The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-07-08

General Cass---T The Improvement Of
Rivers and Harbors- The False
hoods Of Whiggery nailed to the
counter by ''proof from the doc
uments." loh.4.rs e., ~.
The subject Of improving the rivers
of the West, and the harbors of the
Lakes, since whiggery conceived the
idea that political capital could be made
out Of it, has become vastly popular
with that party; and men, who never
saw the inland seas OF the Northwest,
can dwell by the hour upon the insult
cheney Of the harbors of Lakes Huron,
Erie, Superior and Michigan, and who
never trusted their pretty persons on
board of a steamer, for fear of running
against snag, or being blown up by
the bursting Of a boiler, dwell with
much earneslness upon the opposition
Of Gen. Cass, man from youth familiar
with the dangers Of River and Lake
navigation, to their Improvement. 2'b
No man living, not even Robert Nc
CleIland, of Michigan, the stern, strong
and steadlast friend Of the improvement
of the Lakes and Rivers Of the West,
and who introduced the bills which
passed the two last sessions of Con.
gress, has defined his position on this
subject more clearly than has LEWIS
CAss. "a zfIsa.i. ~ faa'. fer'f si.1 # J3
As Secretary Of War, under General
Jackson, Gen. Cass had the Lakes and
Rivers surveyed,-and the appropria-
tions, approved by Gen. Jackson n, were
made by orders OF Gen. Cass, and pass
ed into law by his recommendation.
During the very first month that Gen.
Cass occupied seatin the regular ses-
sion of the United States Senate, he
brought this subject before Congress in
the following resolution. See page 66,
of the Journals of the United States
Senate. .ra8 nsI sa aliir.a.sla.
dtl Gs.ab "TUEsDAY, Dec. %, 1S45.
"Mn Cass submitted the following
resolution;' which was considered, by
unanimous consent, and agreed TO:
"Resolved, That the committee on
Commerce be instructed to inquire into
the expediency of making an appropri.
ton for tho purpose of deepening the
channel over the flats of the River St.
Clair, in the State of Michigan" d,
The st. Clair flats, named in the res
olution, is a shallow piece of water in
the River, or LakeSt. Clair, over which
most Of the larger class Of boats bound
from Lake Erie to the upper lakes, have
to tighten. The channel is crooked,
and Of all the lake improvements, this
is considered the most necessary.
During the same session of Congress,
bill to improve the Western Rivers
and Lake Harbors was intro oduced into
the lower House of Congress, by Mr..
McClelland, of Michigan, and passed by
that body, and was sent TO the Senate.
After passing through the usual stages
in that body, it came up for definite
action, and we quote from the Journals
oil that session, to show the unvarying
support given to the measure by Cass.
Z no9 "FRlDAr, July "a, i BAG.
son motion by Mr.. Dix, that the
Senate proceed to the consideration of
the bill, (H--R. l8l making appropria-
tons for the Improvement of certain
rivers and harbprs, and it was deter
mined in the affirmative, yeas 35-
nays a.. a5 8.a.u 4lai lg't Qai.ta /
"On motion by Mr.. Davis, 81 .sgi.. .
"The yeas and nays being desired
by one.fifth Of the Senators present,
those who voted in the affirmative are.
Messrs. Allen, Archer, Ashley, Aichi-
son, Barrow, Benton, Berrien, Breese,
Bright, Cameron, CASS, &c.
Mr.. Jarnigan, then offered an amend
ment for a canal round the Muscle
Shoals, in the Tennessee river, which
was voted down by a vote Of l3 to; SO,
Messrs. Allen, Cass, Corwin, &c. vo-
ting in the negative. -sjraab .nn j
We again copy from the Senate Jour
nal, Of The same day, and following inn
mediately after that above quoted.
son motion by Mr.. Jarnagin, to a.
mend the bill by. Striking out the fol-
lowing: ~ {,iy, 4eitsr,sisi,aba
ssEor the ,imnrovemanf of The Oh;o
river above the Falls at Louisville, 8o,-
600 dollars. s4iaa,6 HI sasite.
"For the Improvement Of the Ohio
river, below the Falls at Louisville, and
Of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ar
kansas rivers, two hundred and forty
thousand dollars.
"It was determined in the negative
yeas l3, nays 3S. ''..''..s y VI
laaOn motion by Mr.. Jarnagin, the
yeas and nays being desired by one
Ck,hi oc tho Sonofrre inraconf thoco xuh n