The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-07-03

where he speaks with much doubt either as TO the work
itself the amount proposed prs'4ning instead Q, ss'
mating we'll where be considers preliminary sur
yeys necessary Ii does not appear that his remarks
eau sed the slightest change But nothing can place IN
striking light the dangerous tendency Oh this pro,
cedure than some OF the observations made upon the bill
by the chief of the corps.
He states that there three OF the objects OF which
he knows nothing.
OF one that the precise plan and objects unknown,
but that the amount 100000, is probably adequate for
OF another, that the department is not aware of The
plan or authority, but that the amount in the bill S3o0oo
is adequate TO the accomplishment OF much work. ana
would do it well
OF another that as a question of harbor improvement
il is unknown Still the appropriation, $4,000 is care
fully preserved. n,
In another 1000 appropriated for work, though
the bureau contemplated the next session to present
connected SYSTEM and regularly digesled plan. NC
OF another, that # the Work is as formerly contemplated
(showing how vaguely the matter is lett the amount
1913 900, adequate, but that most careful preliminary
examination should be made before any other work is
commenced. -.
or another that presuming (whence the presumption
comes is not stately this TO be in continuation OF
former works. the amount, $4,000, Is sufficient for the
OF another, that the bureau is not informed on the
subject The plans and estimates, whatever they may
be- not the result OF operations there Notwithstanding
the appropriation, 10000, is yet in the bill
OF another, that the surveys are an essential to any
preliminary measure.
| 1880.
| But the most dangerous innovation upon our system
remains yet to be noticed There are nine objects apprG
prated for in this bill Tor which we have not single
word from the War Department.
The amount of the work to be thus provided for,
without the shadow of authority or responsibility, with
out surveys, plans, estimates, and without the least
knowledge OF their true condition, SO far as we know
is $3s5,O00
ter than The reference of the chief engineer lines l42
l44 las, $780, applied TO the bill before This bill came
10 us from the House, and with it have the remarks
of the chief engineer, with which have been com
pairing it, He refers the objects of the bill by the
Der OF lines. and among these are the following;
The OF the Ohio river above the falls at Lou
The improvement of the Mississippi river below
the rapids, the Ohio below the falls at Louisville.
and The Missouri and Arkansas rivers 900
each h VIZ '' IOOOO
The improvement of the Red river $4,000
Now, sir, who would dare TO conjecture that two
OF the important objects IN these lines-he Improvement
OF the Tennessee and OF the nos-were not there when
the engineer made his report and TO which, of COURSE lie
had not the slightest reference'
And yet is The report was made in reference 10
the first bill of the House. for which that before
substituted and thus the engineer appears to sanction
what he had not SEEM and to speak OF two OF the works
those for the Improvement OF the Tennessee and OF the
lnos-'as old and Uel-knoion subjects" though not
dollar had been expended upon either under The au-
thority of the general government And WELL therefore,
may the senator from Ohio Mr. CHAsEl have corrected
what he supposed eIo when 1t was said that these
two objects had not been sanctioned by The department
He turned TO this par, of the report in support OF his
views but, after alt, he wrong. And yet, with all
these proofs and sources Of error required push
this bill through unchanged and instantly.
1.-THE above abstract was hastily prepared, and It's cal
culalions may not be accurate, though they are enough
for the support OF the general conclusions Mr. CAss
has been told since the session that there was mass OF
papers before the Committee Commerce oil the House.
and reported back their clerk where they yet remain,
unknown to the Senate or single member OF IT. Not
the most distant auson made to them, and, what
action OF the Senate or Of the House The abstract is
prepared from the official papers, and the course oil both
branches must be Judged by them
ri suDDOspd
that in any OF these remarks intend to cast the slightest
censure upon the colonel of the typographical corps
ohcer Tins government has not IN It's service say oil
him what | know of him. His report to the committee
was hastily prepared and consists not OF his own original
views but OF comments IN some measure upon theirs, 10
guide them in their actions in cases OF which they had
assumed the responsibility. But this exposition
cessary to show the tendency OF this new SYSTEM which
the natural order Of things by taking
OF the object FIRST and seeking reason for II afterwards
And the chairman OF the committee, whom have
esteem, and who has hereditary claim TO my regard as
the of of my most va ued friends, possessing the
nobest attributes Of American statesman. had din
cult and aborous task in Recommending these appropr
atoms after they had been suspended for seven years,
and when the pressure for their Introduction greater
than II was, and the true facts more difficult to OBJ
tain Difficulties, under such circumstances, were not
only to be anticipated but were unavoidable.
The reported circumstances attending the INTRODUCTION
OF OF these objects into the bill are worthy oil con-
sderaon as a.certaning the OF its progress and
success Two of them are for the improvement OF the
/
of the great streams of country, watering most
extensive region, and the latter now very import
avenue of commercial intercourse, and from its posi-
ton destined long rival the Hudson itself IN value,
a OF intercourse, almost equally valuable to the
East and TO the West. Well, sir, when and how did
these objects get into the bii II has been said here
that il upon the OF It's passage and when as we
have heard stated, il could not pass without calling for
additional aid, which obtained by the introduction
of these and some six or seven other kindred objects.
Now, sir, do not mean to decide that these Items, or
any OF them, not proper IN themselves, when brought
forward proper way and with the usual checks and
the necessary time for examination Those are questens
TO be decided when they up. Neither do Intimate
that those who urged them were not satisfied OF their Just
claims to improvement
But what do object TO most strenuously IS that we
should be called 10 pass them under these circum-
stances of total ignorance, and t1us introduce system
which will PROSTATE every barrier against improper ex-
consequences, involving such vast variety OF pressing
local interests too obvious to need any severe inves
tig alton Who asked for these Objects for the
increase OF the old ones Where the pettionesp
Who surveyed these rversS Where are the surveys
Who estimated for ihemi Where are the esmates' The
amendment have already made 10 the Tennessee APP
preparation shows the utter deficiency OF all correct nfor-
nation upon this subject. In the bill as stood the
amount 10 be expended upon any part OF the Ten.
nessee river We have confined IT to very small por-
on upon conflicting representations made here without
the sight OF single document showing the true charac-
ter OF the object the of the work IN whole or IN
part The War Department has not asked for these ap-
preparations. We have not word from IT IN relation TO
Them We have passed by all the usual sources OF nior-
nation and all the usual checks to hasty and improper
n.n