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

eompacis which had been made with the sl.ss M
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, and at a subseqasnt no.
Rod, with Missouri and he, for one, was here To
demand the right Of these States 10 tho approprlA.
ton of so much money was necessary 10 the con-
struction of the road. He did not concur With The
gentleman from Indiana, Mr.. WIcE,l that Il the
amendment was agreed to, the people would never
ask ANYTHING more here.
Mr.. WICK. II is matter Of perfect understand
ing between myself and my constituents that would
take this course made so upon most occasions when
met them Oh the stump
Mr.. PETIT differed with the gentleman and
with his constituents. He would not give the light
est feather that the breeze ever blew for all the land
that Congress would give, for It was not according
to the compact He would enter into no such IN.
derstanding as that which the gentleman had lndii
| Gated; and he should vote against the amendment
Mr.. SCHENCK obtained the floor, but yielded
for the moment 10
Mr.. YELL, who gave notice Of the following
| amendment;
"Be further enacted, That the said road shall b
continued from ST. Louis, in Missouri, through the
| States Of Missouri and Arkansas, the nearest and
most practicable route to San Antonio, in the State
Of Texas; and for the completion Of said road In the
States Of Missouri and Arkansas there Is hereby
granted TO each OF The States for the purpose afore-
said $40 900 acres of public land, 10 be selected by
the governors Of the several States aforesaid, aid 10
be disposed of by the legislatures thereof for the
completion Of said road IN said States-,hat being
the quantity Of public land granted to the State Of
Ohio over and above tho quantity granted 10 the
/ other new States of this Union.
i ".4nd be il further enacted, That the sum Of S50,-
900 be- and the same is hereby, appropriated out Of
any money in the treasury not otherwise appropn-
| atsd to complete the said Cumberland road 10 the
| Stste OF Texas"
| Mr.. SCHENCK then took the floor, and spoke at
some length in opposition to the amendment Of Mr..
| xN. - ID If h. If
road as IL was present established, and nation
| al work which the government was bound 10
/ pe,e He desired that an appropriation should be
made and that il should be made in the ordinary form
| Of an appropriation Of money. Mr.. s. yielded the
hoor frequently for purposes OF explanation and In.
curry.
Mr. s. in the course Of his remarks, abiding to
the grant Of 100000 acres Of land to Alabama for
i the Muscle Shoals canal said that the COMMITTEES
must have lively recollection Of the controversy
we had witnessed few days ago on tins floor among
the members from that State IN regard TO the mani
agement 81 that fund. Il had been charged, by at
least one member from that State, that there had
been fraud and Encouragement, and squaDdenng
OF that fund.- and the member had done this in the
strongest terms, using language, indeed so strong
that he (MT. 81 did not think proper TO employ or
repeat it. lie wanted TO take part in the dispute
RI between different members Of the delegation from
that State. He did not know what the facts might
II he He referred, however, 10 the difficulty about
that fund.- and TO the question and controversy about
the disposition Of the proceeds Of those lands, an
illustration Of the imPoliey Of that form OF sPPro-
pration.
Mr.. REUBEN CHAPMAN, mr.. 8. yielding
the hooT) said, that on the occasion alluded 10,
he had said disiinotiy, and repeatrd, that in
the management Of that fluid, Alabsms had acted
not only faithfully, but rissyi that, so far from hsv.
ing disgraced herself or spcculaied or peculaed ~
the transaction, he stated now, as he had staied
then, that by the faithful wise, prudent, and eco
montreal mana cement OF the fund, Il had been mads
yield the ulisrmost .arhing and had bern not only
aithfully, but honestly, wisely, and economically
expended. The lspJs had been sold for their full
; value. The mode adopted for disposng Of them
| was the best that could have been, with view Of
} increasing the fund. Those who at the time be-
heyed that they ought TO have been sold al auction,
became convinced that they were in error and that
Z the mode hdopted-thst by yalu ,ton-proved 10 b
the best in view OF Increasing the fund
4 Mr.. c. said he WA PR pared, with doeumenia on
de- to show that the eharEes made against Alabama,
and those who managed this fund, destitute Of
any foundation. He challenged the strcies, inves-
ug.tion He would 60 n,ore-he would take the
affirmative, and show that in the whole transac-
. ZION, no shadow Of Just complaint could te made.
By documents on h'e. he could show that no fund
had ever been more faithfully or economically ex-
pended to the perfect satisfaction Of this govern
nlent as well as OF Alabama The work, as far az
1 il had been done land every dollar and more had
been expended had COS, less than any other work
OF the came kind in the country, and had been a.
we'll done. In addition to the proceeds Of the sAe
Of The land, Alabama had appropriated some forty
thousand dollars; and by few patriotic citizens Of
that State, including some OF the canal commission.
ers, as he Mr. c had been informed, had advanced
out Of their own private funds a considerable sun,
in addition, towards the work, tina; has never been
: refund d. .... nj.
Mr.. CALEB B. SMITH followed. H. urged
the strong claims that the people OF the West had
l Al. x.t.x h. AZ
compact, but upon the abstract merits Of the work
itself without reference to that compact. be hoped
that Congress would now settle the question finally
that j, would either resume the work or abandon
il forever.
Mr. ISAAC E. HOLMES, CMr. snrn yield.
ing,) said he desired to know whether he was TO
understand the gentleman, as a western man, 10 say
that if the question was now decided in the afhrma-
tive or the negative. it would never be taken up
AGAIN. . .... -.
Mr.. SMITH. It is not in my power to make
pledges as to what the action Of subsequent Com
+ gress may be. For my own part, | am confident
that the people interested in the road will never DO
satisfied until at least partial, if not full justice be
done in relation to this matter. .
Mr.. HOLMES. If the gentleman is here At the
mex. session Of Congress, and this question should
now be decided one way another, will he say that
, he will trouble himself no further about III
Mr.. SMITH. ! will not make any preMsturs
commals l wish to leave myself perfect liberty
Of action 80 long as | remain here.
Mr.. OWEN took the floor, but yielded for mo-
| ment to-
Il Mr.. G. w. JONES, between whom and Mr.. c.
, 3. SMITH and Mr. BOYD, some conversation
passed.
Mr.. OWEN further yielded, to enable
Mr.. G.. DAVIS TO give notice of the following
amendment:
s "And whereas certain States received 100000
of land under and by virtue Of an act entitled
to appropriate the proceeds Of the sales Of tbs
# public lands and TO grant presumption rights ap
proved September l4th, lS4l; Be further enacted
. That each and every State Of the United States
III other than those to which the said 500 600 ncIes Of
land were appropriated by the act aforesaid, shall
be entitled and there is hereby appropriated 70 each
: of them, 500 900 acres of land, and each Of such
l. States may select that quantity out Of any OF the
unapproprated public lands in quantities Of no, less
than l60 acres Propdsd, That the lands which
every State may select under this act, shall be sur
reyed and sold by the authority and officers Of tn: