The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-18
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERnED DEBATE.
SATURDAY, MARCH /, 1851.
IN CoHTIsUATIoN.

/ 4.
ton before the Senate do not think il would be a
proper occasion 10 go into discussion of the general
merits Of the bill but. iDasmuch other senators have
taken up the general features oi the bill, aud indicated
their upon the policy desire 10 say very lew
words upon the same subject will, however. oe-
cupy but short time and will restrict myself within as
In the first place. must make some allusion To
mark OF the honorable from Mississippi lS1r,
FoorE] on the subject OF responsibility That senator
has, this OCCASION alluded in very marked terms 10
the responsibility to which senator's upon this iloor Will
be held for the they pursue in regard TO this
bill Mr. President do not profess to be boider IN thai
respect than other peoples but avow myself ready to
take my part OF the responsibility owe thai response
bility 10 none but my constituents To them alone shall
give account for what do here, and hold myself
amenabe 10 their censare appreciation, hold 10 be
wrong and unparamentary Tor one senator TO get up
here and threaten others with The responsibility which
will attach to their acts in this body Let each take
care OF himself | concur with what the senator from
New York [Mr DIcKINsoN] said on memorable occa-
sion, that ri any senator here, after settling win ms
constituents, has any surplus capital lett aud have
occasion to need it. VIII call upon hun 10 aid me IN
settling my accounts with nine"
There is another consideration | wish TO suggest.
know il has been said, and perhaps will be said again.
that upon this question there will be strange associations
and that combnatons-or, 10 use very popular term
about sime and Tor some time past be
made which will bring senator's Of very opposite OPINIONS
TO act together. Very well il there be any accountable
y Tor that, do no, know that those combinations, or
those COMPROMISES OF opposing interests and opposite
views VIII involve much higher degree OF responsible
~, present Temark able aspect 10 the country
than what we have witnessed within twelve months on
this floor One occupy ing 80 humble position as do
here must necessarily, in the view OF the county, be
considered more less the follower OF more distinguish
Ell senators who take leading part in the discussion and
advocacy OF measures before the Senate and if, IN that
view, shall be set down and recognised as a follower
of those who have been leaders OF political party to
which have not belonged and in opposition TO which
large portion of my life has been deyoed, cannot help
lit do not hold it TO be proper rule OF egsauon or OF
human conduct 10 govern ones by what another
chooses to do. look to the subject before me with the
best light that afforded upon and consult my
sense OF duty regard TO supporting It and IT others
who differ with other subjects choose 10 go IN the
same direction, either before behind this, am
perfectly wiling and very glad believing The
itself to be right, to have Their aid in passage And
say 10 those who may choose to aIraisn me aud my
vote Tor consideration OF this soi that they may IN
very little while find themselves similar predlcaneh
in regard TO their special orders and ha there may be
separation between Them and those who have been accus
| toned IN past years to follow.
But regard 10 the itself, II has been said
that violates great principle. is very easy to
say SO. but very difficult. apprehend, 10 show it,. AS
have SAID former occasion, claim 10 be sric,
strucohist ul The constitution. clam that this 60
vernmeht can exercise no power not conferred upon US
by the constitution. hold that this BILL it's leading
features requires the exercise OF no power not conferred
by the constitution. But there no-tiDe now To
INTO the argument upon that subject shall leave with
this general declaration that the great leader OF the
democratic party which belong has been recog-
nsed the leader par tIeetienos, who quoted on all
the great leader and whose and whose
views have been invoked TO justify legislation, including
and strongest terms improvements upon harboss and
rivers not particle national than the leading ones
in thus bill speak, OF course of General sckson His
authority may be invoked If il be worth nythng upon
this subjeet-and am sure have heard it invoked in
terms OF deepest respect and prooundest veneraion by
many members OF this bodyfor the leading measures in
this bill. #. .~ H1#
But there is also another distinguished leader OF the
same payOne who has been held up the great strict
consruclonist of the naon-l aude 10 the late disn-
| guished senator from South Carolina, tMr Calhoun y
aul hat In latd iarlr
very large maorlty-nine enths, II moi nineteen wen.
ueths-o the appropriations IN this bill And think
Will contradict that .eftlon. admit that there
some appropriations in the bill which do not like and
which think should not be there and upon proposition
to snke them out shall vote in the Affirmative, deem
that TO be my duty But since that effort has been made
and we lind we cannot succeed in getting rid OF these
small items which Objectionable, will not give my
vote TO sacrhce all The great interests for which the bill
provides, merely because am compelled 10 take little
evil with them will do my best to get clear OF every
objectionable feature in the bill but II fail in that,
shall tax. the lite evil with the great amount OF good
and feel that have discharged my duty faithfully in
doing so
asked The senator from Maine [Mr HAMlIsl little
while ago u he could tell IN the long enumeration OF
appropriations which he gave us, reaching back from
where near the 1880 and extending down TO the pres
ent ume what proportion had been gwen to the West
and he cond not tell Without undertaking 10 state
wth any degree oil posuyeness what he precise proper
ton has bsen do not hesitate express the opinion
That, NJ 10 the present lime, the amount OF appropriations
gwen 10 that part OF the country ing west Of the ALE.
Ndif} ui lne mssisspp mol
borne the proportion OF dollar ~ teD-ii has
dollar IN bundled even-to The whole expended pr
improvements IN the United States. II has ALL nearly
all, been gwen 10 the Atlantic coast Appropriations
have been voted from 10 from the OF
the governments and as matter Of course they have all
gone TO the Atlantic coast 10 The almost entire exclusion
Of the great West No one will contfoverl that Who
ever objects when bill comes forward to make appro-
puatoDs Tor expenditures on the Atlantic coast do
not think ever heard OF the West being mentioned in
connexon with these blls until the proposition came
10 add certain appropriations for western improvements
All those break waters, walls, and yhing
OF that character along The shores Of the Atlantic, has
come IN AS regular estimates and, matter OF course
much so that has become habit OF The government to
make appropriations for them. Now, | cannot see that
there Is any reason for IL. can well unde rsand how it
began. Al The lime these Improvements begun on
The Atlantic Coast, and the doctrine laid down that
ap opriaons OF this character should only be made for
national except thai coast We had West when the
policy OF internal improvements commenced. The whole
idea o The country regard 10 national objects Mas
hned 10 The Atlantic and to salt and that principle
in regard TO improvements Of national character having
been adopted and The practice grown up under IT. the
pubc mind DID not seem to have been prepared to travel
wes as our population has done towards the world
beyond the mountains. Ii is time the county had walked
up to sense oil The subject, II is time that senators east
OF The mountains rad got to believe that only have
existence over there, but that have rights based as
firmly upon The constitution any that they have claim
ed 10 exercise in their behalf The senator from Ken
lucky has well said 'tbe West will wait no longer but
II this not given to them freely. have il they wis That
believe to be glowng sentiment al the West II s
sentiment which have felt, and which J. know my peo.
pe feel and am ready 10 unite with the whole West for
the purpose OF demanding, if they cannot get them on
any other terms Their rights this matter In comparing
The r,lahve iDtsess and mpor ance OF the Two great
s,ff fha