Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-08-12


officers Of this Government which the President submitted
Congress with his commentator, exceeded million
dollars while the appropriations proposed to be made by
this bill did half that He read the items
Of the bill to show the character Of the works themselves
and the claims which they had this Government. But
addition to these there would be other items sub
mitted as amendments with the intention Of submitting them
ngy 10 The House for Its consideration which TO gen.
cmen would be satisfactory than 10 mix them up with
the general appropriations OF this character were the Mis-
ssPp river and Buffalo habor for each Of which separate
bill had been prepared; but they would be submitted
the attention Of the committee separate items or amend
men TO this BILL II must be evident TO every that this
late day appropriations for these objects be made in
the general appropriation bill not at all and he should
move to put them n and in this respect make the bill
BILE that OF the last Congress He should do this only
because he considered udcous but because would afford
some hope Of they all put together would
show the House the whole be appropriated and
present the obligations which they were taking
upon themselves He knew objected that course
gave an opportunity for combinations but in justice and
to the members OF the House, he would submit the
intelligence Of the country If it proper isolated
appropriations for some sections and omit others that
equally meritorious.
Mr. SAWYER wished to be informed Of the true position
OF this BILL that might be known the country He wish
ed to know if the which was proposed to appop-
ate for the purposes specified in this bill had been embraced
in the estimates from the Executive Departments In the es
Inmates for the present fiscal year he was not aware that
was single dollar asked for these purposes.
Mr.. HUNT said the gentleman correct. He had not
said that at the Congress there estimates for
works but they sent in by the present Executive
at the opening Of the last Congress.
Mr.. SAWYER desired to learn from the gentleman from
New York where he going find the money do he
works specified in this BILL and those to be provided for by
amendments be offered, which he had doubt would h.
the be appropriated by this bill from the sm
Of $500 600 TO twice that amount He asked if the Hohse
would make these appropriations which had not been recon-
mended by the Secretary Of War; without knowing that there
was money enough to pay for them The gentleman should
remember that largely involved in debt and it was
therefore bad policy to make such appropriations under he
circumstances.
Mr. HUNT replied that he intended to come to that but
first he would say few words the subject of these mpe
ents and the of the President in relation them
After leading them suppose that he favor of the po
Icy which this bill based the President refused give
his sanction to it and he therefore refused to The
action Of every Administration from the of the
Government not excepting that Of Gen. Jackson and
Mr. Van Buren, under the former of whom many Of these
works had been commenced.
He show what had been done by Congress when
the President vetoed the first river and harbor BILL new
bill prepared by the gentleman from Michigan, (Mr Nc
CLELLAND, whowas then the chairman Of the Committee Sn
Commerce, in which many of the items reduced apd
those retained for certain special Objects in the hope that
the President would persist in Withholding his appreciation
from works which had received the approval of jackson and
Van Buren,. The President however, took ground against all
such appropriations and they would his
sage they would find that he maintained that the power
make such appropriations for habors and rivers would
brace the power to make roads and canals.
But the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. SAwYER) had raised
objection which they had often heard before namely tha
there not sufficient in the Treasury these
expenditures and the gentleman asked where the money
to from. had been said that the country in debt
and that If these appropriations were made the Government
borrow money; which he (sfr. H. denied altogether
In the first place, he maintained that in
creased consequence Of the Improvements which had
heretofore made and the passage of this bill would result
further increase OF our commerce. and consequently in
of our to meet these engagements. II
had incurred large debt by with Mexico hut
ne would ask that debt was to operate on one part of
policy only Was commerce alone TO be allowed to su
fer because we had contracted debt by with Mexico
1t not good policy to impose the burdens occasioned BY
this branch alone He maintained that the debt
created by the should be paid fran Of
the country and that the appropriations should
be withheld from rivers and habos 1t necessary
make discrimination in expenduresfit necessary
to practise system of economy, and he in favor Of just
economy TO reduce the debt speedy-he should be
willing and should prefer to discrimination made in favor
Of these works. and reduction OF expenditures in other
branches. II would be both beneficial and satisfactory
to the country reduce the army two thousand and
thereby large amount Of money He alluded TO har
in his neighborhood which many severe losses
annually sustained by wrecks they had fort
the Niagara frontier in which kept military force at
annual expense Of from $4,000 to $4,000 Now, could
any doubt that II would beneficial in time Of peace
expend that money for the advantage Of by
the improvement Of harbors and rivers than keeping
defend a fort which had enemy to threaten il
He then proceeded to objections which had
been before urged against the harbor and river BILL and in
favor Of giving permission to the States 10 levy tonnage duties
He opposed the evyng Of tonnage duties because would
lead TO conflicts between States which this Union design
ed to avoid But, besides would operate justly for the
duties would be paid only the port of destination vessels
arriving there The advantage Of such system would be
greatly the advantage Of the State from which he came but
New York not disposed take any advantage Of her
son There could be doubt that the evyng tonnage
duties the port Of New York. from her position,
would directly indirectly affect the whole Union and from
that source New York could doubtless not only su
fcient improve her harbors and rivers but to
deay oil the expenses Of their government Bot New York
would make tina; sacrifice the altar Of nationality He
argued warmly chat the duty Of the General Govern
men to make these improvements and that the exercise OF
that power necessary to the harmony and prosperity OF
the whole country.
In the Of his remarks some conversation ensued be-
tweenM HUNT, Mr.. McCLELLAND and Mr. EMBREE
Mr. HUNT then proceeded with and concluded his general
argument in which he enforced the committee the right
the duty, and the necessity to act favoraby this b
AMENDMENTS AGREED TO-
Amendments then moved and agreed to as follows
By Mr.. OUTLAW "For opening communication be-
tween Albemare Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, and the inn
provemen Of the harbo at Old Roanoke inlet the
coast Of North Carolina, $50, 000."
BY Mr.. HALL, Of New York !" For the preservation
Improvement and repair Of the hsrbo at Buffalo, New York.
S25, 000."
BY Mr.. McCLELLAND: "For the improvement Of the
ST. Clair fats in the State Of Michigan, s50000 for the
improvement Of the harbor the mouth Of Grand river
Lake Michigan ST. Of the haybor