The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-04


constructing harbors, and roads Immediately leading
TO these harbors and in canals TO float and let pass
vessels from the ST. Lawrence 10 the upper lakes,
expended in ten months, from LEI September, lS43,
the sum Of GAO, sos 6s. 3D.. or about 81 $50 900
Vet we scruple about expending $4,000 for like
purposes, and 10 prevent aggressive movements on
the lake frontiers. Do gentlemen know how ey-
lenslve that frontier Isl Are they aware that about
5000 mlles Of the belongs 10 the United States
which must be defended IN CASE Of war; DO they
know that these hHrJOrs, unless improved, will
not accommodate navy of any size, and that the
barbors on the Canadian shore are being made safer
and more commodious every day. And knowing
these facts, how can You withhold the aid OF the
geseral government
We have right TO protect the commerce Of the
country. IL Ia our imperative duty TO do 80. We
have the power to build savy, and 10 send il into
all the oceans and seas Of the globe, to sustain, de-
fend and protect the lives and property Of our ei-
zens and does this power cease with salt water or
Id II bounded by the udes, that il cannot extend
TO the lakes But does il depend upon the manner
OF the method Of defending and protecting these lives
and this property, and must il be done by ma
chinery OF peculiar construction Why cannot you
as well, under these powers, construct hsrbors, az
build steamships, or batteries steamers TO carry
your mails! In truth, there is no difference; the
power is sufficient for both purposes, and ought TO
be so exercised.
wish TO notice further some Of the remarks Of
the gentleman from Alabama, Mr.. PAYsE.l | am
one Of the last men 10 endeavOr 10 excite sectional
feelings here OF elsewhere. think il should be the
object OF every member TO suppress everything OF
the kind. live In the northwest, aud will most
willingly vote for all appropriations for the benefit
of the South or the East, Il | believe them to be
proper. Reference has been made to The fortifca-
uon bill; and as the gentleman from Alabama
has denounced the river and hsrbor bill az sec
iional, | would draw his attention to the other
bill moment. IL appropriates $40 500 for objects
south of Mason and Dixon's line 1896 900 for ects
north Of that line; and sll35 500 for the whole West
Did you hear any complaint uttered by western
man because u gave too much To the South or the
East, aud not enough TO the West No, sir; they
urge no such objection to any Of your bills. When
this bill was under consideration, an amendment
was offered by the gentleman from North Carolina
tMr. MckAr,l appropriaring 1000 for anna.
ments for these Notifications, and no western man
objected, because we all believed il necessary and
proper, and therefore voted for il without stopping
to inquire whether any portion Of it was for the
West. You will find, on examination, that from
the year 1910 to the present year, upwards OF
81 900 900 have been appropriated for Notifications
in which the West had no immediate interest, and
yet you will not find, perhaps, a solitary western
vote against il. Look at another bill reported 10y
the Committee on Commerce for lighthouses, and
you will discover that il gives to the West and
Northwest some $50, 900; to the East and North
east some $3.50 900; and to the Southeast about
$780, and venture to predict that you will find
but few Of the western men who are in favor Of
harbOrs voting against any of the provisions Of
the bill. If gentlemen vi now turn their at.
tention to the naval bill, they will there find
an appropriation OF 800 900 for the naval depot
at Memphis, and an appropriation Of sos, 900 for
Offices, houses ciserns, sawmills, &c, at Pensaco-
Ia. Nothing s given TO the West or Northwest by
these bills; and would it not be considered very unus-
tifabe in our opposing them account of their be-
ing sectional say to gentlemen from the South,
we are opposed to exciting any such feelings and
had supposed that the demonstrations made in this
House on the Oregon question would have been
sufficiently instructive to have prevented their re-
currence. deprecated the feeling then and so do
now; aud hope never &c see western men giving
way To il, suffering IL TO rule or guide their ac-
ton. Look not at the locality Of an appropriation,
but at its object and propriety.
Mr.. Chairman, | have word TO say 10 some of
our eastern friends who oppose this bili The gen.
tleman from Maine Mr. HAMLNl was pleased
when it was first reported, to style the Committee
on Commerce the internal Improvement committee
hy way of reproach. ! would ask him whether he
so termed it when we were reporting bill after bill
on petitions that had been referred us by gentle
men from his section, we'll by himself for the
benefit Of the fishing vessels of Maine and other
eastern States? viii he be kind enough to poiat
out any clause in the constitution which, by strict
construction, authorizes the granting by this gov
eminent of fishing bounty, or the paying of these
vessels, tndt uOeS not Justify us
appropriations He will say, and with great pro-
priety, that this is necessary to supply seamen in
time Of war for your navy; and we with equal
truth and force use the same argument. But sir
in order to show him how much beyond the
maximum Of expenditure for lake harbors (some
20 500,000) his system has carried the government,
let me refer him to statistics that ! have
on the subject and he will be satisfied of our mod
Grafton. BY u report made by the industrious
and indefatigable Register of the Treasury in an
swer to resolution of Mr.. Senator BENTON, during
the present session, find that the amount paid
for bounties on sailed provisions and picked fish,
exported up to June 30th, lS45, was seven hundred
and fifteen thousand nine hundred and ninety -one
dollars nnety-eight and quarter cents; for allow
ances to vessels employed in the fisheries eight mil
lions three hundred and sixty-eight thousand
four hundred and thrty-eigbt dollars seventy-two
cents; drawbacks on domestic refined sugar export
ed two millions six hundred and nnety-eisht thou
sand four hundred and fifty dollars sixty eight
cents.
Sir admit that the object Of most of these boun-
ties is Of great importance to the nation and that
they are the means of maintaining and sustaining
the navy, and preparing hardy veterans in time Of
peace for service in war. This nursery of seamen
should in all probability be encouraged, and may
in great measure obvate the necessity Of vast ex-
pendtures of money by our government to accom-
plish the thing. But all this applies as well
to of the items of this bill; and 80 far az this
extends, the same principles operate in both
distinguished officer Of the navy made the tour of
the lakes last season, and if am informed correct.
w. stated that he never met with more active ener-
getic, or better sailors; and that they would
be to our government Invaluable in time Of
war. If conflict ensues between Great Brit
ain and u.s. or we are compelled to meet in
deadly warfare any other nation Of equal power,
you will have to rely principally, to support your
navy, on this very class Of sailors. You will soon
find that il will be immaeral to them in what sec
ton OF the country they are engaged all that they
will then talk about will be the defence Of the whole
country. There will be no such line Of demarka.
ton drawn in their minds as Mason and Dixon's
and believe that when the war closes, even the
gentleman from South Carolina will be among the
first to award them praise and do them Justice.
Objection has been made TO the works on Lake
Michigan; and some invidous comparisons have
been drawn. | am confident, Mr. Chairman, it gen.
tcmen were acquainted with that lake, the dangers
Of lie navigation, and the constant peril Of life and
property there, they would make larger instead Of
smaller appropriations for it. | know that the COM
merce Of that lake, which ia increasing constantly
requires all the protection you can give it,
A. Irr tp,e nhrnptlxy nut off In