Washington telegraph., 1851-03-26

How THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL WAS Dr.

How THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL WAS De-
FKArED.-The Washington Republic has the fol-
| owiag remaks upon the mode which the
| Democracy anI Disunionis,s contrved to defeat
the most important tn at had been brough.
| before Congress, during the late Congress.
| At the-iin,e the Republics article was written,
the bill had not been defeated by the tricks of the
| minority. That fact is now of record-the bill is
dead, for another time at least, and multitudes
of lives, and much treasure will be lost before
new Congress can digest and pass bill for The
improvement oi the rivers and harbors.
Says the Republic:
AT the hour leleven oclock) when we COM
meuce the writing Of this paragraph, the Senate
OF the United States is the theatre of one Of the
most extraordinary scenes ever exhibited in Il leg
| islatye body
Mr.. Clemens, Of Alabama us engaged in reading
from copy Of the Congressional Globe speech
O message, nobody can tell which for the ayowed
purpose Of occupying the time Of the Senate, with
the view OF defeating the River and Harbor bill
1t is well ascerlained that the bill will pass by
considerable majority, If the mnority will suffer
the Senate to come to e vote. For an hour Mr.
Clemens has been thus abusing the patience Of the
Senate. -fr
I Mr.. Soule, of louisiana set him the example
by calling upon the clerk to read long report that
had been made in regard to improving the mouth
of the Mississippi, till this wicked waste of the
public time arrested by vote of the Senate
to dispense with its further reading.
On mcving to take up this b at the opening
of the days session, MIR. Clay distinctly stated
that if the minority would avow the determination
to defeat the bill at all hazards by the interposton
of parliamentary delays, he would move to lay it
npol the table and proceed at once to other busi-
ness The offer emphaticay made. but no
vepured TO accept it. No man in the Senate
dared TO make the declaration othe country that
he would avail himself Of these parliamentary
contrivances to DEFEAT THE WILL or TIE MAJORITY.
No man calling himself Democrat dared, at
that time ito put himself on the record with such
avowa, and to take upon himself the respensi-
bllity OF thus defeating measure imperotIvey
called for by an immense majority OF the American
people. But as the excitements of the struggle
developed combatant proPensities, towards eight
O'Clock ia the evening the purpose of the minority
was avowed, and it appeared that there was u
combustion among certain individuals to prevent
the passage of the appropriation bills unless they
could have their own way with the River and
HarbOr bill. BY this time the issue had been
made up, shall the MINORITY the MAJORITY governi
it was clear by this time, by numerous votes that
had been taken during the day, that there would
by large majority in favor of The bill; but the
doctrine of new light Democracy is, that the min
ority ought to govern by trick, iadirection, con-
trivance- by speaking against tne, by reading
long reports and messages to which nobody listens
If they can thereby defeat the will OF the ma
jory. The west and northwest have been over
slaughed and deprived of the legislation for which
they have SO longed called, and cal ed in VAIN by
combination Of the .Disunionsts and Secessionsts
with the T-sptling abslraclicnsts OF the De-
mocracy.
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