The daily union., 1846-04-30

signifed his willingness to withdraw his amend
ment
The amendment was then Withdrawn.
Mr.. SPElGHT asked for a reading Of the bill
The PRESIDENT inquired if the senator de
sired a reading Of the whole Of the biR
MI. SPElGHT replied that he desired only tn
sections describing the grant to be read.
The portion Of the bill alluded 10 was then read
We annex copy Of the bill entire, as follows
BILL TO sPPy certain alternate sections Of the public do
main toward the completion q works Of internal In
POGes. ...I ... ...... j. -
Be enacted BY the Senate and Hoass Of RsprsseaiaiSs
the UHsd saiss .4ssrrics IN ConssSs Ssssblsd Ths
there be- and hereby granted TO tbs Of Michigan
for the purpose Of aiding said State and for the reimburse
Of expenses incurred In extending and completing h
gan quantity Of Land equal onsha Of Ave sections
Width zach side Of said railroad between Arhor IL
the county Of Washenaw and the mouth Of the ST. JoePl
river Of Lake Michigan the county of Bsrsn be se
eced by agents. 10 be ap2ointed BY the
Ss u ss.sSsSr ssss i tss s.on o b
unsOd 10 the United States and he land reserved 70 the
uned states shall not be sold for less than two dollars and
my per And o lhs sections and parts
Of sections within the limits soresad have been ksreiolsrs
sof espaasa o @ saea.ss,ss - ss sAey
aad equal ths sold Otherwise disposed 81
cumbers shall be selected BY said agent under s dIee
ands near @ The ste q said fsosa on either aide sreof
The s.idland hereby grsnsd 10 the stats Of hehysn 20
purposes aforesaid othsr Pyssa.d THAT the said
slroad shall Be and remain public hghway for the use
other charge upon any carriages the said govern
msn place thereon and upon any property troops of
the United states said government may place thsren md
within twenty years or else that the said state Of Mieh
gan shall be bound TO pay to ths United States Of
any Of said granted lands previously sold BY said state the
titles Of purchasers under said state remaining valid
sIs fnd es q Ja,tAsr enacted. Thai there bs, and
hereby H. granted 10 the said State Of Michigan, for the
purpose Of aiding the said STATE 70 complete the Cn
ton and Kalamazoo canal" so called quantity OF land
equal onehs Of ave sections in widh each dS Of
said canal Rochester IN the county Of Oakland
IN said State and the Grand Rapids Of Grand Of Lake
Michigan the county Of ksnt Or the dssgnasd point Of
Kalamazoo rVer Of Lake Michigan In the county Of ALLIE
gan in said state s the election Of the Legislature Of
Michigan. df said legislature should deem sspedsn TO
complete said canal 70 both Its western ternn between
said Rochester and each Of said proposed erminatonI
thereof and reseing each alternate section 9th land
sold to the United states 10 be selected by agent
subject to the approval Of the Secretary Of the Treasury
and the lands reserved 10 the United States shall not 6e
sold for less than two dollars and y cents per
some OF the sections orparia OF e sections within the
limits Aforesaid have been hercolore sold otherwise
disposed Of encumbered that they be ap
Piled Is further enacted that quantity Of land equal TO
,ssseS .T q s9 ,s pc % % shall
Of the Secretary Of the Trashy from any public lands
mo. oths T~i.e appropriated % disposed q or sncumber
lands hereby granted 10 the State Of Michigan to be subject
the disposal Of the Legislature thereof for the purposes
Aforesaid and otheri PrsiidsS That said canal when
completed, shall be and forever remaia public highway
for the Of the government Of the United states free
United States, or persons in their service passing through
the ipd propid,d also That said "Clinton and Ksa
mszoo canal shall be completed to both Of its
termin within twenty years or The State shall be bound
pay the United states the amonnt Of any lands pre-
viousy sold by said State the title ofpurehases under the
Sac. .ind Bs further enacted That before It shall be
competent for the legislature Of Michigan to dispose OF any
Of the lands in the first and second sections Of this
toned and granted chart charts showing the courses
and distances and points Of termination Of said canal and
its branches and sad railroads shall be reported or caused
by some person persons TO be by him appointed the
Commissioner Of the General Land Office.
r Mr.. SEWER submitted an inquiry to the senator
from Michigan, Mr.. WooDBRIpeE, the terms OF
which were not distinctly heard by the reporter but
the purport Of which will be from ih4answss
AZ. WOOD onpoo on, .,i.O saia mat ne would
state reply to the honorable senator that the en-.
tire length Of the railway from one terminus to the
other was two hundred miles; but the bill contem.
plated the commencement Of this appropriation at a
distance Of forty miles from one terminus, so that
the bill applied only to hundred and sixty miles
of the railway. The canal was originally two hun
dred and sixteen miles long, Of which some sixteen
or twenty miles had been finished; and the bill con-
templated the commencement of the appropriation
from the point up to which the State had already
finished the work. The appropriation designated
was for five miles, or an equivalent on each side
ten miles in all--the the appropriations
made in favor of Ohio and Indiana for precisely sim
liar purposes, but to a larger amount-the aggregate
amount accruing to the State falling short Of what
was given for pubic purposes to either of those
States Just named.
Mr.. BREESE said that he had been very much
pleased to hear the views expressed by the honora-
bic senator from South Carolina Mr.. CALHOUN in
relation to the principle of the bill. He
Mr.. SEWER asked the indulgence of the sena-
tor from Illinois for one moment whilst he put an
H.. F,zx H,aL n.
BRIpeE.l He wished to know whether the works
belonged to the State of Michigan
Mr.. WOODBRIDGE replid that both the road
and canal belonged to the State But the pecuniary
circumstances of'the State were such, that it became
indispensably necessary that some disposition
should be made of the debt which still hung over
the State The State had been driven to the pain
ful necessity of passing act for the sale of this
ry railroad. The canal was not yet touched. The
contract, however, was not to be completed until six
months after the passage of the act, which was in
March last He (Mr. w. had letter from Dr.
Benton-whose name was perhaps familiar to mem
bers of the Senate--nformng him that till that time
it was in the power of either party to withdraw
If this bill were passed, the State would be enabled
to proceed with the work the bill did not pass
thew would lose all the public works which had
been commenced, and be irretrevably in debt be-
sides.
Mr.. NILES rose to oppose the bill. 1t appear
ed that the State OF Michigan had become embar-
rassed, and unable to proceed with the works which
had been commenced and had recently passed law
directing them to be sold. OF course then, the rail-
road would become the property of some company,
or of private individuals, who would have the bene-
fit Of il as a matter ofrgh if they purchased it. 1t
was, he thought, very serious question, whether
they would not have the benefit of all the rights of
the State pertaining TO that road. Well, Congress
was about to make grant to that State, not gen
eral grant, but a donation with specific applica-
ton, which was to complete the road, Whether
that grant was to accrue the benefit of the purcha-
sers of the road, was not decided. He was not
much of lawyer, but he thought very questiona-
ble at least there was reason to believe that the do
nation would accrue to the benefit Of the company,
because it was made for the specific purpose Of COM
pleting this road. 1t seemed to him that the sale
would carry the grant with it, At all events they
we're called on to assist the State TO complete work
which it had abandoned They were then about to
benefit some specuatiDg concern about to seize on
the road and take the benefit of it in some way or
other. This was not, in itself, small matter He
need not repeat what he had said this subject
another occasion The very unexpected remarks of
his friend behind him Mr.. CALHOUN had induced him
to rise at present That senator had abandoned the
ground which he had hitherto occupied. He (Mr.
~ l. A. II .1..t.