Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-03-21
rnent Of the lakes, Rivers, &c,
OF the grcat West.

/
! OF the grcat West. E
| We have asked this question Of the
people of Iowa, with view Of calling
their attention TO the subject, in ordci
tina, they may examine and see who are
responsible for so long, so repeatedly
defeating all their anxious expectations,
in procuring aid from Congress, TO i'm
prove our Lakes. Rivers, and roads,
Surely, Iowa is as deeply interested in
these enterprises as any of the States in
the West. The two noblest Rivers of
the Con,inen, washes her entire length on
two sides. Upon their broad bosom
must be borne TO rcmunerating markets.
all her vast mineral wealth; all her I'M
told, surplus agricultural products. And
is il small matter to her, that hundreds
of citizens find watery grave yearly!
That her entire population is paying an
annual, burdensome, tax OF hanureds Of
| thousands of dollars, by the destruction
and loss of property, and the ruinous
sacrifice Of what they raise TO sell, be-
cause they have no means Of getting :.
, 10 market! a.... ,
If the people Of any State in the I'M
I ion have cause to ferrit out the true cause
of the defeat of the River AND Harbor
Bill, and apply the remedy, that State is
Iowa. Wesay that Mr.. Polk, and those
who sustained his vetoes, and defended
his construction of the Constitution, are
not friends of the West. The same
may, in truth, be said of the men who
passed the Resolution at the last Balii-
more Convention, against Internal I'M
pEovements by the General Govern
mcnt. ... ..s ....r.. ..- ....
And The recent action of the same (the
Democra,ic) party, with q few honora-
bic exception, in Congress, has shown
them 10 be the real enemies of the I'm
proyement of our Lakes and Rivers
We have often warned the people against
trusting their interests in the hands of
men who, if they do not in reality sub
scribe to the suicidal doctrines of Mr..
Folks veto Message in relation to Wes-
tern Improvements, and 20 the funda-
mental principle Of the Democratic party,
as proclaimed in their general Conven-
tons, are SO tramelled by party that they
dare not come cut as cordial and bold
supporters Of this great Western inter-
est. We intend TO place the response
bility of defeating this great measure up
on the gully pariies-or, rather we
should say, they have taken the respon-
sibility. Their acts have pointed them
out, and we desire TO call the public at
,enlion 10 The persons. An enemy of
the late River and Harbor Bill, in the
Senate, moved to amend, by providing
that no money should be paid out of the
Treasury. TO make the Improvements ma
med in the Bill, unless there was sur
plus in the u. S. Treasury. This mo-
ton, if passed, all must see, would have
ef1ectually defeated the measure, and for
it Messrs. Cass, Soule, Douglass, Atchi-
son and others living on the Lakes and
Rivers, voted-together with every Dem
ocraiic Senator but those of Wisconsin,
Shields, of Illinois; Borland, of Arkan-
sas; and our Senators, Messrs. Dodge and
Jones, who we are happy TO say rose
above party dictation and voted with the
Wings for this bil,--the passage Of
which will do so much TO secure the fu-
iurc greatness and prosperity of Iowa
and the entire West. .aa ma