The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-20

oners shall power 10 employ able surveyors chain
road and much OF the land OF the United States as NAV
be Included within the shAi be- and 10 he reby re-
served and excepted the sales Of the public lands,
The said be eighty feet wide and designated bv
marked trees, stakes, or other at
Ss Of deviation from straight ns And hs s' saS syss so
nissionors shall canse be made and delivered
road, laid out by then with wrten report descri-
oing thereiH the State lines crossed and marks
be designated describing also the and the
nature and quality Of the ground which the said road
nto sections OF nor less than five miles
long, noticing the materials that may be used in making
and giving estimate OF the expense OF king
tlon OF the road aforesaid /"
This is the act; and il is the legislative construction
and also the legislative execution, of the compact with
Missouri The senator from Kentucky was a member
Of Congress at the time tha. it passedwas ia favor
OF its no doubt made his speech Of 1925 n
S Pa ns y a1a i.h ne iun
sc yerv ae remstaS II carry oa u.a. o e.,
which concludes the question under every point OF view
provides Tor carrying the road TO the Missssippi-to
lay out to the river-hxes the limits between which is
to reach the rvergyes the commissioners full power to
fix the point within those lims-directs them
map OF the road and estimate OF the expense of its
construction and surely this was enough to show the
understanding OF Congress- and also to show the good
faith OF Congress in keeping the compact.
Tins act was Immediately carried into effect. The
three men combining as much science, practical know
edge, and character as could be found in the United
States One was Colonel McRee. of the United States
engineers, deemed by all military of army
OF the first engineers OF any country another Mr.
Lacock, OF Pennsylvania. formerly senator in Con-
gress the third was Mr. David Shriver OF the fam
lily OF Shrivers, SO long and skuly employed the
Cumberland road and other important works OF internal
improvement These commissioners executed their task
laid out the road chose the bank opposite st. Louis
the terminating point made their report, and map of
the road returned the whole to the engineer department.
with recommendation, which was adopted in subse
quent act, that instead of straight road should be laid
nn tn tha ntaIo onf( damn md
detection which, though taking the road thirty SIX miles,
at its widest part, from the straight line would only in
crease the distance three miles Here are some extracts
from their report
ment with such information they al this time
on the proposed continua,on OF the Cumberland road
from Wheeling TO the Mississippi. present the following
Oa IL. OH Of December the com RS reached the
ppi river. having travelled through foot deep
.The commissioners next proceeded to examine the
ground opposite the of ST. Louis Here likewise the
ground considered by means uniavorable for the
such he lght contne the OF within it's
channel except in extraordinary high floods, which is said
not 10 have happened tor many years,
" The commis ssioners directed select point
which the road the lett bank OF the Miss
sippi between ST. Louis and the mouth OF the Illinois river
Iii the design of Congress control the commission
ers In the discharge OF this dnty by The rule which applies
and shorness route-in that IL highly probable
the point should be made above the mouth OF the Missouri
river Blu, on the other hand, if the commissions
liberty take consideration all the political and
commercial circumstance that the whole case present
they hesitate say, from their present Impressions
that ST Louis should be the point selected for the ernina
tion Of the road"
This was the act, and the proceedings under the act.
OF 1920. They cardinal and vital 10 this inquiry.
They confirm the Interpretation Of the compact as the
senator from Kentucky understood II IN 1925, and as
understood IT then and now, and was faithful com
the part OF Congress to carry il into effect
1t would put the seal upon the il had moth
ing 10 offer; but have more, and OF equal dignity
with hs-an act OF 1926 the in favor OF which the
senator from Kentucky made the speech from which
have read passages. and which provided for carry
the road not only 10 Missouri but 'nio her-and INTO
her deepy-as far up to her permanent seat OF gov.
ernment The senator from Kentucky read us the frs,
section OF that ac show the pledge OF the Missouri
two per centum fund to the reimbursement OF the appro
priaons it contained He did not read, OF any way al
lude to- the fourth section OF that act providing Tor the
OF the Cumberland road and containing the
condition on which that pledge was made. lie was very
careful 10 show the pledge OF reimbursement, and to
argue upon il extending the Missouri pledge OF reim'
bursement TO all the moneys-the six millions
expended upon this road from old Fort Cumberland on
the Potomac, to Vandaia, on The kaskaskia Iive lie
was very careful 10 show that the Missouri senators
voted for the pledge, by voting against Mr.. Holiness
motion TO strike II out bat did not think II worth while
to show the condition which II was gwen. lie could
search the journals twenty-five years. to prove ny vote
upon me- hch VOTE and others with it, had stated 10
my st opening speech on the subject but he could not
look about inch and half further down, on the same
page from which he read 10 show the pedge-the slmu
taneous pledge OF Congressio carry the road not only
to the line, but to the then geographical and still, political
centre OF the State He could promenade his eyes over
FIVE and twenty years OF yeas and nays TO ind vote,
but could drop them inch and halt on the same
page to show the condition OF the vote, and the nlssice
of bis own argument. | will supply his omission, and
will fret read the section that be read tor The pur
pose OF correcting his construction of ior tae purpose
OF showing that il limited to the then and there
appropriated. and had extension TO the vas, sums al
ready expended TO be expended IN the general con-
srtclion OF the Cumberland road THIS is the section
That the sum OF hundred and fifty thou sand dol
lars, OF moneys not otherwise appropriated, be, and The
ina King the OF Canton, in the STATE OF
Ohio the right bank of the Ohio rver opposite the
fown Wheeling, to the Mnskngum river, at Zanesve,
in said State which said sum oil one hundred ana hfty
dollars shall be replaced OF the fund reserved
Tor laying and making roads under the direction ol
opgres by the pevcrs passed Tor the admission OF
States OF Ohio, Iodana Illinois, and Missouri into the
Union on equal footing with the original States
This is the section, and nothing can be more clear
than the limitation OF the pledge OF reimbursement TO he
sum whch IL contains II the FIRST, but not the last
of these pledges; and we will see the condition
upon which II was made. The fourth section OF the
same act is in these words
That the President OF the United States be, and he Is
reby nnthofzsd and powered 10 appoint one impair
sl and udicious person, being ozen OF either o
the States through which the road hereinafter mentioned
shall pass a commissioner and IN case OF fhe DEAN,
sal to disability Of such com
to appoint another in his stead, who hs have
power according the provisions OF the act euued
ae 10 he appoinsnf Of commtson 10 ay o"f
TIE road sr,,r mfnoned approved May 10 iozo 20 co'
pste Ia. examination and survey heretofore commenced
bv vue provisions of said act. ard 10 srferd me
"a m, 10 the ppiar Of gcrfrnmeat of me Sfo 81 Hs
sourt, the road conform IN all respects 70 thn pro
visions OF the rad reciied act esoel ihh sns pas py
the seat OF government Of the States Of Ohio, Indiana and
Ilnois,' Nc :,
This IL the fourth section OF the great act OF l52p ~
covers the whole ground, confirming the act OF $780, d.