The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-18


| paralleed In the history of any government under
the canopy Of high heayen--their people had been
required 10 drain their own resources in payment
for the lands on which they settled-the revenue GO
Jog into the treasury, TO be expended on other por-
lions Of the country; and they bad contributed one
half of the twenty million dollars paid into the
treasury, not one cent Of which they would receive
in return, unless this bill were passed He told
gentlemen that this state Of things could not long
exist the Energies OF any people could not long
stand up under such system.
! This House was not the lest place to learn great
reverence for The constitution. Those gentlemen
who prlded themselves upon being straight iscketed
IN their construction were found, on some occa-
sions, TO strain that instrument as far az other gen
! temen lie referred 10 The grants Of pensions fish
ing bountles, the appropriations for light houses
for the coast suryey-lhe salaries wasted upon
which, he said, would draw all the snags from the
Mississippi rlSer-and for other purposes which
were equally inconsistent with the strctness of con-
struction professed by gentlemen, as the clearing
out OF snags and removal of obstacles to the mighty
commerce Of the West.
| He took this ground-and he held it was the
only true ground-either that the position he occu.
pied was correct, or that of the gentleman from
South Carolina, Mr.. RHErr,l who would fetter
down the government by so strict construction Of
the constitution as 10 make 1t entirely lmpracu-
cable machine.
| fMr. RHETT explained
They owed the protection Of the West To the first
western President we ever had-to Gen. Jackson.
He took the middle ground on this subject. He
lGen did not pretend 10 say that rivers and har.
bors could not be the subject Of improvement; but
he laid down that they must be national, in contra
distinction TO local. that they must be general, in
contrudlsuncLon 10 private, In their character; and
he acted upon that Distinction and signed bills for
Improvements OF this character.
Touching upon many other points, he came to the
1Nrn anNFN RIaftT, Ear fka h..k Ia
Of SIS 900 exposition Of the object Of which, in
reply to the remarks of Mr.. JONES, of Tennessee,
aud Of Mr.. MeCLERSAED, TO whom he gave way
for explanation, he stated that the ancient channel
Of the Mississippi the st. Louis side; but by
the abrasion on the opposite bank which was of an
alluyial soil, the river had spread out some half
mile beyond its natural BREADTH TO be rendered
Everywhere shallow but the deep water still was on
the ST. Louis side. The appropriation, then, was
for the removal Of obstacles to the navigation of the
Mississippi river at that point and was to preserve
It in its ancient channel-in the channel which il
had ever occupied since the white first visited
lt-and not to make channel against the laws OF
nature and ofGod, as had been alleged by gentle.
men.
Some conversation arose between Mr. BOWLIN
and Mr. McCLERNAND as to the relative depth
Of the river upon the Missouri and the Illinois sides
and TO the state Of the river al st. Louis.
Mr.. B. enforced with great earnestness the claims
Of the Mississippi in view Of its commerce. and
the great number Of lives passing II annually,
as II national work, and one in an eminent degree
entitled TO receive small share of the appro.
priations long withhed-a Partially unworthy
Of the government, layished upon other sections OF
the country.
Mr. TlBBATTS said he should not have con-
tended for the floor amid this press OF competitors
had 1t not been for the fact that he had had the hon
or TO report this bill by order of the Committee on
Commerce. He noticed first, and replied to, the
terms of strong condemnation in which this bill had
been characterized by Mr.. PAYNE; and then passed
the merits of the bill. And in the outset he re-
pudaed and scorned all selfish considerations in the
course which he had taken upon this bill. Not one
dollar Of the appropriations included under it was
TO be expended within the district which he had the
honor to represent. 1t was true, he had taken a
special interest in the Louisville and Portland canal
but he did not reside within $50 miles of that canal
Mr.. L. devoted but few words 10 the advocacy OF
this item, yielding for explanation to Mr.. PANE,
and stating that he had bill upon the calendar de-
voted specially to this work which he should en-.
deavor to bring TO the consideration of the House
the earliest practicable period.
They might forgive southern gentlemen for oppo-
sltion to western appropriations because lin the
language of the Scriptures) they know not what
they do They were not acquainted with the extent
and value OF the commerce of the West; but he was
} asonished at the course a western member TMr.
McCLERNANDl had yesterday taken in opposition
toit.
Some explanations took place between Mr.. TIB-
BATS and Mr.. McCLERNAND as to the posi-
ton occupied by the latter gentleman on this sub
iect the doctrines Of the democratic party of the
State of Illinois upon 1t, and Mr. Noes consisten-
cy Herewith, &c.
Mr.. T. then proceeded at some length to an are,,-
ment in favor of the constitutional power of Con-
gresS over the improvements contemplated by this
BILL referring, also, in support thereof the pre-
cedents of the uniform action of the democratic par
ty from the foundation Of the government and to
the opinions and approval Of every President elect
ed by the democratic party from General Washing
ton to Mr.. Polk, reading especially and comment
ing upon extracts from the messages of Presidents
Monroe and Jackson. He read from list of the
appropriations made during the successive years OF
the administrations OF General Jackson and Mr.
Van Buren,, and declared the fact that there was
not single river contained in this bill for which
appropriations had not been made during every
year of General Jackson's administration and every
year Of Mr.. Van Buren's, so long as there was any
money in the treasury, signed and approved by both
Of these democratic Presidents; still gentlemen had
attempted to invoke their hgh authorities IN support
Of their plea that these works were unconstitu.
tional.
Mr.. T. then vndicated these works from the
charge Of being sectional in their character, and
showed their vast Importance, being the channels
Of commerce for the valley, which COM
merce now equalled twice the amount of all our for
eign commerce.
The gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. RHErrl
had said that the South asked for nothing They
certainly then had no right to complain. But the
gentleman knew that the committee had no right to
report upon appropriations not referred to them II
the South sent impracticable men here who would
not send their matters to the committees the only
remedy was to send practi. able men. The gentleman
talked about following the constitution to the grave
The constitution he spoke Of was bu, the creation OF
his own brain. Such ricketty, nerveless inbecilc
thing-the sooner it went TO the grave the better
and the less pomp, and circumstance, and show Of
grief they made over it the better would they con.
7 suit the honor of its parentage.
Mr.. t. having concluded,
Mr.. COOKE obtained the floor, and yielded at
the request of G. S. HOUSTON, who, in reference
to the declaration Of Mr.. TIBBArTs that the South
had asked for nothing, inquired Of the gentleman il
the Tennessee river not before that committee
and presented to them by resolutions previous to the
reporting Oft the bill.
Mr.. TlBBATTS replied that the gentleman mis-