The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-31

Tho cannot-ho dare not vote for his own amend
ment But should his amendment fail, he cannot
sincerely desire the passage Of the amendment Of
my colleague, Mr.. CkozIEa Because, as he has
attempted to prove, il would be an infraclon of the
constitution 10 do so. Then, SIR should like TO
know how he can vote for his own amendment
Mr. AsDKGw Johnson. (Mr. c. yielding the
noor) should like my colleague 10 explain the diff
ference IN the nationality Of the two amendments.
i The amendment OF my colleague from the Knox
vile district, Mr.. CSoEIEH,l offers an amount 10
remove The obsirucilons at die Muscle shoals in the
Tennessee nser. My amendment proposes an ap.
preparation Tor an impro sement for the same river
up TO the city Of Knoxville, and then for three great
aras Of that river. The only difference between my
amendment and that Of my colleague 10 this il Is
equally national IN iis character his, and il az
lends the same advantages 10 the South; bat il ope-
rates lilile moro bsne6oisly 10 ms locally. The
sn'ne sdssssagss, however, soald result 10 the ma
uon. ! AK hial TO point eat the difference
IprsprfAsion contemplated by the amsndmsnt Of my
colleague lMr. CsoxIEal looks 10 the removal Of
such distractions In the Tcnnessee river al turn from
is bosom the trade and commerce Of the mighty
West IL proposes 70 open up great national high
way from the great West to the Atlantic seaeoast
upon which the commerce. Of the Union can travel
Al all seaAons Of the yeat without hindnnce or de-
lay. IL Is an improvement IN which the majority Of
the States more or less Interested. Such, SIR 10
It's national character. The amendment of my col
league Mr. Jonssosl does not propose to remove
this obstruction at the Muscle shoals, which alone
gives the improvement a national character. Ii
shuts out the commerce Of the West, and looks
alone TO the improvement Of the river above the
shoas-an improvement In which the eastern por-
uon OF our State Is alone interested. Such, sr is
It's local character. The difference, then, Is this
one is a national work, in which a majority Of the
States Of the Union are interested the other 10 To-
cal, conhnlng itself TO particular portion Of the
State Of Tennessee and small portions Of Georgia and
Alabama. Will my colleague inform me whether
! am to understand him a saying that the general
government has the power to make such an appro-
priaton as he proposesl-and whether il Il has the
question, and not TO consume my time in making an
argument.
Mr.. Johnson rising 10 reply
The CHAIRMAN said, that Il not proper for
members thus TO address each other. All questions
should be propounded through the chair.
MIR. CocKE having in form repeated his intenoga-
tory
Mr.. JOHNSON said: will say, in reply, that ex-
pressly stated 70 the House when l offered the
amendment, that il Congress had the power to make
an appropriation for the improvement Of the Mis-
sissippi river, il had the same power 10 make an
Appropriation for the Tennessee river; that the one
was as constitutional the other; and that IL Con
gIess had the power do the one il had the power
to do the other. But now want nv colleague
Mr.. CocKE (nterering) Time is valuable. win
my colleague answer the simple question l have
asked, or will he not ....
Mr.. JOHNSON. l should like 10 know the ree-
vancy Of this point TO the question at issue. pro-
pose now 10 put an intcrrogatory 10 my colleague.
Would not the Improvement contemplated by the
amendment have offered, be greater advantage to
HIS constituents than the removal Of distractions at
the Muscle shoalsI .......
Mr.. CocHE. Il see that my colleague refuses to
answer. He equivoca,es--he evades the question.
Will he now be so kind a. to tell mesince he says
1 that the general government has az much power TO
make The one Improvement Al the other--whetberI
priation for the improvement of the Mississippi
riveri And il he can find out whether il has such
power, then tell whsther he believes il has the
power 70 make an appropriation for the improve
ment of the Tennessee river. u us Ill.
Ma. JOHNSON. I will settle that question when II
legitmately comes up in this hall. IA laugh.l
Mr.. CocKE. Yes, my colleague will settle that
question when it comes up in this hail. after having
introduced an amendment--for what purposei For
the purpose of testing, he states in his speeah
the sincerity Of his colleagues who differ in opinion
with him; yet when he is called upon to state
whether he himself will vote for his own amend
ment-whether he believes that the general govern
ment has power to make such an appropriation as
he contemplates, he gives an equivocal reply; he
refuses to answer, at least he says he will not
answer except when the question comes to the VOTE
am well satisfied, however, from his own argu-
ment, that he denies the power of the government to
make internal Improvements. l read an extract
from his speech:
"Mr j., resumng his course of remark, explained the
local bearing which his amendment would have upon
interests of that portion OF the State OF Tennessee
which he had the honor to represent and advocated its
adoption calculated to advance and promote those inter
ests"
Mr.. C. continued. After thus arguing to show
the importance Of this amendment the people of
Tennessee, and to convince the committee that its
adoption is just and proper, my colleague says:
"e hesated his conviction that II this poll
of ndsc rminate internal Improvement once open
edit the aoodgaes were once hoistedbankruptcy, in
debtedness and all the caastrophes which in the
train of such measures, would ensuc'
Yes. continued Mr.. c., after advocating his
amendment, my colleague turns round and says
that this general system, if the hood-gates once
hosted, will bankrupt the nation, and bring ndeb-
edness and bankruptcy in its train. Does he desire
to force in amendment which is to lead to such
results | say that, in proposing this amendment
he has not acted seriously, nor in candor, nor IN
sincerity and good faith. It is an attempt to break
down the amendment Of my colleague, Mr.. Gao
zIER,] by forcing upon the committee proposition
which he will not support, and which he denies TO
this government the power to carry out. TO show
that am correct in placing this construction upon
his argument it is only necessary advert to the
allusion he made to the one orthodox democrat
|[Mr. McCLERNAND on the subject Of internal inn
provemen from the State Of Illinois 1t is generally
known that all the members from Illinois, with one
exception, COnceue tnlS power lnat one excep-
lion (the orthodox democrat, in the accepation OF
my colleague) made an argument denying this
| power. ..,.....
| have already spoken of the Tennessee river as
one of the noblest streams Of the West and as hav
ing high claims upon the favorable consideration Of
the government. In my district, so far / can
learn, there is little division among wings and
democrats as to the power Of making the improve
ment proposed by my colleague, MR. CRozIER;l
nor as to it's necessity and expedonoy SIR, other
rivers of much less national concern have received
from the general government large appropriations
for their Improvement. Thousands upon thousands
Of dollars OF the public moneys have been expend-
cd in profuse abundance all around u.s. for similar
Improvements. But the Tennessee, with all the adj
yantages which its unobstructed navigation holds
out to the country cannot get dollar. The people
of Tennessee contribute as much to the support of
the general government, and bear as many Of it's
burdens, as any other State of equal population in
the Union. She has never received anything Of any
conseq renee, in the way Of public expenditures,
from the national treasury her love and devotion to
all the great interests Of the Union have been re-
| T., o.ol.ct and ioliHerence Her interests