Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-03-13
RIyERs AND HARBORs.
Remarks of Mr.. Fitch, Of Indiana,
n the Bouse of REPRESENTATIVE Fridny February

In the House Of Representatives. Friday, February IA
The House being in committee of the Whole, on the
state Of the Union, (Mr. Meade in the chair) on the
bill making appropriations for the improvement of rivers
and harbors-
Mr.. FITCH said:
Mr. CHAIRMAN: 1t is not my intention TO discuss the
details of this BILL but its mportanceis such as to render
giving silent vote. 1t is the principle IN
voved-the constitutional right to make appropriations
of this character-for which shall contend IL may not
be inappropriate first allegation CT the gen
eman last up Mr.. Morsel. He charged the friends Of
the bill with the manifestation OF wish to rush 1t
through Congress " with indecent haste" The gentle
be very oblivous Of facts when he INDUCES in
such language No such disposition has been. or is en-
terained by its friends. On the contrary, the bill was
reported during the last session, has been before the
House ever since and of easy access, not upon the
desk Of all members If gentlen have neglected TO
make themselves familiar with its details uslhin the
months during which it has been before us, who Is
hlameable the friends OF the bill, those who have
thus eglected inform themselves of the business OF
the House. and upon which they knew theywould be
qured act? So far from there having been any IN
decent haste" manifested by those who intend support
ing the bill they have given notice time after time for
months past during this session and the last OF their in
tenton to call it up the very first opportunity. And
they have made repeated attempts so to debut hither
o unsuccessiuly. Where the gentleman from Lou
isana. Mr. Morse, during all this time! My ankle
ty the which control my vote in favor of
the BILL is the be- Of there being certain
gentlemen side the House, VINO esteem Their
own judgment so nallibe in political matters that they
desire all others into support OF their views
To do this they evince disposition to array against
such of the democratic party support the bill charge
of abandonment of the principles of the party They
pay but poor compliment their honesty and in
egrity of purpose when, by using idle threats towards
others, they thereby tacitly admit the probability OF
themselves being Influenced by SUCH My democracy is
unquestoned and unquestionabe that of any men,
Der upon this floor; but shall square my political
action by that of sellconstituted mentor. Gentle
men NAV choose a Procrustean bed upon which TO
themselves, but they II they imagine / will
submit to be off because long, stretched out
because too Short that may be adapted to their STAN
dard.
The names Of eminent men, the earlier Presidents and
Others have been appealed to by the opponents oi the
bill 10 sustain the positions they assume The acts and
opinions of these eminent upon record and the
record shows that those sustaining the bill have by far
the greatest amount Of evidence afforded by such acts
aud opinions in their favor In 1889 the first Congress
under the Constitution Congress composed in part of
the very who had framed the CONSTITUTIONS passed
appropriatng out of the National Treasury the
necessary funds for the support maintenance, and
pairs of all light houses, beacons, buOys, and public
piers" at the entrance Of within any bay inlet.
harbo port of the United States for rendering the
navigation thereof and sale and placing all such
works under the superntende Of the President This
approved August Z, 1759 by General Washing
ton. 1t general act, embracing all the establish
ments then connected with our commerce. Our great
inland lakes and rivers scarcely known except by
They navigated by little other than the
canoe of the red man. Had the country been then
now, can any doubt that the provisions for
rendering the navigation thereof easy and saio"wOuld
have been extended those great inland channef And
who of the many opponents of the bill now before us
will dare question the knowledge and correct nerpreta
ton Of the Constitution by that Congress! Who VIII be
bold enough to charge Washington with aiding the Gen.
eral Government in surping rights its own, act
ing other than for the best interests o his
country! Mr. JeersOns opinions, though he was favor
able the principle, adverse 10 the constutonalty
appropriations rOGdS and canals but this
opinion cannot be fairly arayed against the bill under dis
enssiUn for provides for neither ''rOads nor canas"
Then, and for some time subsequently,, distinction
known made between appropriations for artificial
channels-roads and canais-and natural channels
lakes and rivers; being all classed in the category
and indeed national establishments for education incud-
ed with them all were by Mr.. Jefferson esteemed
constitutional And how could any other opinion of
such group be entertained, then cverf Now the
distinction is well defined and well understood. Mr..
Jefferson, however, practically cOnradlcted his cons
tutonal objection roads by approving and signing
bill appropriating money for laying out and making
tho Cumberland road and subsequently, confirmed this
contradiction by recommending a continuance of the
road west That roads and canals" were the special
Improvements he esteemed unconstitutional for the Gen
eral Government, fairly infer from his protest,
written for the Virginia Assembly, at much later pc.
riod, 1S25 and after lakes and rivers, by the in
Of population and the introduction of steam
boats, had acquired Importance national channels of
commerce. In that protest. " roads and canals" only
mentioned the internal Improvements by the Gen
Madison likewise favorobe the policy of internal
improvements but thought them unconstitutional. As,
however, he signed appropriations for harbor the latter
could not have been embraced among the works he thus
esteemed.
Mr.. Monroes earlier opinions conceded with Mr..
Madisons; but within the period during which he
tertaned such opinions he approved one (athough he
vetoed another) bill making appropriation for internal
improvements. His views subsequently changed,
and he ayowed his belief in the constitutional right
appropriate for works OF national character.
IacEx xvo< 1fnf al
grounds. to appropriations for works +" which not
national in their character and recommended Congress
TO refrain from prosecuting any except Improvements
already begun" He appears 10 have believed works on
the he national aad constitutional because
. the the inland State derives the
advantage from every necessary and prudent expend-
ture for the facility and security of our foreign COM
.uerce and navigation, that he does who resides in
maritime State A true propositions and is its
converse.
What citizen of a maritime State-what maritime
town is not interested in and benefited by facilities afford
ed great inland lake and river navigation! What
would New Oreansthe principal city the State rep
resented in part by the gentleman who has just spoken
against the bill Mr. DIorse]-what would that city be,
without the Mississippi and its trbutaresl What fall
ing OF would occur in the wealth and business of New
York, if great lakes could be navgated for the
want OF harbOrsl
A very considerable share of our foreign commerce is
dependent upon that of lakes and rivers General
Jacksons objections river and harbor bill were,
that IL made appropriations " for the improvement OF
streams that navgable that channels of
commerce. and that do not pertain to the harbors ports
oil entry designated by law have any ascerained
nection with the usual establishments for the security of
commerce, external INTERNAL" These objections
contain all the admissions any friend of rivers and
ban bors can DESIRE and together with his support of
such works did lose sight of the distinction be-
tween national and local character" would subject him
to the denunciaons which hurled at the sup
Porters OF tue bill before by certain Of its opponents
who exceed ali others OF their day and generation" in
political wisdom according TO their estimate They