The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-21

! necessary Ia remove The obstrueiioDs
Mr. CLEMENS They gave The State 800 600 acres
Of land. aud they spent il ali upon The Muscle Shoals
canal
Mr.. ATCHIsoN In what the obsuue-
Mr. CLEMENS. By dredging and building dam be-
low.
MIR CLEMENS, II was left to the State Legislature
and the State Legislature wasted The money.
Mr.. ATCHlSON. Then, sir. We are under no debt 10
Mr. CLEMENS. We do not claim il for the State Of
Mr. ATCHIsoN. We have appropriated 500, 900
Of land for this very purpose. and they wasted it,
Then the United States are under not The least shadow
OF an obligation
Mr.. CLEMENS. The senator does not understand
me. dollar was never appropriated by The United
States for this purpose Five hundred thousand acres
appropriated to the Improvement Of the Tennessee
river, and they applied it all to the Muscle shoals and
dollar OF ii spent upon this portion of the river
IL was under the direction OF the State OF Alabama, aud
II was all applied 10 the Muscle shoals. This appIoprl.
alton applies much TO Tennessee to Alabama There
about seventy miles of it in Tennessee. and about
forty in Alabama.
Mr. ATCHlSoN Then it is altogether indefinite
again. We have no information upon the subject upon
which any deliberauve body could act.
Mr.. BELL hold an authority IN my hand which
shows that the senator from Missouri and from Michigan
both altogether mistaken III regard 10 Tennessee
hold in my hand the report oil Col Long, in lS43, IN
which he states that these improvements can be made,
and al a moderate expense There are no estimates IN
this report; but he states in this report that he had pre-
vousy made detailed report with regard to the mode OF
improving This very part OF The river Indicated by The
a1os from Aa0a%s including The whole yer above the
there al one hme and that was the occasion OF the re
port He says:
"No Of West affords greater facilities for
boat navigation durug all ordinary Stages oil tho water
than The Tenne ssee."
He goes to state that above the Muscle shoals, in
Guiding the portion 10 which II Is proposed 10 give this
whole appropriations can notony be improved but ne goes
on 10 give specific description OF the improvements
CURED at various points knew that could not be mis-
taken in saying that this river had been surveyed per-
haps not mlnutely-and do not know the precise es-
mates-but upon such plan TO show what
CURED 10 be done
Mr. CASS That very fact is a material one in the
case and the plan should 20 before The department
der TO enable TO egsate properly upon their estimate
Mr.. BELL. We are not the judges OF that Ii should
be lett, think, TO the engineers
Mr.. CASS, But in all cases estimate to us
from department before make the appropriation.
Mr.. CLEMENS. have only one thing TO say about
this that there is not solitary river in the bill which
does no, stand upon precisely the same footing should
like to know what the senator from Missouri means by
the harbor of ST. Louis" Was the Mississippi river
ever surveyed above The RAPIDS below them, anywhere
else
| Mr. ATCHISON. That is not matter now in ques-
ton. lLaughteJ have not committed myself to vote
for the appropriation OF $4,000 for the habor at 81
Louis am not TO be bought TO vote tor bill like this
Tor i've times 500 ooo
Mr. CLEMENS. hope the senator does not mean 10
intimate that a, my vote i bought In any way
MI. AICHlSON. Not al all.
| The question being then taken upon the amendment,
resuted--yeas 49, aays 3l-as follows
| YEAS-M-ssrs Achison, Bradbury, Bright Cass, Da
yis, OF Mississippi Dawson, Dickinson, Dodge OF Iowa
son, Morton, Norris. Rhelt, soue, Surgeon, Whltcomb
I NAYS-Messss Baldwin Bell, Beuien, Bor,and. Chase
Clarke, Clay, Clemens, Cooper, Davis Of Massachuseit
DSyion, Douglas, Ewing Greene, Jones, Mangum Miller
and Waiks,"si l' ''"F'' '"0'"O" 'p"''" ''S''
So the amendment rejected.
Mr.. DAVIS, of Mississippi, moved to amend by slrk
ing out the ss,h and s9th lines as follows:
For improvement of The harbor a, ST Louis on the
Mississippi rveI S3o,oVO
| MIR ID said In making this motion, MIR President
move TO strike out an item IN this appropriation bill in thai
section OF the country with which am, by location BY
election aud by permanent identification, connected
Towards The people of ST Louis, western man, be-
longing 10 the Mississippi valley who has known
the town for something like quarter OF a century, can
have no other than the kindes feelings My PROPOSE.
ton 10 strike out IS based upon principle. think that
II some great event were to to The history
the country TO the present moment-by creating dark
age If you please, of five huadred yeasif those
who come after Us should take up this bill, knowing
nothing Of our past history, they would suppose that
there bad been some great change IN the geological
formation OF our country Some speculative geologrs OF
those days. in reading this BILL would no doubt believe
that the sea had stretched up from the Gulf the town
OF ST. Louis and be would suppose that the channel
connecting the town OF st. LOUIS TO the had been
iomed by the deposes OF the river above, until at last
It had pushed its way below New Orleans "The har-
Dor OF st Louis (" Who that knows that river can I'M
ders,and what is meant by the babor OF ST Louis
Why sir, at every wood yard there harbor II there
be harbor at ST. Louis. All along the river, wherever
the boats can lani there is harbor Shall the govern
nent be called upon 10 bar om the barbor of
81 LOUIS because It is wealthy and POWERFUL These
are poor reasons IN a government like ours Ii only
shows the ability OF the town 10 remove the bar itself
Why not 90 10 the front OF individuals plantation,
where there IS landing, 10 some poor village and
there remove the bar that obsiructs the landing They
might claim the assistance OF the government with
greater propney than this popuous town. There 10
reason for IT The formation OF bar changes the loca-
ton OF the best sites the landing. Those who have
been far.seeing and who have been sufficiently
detps sighted 10 purchase property with view 10 its be-
ing enriched by this deposite ought TO be allowed 10
pfoht by It, The government ought not 10 be
called upon TO lnierpose TO the bar formed by
natural IN order TO the advantages once
attached TO certain locations 10 the of those oca
tons. think This amendment is fair OF the prin-
ciple OF the bill
Mr. HAMLlN | only desire 10 say that in looking at
this bill, regarded this OF the most meuorous
works in IL would vote Tor it'll separate bill, and
shall vote for II in this bill.
Nr FOOTE consider that the Senate has settled the
principle OF present, action, although very much OPP
position TO my views, already declared To be consistent
with myself and with what have said in former stage
OF tn. debate, will declare again the Senate that
they having settled the principle OF the bill shall with.
out committing myself to the ultimate vote upon the
whole measure, and as think the great West has not
bad its iuI share shall retaining this IN the
bill, and shall very soon-whenever get the floor
move 10 increase other appropriations, such Tor the
seem TO be demonstrated to be emnenty national in their
character.
Mr. PEARCE. The senator from Maine TMr Ham
LIN has told that he considers this work as merto.
and he would for it, whetber or out of this
bill Now, shall be very glad TO be informed what is
no | 10 IN he