Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-03-08


OF these amendments and the loss Of his bill.
| Mr. WOODBRIDGE said he felt deeply sensible Of that
he fully Of the difficulties and embarassnents o.
his situation but he had been situated precisely in the
last year lie had at that time been instructed
move similar amendments, but fearing they might endange
the BILL had venured the responsibility Of dsobeyng the
order Of the committee. lie would not that re-
sponsby this But he would say the Senate
that if they refused to act upon their judgment respecting
measures submitted 10 them by members OF their body
but turned their eyes continually the other branch Of ,
Legislature and regulated their conduct by the chances
success elsewhere only the dignity but the power thu
distinct and independent branch OF the Government
would soon dwnde away and perish, and this exalted BODY
would have other duty perform than register the
edcts Of committee of the House OF Representatives Should
these amendments be adopted and the other House should
disagree them the bill might still be saved by the Senate
| Teceding from its amendments
Mr.. BUCHANAN reminded the Senate that il was now !
quarter past O'clock the haror bill contained many items
Seat importance the country and he that his wo
thy friend from Michigan would risk its safety for mere
ngis fuus lie had much better consent to wait till mex
year, when perhaps the same difficulty might exist IT.
however, the gentleman resolved persist he washer
his hands OF the consequences
Mr. EVANS said he hoped the honorable Senator from Mi
chgan would persist and get vote his amendment MI
f. had had appropriation for his State, which had
been delayed too longs yet he told that he must walt
still longer, the bill might be lost To him seemed very
extraordinary that such apprehenons should be entertained
This harbor bill lost in the House Of Representatives. WHY
this preeminenty the fvote bill Of the House it had
postponed all the appropriation bills take up this Mr.
was not to be frightened this way If the appropriation bill
failed the Government must stop for the want Of
carry on but should this harbor bill become law the
Government, he presumed, would still continue
Mr. SEWER said that he had endeavored to get
the items kept out of this bill which still appeared there
he would thank the Senator from Michigan tell him
how many of these items the President had vetoed Were
they not more than half of the whole number
Mr.. WOODBRIDGE replied that he believed there were
some items Of that description in the bill.
Mr. SEWER thought they amounted to three founhs Of
NE of the a deallop than
the kite itself
The question taken all the amendments toge.
her reported from the Committee Of Commerce, and decided
in the negative Yeas a, nays counted
Mr.. JOHNSON made effort to add two other amend
ments appropang S20 900 for Fort Pontcharta and
another Of $50 900 for completing the marine hospital New
Orleans, but they both rejected Yeas 10, not
counted.
The bill was then reported to the Senate, when
Mr.. EVANS moved again the amendments from the Com
mee on Commerce, but they negaved without debate,
by yeas and nays Yeas III nays g.
Mr.. McDUFFIE and said that he considered il
his solemn duty oppose this bill though the effort to do it
should exhaust the remainder of the session lie considered
It the most enormous, unprncped infamous mcasurebut
ne would not be forced into the debate He moved to by the
bill on the table.
Mr.. WOODBRIDGE demanded the yeas and nays which
being taken, resulted follows
YEAsMessrs Archer, Aherton Bagby, Evans, Fairfield,
Huger, McDuffe, Miles, SEWER, Woodbury-1o.
NAfSMessrs Allen Ashley, Atehison, Barrow Bsyard,
Benton Berren, Breese Buchanan Choate, Crenden Day
Henderson, Jaagin Johnson Mangum, Miller Morehead
Phelps, Porter, Sempl Simmons Sturgeon Tappan Upham,
Walker, White, Woodbridge-si.
Mr. EVANS inquired what the aggregate amount APP
propriated by the bill
Mr. WOODBRIDGE said it about million six
hundred thousand dollars.
Mr. McDUFFIE. More than that. 1t two
millions.
Mr. EVANS asked if the Senate Of the amount
of appropriations which had been made this Congress He
had endeavored keep up with them well as he cu but
ne confessed they had far beyond his and lie
apprized gentlemen that they must not be surprised
they should find the finances Of the country running low
indeed before the year out And if, not inposs
be they should find themselves under the necessity Of Dor
ty, if it came would have been imposed by their own egsla
ton. Mr.. e. had scruples the subject of internal
provemen yet he confessed that the amount proposed in
this bill appeared to him If Congress should APP
propriate half mlon eight hundred thou
sand dollars year for objects of this description, he should
consider just proportion of the public expenditure but to
present of items of large amount to be passed in
this Jumping at this last hour of the session,
his Judgment, unwauanabe proceeding He asked when
this bill had been received fiom the House
Mr. WOODBRIDGE replied it had come in on Saturday.
Mr.. EVANS. On Saturday and it now Monday
night and gentlemen had been sitting the Senate all day
How possible that they could have examined the details
of the bill Mr. Il. should for IT, IL was bill
which, without appropriate data went to impose bur
the Treasury He had desire to revive the old con-
troversy this vexed subject IF internal improvements but
he could help recolectng with what reocngs and uba
tons gentlemen the other side had congratulated the
that this great aldcvoung had at length been
sangled by the hero Of New Orleans and IT matter OF
pride and boastng that nearious system had been put
down forever under General Jacksons administration His
prasans promulgated to the world that all works Of internal
improvement by the General Government thenceforh to
forever The whole proceeding stgmatzcd
constitutional Authoritarian, wastcfu, and profgaic Yet,
OF those very gentlemen amsng the strenuous adj
vocaes of this BILL Mr. E. entertained such scruples he
did not object To the appropriations this bull uncons
tuona application Of the public money but he prayed gen.
tlemen the Democratic side who argued in favor OF bill
like this 10 expunge that article from their political creed Let
hear about its being political heresy 10 advocate
| internal improy emcnts by the General Government
Mr. E. objected to this bill because LARGE number and
variety of objects embraced by without discrimination
He favor Of the appropriations for the Improvement d
Western rivers, and he would include with them some
other important objects but many others he could not
He admitted and he had personal TO know
the great difficulty ofaming bill which should give satisfaction
10 ALL But he complained of the late period of the session
which all the appropriation bills Of the present year had been
from the other House. However, as he would
polong the debate, but only wished say, in voting
against this BILL that he no hostility to works
Of internal improvement
Mr. SIMMONS expressed his surprise the and at
the language Of his honorable friend from Mane who had
Gently proposed still further to augment the number of items
in this very harbor BILL by proposing appropriations Of
his These had been rejected and Mr. s. not with
his fears that that might be the Of the Senator'S
sudden and violent opposition the bill His friend
planned Of the large amount but he inclined TO believe
that if instead Of million and half the bill had aPpropr
ated two millions would have received that gentemsn
warm support.
tered his decided ho tliiy
Mr. SIMMONS he only induced To think from