The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-04
CoNGRESSIO NAL.
SPEECH OF MR.. MccLELLAND
OF MICHIGAN,

OF MICHIGAN,
iIh the HOUSE Of Representatives, February &c, 1876
On the bill making appropriations for certain hsr-
Al bors and rivers.
III Mr.. MccLELLAND addressed the committee as
NtolowS o..
II Mr. GRAMMAR | was astonished yesterday 10
Il ear some of the remarks which fell from the gen.
sman from Alabama, Mr. PAYNE, in relation to
Mis- bill. That may not incorrectly state the Ian
kuage Of which understood the gentleman TO make
bel viii read an extract from the report OF his
peech as Il appeared In last evenings Union. II
Mere Is any naccurncy in il, ] hope the gentleman
vii correct il, in order to avoid misrepresentation:
q In this sketch, the gentleman says: "One OF his
! colleagues, fMr. MeCossELL had yesterday char
srized this bill in very strong terno, and had con-
snned il very earnestly. He thought that CHARGE
N and that condemnation just, Look at this
BIN in all It's aspects, examine in all its details,
kod he thought such a bill had never before been
presented 20 an American Congress"
II Now sir, do not view declaration Of this kind
anger, but rather in sorrow. lregret that men,
xsr no distinguished on this floor should manifest
aeh ignorance Of the action OF The last Congress on
kimilsr subjects. Had he examined this bill criti-
5aly, and compared il with the omnibus bill of the
a, session. he would have discovered that il is al
mos, item for item the same. The committee then
reported two separate bills, which did not contain
he Louisville and Portland canal appropriation; but
was atterWhus lnocTttu StNtTul tltIltH dCtcu
%; and finally, when both bills combined and
cher additions made, this item was stricken out in
he House on my motion. He would have ascer-
niped also that other points Of much magnitude
ger, engrufted upon the two bills combined, which,
separate and npart from the appropriation for the
Louisville and Portland canal increased the aggre-
y.le amount TO some two millions three or four hun
he'd thousand dollsrs-beng at least 81 900 900 more
han is appropriated by this bill, excepting that
,m I'm the bill Of last session, the gentleman may
rmember was an appropriation Of 100000 for the
construction Of canal round the falls Of St. Mary,
bad one Of S225, 900 for the continuation Of the
] Cumberland road. Thus the sums were increased,
he points multiplied, and the objects ofhe bill were
ery different in character, and perhaps far more OBJ
scionabIe How then, sir, could the gentleman
s,er that this was the extraordinary bill that
!, hos ever been presented to an American Congress-
Mr.. PAINE rose to put question: and, Mr.. McC.
l, Welding the floor MIR. p. said he desired very
specfully 10 inquire Of the gentleman whether, IN
law appropriaton bill that had ever been submitted
10 Congress, there could be found proposition TO
involve the government in the expenditure Of any
amount, no matter how great, without limitation or
i restriction Of any kind
Mr.. McCIELLANp continued. l will inform the
Gentleman again Of the fact that at the last session
! provision was engrahed on the river and harbor
IN making an appropriation Tor the purchase Of this
canal stock; and other items were added which are
hot contained in the bill under discussion; increas
ng the whole amount far beyond that which this
ia can, by any possibility draw from the treasury.
Mr. PAYNr. My inquiry IS whether any appro.
bna,ion, not specific, in this bill, ever madei
Here IL an item Of appropriation TO an amount not
nent!oned-,he phraseology Of the item being
i such sum az may be necessary" Now what
desire 10 know in regard to previous appropriations
this whether the amount that shall be appropria-
led has not been designated
Mr. McCLELLASp. | will answer the gentleman
j in this way: nothing is more common IN our legs-
alton than 10 make appropriations in this form, and
submit them to the discretion Of the heads of the
! different departments. At this session on reports
J made by the Committee of Claims and other COM
] mitlees, we have passed bills making appropria-
J lions not defined as to amount but have authorized
, the proper officers to pay what they might deem
EQUITABLE and proper; and in all cases where definite
appropriations cannot be made, il is usual thus 10
refer The matter for adjustment But if the gentle
man will closely scrutnize the provision Of the bill
to which he objects he will find that is not in
definite as he supposes 1t leaves the purchase to
the discretion of the President of the United States
I and although have the greatest confidence in his
Judgment and discretion, yet upon this, and Other
grounds myself am opposed to this pari of the bill
and may take this occasion to say that voted
against it in committee.
Mr.. Chairman, it strikes me as proper here, con.
sdering the attacks that have been made on the
} Committee on Commerce in relation TO this bill
!. that should enter into some explanations of then
conduct | know il is not in accordance with par
amentary usage, but the circumstances Of the case
: will, hope, Justify il. The gentleman from Ala
bama Mr.. PAYNE, calls it sectional bill, and hai
remarked upon its structure and the various items
! TO prove the fact. The question may with proprie
y be asked, why have not larger appropriation
been made for the sea-board south of Mason ant
Dixons line and it is very easily and satisfactorily
B answered.. No appropriations were asked for, ex
cepting those embraced in the bill, saving one. TIT
members from the southern States have brought M
acts before the committee which could induce then
TO recommend appropriations Everything that ha
been presented for that section by the proper Blu
reau has been favorably acted upon. One poin
was brought before the committee, which was mos
carefully investigated, and the report Of the Wa
i Department thoroughly examined, and the applica
9 ton was rejected on account of the cost Of cohsruc
ton being estimated at 1000 900, and the enginee
! doubling whether with this vast expenditure, an
J the work completed, it would prove available or b
} permanent.
Mr.. CLARKE. Does the gentleman refer to NOgg
Ileadi
Mr.. McCrrlLAsp Yes, sir. There is differ
ence Of opinion in regard to the feasibility and cos
i of construction Of this work between the govern
ment and State engineers; and was, and still am
4 IN favor of an impartial resurvey, TO obviate q
doubt upon the question. This should have rec
i commended but for the absence Of the genilema
who represents the district most interested in thi
Improvement, not knowing whether this conrs
would be acceptable TO him.
i For the information Of the gentleman from Ten
nessee, mir. CRozIER,l who appears to think
have been too much devoted to the interests Of m.
own State, viii state that there has been no prop
oston before the committee which has not receive
careful examination. We have, for the very pur
pose of satisfying the different sections of III
! Union, and the members who represent them, gon
farther in our Investigations than the Committee o.
Commerce has for several years past. On applicn
ton Of members, they have been permitted to com
before the committee and give their views at length
and in all cases, believe, have acted with gree
elaboration and impariality. In this declaration
shall be fully sustained by my friend from sout
Carolina, [Mr SiMPsoN,l now in my eye, who il
member OF the committee, and most intimately az
quainted with its action all these subjects. cor
kdently refer to him for the strict accuracy Of a
4 ! have said OF river Improvements do not speak
They were referred to my friend from Kentucky
tMr. TIBpArrs,1 who can make all needful expant
tons, and can justify his course better than can
II for him.
1t may here also be proper to soy that all the pre-
posals for harbor Improvements were referred to
subcommit,ee composed Of the gentleman fror
a Massachusetts, fMr. GRINNELL,l the gentleman fro