The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-31

than which none have stronger claims upon the al
/ tention ofthe general government.
The legislatures Of Alabama and Tennessee, bu
particularly Of the latter State, have had watchh
eye 70 this Improvement. They have sxpende
large sums Of money In attempting 10 remove thes
obstructions; they have used every exerion, AM
I they have stretched every nerve TO complete thi
link Of intercommunicauon, but they have failed
This improvement has assumed, within the last few
wears more national character than II has ever be
fore possessed. And why so' Because, SIR, Their
lie now a railroad from Charleston in South Caron,
TO within il mistake not, thiry-hve miles Of Chat
tanoogu on the Tennessee river, the point fits ter
minus. great portion OF this unfinished part 0
the road has bceu graded and will be completes
within year or two. In lo2o, the general govern
ment made large appropriation for the purpose o
cutting a canal around the Muscle shoals. Tho ap
preparation was supported by Mr.. Polk, and oshe
prominent democrats; IL YES then local innpuOve
ment; bat small portion Of tbe country was inter
ested in the work bat ibis amesdsent looks above
local interests. L. !. Designed 20 cP:ss grer nssions
the general government in 1923 considered il tobs
| It's duty TO remove these distinctions, for much
stronger reason should IL do so now, when It's com
mereial facilities en-fold greater than they were
then.
This improvement is OF more general concern and
importance 10 the westsrn, and portion OF the
southern country, than even the improvement o.
the Ohio or any other river provided for in the ball
with tho single exception have designated. Why
Because the Tennessee river furnishes more waiei
for navigation than the Ohio. In the summer sea
son. the lowest state of the water, Il Is naysable
for steamboats, to the Muscle shoals, distance OF
near three hundred miles from It's mouth; while the
Ohio, which at that Of the year scattered as
IL Is broad surfaes, Is quite shallow and diff
hcut Of navigation. There are other respects also
in which the navigation Of the Tennessee river is
less difficult than that of the Ohio. IL never freezes
in the winter. Commerce "a never checked there by
the sold weather. And in military point Of visw,
its importance to the general government
ly be over estimated Why Suppose at any
period Of the year you wish to transport troops
from the West to the Atlantic, say TO Charleston,
or any other point, by opening up the Tennessee
river and removing these distractions, you viii
have the means Of ready communication. You can
transport them from almost any point in the West
by water 10 Chattanooga, and thence by railroad to
any portion Of the Atlantic coast. By this route
troops can be conveyed to South Carolina, or any
point on the Atlantic coast, without being subjected
TO the sickness and disease Of an unhealthy south
en climate. Nor will your western commerce
destined for the Atlantic have to undergo the hazards
and uncertainties Of our southern Gulf navigation
But here you have stream running through one OF
the most fertile, healthy, and beautiful regions OF
country on the continent, which is open TO nayiga'
ton alike in the winter and summer, where CON-
meroe meets with no impedment, except that which
1t is the object Of this amendment TO remove.
| But, Mr.. Chairman, my colleague from the Mem
phis district Mr.. SrANrosl is opposed 10 this i'm
provement. Why SO, | oannst for the life of me
tell. l cannot understand why any member Of this
House, who entertsins the opinions which he has
Expressed in relation 10 the constitutional power oil
Congress over the subject, should oppose an apPro
priaiion for the improvement Of the Tennessee river
Why, ! ask, is this r.
Mr.. STANTON (the floor having been yielded
for the pnrpose) was understood 70 soy, that If tht
gentleman would read his speech, he would see thu
ground on which he tMr s. had placed his opposi
ron, as the gentleman called il, 10 this amendment
he did not think that the gentleman had understood
what he said. |....E ..... go ..un...
Aaer remark from Mr. G. s. Housros, no.
heard by the reporter. but which was understood e
be an explanation OF she ground OF Mr.. SrAsroE''
objection-namely, the absence of proper surveys
and estimates .,.. r--- -r.g-tI s.r.at a ...E
Mr.. CocxE proceeded. II have misunderstood
the argument Of my colleague shall be happy to
be corrected. should much regret to do him injus
tice. have not read his printed speech, corrected
by himself. But certainly understood him to OBJ.
jec to the appropriation for the improvement Of the
Tennessee river--frst, because il would furnish O
precedent for thousand other objects of appropria
lions of less importance than that river The second
ground of objection was that there had been no sur
veys and estimates by the proper department. He
was however, informed by my colleague from the
Knoxville district, Mr.. CRozIER, that the Tennes-
see river, so far as the amendment proposes an ap-
preparation for its improvement, has been surveyed
and that estimates had been sent in. | thought
that all objection had then been removed, but my
colleague (Mr. SrANToN] inclined to the belief that
the estimates heretofore made were not TO be relied
upon.
Mr.. G. s. HousroN was und erstood to say that
the canal on which the expenditures had been made
had been put under contract and that every single
section of il had in part been completed.
| | sou ndprafapd 10 fact, and IL the
work is not carried on the expenditures hitherto
made will prove total loss to the government. II
is of vastly more Importance now that this improve
ment should be completed than it at the time
the original appropriation was made, for the reasons
II have stated. | do not propose to 20 into
a long argument upon this subject. did not
rise for the purpose of making what is usu.
ally called speech to Buncombe; but mere
lily for the purpose of making some genera
statements in regard to the importance Of this i'm
provement. And | rejoice TO the whole south
ern delegation, so far as have heard an expires
sion of opinion, although differing with me and
with a large majority of this House as to the con
stitutional power of Congress to make internal i'm
provements come up, one man, and testify TO tht
national importance of this Improvement May
not ask gentlemen to take this fact into considers
tom May not hope that even my colleague from
the Memphis district, now that he has ascertainet
that surveys and estimates hare been made and thai
the work has heretofore received the favorable con
sideration Of the government, will withdraw his OPP
position and give the benefit of his vote for the
amendment | claim that the Tennessee river fur
nishes more water for the Missssppi--is greater
feeder to it than the Ohio-and that in fact, the I'M
provement Of the Ohio is secondary in consideration
to it. But my colleague is in favor Of the appro
priations for the Ohio river he is in favor Of othe
provisions Of the bill, bat this cannot obtain his
sanction. must repeat the expression OF my hop,
that he will yet change his opinion am disposed
to regard favorably all the interests of Memphis;
am willing to promote those interests 30 far as may
be in my power; but when he manifesto an intention
to vote against the appropriation for the TENNESSEE
river, as much am inclined TO advance the inter
ests of Memphis, and all that pertains to her nava
depot, invite him to recollect that the Secretary o.
the Navy has recommended that the naval depot Al
Memphis should be turned into ropetcaik hops
he understands the ausion.
But, Mr.. Chairman, another Of my colleagues
Mr.. JoHssoN1 has offered an amendment to which
desire to pay my respects. ] am opposed to it
and opposed to it for the reasons that he assigned
his speech for its adoption. am opposed to it, be
cause II is Of local, not general interest His amend
ment proposes an appropriation Of 100000, one
half to be expended between knoxylle, in East Ten