- i. to be constituted na,tv
Ss & - s !. E
being re chasnco SeG q s
ducah the mouth Of river by mies
by this IS Sss miles and from the same place 10 sa.
yannah ss miles the latter distance being two miles less
of the railroads from Charleston to Chat.anooga $50
miles are aready completed ahd N Operations
opened of travel and transportation ieaynv unsO,.bss
about 100 miles most Of which graded and ready for the
Amongst the most considerable tributaries Of the M,
and Ohio rivers there that presents greater
ton than the Tennessee river From its mouth 10 Water
100 "a miles boats drawing 10 to 90 inches pass
during the more elevated stages which prevail almost the
whole year boats drawing from to feet navigate il
certainly no. aheqdaod that ofany other
Mr.. g. again addressed the House, concluding
with few remarks in favor OF the claim of the
Tennessee river.
Mr.. KING arose TO point of order He did not
think It In order to instruct the committee of the
whole on q question of appropriations. He would
direct their attention to the l3lstrule follows. Gal
proceedings touching appropriations Of money shall
House,
The SPEAKER decided that, according to the
rule ast. read .as gentleman was not in order in
Mr.. GENTRY disagreed from the chair, as if
it was in order 10 discuss the question in the com,
bate the instructions. The motion did not propose
an appropriation; but recommended the committee
to do so.
The SPEAKER observed that the gentleman
proposed that $780, 900 should be appropriated to
the improvement of the Tennessee river which it
was the business Of the committee of the whole to
do.
Mr.. CROZlER again rose and said, for the sake
of obviating all difficulty, he would SO modify his
motion as to omit specifying the sum named and
simply instruct the committee to attend to the i'm
provement of that river.
The SPEAKER thought il was only an indirect
way of coming at the same object; he could not re-
ceive the amendment.
Mr.. CROZIER then moved that the bill, with
the amendments be laid on the table; but the yeas
and nays being demanded
The motion was withdrawn.
Mr.. CROZlER asked il it would be in order TO
make motion for reference to the Committee OH
Commerce.
The SPEAKER said, if the question for reference
to a committee of the whole, which was privileged
one, were decided in the negative, then the other
would be in order.