Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-03-22

The abstract is prepared from the official pape and the
course Of both branches must be judged by them. n
Now sir, would not have supposed for monent that
in any these remarks intend TO cast the slightest
upon the Colonel Of the Typographical Corps. Ilnow him
WELL and intelligent, able or faithful oic this Gov
eminent has not in its service say OF him wh know OF
him. His report TO committee hastily prepared and
consiss not of his original vews but OF comments in
some measure upon theirs guide them in their actions
Of which they had assumed the responsibility But this
exposition necessary TO show the tendency Sf this
system which the natural order of hne by taking
possession Of the object first and seeking reason for it after
wards And the chairman of the committee whom have
known from bis youth, and known only respect and
teem and who has hereditary claim to my regard the
of one of my valued friends possessing the noble a
bues Of American statesman, had difficult and laboious
task recommending these appropriations, after they had
been suspended for seven years. and when the for
their introduction greater than it was and the
facts difficult to obtain. Difficulties, under such cir
cumstances, not only to be anticipated but
ayoidabe.
The reported circumstances attending the introduction Of
Of these objects into the bill worthy OF consdera-
ton sscer,anng the Of its progress and
Two Of them for the improvementof the Tennessee and
the Illinois rivers the former of the great Of
country watering extensive region, and the latter
now very important OF commercial intercourse,
and from its position destined lopg to rival the Hudson
itself in value of intercourse almost equally
liable the East and the West Well sir, when and
how did these objects get into the bill Il has been said
here that upon the Of It's passage, and when,
have heard stated it could not pass without calling for adj
diona add which obtained by the Introduction of these
and some six seven other kindred objects.
s, are nOs proper in th,.s es, whSa brough, forward
proper way and with the checks the necessary
time for examination. Those questions be decided
when they up. Neither dol intimate that those who
urged them satisfied of their just claims improve
ment.
But what do object most strsnuousy is thai should
be called to pass them under these circumstances of total
Ignorance and thus introduce system which will PROSTATE
every barrier sgans improper expenditures, and will lead 10
mode Of legislation whose consequences, invoking such
vast variety Of pressing local interests too obvus to need
any severe investigation Who asked for these objects
or for the increase Of the old ones Where the petit
toners Who surveyed these rivers Where re the
veys! Who estimated for them Where thsestimates
The amendment have already made to the Tennessee ap
preparation shows the deficiency Of all nforma
tion upon this subject In the bill, it STOOD he
was to be expended upon any part of the Tennessee river
We have confined il to very small portion, upon conflicting
representations made here, without the sight of single do
cument showing the true character Of the Object the
ture Of the work, in whole in part The Wat Department
has not asked for these appropriations We have not
word from it in relation to them. We have passed by all the
usual sources Of nformaon and all the checks to
hasy and improper legislation, and find $4,000
S4O0 600 indeed, including all the items liable those OBJ
jecons for commencement and leading to countless mil
lions may be- before the works thus begun completed
Now sir cannot sanction this dangerous system and am
not willing, for one introduce it, leaving Congress- des
bility
Mr.. EWING. have but few words to say, and re-
greet take up the time of the Senate say what little
deem necessary sorry hear opinions urged by
Senators from the West contrary, think to sound prn
cpes OF political law, and certainly greatly at war with the
interests OF the Western country deduced as suppose
from view Of the subject very natural U.S. but at the same
time not correct in principle.
Mr. President, derive notions, commercia
tons especially, from the country from which derive
most of aws-an insuar country The general principle
that there applies to rivers and harbors admiralty usdc
ton is sufficiently well adapted island but not agrea
continent Admiralty jurisdiction in England extendl only
far the tide GIBBS and flows and that only in three rivers
which called royal rive-Ae Thames, the Sese and
the Humber. They have other rivers that navgabe,
the extent Of the tide, and these rivers fact
navgabe further than the tide GIBBS and flows THERE'S
the whole secret of the limitation Of national usdctonto the
flowing and ebbng Of the tide Nothing Of the kind appes
to the Mediterranean. The Roman law, with is by nheri.
lance the law of continental Europe, could have such
limitation, because there is in effect tide the Medera
nean which the they chiefly navigated It applies
merely England and its dadent islands, and nowhere else
Some of politicians have adopted and in the habit
of thinking, without knowing why that thu United States
cannot improve the navigation of river harbor unless it
be where the tide GIBBS and flows. Others opinion that
you improve far salt water extends but further
In England and in the United States this is nearly
with the tide. Not in Europe, for the Mediterranean,
which has pecepble tide, is very salt But
you 60 to the Black sea- which is about one-thd large
the Mediterranean ITSELF there is salt water tide
The same the with great lakes, all Of them together
not covering is true much space the Black but
aording vastly larger extent of Notwithstanding much
more coast Now for every sensible and practical purpose
wholly unimpoan whether the tide Gibbs and flows not
and whether you have salt fresh Practically 1t
question Of you have navigation
and whether that navgabe water you have commerce
with foreign nations between the States which Congress
has power to regulate and is ALL Our lakes
just much entitled to improvement they much nav
gable, hold intercourse upon them just their waters
salt, and the tide ebbed and flowed upon them.
And there is the improving the harbors
the lakes that there for improving the harbor upon the
ocean, can find ground Of distinction whatever between
them and there surely none when look at this matter in
sound and practical point of view, forgetting previous
notons derived from island totally dssima in character
from the country which inhabit.
Then, when you to gea, Western rivers, what
are they What the Mississippi river but great inland
sea- with two instead of one What s the difference
between that and the Atlantic ocean, far as navigation is
concerned except that have lines Of coast instead OF
single line That all the difference and the Improvement
Of the chanel of that river navgable of that river Is
just in principle the improvement Of the harbor OF an
extended ocean Them connected with the Msssspp there
very large rivers Of great length many Of them recog-
missed by the ordinance Of 1857 navgabe, needing i'm
provemen true, but with the aid Of improvement
safely and for great distance navgabe in fact The Ten
nessee rver-the appropriation for which, in the estimation
OF some gentlemen, s supposed to make this bill unconstu-
tonas one among the mos. important Of these continents
and is practically Of whether it flows through
one two three States It branch Of the Ohio river,
which branch Of the Msssspp and the three rivers
connected together make the outlet Of great extent OF coun
try. Now, 1t is admitted there may be improvement in the
Hudson river to Albany It is constitutional and right that
we should improve that And why The tide ebbs and
flows in il, and it opens into the Indeed L. bes-
k-k.s a. - -. . g.