The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-26
8. ORTHODOX Rsnah,,e..,.m.

"But perhaps the special organ does not want
the people Ut Dunkirk te, know that one of the
strong and sufficient objections to this bill was,
that many OF the sumo voted by the House had not
been estimated for by the department Of the Gov
eminent which would have been charged with
their expenditure. Perhaps it did not like to
TESS that these appropriations not necessary
for the real interests of the people much for
the political capital of the Administration; for it
is obvious that appropriations exceeding the capa
city OF the engj neers to apply them TO public
works could b., very well postponed one year;
and this, doubt less, the reason why the esti
mates were not made"
Thus discrurses the Union in regard to the
River and Earbor bill of the last session, over
whose defe at it exults with so much of the Juror
OF "orthod.ox republicanism." Whether or not
there Were any items in the bill in question
not estimated for by the Departments, we are
not prepared to say. But the bill ,ras reported in
the House bya DEMOCRATIC committee, through
Its DEMOCRATIC chairman, Mr.. McLANE, and,
If 1t was thus rendered Objectionable, the re-
sponsibility is on the DEMOCRATS, and not on
the WINGS, The WING Administration had
nothing to do with the details Of the bill. The
PREsIDEwr, in his annual message, recon-
raended liberal appropriations for the improve
ment of rivers and harbors. Here his respon-
sibility ended The DEMOCRATS had the COM
mlt'.ees Of the House and of the Senate, and it
was their duty to have framed such bill as
should have obviated DEMOCRATIC objections.
Here again we must vouch DEMOCRATIC
| authority in defence of the bill. 1t would be
enp,a ne tie itov,c xuoro not oh;oction
able; but we have the authority of Mr.. Nc
LANE for saying that the bill ,oas strict River
and Harbor bill, containing the same items as
were included in the bills vetoed by Mr.. TYLER
and Mr.. Polk. For the bills last mentioned
Mr.. CAss, Mr.. DICKINSON, and Mr.. DOUGLAS
voted; so it was rather late in the day for any
one of these gentlemen to consent to the sacri-
flee of the bill of the last session the ground
that some of its items had not been estimated
for by the Departments If they had waived
that objection on any previous occasion one
would consider them estopped from raising it
on the last day of the session, when twas GER
tain that any attempt at amendment would in
evitably destroy the bill.
The River and Harbor bill was defeated not
on the score of its dement's. 1t was not that
the bill was imperfect or unsatisfactory that it
was sacrificed, for it is impossible to frame any
bill that may not be objected to in some Of its
details. 1t was the knowledge of this fact that
induced Mr.. JOHNSON, of Arkansas, to appeal
to the t.friends Of the measure, be they WHIGs
{ or DEMOCRATS, to let the bill be passed as it
is. But # they are against II secretly, let
/ them come up and vote IN an,endn,ents.'
The bill ,cas defeated by men who were 'se-
cretly' opposed to it, and who sustained the
extraordinary and supplementary expedients
resorted to by Mr.. CLEMENS and Mr.. SoULE to
destroy it; but it was defeated solely on politi-
cal grounds. When Mr.. RHErT charged the
Democrats with having abandoned all Demo
cratic principles and deserted to Mr.. CLAY, the
charge was made with especial reference to this
very bill. Then it was that with the view of
" drawing and deepening the old party lines, .
and of reviving test of &c orthodox republican
ISM" the western Senators tacitly consented
that the bill should be defeated, without regard
to the interests Of their constituents, and care
less "whose toes were pinched" by it. 1t
was as purely party sacrifice Of great public
interests as ever was made; and if their oppo-
sition to these improvements has hitherto been
a thorn in the side of the Democratic party
of the West" we apprehend that it will be
no less of thorn for the future.