The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-05
CON RES sIoNAL.
SPEECH OF MR.. G. $. HOUSTON,


Isl6-On the civil and diplomatic appropriation
tI and in reply to the remarks Of Mr., CRozIER,
n Tennessee, on the Improvement Of the Ten
lsssee river. ....
khs House being in Committee Of the Whole on
state Of the Union
kr HOUSTON addressed the committee as fol-
Er CHAIRMAN; certainly had not the least idea
Itoubling the committee with my remarks upon
l. question. Il was my desire that this bill should
bgress as rapidly as possible through the ordeal
legislation, that We might pass TO other impor-
h measures yet remaining for our consideration
That wish, il seems, must, TO some extent, be
l.npointed. Thegentleman from Tennessee Mr..
[o1IERl has, for a purpose not declared by him,
H. What must understand as premeditaied at
Il upon my course as one Of the members OF this
XIV; has introduced into this discussion irrelevant
LlIer and endeayored TO throw irebrand, by as
Hing others, which will necessarily lead to an un.
Etu6ale consumption Of time, when, in no event,
Ia good result to the country from it,
IMr Chairman, those out Of this hall will inquire
Io the motives Of that honorable member; as for
IyseIf feel at no loss TO determine and regret 10
In dat il was for a purpose, in all respects, I'M
Iorthy Of an enlightened legislator; il was for the
Xiv purpose OF creating an excitement and warfare
certain quarters, which might result 10 the benefit
i himself and friends. And here let me tell him,
n
kade or will make out Of his very extraordinary
Iurse. envy him not, in It's most ample enjoy
snL But while he Is gaining, as he supposes,
POPULARITY at home--whlch, am sure, must vanish
soon as his course Is properly understood-let me
IL him what he has gained for the measure which
has thus improperly and untoisely dragged into
! 10 debatel Does ne value the Improvement Of the
tennessee riyeri-or is il SELF which induced his ac-
on on this oceasionl For whom or for what pur-
|. h. forth in GEafT,.l of
ghRn The friends of the Tennessee river will re-
lure him to answer these questions; they will de-
and TO know how he intended TO aid their fayorite
theme; in what way his course could have benefited
They did not send him here to ride il as hob
" 10 its injury and destruction. No, sir. They
esred for II the favorable consideration and action
u Congress, and will not be able to discover how il
|ould lave been obtained on the bill before us.
There is no provision in this bill to make an APP
bropnadon to the Tennessee river, nor has any one
made proposition of the kind in regard to it, Then,
b me ask again, how could il be benefited by bring
ng il into this discussion The gentleman might be
,ermitted to sing his praise but his course is
realty worse than that he does not confne il to
himself, but is very unnecessarily and improperly
eating prejudices against the object for which he
Gems to have special regard. Why assault his
emocrntic colleagues Why taunt the gentleman
rom Kentucky, [Mr. BoYp'1 Why assail my
ourse' Is suchiconduct likely 70 make friends or
mn % Raf So ffsn1 Ry R ~ q oIsna
ir, let us see the true state of the case. Here We
re, at late period of the session, Iaboring to get
trough the public business, and go home; examin-
ng and passing upon the civil and diplomatic APP
reputation bill; when the gentleman Mr.. CRozIERl
ises, without pretext or provocation, and makes
peech upon the subject of improving the Tennes-
ee rivera question totally foreign to the one UNI
er consideration--and in the course Of his remarks
axes occasion to assai others for the course they
ave felt it their duty to pursue another bill in
diving different question; and now say, II there
solitary friend of that river who fails to con-
emn, to rebuke such indiscretion, | am sure it has
right to exclaim, "Sare me from my friends"
all upon those who desire such an appropriation to
mark his course. | tell them from my place here,
hat nothing has occurred this session well cacu-
ated to njure the prospects of that river as to be
hus without rhyme or reason, out Of time and
lace, ugged into this debate; and the motive with
which it was done makes it worse. A representa-
i've ofthe people, pretending friendship for meas
ire, but who, for his own personal purposes and
elf aggrandizement is willing to render il odious to
he House and destroy its prospects of success,
hould and will be classed amongst those false
rIends Of whom the gentleman spoke.
Mr.. Chairman, | am somewhat aslonished at the
emarks Of that honorable gentleman in another re-
ard He takes me to task for the manner in which
riot, and expresses mortfcaton-yes, sir, NORTH
alton that did not vote for the Tennessee river
preparation. do not propose to repeat, and
nay not even alude to all Of the ocious remarks Of
he gentleman from Tennessee in regard to myself
will not say they were impairment. am not in the
abit Of using harsh or insulting language on this
DOR. He says debate after the "Socrafic" man
er. ] wish ! could return the compliment; he
nust excuse me, however. may have erred in
sizing nue1tions IF 0entlernen while debating the
ver and harbor bill. certainly erred as far as the
entleman was concerned; for soon found, TO my
sonishment, he knew nothing, or but Little, of the
natter about which he was endeavoring to debate
labored to obtain the floor to give my own views
tengh, as well as to present the facts as they
xist in relation to the Tennessee river. failed
my efforts, and the only mode ] had left me, by
which could get the facts before the House, was
D make inquiries---to ask questions in that way l
oped to accomplish my purpose. He spoke Of my
living forth rays Of light. am glad sir, that even
y asking questions was able to give the gentleman
ght; hope will not always "shine in darkness"
could have wished his own rays had been stron-
er and more vivid; they were, however, very pale
nd Sckly.
That honorable member was favored with the
oor--had, or should have had, before him the re-
ors Of the various able officers Of the government
Exhibiting the facts--and had supposed would
ave explained the improvement around the Muscle
hoals, its present condition, the amount.of work
lone, and the cost Of 1t, as well as the amount to
e done and the estimate Of its cost also the impor-
ance, both in commercial and military point OF
new, in removing those Instructions. But, sir, !
'tver Witnessed in all my life such ruthless and
old.booded butchery of subject; il was cruel and
nhunan. Instead of reading the reports TO which
have referred, he failed to give the information
which they afforded, and which any other member
II this House but himself would have considered
most important for the proper understanding of the
ublect hence my asking questions. wanted the
House and the country to learn the true state and
condition of the Improvement and the distractions,
IS well as the great Importance Of the stream, which
he gentleman failed to give. ~ #s. 4. .. la
! was then, and am now, (unless the distinguish.
d member from Tennessee has superseded me,) the
representative Of the district in which the work has
'een done The distractions, nearly all Of them,
ire IN my district. Some of my constituents desire
IN appropriation TO remove them, could not vote
or such appropriations yet felt bound, as an hon
'rabe man and faithful representative, TO give tru-
the facts, as far as might know them, in regard
o the work | would have done so with pleasure,
,ould have obtained the floor when the proper
Oil was under consideration: il would afford me
pleasure TO do so now if it were proper to do II up
on this bill. will not, however, press il improperly
upon the notice of this committee, out Of place and
season, as the gentleman has done. viii content
myself for the present by saving that il the rivers