Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-02-22
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10. 1851.


# MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1851.
On motion Of Mr. McLANE, of MARYLAND The Hop.e The,
went into COMMITTEE Of the Whole the slate Of the Union
(Mr MEADE, Of Virginia, in the chair and resumed the
consideration of the bill making APPROPRIATION. for The i'm
provement Of certain harbors and rivers
Mr. McLANE, being entitled by the rules as the member
reporting the under consideration TO close the debate
on this subject addressed the committee an hour on this bill
He defended himself against the charge Of Mr. MoRsr that
be was inconsistent in supporting this because here
tofoe ne had uniformly voted against similar propositions
In connection with this he referred the course Of the gen.
teman from Louisiana in supporting (among them Gen.
Cafs who were in favor OF and harbor
He replied to the remarks Of those gentlemen mpugnng the
democracy Of those supporting this measure, and proceeded
to define democracy, in compliance with the request Of Mr.
HOLMES making some structures the Government Of South
Carolina.
Mr.. BURT stated that every white who had resided
in the State two years could vote.
Mr.. McLANE thought that this not enough he
would have representative based on population
In reply naudbe inquiry of Mr. HoLmns be said that
the Government Of South Carolina population
and numbers He then proceeded draw comparison be-
tween the State. Of South Carolina and Maryland when hs
was interrupted by a.., sa El.
Mr. BURT, who thought tina, discussion Of the ns,itu
tons OF South Carolina IN bad aste opportunity
Mr. McLANE justified his course by referring to the fac.
that Mr. HOLMES commenced the controversy.
Mr.. BURT said hat South Carolina ought to be drag
ged into the debate account Of the grievances the gentle
man from Maryland received at the hands Of his colleague
Mr. McLANE proceeded and commended that the and
harbor bill before them embraced in the principle recog
missed BY the gentleman from Georgia. (Mr Toomss) which
was that the improvement OF rivers points where
might be collected constitutional He proceeded to cite
the Of Jefferson Madison and Jackson, which he re-
gaded consistent with that doctrine He justified the
pendures contemplated by the bill the ground that the
venues OF the Government for the present fiscal year would
reach mine millions Of dollars. ~
Mr. MORSE by unanimous consent, replied to what he
called the " miserable sophsms by which the committee had
been entertained for hour" declaring that the doctrines
ndy nv ha nd
cratic and that that gentleman had failed prove his
sssncy on the question under consideration sIta
Mr.. MCDONALD moved 10 amend the bill BY inserting.
For the improvement Of the Wabash river above the Ra
pids, the sum Of $50, OOO" lAE
The question then taken on the amendment Of Mr.
McDosALD, and X was rejected Ayes 80, noes 60
Mr. CLARKE moved to insert g For the improvement
Of Sackes Harbor Lake Ontario and the removal of ship
of the United States navy sunk there SIC. OOO.".paE @
Mr. g. supported bis amendment by urging the necessity
of its adoption, and the duty of the Government to
distractions placed by its order the Of habo
and referring to the growing importance of the place named
in his amendment. tL
Mr. BURT opposed to the amendment, % well as to
the BILL He thought that bis friend from Georgia (Mr
TooMBs had nterposed such nsumountabs obstacles
render unnecessary for him to enlarge upon the consiu
tonal question He deed the gentleman from Maryland
answer them He (Mr asserted that under the cons
tuition the Government could make improvements
lures whatever within the jurisdiction Of State except
cases specified in the constitution, such ards
nails Notifications, &c.; and that the Of State could
not enlarge the power Of the Government had
right to improve harbor or river than had 10 make
rairosd through any of the States Of the Union.
The amendment Of Mr. CLARKE then agreed to Ayes
| 10, noes 46.
Mr.. McLANE moved to strike out the following items
"For breakwater structure at the harbor Of Burlington,
Lake Champlan, $4,000
For the improvement Of Sacketts arbor Lake Ontario.
and the removal Of ship Of the United States navy sunk
! there, $40, o00"
Mr.. McLANE said that if the committee disposed to
put into the bill additional items which had already been sub
mtted to the Committee Commerce. and BY Them,
making the bill thereby of much weight fail Of
cevng the support Of the House, the committee must be
oneraed from all responsibility He called their attention to
the importance Of adhering the bill reported from the
committee. and the danger which would from amend
| ing the bill. tl lys se
The amendment of Mr.. McLAxE was rejected Ayes 81,
noes 81, the Chairman voting in the negative.
Mr. HOWE moved TO insert in the bill an item appropr
ang $40 900 for the survey Of the Allegheny river and
supported his amendment BY few remarks.
! Mr.. billiard opposed the amendment Of Mr. HowE,
being Of opinion that the Constitution did grant single
power Of this kind He thought that whatever
a 10 the protection Of the navy Of public property they
might improve and He believed that the time
had to limit the action of the Government 10 its true
sphere He was national man. and did not shrink from
the impuaton Of being As such he would give true
Interpretation of the power Of the Government and would
con6ne il to that power al bi.s t., st #.
Messrs JOHNSON, Of Arkansas DUER, and Nc
GAUGHEY urged the committee to support the bill Is
was reported by the Committee Commerce, and Mr..
THOMPSON, Of Pennsylvania supported the amendment
Il of Mr.. HowE.
Mr.. BAYLY made few remarks in relation to the
seron Of Mr.. McLASE that the for this year
would amount to fifty nine millions Of dollars The receipts
for the first half of the present year had been S23 1885, 603
All that when the imports were large for the
first half year, the presumption was that for the next
half of the year they would be small Besides this BY
decision Of the Supreme Court large mus, be
refunded account of excessive duties charged and re-
ceved ON articles imported As to the receipts from
public lands much would be obtained from that source
when much ofthe public domain bad been given
The question being the amendment of Mr..
HowE-
/ The CHAIRMAN ruled it out Of order
i Mr. RICHARDSON moved that the committee rise; which
motion was lost.
After some delay points of order.
MI HARRIS, Of Illinois, moved to strike out the item APP
propang 900 for the improvement Of the harbor at Con-
neau in Lake Erie. He rad that this Of four APP
propositions for Aarbor all extending distance Of
! fifty miles
Mr. GIDDINGS opposed the amendment, and it was
| rejected. FL sasasz
] Mr.. BAYLY moved strike out the item approprating
for the improvement of the harbo Cunnin
| Bay on Lake Erie. He desired know how il that
these particular districts fortunate get appropra-
/ tons when others had received none at sll
Mr. McANE replied that all such sectional issues found
no place in the Committee of Commerce
Mr. BAYLY said that the bill sectional from beginning
to end ,1ss.5s#9a ..
Mr.. McLANE desired know If the gentleman from vir-
gna had made estimates and il he could inform the commit
how much money appropriated north Of Mason and
Diron's line, and how much South ,
Mr.. BAYLY replied that he had. He knew that three