Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-06-17

recommended the erection and establishment of national Oh
servatory. which had been designated lighthouse in the
skies That recommendation Mr.. Chairman, together with
the ayowa of the principle representative ought not
10 be pased by the will of his constituents were the chief
causes why Mr. Adams re elected President Of the
United States Then the Democrats rdculed the recomen-
daton, and Tie words lighthouses in the skies used
Of reproach The Democratic party then Regulated
the idea that the constitution gave Congress the power 10
create establish national observatory. What was then
considered Federalism noo advocated by of the pro-
gressve Democracy. The gentleman from Tennessee mr.
SrANToS has adopted of the federal notions Of Mr. John
O. Adams, set forth in his perhaps he has adopt
ed the other, that the representative be pasied by
the will of his constituents" He trusted however il was
! not
Mr. A. said this claim of Professor Espy to regulate the
storms under the sanction of Congress old thing il
had been before Congress after year for years. and
found favor especially with the Democracy But he was
inclined adopt the idea advanced of the pures states
who graced Legislative body Che meant the disin
gushed the vuous the honest and intelligent Macon, who
while living the pride North Carolina he deserved
to BIO Of the whole Unon Mr. Macon said that claim be-
Congress like spirits wine the older got the bet
ter received This project considered monsous
first, but much Of the opposition is hushed and tits
looked by many Democrats with very great favor.
The powers of Congress limited by the constitution, and
should be observed.
Again. Mr.. Chairman recolect that all the large
appropriated for the observatory and employ
enfc person regulate the storms, all charged the
expenses and thus bring into disrepue among the
people the best arm of the national Defence Mr. A. believed
the officers OF the navy merorious any v-
ngi that they always ready and willing to pour out
their blood in their country service, and deserved the praise
of their countrymen they gallant set Of men, and had
earth excel them they should bear the blame
of such extravagan appropriations made by this bill
The appropriation proposed by gentleman from Ohio ought
into this bill Mr. A. could that the
navy proper should be addled with every scheme hum
bug large share of the appropriations annually made by
the navy appropriation BILL designed to try projects and
schemes calculated in his opinion, advance the inter-
ess of the and surely not necessary and proper in the
language of the constitutions "to provide and support navy
Mr.. A. then withdrew his amendment
Mr.. STEPHENS upon amendment moved and sub
sequenty wthdrawn) did not at all in the views
pressed by the gentleman from Virginia. (Mr ATKINSON
and he certain large majority of the genemans
party this floor would endorse his sentiments He did
belong to the progressive Democracy but he did pro-
ess to belong to the party Of progresprogress in the
and sciences and every thing that elevated and ennobcd
That the party of progress TO which he belonged and
while he believed large majority of the gentemans party
protested TO belong to the party OF progress he claimed that
those with whom he acted the party of progress and he
willing go before the country that ground The
gentleman had quoted the message of the distinguished gen.
eman from Massachusetts who had recently departed from
among What he said of this message true, and it
would be quoted hereafter of highest eulogum
that he lived in advance OF his aud this
daon of the gentleman from Massachusetts had been endos
ed by the genemans party and not only observa
o bot depot Of charts had already been established The
object of this appropriation not to regulate the storms
the gentleman seemed to denounce it such. We knew
that the physical world governed by laws, and for his
part he believed great good would result this country
and TO mankind from the observations OF these laws and
other way could the of money be appopaeds
obc useful in subscribing the objects OF humanity
He concurred in the views of the gentleman from Tennessee
(Mr. STANTos) few years ago the proposition rid
cued he had then stood by the gentleman he had believed
and still believed, the appropriation wise and good When
the first appropriation asked by Professor Morse for the
magnetic telegraph, who did not know how hooed and
scoed at Che did not say ofensvely by the progressive
Democracy " but, by continued application to Congress, he
wires extended to Baltimore they reached thou
sands and thousands of miles, and he trusted to live the
day when they would extend throughout the length and
breadth Of this country when whole body polite would
be knit together and the wires communicating intelligence
from extremity the other, would make and
people.
This electric telegraph would form kind of sensoum by
which the intelligence of the would be conveyed from
parap another He asked the gentleman from Virginia
he was opposed TO that he would stand up and say that
appropriation unconstitutional Would be from
the statute book He knew he would not. He would not
deain the committee longer He trusted the House would
make the appropriation and that these observations would be
collected The remarks Of Professor Bache might turn out
TO be true, and perhaps less than two developments
might be made in reference 10 the laws Of s,oms which gen.
,lemen rdicued, which would bring additional honor
country and that those who had the lead OF them
might become distinguished Franklin and Morse, and
that Professor Espy by his scientific discoveries and the
benefits which would result from them, would acquire fame
equal that which crowned The heads Of other distinguished
Americans.
and remarked that this appropriation perhaps owed its exist
his repeated applications the Secretary of the Navy
end he did not ask the gentleman from Virginia TO endorse
bis Democracy either Twenty years ago had he first listen
cd Professor Espy's lectures sormsthe first private
lecture in Philadelphia and from that time be had been
attendant upon bis lectures the subject He had
only watched the progress of his ecurng bat the pro-
ress Of experience under them, and their results upon the
mind Of the country and the world Prof. Espy had visited
Europe and treated with the greatest respect by the
there. True in his theory great deal appeared vision
AIRY, hut in its application in detecting the history and charac
great practical good had been attained He
satisfied OF the knowledge already derived from Prof EsPys
theory, and il its application had been known 10 the world
years ago. many valuable lives would have saved had
vessels leave ports and less than twenty -four hours
heavy had three four vessels in
company, of which his, had lett Hampton roads, and
in less than hours violent and sill their
persisted in the ocean, and their bodies Of them
now buried in the gentleman's district
Had they known what we know, they had not been
lost Had been known gallant officers Of the Hornet
that persisted in the Gulf eam their bones would not
have been bleaching in the Of Six years
the present Commissioner OF Patents, who always known
for the with which he guarded the Treasury and himself
priation sustained then by friends Tbs side and that
side, friends Of humanity and science and he trusted there
would be enough Of them this appropriation
notwithstanding the cule Of the gentleman from Tennes-
Mr JoNgs,) and the progressive Democracy OF his
friend from Virginia He belonged 10 the progressive De-
moccy but he wished also science, humanity every