The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-15

the resolution carefully, and mark well the phrase
questions touching the regulation of trade among the
several States OF the Union.' Now, sir, will admit,
that it be the intention of this House to carry the doc
trne OF internal improvements to the length avowed by
the gentleman from Indiana, Mr. SMITH, whose posi-
ton am glad to learn it may be to appoint
tina, the people Of the United States will ever sanction
his construction of the constitution no neces
SHY Tor such committee at present repeat that am
from Indiana, Mr. SMITH He is of opinion--if did
not misunderstood him-that the general government has
power to improve any river any stream any lake or
willing to trust that issue to the people, sir; and
will belleve that with the injustice which the PROPOSE
ton bears upon its very face and which fOrclby
exhibited by the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr.
RHErT that they will sanction monstrous doctrine
But was particularly struck with one remark OF the gem
teman from Indiana, Mr. SMITH He said ne would not
advocate the improving by the general government OF
every paly little stream or harbor in the Union. Sir,
we should thank the gentleman from Indiana
the Importance or parness OF the different rivers and
harbos in this country or who is to constitute any OF
such Judges Is the size OF the river to determine the
constutionalty OF the act OF improvement! Who
shall say which of the rivers in Virginia is the most i'm
portant to that State except the people of Virginia
themselves Has the gentleman in his minds eye only
the great rivers and harbors OF the west and will hepay
attention to those OF any other section 1t is these
very sectional preferences which render the exercise of
the power so dangerous II would seem from the ad-
missions OF the gentleman from Indiana, that there
was danger in the tainted gale, and that the aPpre-
RnErr] were not l,grounded The object OF the reso-
luton to be avowed to be to further and sus
tain the of internal improvements by the general
government But there other objections to the reso
luton desire to call the attention OF the House par
tcuarly to its phraseology Al questions touching the
regulation of trade among the several States OF
no such committee in this House. When this COM
mitlee shall become weary with the investigation
OF the amount of wheat and corn, cotton and to-
bacco, &c. which the different States produce and.
exchange with each other. ask If we have not good
cause TO apprehend Judging Of the future by the pas)
that they may deem "Mer duty to inquire into other
matters which do not concern them, and which had bet
ter be let alone 1t requires gift OF prophecy to foreel
that there is even now black cloud lowering upon our
political horzon-l hope | am understood, sir; say
black coudwhch is soon to burst with more wind and
thunder than anything else, hope and believes but yet
with wind and thunder sufficient to distract this body and
disturb the peace of the country; and will not vote
for any committee which may "deem it their duty 10
add wind and thunder to such cloud
Here message from the President, in writing, was re-
ceved.]
reading Of the message called for, and it
Mr. CiINGMAN, after the reading had proceeded for
short time, suggested that the further reading be dis
pensed with but objection being made the reading was
| continued.
The message communicated the reasons of the veto of
the river and harbor bill of last session.
The Teading q the MESSAGE having been concluded
uments be referred to the Committee on Commerce.
| Mr.. VINTON expressed the hope that the message
and accompanying documents would be referred to Sc
said committee shall have reported thereon, in order that
the may be printed and sent forth to the world al
the same time Ii the motion to refer to the Committee
on Commerce should be withdrawn negatived he
(Mr W would move that the subject be referred to
select committees upon which he should ask to be ex-
cused from serving.
Mr. " was fully aware that the Committee on Com
merce, if they had time to do so, could do very ample
Justice to the important subjects discussed in that mes
sage. He proposed select committee, believing that
from the very elaborate discussion of the President it
would require time than the Committee on Com
could a besOw upon it. Among the things s set
able to undersand-there point upon which he
desired to make few remarks 1t stated, that if the
ton of Congress in relation to this subject had not been
restrained by former exercise of the executive
thorty, this country would have been involved in a
debt Of two hundred millions Of dollars for the same
read set forth. He (Mr W. served in the Committee
on Internal improvements at the time just referred to-
to say that time did it enter into the minds Of the
/ friends of internal improvements to involve this
country in a dollar, Of debt. The, appropriations
were always limited There advocates on that
floor for system of internal improvements which would
tend TO involve the country in debt This body then
contained weight Of character which tar exceeded ed
The who passed that internal Improvement bill were
uninuenced BY party bias had an authority with him,
therefore, which party measure could have He pro-
ceeded at considerable length to show that there never
was party in Congress which advocated the carrying
on OF internal improvements to involve the country
in debt He would carry internal improvements just
he would carry any other OF the operations OF the
government but not involve the country in debt 1t
was folly and deuson to say that any party existed in
the country advocating such principles He hoped the
message would go to the committee
/ Mr.. HARRISON replied He said that they were
placed in the extraordinary position of sending the reply
10 the message to the country before the message itself
If he understood it, this message assigned the for
the veto of the President last session. The effect of the
motion would be to allow the reply to go before the
sage itself. 1t ought to be printed at once. Already
there evidence of the anxiety of the friends of inter-
nal improvement to oppose the arguments of the message
Why, then, withhold the message itself! Already the
remarks of the gentleman had been reported Let all go
to the country al once He moved that the message be
printed.
/ Mr. BAYLY rose to reply to the position OF the gem
eman from Ohio. 1t clear to him Mr. b. that the
pursued precisely angonistc to that repre-.
scented taken by the President by the gentleman from
Ohio The States, with securities against extravaganza
which did not exist in the general government had been
seriously involved In the States, the members OF the
legislatures possessed the information necessary 10 the
decision to the necessity Of any proposed improvement
In the general legislature, il impossible to obtain the
information which restrained extravaganza Besides in
the States there the system of direct taxation. They
all knew the terror with which that regarded by the
representatives in State legislatures. Again: there
opposite influence in that House. There was there
powerful combination in favor of expenditures, whilst in
the States benefited but the contractors. He
did not to enter into any elaborate discussion of the
subect but suppose such purpose the gentleman in
Dictated had existed in Congress at the time, did he be-
eve that, commenced the system would have been
restrained No. Even then they substantially contract
cd debt and at the last session, in time OF war; when
that the money could not be raised at par did they not
know that bill was passed by large majority appro-
prIang million and half of dollars When the pres
sure OF gone, II not obvious that there