The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-03

they are not necessary or useful for the purpose o.
navy SIR, we have a navy upon those lakes
! Whhln the last few years we have expended half
million OF dollars on the construction Of an iror
steam trgate and several iron revenue cutters which
are vessels OF war 10 all Intents and IMPOSES what
soeyer The bosom Of these lakes have been made
theatre OF tremendous aud glorious naval con.
hlcts; they are necessary 10 the defence of our
country. They are not internal; 10 all lntens and
purposes they are external waters. Bounding ouI
country on the north, and looking DOT upon foreign
country, from whose forces are always most and
justly apprehenslye II is not true that the erection
and preservation Of their harbors IS not useful and
necessary for naval purposes; II Is not true that
they are not engaged in foreign commerce The
contrary Of both Of these propositions Is the fact.
Sir, when ! was engaged in the canvass before
my people for the seat which | occupy in these
halls, it was objected TO me and the party with
which act that we were opposed to these lake har-
bors denied 1t, Indignantly denied it.
thought | had right to deny it, The refer
ence TO the opinions and actions Of the pre-
decessors Of the author Of this veto justified
me in denying II. The honorable gentleman
(my friend | suppose he will allow To call him)
from Pennsylvania Mr. WLMoTl says it is Jack
son veto IL is no such thing, sir. | hold in my
hand (sald Mr.. b. list Of nearly all the items OF
appropriation contained in this BILL and every one
OF which has resolved the repeated sanction Of Pres
idents Jackson and Van Buren,. The first 10 Bur
lington on Lake Champlain the next, PlattsbuTgh
| harbor, on the same lake the third, Port Ontario.
Now, sir, each Of these received appropriations for
their improvement at three different lines during the
administration OF Mr.. Van Buren,. We then come
10 Oswsgo, Big Sodus, the mouth Of the Gsnesee
river, and Of Oak Orchard creek, on Lake Ontario.
The first three sanctioned times la
different bills, and IN different years, by Pres
ident Jackson, and the last three times by Mr.. Van
Buren,. Next come Buffalo, DunkiTk, Erie, Grand
| A ahtahul. IIaVelanh at1 Hnrnn all nm Iake
ETie and each Of these, too, were sanctioned seven
different une5 by Jackson, and three times by Van
Buren, River Rasin harbor, once by Jackson, and
| three times by Van Buren,; Chicago, several times
| by both ST. Louis harbOr, by Van Buren, twice
Stanford Ledge, in Maine, three times by Van Bu-
rem; Bridgeport, in Connecticut, and Port Penn and
Newcastle, Delaware, several times by both; Baltl-
more, three times by Van Buren,; the Savannah riv-
eT, Georgia, and Hudson river, New York, were
sanctioned by both; and SO were appropriations for
the improvement Of the Ohio river above and below
the falls, and Of the Mississippi, Missouri, AIkan.
sas, and Red rivers.
Now, this embraces nearly all the items contain.
ed in this BILL and there is scarcely any Of those
contained in II additional TO these which have
read, except such as are required by the more eX-
tended condition Of the country. Why, the coast Of
Lake Michigan, which was a wilderness when Mr..
Van Buren, went into power is now the seat OF pop
ulalion and commerce. and hence the necessity OF a
appropriation in this bil the principle Of which has
not met the repeated sanction Of General Jackson
and Mr.. Van Buren,. Was ] not justified, then, IN
saying TO my constituents that Il not part OF
the democratic creed TO oppose these improvements
for lakes and rivers in the west Mr.. colleague,
Mr.. McDOwELL, suggests that Mr.. Van Buren,
and General Jackson did not understand the conEtl'
tuition. We'll, am inclined to think constitutional
learning has taken wonderful advance IN our day.
Sir, this bill is passed by a majority of twoLhIrds
Of the other. body-In regard to the members OF
which, may say that every one of them slngly Is
the equal 10 capacity ofthe author OF tins veto Gen
Jackson approved these works always invariably
Martin Van Buren, approved them, Sas Wright
approved them, and served upon the Committee on
Commerce which reported them at the last Con-
gress; General Cass approves them; Mr.. Benton
votes for them-men, with all Of whom the author
Of this veto will compare-and so will with Her
cules.
And believe the distinguished statesman from
South Carolina Mr. Calhoun originated in part,
and voted for a bill which came to this House the
other day, and was kicked out, making apropria-
tons for rivers alone and leaving the lakes TO lake
care of themselves. | was absent when the vote
was taken; | wish had been hsre, for would have
helped TO kick it out. We want none Of the gifts
of the Greeks; "divide and conquer" is the maxim
on which the cunning s,e,osrnen from that ssst'o"
know how Il thrown in here 10 divide
the rivers from the lakes and thus cut them up IN
detail. but ne sanctioned OF hIHTo-
priation for the improvement Of rivers by his vote.
There is not, then, a distinguished statesman in
the country Of those who have been looked up to-
as the guides and landmarks Of political opinion,
who has refused his sanction 10 the principles of
dis bill. They are vital to the existence NJ our
peoples they necessary 10 The safety and the ives OF
our sailors and boatmen. We must have them, and
tell gentlemen we will have them veto or veto.
The occupant for the time being Of the presidential
chair may check them; may throw impedmen's In
the way Of their progress; may allow the devourng
tooth Of time and the storms Of heaven TO destroy
much Of those which have been commenced, aud
IRE still incomplete; may make larger appropriations
necessary hereafter; but stop them he cannot; be-
cause in attempting to DO SO, he arrays hmselfagans'
the substantial and vital interests of majority OF
the people of this country. II Is a new principle
which the Executive is endeayorng to introduce here;
new TO the action of this government; new to the
action of democratic Presidents; new TO tho action
and OPTIONS Of all the democratic statesmen of tie
country, and in that attempt he will fail as he de-
serves to fail He says it is too late TO question the
propriety Of erecting buoys, beacons md piers.
Why, upon the lakes we ask nothing else but piers
Piers and piers alone constitute all our harbor I'M
provements. You may erect light houses TO warn
the mariner of rocks, Of shoals, and OF breakers,
but you cannot afford the same, or less, amount OF
appropriation to give him a harbor Of refuge, into
which he may run retreat In the hour or peril!
Oh, no! that would be unconstitutional! am not eb-
sractionist enough to understand any snch distino-
ton | believe if, by the expenditure Of money,
you may contribute 10 the safety of the mariner In
warning him Of danger, you may erect barrier to
that danger can see no difference between them.
A war marine on these lakes is absolutely neces.
sary You have found it so; you have expended a
large amount of money in the erection of one; you
have provided materials for more And what are
your vessels to do without harborsi Commodore
Perry constructed his feet at Erie in the time of the
last war, and they were engaged for days in the en-
ployment of expedients to Goat their vessels the
bar into the deep water. Fortunately for him steam
ers did not exist then. If they had he never could
have got out in the world, and he only got out by
king advantage of contrary winds, which kept the
enemy beyond his reach.
Sir, hold in my hand long list Of acts for the
Improvement Of rivers and harbors approved by
General Jackson. Hero is one dated March 2,
1929, which received the signature Of cold Hicko-
ry"-the genuine artitle--no infante hickory--the
old fellow himself,
Here Mr., b read from an act of the above date
long list Of appropriations for the improvement Of
harbors on the lakes aad on the coast.
Objection is made TO this bill (he contnued) be