The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-13
THE DAILY UNION

ready beaten out. He agreed in the main with them
that the mower to pass this bill-the great power
Of this government It's foreign and inland trade
the great power 10 make improvements 10 pro-
mote both--was TO be derived chiefly from that
clause Of the constitution ~Aleh conferred the COM
mercal power on this House, and where the gem
tlemen. 10 whom he had alluded, had placed IT,
But he was equally satisfied that this House had
the power 10 make all such Improvements were
necessary for the defence Of the cosntry, either
ternal or internal offensive defensive, or for the
preservation of the public tranquility. lie had
abandoned the idea Of making speech on that
point; but there was one topic which had been
brought into this debate which, as yet, was
in a good measure unrodden ground and which,
as he thought ought not TO be allowed 10 pass
here without some consideration being given
10 Il before the question was taken IL mad been re-
peaiedly asserted that this doctrne-ths policy OF
internal improyements-the power 10 make these
improyements--was an old federal doctrlne that II
had always been one Of the lines Of demarsation
between he federal and the democratic parties; and
thus gentlemen who acted with the democratic party
had been arraigned as deserters from their own
princpes and poliey and had been called upon, not
in the language of command, exacdy-but they had
been mpored 20 return back TO that policy, and TO
those principles, on which they had always stood.
He did not propose to make party speech lie
never INDUCED in party reproaehes. He did not IN
tend 10 saw ANYTHING al which gentlemen could take
offence. He intended always TO form his own oPin-
ions, and 10 vote and act accordingly; and he would
chez rfuly yield ths privilege 20 every other gen,
tleman 10 do the same thing Nothing was gained
no man was ever convnced-by reproaches, by
imputstions, by blame cast upon anybody. But he
proposed for a short time 10 go into the history oil
this question and this policy and 70 show, az
he thought he could, in the first place, that II
never was an old federal doctrine; in the next place
that il never was Democratic doctrines that as be-
tween the fwo parties, the democratic party had
ohisd buat IL up; bat that all gentlemen on this
door OF III parties stsod precisely upon that foot
ing That diey might voe either for these appropr'
atoms or against them, without any inconsistency
and without subleeting themselves TO the charge Of
deserving any party.
To this one point Mr. " mainly directed his ar,
gument, which he had not concluded, when his hour
expired.
Mr.. s. ADAMS expressed the reluctance which
he ielt TO addressing the committee, feeling as he
did that upon party question he was IN a very
hopeless minority in this House. He considered
this proposition for general internal improvements,
and not for special improvements. He was opposed
to the whole system, and so he conceived were the
whole democratic party proper in the United States
"a system which was repudiated by the Baltimore
convention, whose resolutions had been so often
referred TO- He took general view Of the constitu-
tional question, denying utterly the power OF Con-
gress TO make any Of these Improvements, and ar
guing that IL the Mississippi were admitted TO be
within the pale Of the constitution, no dividing line
could be drawn and the same power must be conce-
ded over every other minor river, creek and stream
He also replied particularly TO the argument OF
Mr.. CONSTABLE, which deduced the power for the
improvement Of rivers and harbors from the general
power Of Congress to regulate" commerce, and
contended that the true meaning and the authority
conveyed under the term REGULATE" was TO pass
WIS and rules upon which that commerce shall be
conducted and not 10 create commerce. or create i'm
proyemsnts to facilitate il, by the establishment Of
roads and canals, and the opening Of harbors. He
dwslt upon the oppression of this system in It's
operation, and the bankruptcy and ruin to which il
must lead, if adopted by the general government
All that could be wrung from the people by way OF
taxation, he SAID would not be sufficient to defray
the expenses Of the system Of internal improve
ments proposed by this bill to be commenced; and
he avowed himself in favor Of npping il in the bud
by the summary and unqualified condemnation and
rejection Of this measure.
Mr.. SEVERANCE gave notice Of an amend
ment, appropriang for the Improvement in the tide
waters Of the Kennebeck river, $4,000.
He briefly urged the importance of this appro-
priation, and advocated the general system Of i'm
prsvements provided for in this BILL and devoted the
remainder Of his time to general discussion touch
ing upon the commercial policy Of Great Britain
and the United States, the Oregon question con-
nected Herewith, and many other subjects.
Mr.. DOUGLASS obtained the floor, and yielded
TO an unsuccessful motion that the committee rise.
He further yielded to the following gentlemen,
who gave notice of their respective intentions OFFER
To Mr.. THOMPSON, Of Mississippi:
"For removal of Instructions in, and to open the
pess from the Mississippi river by way of the her
vile and Amte rivers into Lake Maurepas and
Pass Mnnchac into Lake Pontchartrain. so az 10
connect the Gulf Of Mexico and the Mississippi
river, twenty thousand dollars"
To Mr.. COBB:
"And that the sum Of 900 be appropriated for
the improvement of the Flint river, in the State of
Georgia"
Messrs. J. X. INGERSOLL, SEABORN JONES,
and E. Fl. EWING, also gave notice Of certain
amendments which were not placed in the posses
sion Of the reporter.
Some conversation Of personal character follow
ed between Messrs. DOUGLASS and JOHN II.
EWING, arising out Of the question Of the right
of the floor.
The committee manifesting an unwillingness to
rise,
Mr.. DOUGLASS resumed the floor at q late hour
and proceeded in his remarks.
1t occurred to him Che said) that there were some
powers in this government that by this time ought
to be conceded, that there were some principles
which ought 10 be considered settled. When prin-
ciples had been adopted, and powers exercised from
the earliest existence of our government down to the
present day. and that with the concurrence of all
parties, without solitary exception, he thought
the policy which embodied them should at least be
considered settled policy. He made these remarks
because Of the attempt Of some of his friends to read
out of the republican party those who might differ
with them. For himself, Mr.. D. did not set up a
standard for others; he was perfectly willing that
they should exercise their own free judgments in
determining their respective courses, and he claim
ed the liberty Of exercising the same freedom of
opinion and action. He disclaimed all friendship
to a general system of internal improvements, but
maintained the constitutionality fthe improvement
of rivers, harbors and navigable waters; ridculing
the definition imported from the English laws that
navigable waters are only those in which the tide
GIBBS and flows, (Which would cut off the lakes
from the list of "navigable" waters, although you
cannot find cord long enough to reach the bottom
Of them at some points) and showing its inappli.
caLility to this countryside facts of the case upon
which the law was based, being different in Eng
land there being there no extended inland rivers,
and none naugabe except tide waters Here, the
state of the case being the reverse it was absurd to
attempt to transplant the law He cited the author
ity of Presidents Madison, Monroe, Jackson, and
Van Buren,, as fully sustaining the power of Con.