The daily union., 1846-05-01


The House being in Committee of the Whole OIL
Il the state Of the Union
Mr. TIBBATfS addressed the committee as fol
lows
Mr. CHAiRaAs: l had not originally contemplated
speaking on the subject under consideration. hae
slxays rather act than talk; and it is always with
reluctance that make speech, either here or else
where should not even now, amid the press OF
competition, have contested for the door, OF arisen
or Ihepurpose Of addressing the committee, bat fo
the extraordinary turn the debate has taken, the vi
OIent opposition the bill has met with, the rude as
sauls which has been made upon the measure, and
The quarter from which the opposition has IN part
come, and the expectation which seems to be gen.
eslly entertained that should defend this bill from
these assaults, having had the honor to report
Il 10 this House by the order of the Committee on
| Commerce.
A gentleman from Alabama Mr. PAYsEl said in
debate the other day that lone OF his colleagues
had yesterday characterized this bill IN very strong
terms, and had condemned it very earnestly. he
| Mr. PArsEl thought that character and that con-
demnation Just" Now what was the character
and condemnation which the gentleman from Ala
bama lMr. PAYNE here so unqualihedly endorses
Why sir, because II is opposed To the principles OF
common honesty and Of Justice" because il is OPP
posed "to common sense, common justice, and
common right" because il is "a fragrant and stu
ginning Of Genesis TO the terminus Of Revelations,
was the most ndiscriminate bundle OF punder, rob
berry, og-rolling-disgraceful to American leglsla-
usn--that had been presented to this House" :"
and shat he so taught and indoctrlnated his con-
situents, that they would not have representative
here who would be guilty Of such act Of baseness
a TO vote for this BILL"
Such is the language, Mr.. Chairman, used in re-
adon to bill reported by one Of the standing com
mittees of this House. by one gentleman from the
State Of Alabama and endorsed by another gentle
nan from the south Of Mason and Dixon's line
from the land whose chiyary is so much and so of
len lauded on this floor If such language sir, had
proceeded from a gentleman from the north of
Mason and Dixon's line, | think the gentleman
from Alabama would have pronounced it very dis
Courteous and in very bad taste, What then, must
be considered Of il as proceeding from gentleman
who comes from the sunny and chivalrous South,
courtesy being always considered an essential in
gredicnt Of ehivary' Such is the nature Of the OPP
position which the gentleman makes to this b for
the want Of some sound argument TO urge against
IT, But the gentleman from Alabama, Mr.. PAINE, !
not satisfied with this has found il necessary, be-
cause the bill does not appropriate, az he thinks,
enough south of Mason and Dixon's line, to i'm
pugn the patriotism Of the members Of the COM
mittee, and particularly Of myself who had the
honor to report the bill. | do not come from
State Mr.. Chairman, whose citizens in the habit
ter the archives othe naton to the history OF the
country. My patriotism, however, thank God,
is not bounded-though live south of it--by Ma
son and Dixon's line, line which seems to present
barrier to all the political views Of some gentle
men here. My friend from Ohio, Mr.. SAWYER,
the other day announced to the House the discovery
Of new science, which il about to be propagated
in this country, and which he says illustrates why
il is that gentlemen have but single idea in
their heads. He says that this science teaches
shat single drop of blood, by examining it with
microscope, was found to be composed Of millions
Of anip,aleula, and what those anu,alcule are, in
particular individual, depends upon his peculiar
temperament" from which my friend infers tha.
a drop of the blood of his colleague, Mr.. GD-
DNes, SHIELD up and examined, would exhibit thou:
sands and millions ofgreat negroes standing up in bat
lie array warke, and ferocious. Now sir, ifthis SCI
ence which my friend speaks of be true, would sup
pose that if drop Of the blood Of some other gen.
iemen in this House were subjected to this micro
cosmetca examination it would be found to con-
iain in the form Of animalcuie, thousands Of ne
groes and abolitionist, dancing hornpipes upon Ma
son and Dixon's line l reside near enough, sir, to
Mason and Dixon's line to be well acquainted with
the people on the north side of it, and take occasion
here say that in virtue, in integrity, in intelll-
gence in true courage and patriotism, in berality,
hospitality, and courtesy, and all the virtues which
constitute true chivary, they will not suffer in COM
son and Dixon's line
But the gentleman from Alabama Mr.. PAYNEl is
not satisfied with his general denunciations Of the
bill, or with endorsing the sentiments Of his coli
league, which denounces the stockholders in the
Louisville Canal company as "stock kobbers and in
dvdual plunderers, who lying in wait at all the
commercial points throughout our vast republic TO
take advantage of the laborng classes but he also
gives to the stockholders in that company the ad-
dltiona appelation of "swInders."
Here Mr.. PAYNE rose and asked leave to explain,
and discaimed the intention of casting any imputa-
ton upon the integrity Of the stockholders in the
Louisville and Portland canal.
Mr.. TmBATTs resumed. ! am gratifed Mr..
Chairman to hear the explanation of the gentleman;
he certainly used the term "swinders" in connexon
with the stockholders of that company; if he did
notntead to attach any meaning to the term let 1t
pass have expended more time in relation to
these matters than had intended.
There are very few appropriations contained in
this bill which have not been recommended by the
able Secretary of the War Department. in his report
accompanying the Presidents message to the pres
ent Congress, and all Of them have been subjected
to the examination and received the sanction, OF the
Typographical Bureau; so that the charge Of "log-
rolling" which has been so often repeated III
this debate, has no foundation in truth. For
myself, sir, | would utterly scorn myself
If | could be influenced by mere local inter-
ests or personal considerations, IN giving Oh
Withholding my support of the various provisions
Of this bill. have looked to as u great national
measure, Of vast interest to the nation at large, and
productive Of great national benefits. Not dol
lar Of the appropriations proposed in this bill will
be expended, as far as know or believe, within the
district which have the honor to represent; the in
terest Of myself and my constituents in this bill is
that general interest which all ought to feel in the
improvement of the navigation, opening the avenues
Of commerce, and completing the defences Of the
country. And, for the purpose of shielding the
committee from charge so unfounded, will men
ton fact, though it is not altogether IN order
will take the Liberty Of stating the fact that the only
item which was referred to the committee in which
the local interests of my constituents were imme
diatey concerned, that OF the Improvement OF thu
harbor at Cincinnati, was lost in the committee by
the casting vote Of the chairman. 1t is true, is
well known, that have taken special interest II
urging upon the general government the purchase o.
the residue Of the interest held by individual stock
holders in the Louisville and Portland Canal Com
pany, but do not reside within $50 miles Of tha
canal and my district does not reach within hun
dfed miles Of it,, and have no constituen
who is interested to the amount Of dollar il
the stock of the company. l do not, however
intend to discuss that subject now; my time will
NJ, s.1-..:.s;. ;n,and 10 discuas the hill With