Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-11-06
SPEECH OF HON. J. h. RovLiN, OF MIS-
SOURI,.
Delivered before the Rapids Convention at the
City OF Burlington, Oct. 81, 1851.
r,,,s.>, r.,,, ~, 49,.

Amid general call for RowL,N, Judge B.
arose he said. that although his business was
ii measure TO ',hiow the hellows," he was
also worker. and tried 60 be practical He
would not weary the Convention BY discussing
the subject upon which all were agreed, bat
would state the chief difficulties which years
experience in Congress had taught him lay Ia
the way OF all our Western improvements. On
catering Congress, he had takea two cardinal
positions in tins subject from which he hal nev-
er n,nchea, Iae 6rst was, that Congress og.ht
to use the p"lllc lands, by grants, TO forward
internal Improvements. Tat secoal that the
general Government should be committed to the
full and entire charge OF the Mississippi River
and its tributaries. The record would show
that he had never faitered in the support Of these
great principles /; tia; lie had never lost a vote
nor chance TO help III IN on. He woula not
how argue IA their support; but SIMPLY state
te difficulties in their way We Western men,
he said, are not thought N those parts to he ey-
actlv the toa,-either in the mass or BY our
representatives. They look upon us as a set of
ROACH, thou,h bold and enthusiastic fellows.
Every State III the West, too. IS il increases In
power aad wealth. has had tendency to 30 aud
be an Eastsra State. Even Ohio hesius TO de.
sert us; and one hy one they become what in
Congressional phrase is called eastern States:
but cali them tfai ors lie Was sure tina, j.
the West saould comhine il could carry all lis
plans. An English lady Of great intelligence
writing at Washington. had expressed the opit,-
ioa that the Western States. though fewer in
representation aad least in education aud refine
ment, would govern soon as they coud agree
to act in concert But. he said the West did
not Waltc; thelr mcmhers would dodge and
shrink Oh these questions, and bargain away
their votes for influence. They should he held
up to their duty, aud ii was. IN his view, upon
the two great principles he had named tina, they
Shn h., fta.lt -, L.. -
money. from the West evrry year. on account
OF the pubic lands-noae OF which returned TO
it-waS enormous aad nothing but their an
comparable energy and vast resources could
have enabled them 10 sustain it. They were
taxed Tor the hand they brought into cultivation,
and when they sought 10 make road through
public lands they called upon the governmeut-
not to build IT., but 10 share its benelits-and
We're refused. a grant had indeed been made
In Illinois: he W shed from his heart he could
say hoaes " obtained. Illinois bonds were in
the a,arke, al Washington to buy up votes in is
favor. White the hii. was pending. the New
York Board oil Brokers held lis daily stttings,
and wnea the news OF is passage arrived by
telegraph, the price of those siocks rose aine
per cea.. in esS than nine minutes. The vote
OBJ aimed on that 5ll--.he vote OF New York and
Raitmore--could not be obtained for any road
in Missouri. They should look to this matter.
The same vote could no; be rot again on the
road from Chicago 10 Mobile; but The repre-
sentatives of the West could be held to their
duty. He hoped TO God they would depend on
themselves. lie hoped that Iowa and Missouri
never would be found asking charity from the cas-
tern cities. Bat unless they We're forced to /, he
feared that the representatives from the river
States would dodge again. When the West
II tied in Congress it could not be beat on any
question not lha; il bad majority as yet. but
it would fight. and fight to the last, aud could
a,,,l, A Ia, ths,I ntfaf, a,t nj
the Mississippi. no man IN Congress, from Rhett
Of South Carolina. up, denied that it was ma
sonai highway, and as such should be improved.
No speaker ever dared to make that Issue dn
ring his eight years experience in Congress.
Whence, then, was the trouble? it would be
asked. lie said that there Were two classes of
members who defeated the Improvements. The
/ first belonged to The South east men who did
not deny the power, but did no. like the Sys-
TEN uai who used every means, without com
hitting themselves BY bold stand against the
power, to prevent its exercise. The second
class came from the North east men who sup
| ported the principles in too radical manner.
who advocated the improvement, not only OF
the Mississippi but of all other streams, and
went for a thorough system of improvements.
The combination of these classes defeated the
/ object. South Carolina would vote to improve
Muddy Creek, in Illinois, without hesiation.
| No man made war on the mighty MissiSsippl;
there was majesty IN the very name that held
them IN terror, and they dared not speak against
1 If. The plan was to load 1t domn. A good bin
would lie introduced at first; but in Committee
| of the Whole its character would be totally
changed by the amendments tackled on i: and
thus it would be destroyed. In this way many
Representatives from the West were forced to
| yield; though he had never suffered himself TO
be thus tricked. They understood this loading
game well and SO they could brighten off Wes-