The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-29
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERHED DEBATE.
MONDAY, MARCH ., 1851.
I'm CONTINUATION

|
SENATE.
RIVERS AND HARBoRs.
] Mr. ATCHlSON. | have voted for the last time to la
the bill upon the table, when proposed by gentlemen VIII
agree with me with regard TO the merits of the bill When
ever that motion shall from the friends of the BILL
VIII vote to lay upon the table. am willing sit her
until we shall be compelled to adjourn until gen
Mr.. CLEMENS. | have several amendments to propos
to this bill, which shall propose time during tn
evening. think it is necessary before propose an,
amendments, to which my remarks would be restricted,
say something in reply to remarks which have fallen from
the friends OF the bill We have been told that there
minority here who determined TO defeat the will of
majority. Now, sir, do not know where majority is
do not know whether there is jory for this bill
against IT, Certain y ls that the votes which have beer
taken here indication, because some have voted
against laying upon the table who have
their determination vote against unless s material,
amended and the friends of the bill have voted down ever,
amendment which is proposed. They have voted reaI
appropriations for places, when they did know where
the places located We have been told that sha
assume fearful responsibility before the country if by
resistance this BILL shall finally defeat the appropria
ton BILL Well, sir if there is any responsibility attach
to that species OF opposition have high authority for
sstng in it. The very member who reported this bill Mr.
DAVIS of Massachusetts, spoke out session. and pre-
vented legislation. What right has he complain if we
shall see tit 10 follow his example in similar instances
The very member who reported this bill and now its
est advocate upon this floor, himself pursued the very
course he now condemns in US, and in time of war
too, sir. So far the responsibility is concerned
am willing TO take my full share of it, II that responsibility
s rest me- upon the party which attached
am perfectly willing to take it. am willing to 90 before
the country with thar responsibility. But do not choose
at the time that facts shall be distorted or misepre-
sened here. do choose that shall go before the
country upon false ISSUE that false facts shall be stated
1t is known to every member of the Senate that if these
appropriations defeated it done by those who have
sisted in the passage of this bill in opposition every other
measure of beneficial legislation. They had full and sui-
cent warning They were told at the very they
took up this bill that that would be the practca result of it,
They have had warning again and again They that
nearly one-haf of this Senate in any opposed to
the passage of this bill and they knew that that half of
Senate would resort TO any means in their power defeat
ts passage We told them that occupied ground which
compelled us TO do It, Our objections to the bill
tutonal. We cannot, so long protected by the
rules of the Senate consent TO abandon the position
have taken, without consenng TO what believe be
violation of the constitution. So far concerned
meant to defeat from the beginning mean defeat
now by any means which the rules place in my power
hold myself not only justified in doing SO, but that my duty
demands that shalt do so for by consentng whdraw
opposition consent to the passage of unconstitutional
BILL at least, one which believe be unconstitutional
and whether 1t be not the guilt my part is the
because, believing 1t TO be so, my pas
sage duplicates me IN the passage Of such bill The
friends of the bill knew the weapons put into our hands
They knew that if this bill taken up and pressed in
opposition to other measures, the consequence would be
that the legislation of the country would be stopped.
The senator from Kentucky INDUCED in a complaint
about the consumption of time. ask him, and ask the
Senate-and do it with perfect respect--who has con-
sumed of the of the Senate from the beginning 10
the present Has IL been consumed by those upon this
upon that side of the chamber So far am concerned
individually, have made but speech during the en-
session. and that believe did not exceed thirty minutes in
length. have consumed part of the time The friends
of the have delayed to this time. They did not
bring 1t up when could consider 1t fairly. Now we
have II forced upon u.s. and Of course must TO
such means we have TO defend ourselves. We have
heard in the discussion of this bill disclosures
upon the subject Of democracy. | shall presently to
strike out the Arkansas rver and shall call upon the
aor from Arkansas to tell me what portion of the Baltimore
platform, Jacksons messages, Cahoun's letter, he
rely upon sustain him IN asking appropriation the
Arkansas river II is little stream, rising up in the Indian
territory which, for about half its length has only water
enough float canoe and in the State Of Arkansas so
that squirrel could jump from
another Yet this national work 1t is national stream
is sustained and supported by the great national demo-
party and democrats called upon this
We told that Jackson, Polk, Calhoun, and
half dozen other leaders of the party times gone by
ssSs @ o5 .SS1 SS9 SS deny SIR WE
harbor there before IL is htte town upon the upper
Of the Mississippi How is that appropriation to be
justified upon any democratic pnncpei No one has
tempted TO justify 1t.
Before | conclude | will read what is the democratic
creed and, by way Of precudng the possibility Of any
ones moving to suspend the reading Of this paper win
read 1t my speech and give the reporters notice that
want 1t published as part OF my speech read-no
ter from what
"The circumstances under which this heavy expenditure
Of public money proposed of imposing weight in
determining upon its expediency. Congress had recog
nsed the existence of with Mexico and to prosecute
speedy and successful termnntion' had made appro
prations exceeding ordinary revenues To meet the
emergency and provide for the expenses the government
loan of tweny-three millions of dollars authorized
the SESSION. which has since been negotiated The
practical effect Of this bill had become law would have
been TO add the whole amount appropriated by the
national debt IL would fact have made necessary an
additional loan TO that amount efectualy If
had required the Secretary of the Treasury borrow the
money therein appropriated The question in tha,
aspects whether IL is wse while all the and credit
the government needed bring the existing
honorable close, TO impair the and endanger the
other by borrowing money to be expended in a system Of
internal improvements capable OF expansion sufficient
swallow up the not Only Of country but
of the civilized world IL be apprehendcd that by
entering upon such this moment confidence
home and abroad the wisdom and prudence of the gov
ernment would be so far impaired make il difficult
without immediate heavy ,sxatiou maintain
the public credit and TO preserve the honor OF the nation
and the glory of arms, prosecuting the existing
to a successful conclusion Had this bll become law ii
easy foresee that largely increased demands upon the
treasury would have been made each succeeding
of Congress for the Improvement Of other har
bors bays nets, and rivers Of equal importance with those
bly, have been added the necessary OF the
debt the annual interest which also have been
borrowed and finally permanent national debt been fasen
ed on the country and entaed on posterity
"The policy Of emborklng the federal government in
general system Of internal improvements had its origin but
little than twenty years ago. In very few years the
applications Congress for appropriations urherance
OF such objects exceeded hundred millions of dollars
In this alarming crisis President Jackson refused to APP
prove and sign the Maysve road bill, the Wabash river
b and other bills Of similar character His inerposon
put check upon the new policy of throwing the cost of
the Of the for their legitimate Objects by
which he enabled to eyngnIs the then existing public