Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-03-03
H.ARBOR BILL.

[
attitude OF hos iity 10 This bill even con-
slruciively, The passage Of which he could
mol doubt, or he would not interrupt ii by
saying what he intended 10 say. The
great Importance Of the harbor aud river
bill, taken in connexion with the repeated
veioes, had forced him 10 the conviction
that il was his imperative duly 10 urge that
in preference 10 every thing else. One
session Of Congress had learnt him much,
and second was learning him more, res
peciing the diplomacy and arts of doing
business here. And he would assure new
members that their only hope of safety
for their local measures was in Keeping
them ahead Of the general appropriation
bills. There was class OF POLITICIANS in
the House who only wanted 10 pass the or
binary appropriations, and then ADJOURN
New members were apt 10 think the ordl-
nary appropriations so just and proper that
they almost instinc,vely gave them the
preference over local mea sures, AMI never
thought Of the consequences until it was
too late.
He wanted the harbor and river bill TO
come up first. And then, If 1t passed, we'll
enough. But, if defeated, he wanted to
amend the bill before the House by insert
ing appropriations for harbors at some Of
the more prominent points on the lakes as
the only means Of Ike defence. He al
luded to the situation Of Erie, Cleveland
and Chieego, and other points in case oil
war, "a contingency TO which this BIZ! looked.)
and inquired how the nation proposed 10
defend them If he knew anything Of the
sentiments of the people Of the lahes-and
out Of the whole House, he was the only
member Gin such way were the districts
apportiened) who travelled their whole
length 10 get here, they would be satisfied
with the perfection Of their present harbor
plans, so that their vessels. of-war could be
safe from the tremendous gales that sud-
denly swept the lakes.
A voice. '.And the British."l
No. sir; we are not SO much in fear Of
the British. Give us first rate harbors to
protect to US in storms, and we will tahe
care Of the British; and that, too, without
boaslng in advance, or after the job is done
1t was as a means Of frontier defence, and
the only means, ,ha! he was now urging
this measure. He wanted the northwest.
ern members 10 look at this bill, and see
how we'll the southern and eastern sections
of our Union are provi led for. Something
was due TO the northwest as the only means
Of defence. How was that to be obtained!
Only by the passage of the harbor and
river bill.
The chairman Of the Committee of Ways
and Means states that the works in the Tor
tifcation bill are old works, and refers 10
the report Of The Secretary Of War for the
estimates. Mr.. W. said tina, there was not
a river in the bill to which he has alluded
but came also under The head of old works
and no, one is inserted in the bill which
was no. recommended by the Secretary Of
War. He referred TO those estimates, as
he also did TO tho estimates for harbors.-
He went back TO the days Of Monroe, when
the appropriations were frs! made, and
traced them down through the admlnlstra-
tons of Adams, Jackson, Van Buren. and
Tyler; and he would submit every appro-
priation in the bill 10 the test of General
Jackson 10 the Wabash; and also in the
Maysvile road veto.
This bill, he noticed, was styled forti-
fica,ion bill. This ght be the case; bat
he could not consent to its being called
general fortiication bill, as the lake coun-
try was not provided for. He knew that
many members were opposed to the har-
Dor and river bill, because they believed ii
providing for u wild and unlimited system Of
internal improvements. But the improve
meats were no mo,e internal than those
1 a., L.. a
sion; and he could not understand how that
southern Improvements were consider
external, and therefore constitutional,
whilst nohefn ones were internal, and
therefore unconstitutional, and that, too,
when the South was thousands OF miles
from foreign power, and the north d.
rec;ly under lis batteries
Mr.. W. never went home without going
ia sight Of the British red coats, and
through narrow passes where shot and
cannon could easily be aimed at objects
from one shore to the other, aud yet mem
bers talked about lake harbors, as if they
we're internal improvements. In case OF
war, if we expect TO take and keep exclu-
siye possession Of the lakes. we must have
harbors where we can build and shelter
our vessels. And in such a light, Mr..
w. did insist that the lake harbors were
entitled 10 The immediate consideration OF
The House.
The chairman Of the Committee OF
WAYS and Means had said that if this bill
passed early, government could go direct
lv al the work. The same reasoning APP
piled 10 lake harbors. Pass the bill now,
and much can be done towards expending
the work by the opening Of navigation IN
the spring 1t will be remembered that
the appropriation Of last year was lost,and
grea, deal of damage was done thereby
| 10 The works in an unfinished state. Hence
the greater importance of an early apPro-
priation.
Mr.. w. alluded to the opposition among
q certain class of politicians at the north
cas-, to lake harbors, on the ground OF inter
1pal Improvement MIR. w. called up the
subject of the fishing bounties on the At
lanic coast. Ee had statistics in his hands
showing that
| Maine had had over 81 ,00).0OO
/ New Hampshire 466.o0u
Massachusetts 100000
Rhode lsland 434, oou
Connecticut 40,
New York l.47l 900