The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-20

which was the question the senator from Tennessee
proposed confning the waters to the stream, would,
have doubt, tend TO raise the waters but II does mol
follow that the land granted, as proposed IN this bill
would apply for that purpose. By no means. believe
now the people OF Louisiana are pretty generally con.
vinced that they require mode OF letting the waie
out OF the channel of the river The resolutions of ihe
last legsature which have been referred to the Senate
address themselves 10 the Inquiry, which think may
reach that result Ii does not fellow al ALL as the sena
tor from Tennessee 10 argue. that this land y to be
applied 10 eveeng in this State II may be applied to
eveeng new channels 10 the right and left 10 carry the
waterfront OF the main channel whenever the river raci-
es height above the land. In Arkansas, take II oi
granted, they weud leyee the water TO the whole extent
OF their power, but the senator knows that is not very
great do not think therefore, that the eyeeng IN Ar
kansas would very materially affect it, Ii il were exe nd
ed above, il certainly would That would be leveeing
in Missouri. But that would be more than couneracted
if general system adopted by which the water was
to be taken from the river whenever IL to cWtan
height That might be applied in Mississippi and in up
per Louisana but with s greater effect in lower Lou
siana; and il exclusively applied there, tue danger Of
ovefowIng would he removed perhaps Us lar as tat
mouth Of The Ohio. or Ut least greatly reduced.
Mr. BENTON will read. Mr. President a resolu-
ton which submitted on the 3ist Of March, 1e26,
which think contains description OF the kind oil
gund which ought to be covered by the terms OF this
bill and wnich will be found to Le more accurate than
the bill contains
port General Land Office be laid before the Sen
ate at the OF the ex stated session CT Con
grrss, showing, nearly be ascerained from sur
veys heretofore made and from other normaon the guam
a he u Msou @ snS Of a'ai
may be unfit for cultivation on account Of beng wet and
marsy, subject inundaton fron the overflow OF tile
rivers, or covered with standing water ponds, or lakes
That resolution was adopted by the Senate, ard was
answered by the surveyor general OF Illinois, and upon
that information thus obtained endeavored TO carry for
ward measures for ceding these lands, thus unfit for cul
yaon for the reasons stated TO the respective States in
which they lie A report was made by Colonel ----,
showing that there was great deal Of land IN both
those States which under the description which is
q,
almost These lands have remained in that situation
ever since was rot SO fortunate TO succeed in get
ting them released 10 the States in which they lie, but II
is grand cardinal object to be followed by all the
States which upon the Mississippi river or lis great
waters, until il is accomplished These lands may lie
there ill doomsday and the United States make no
of them. They pestilenta to the people of the
country. They are refuge ior wild animals that prey
upon the cattle OF the surrounding country There are
many of them that mpedments TO the progress OF the
people in getting from one part OF the Stale TO the other
In Missouri there is great extent known as she Big
Swamp ts particularly well known that that great ex
tent OF country-rch, and covered with valuable timber
is covered with ter, and that the government OF the
United States will never sell it. II has been lost to the
State and 10 all good uses from the time we acquired the
country about forty years ago, and VIII remain unayaa
BILE and TO the injury OF the country until gets into hands
that manage it The State governments are the only
ones that can manage those lands.
Now, the resolution which brought forward at that
time, the unitness the leading and prominent idea
The return TO be made OF lands which were unit
for euhvaon-unlt for the reasons enumerated,
daon from the overowing Of the rivers covered BY
standing water, ponds, or lakes" read this for the
purpose OF showing that this IS great object one OF p
Mississippi ver and tender my thanks 10 the senator's
from Arkansas, one OF whom is absent, for having
brought forward this subject this session. about which
believe there is scarcely dissenting voice. bronght
forward the subject in 1926, but confined my mo.
ton to Illinois and Missouri. am now glad to have II
extended 10 all the States on the Mississippi, and
hope the measure will succeed
On motion the Senate adjourned.