The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-20

which are national and thoss which national
il is most obvious that there portions OF this bill
which are anything but national in their character and
may that conceive that thus proposition 10 improve
the Tennessee river is OF the latter description would
like exceedingly the Tennessee river improved, al
said many years ago. when FIVE hundred thousand
OF the public land bestowed upon the State oil Ala
Dama for the purpose OF the improvement OF that stream
not because looked upon hat nver as national river
but because knew IL to be quite important TO The people
who nhabt the neg hborhood the section OF country
in which resided my sell al that time. Sir, the disn-
gulshed gentleman who formerly sat here-ihe former
senator from New York-whom my honorable friend
from Michigan quoted being one OF those who had
most decidedly favored the great OF national IN
lernal Improvement speak now OF Mr.. Wright-at
least FAR he referred TO- not misguided Ev
eryhing that was said in relation TO him properly and
Justly SAID But my friend from Michigan forgot to state
OF he did not deem II important 10 state, that this dstn
gushed statesman OF New York, when called upon fof
his views IN regard 10 the general subject OF internal I'M
provement by letter written TO hun by comm'lee
appointed 10 invite gentlemen, including Inc senator
from Michigan, attend the Chicago convention, ior tue
purpose OF taking this whole subject into consideration
in letter which he ado ressed TO that committee IN eloy
to the invitation stated emphaicalIy that his own mind
a condition OF painful doubt win REGARD 10 me
powers of this government in relation to the whole SUD
iect OF internal Improvement and ne expressed WISH
Joining hlm-a wish in which almost every Intelligent
coadiutor of his in this country, not mbued win the
true spirit of federal consolidation, must more or less
join him-to wit that the constitution OF the United
States mig hi be speedily amended as TO remove the
doubt upon this subject giving TO the government such
III
Improvement OF national character, and restricting the
government with regard to other measures not OF
national character
Sir il the views contained ia that short letter
carried into effect by the present time doubt not that
this particular would be greatly modified and that
certain features of the bill would be stricken without
hesitation by those who heremany of whom, al the
present tme inclined 10 sanction the whole bill
Now, regard to the Tennessee river after these
general remarks wish to cite authority was rather
national stream, but still little inclined to vote in favor
OF this proposition
In conversng with the two senators representing the
State OF Alabama upon the floor of this Senate, believe
that may be permitted 10 say that felt satisfied that,
although the Tennessee river was, | have said,
very respectable inland stream very important IN many
respects, IT was not precisely such stream would au
thorze to vote for it, if mindful Of those principles in
with which democrats at least have been in
the habit OF regulating their action upon internal improve
ments. Thus instructed by those who most know the ge
ography OF the States which they represent here, feel
bound to follow their lead in striking out the Tennessee
from this BILL and OF so, all other rivers no, IN
more favorable circumstances than that particular stream
Mr. UNDERWOOD. | rise 10 make few remarks
upon this word estimate believe in a congressional
sense there two OF estimates. One OF them is
the estimate which the department makes OF the amount
OF money which 10 be expended before the next
sion OF Congress and the other is estimate OF the
entire cost OF thing which has been or Is TO be done
Sir, have had some curious matters Transporting here
before with regard 10 those estimates We have had
estimates applicable to my friends section OF tho
try; we have had estimates about custom houses II
not rivers; and have had estimates OF the rst de
gree TO the amount that the department would ex
pend, beginning perhaps with fifty thousand, and going
on from fifty thousand up 10 a hundred thousand dol
lars, until custom-house originally estimated for IN
the latter at three hundred thousand dollars has
cost nearly million, as can appeal TO the gentleman
sitting to my left Mr.. DAvIsl to state know good
deal about these estimates, they are called; and IN
application 10 that class OF objects, know that they are
not worth the cracking OF my finger Your estimate OF
the original cost OF the building IS nothing; you al
ways 90 beyond il. Your estimate Of what can be
pended year after year with 10 the depart
men is nothing, because IT constitutes no limitation OF
your expenditures Now, sir, TO talk about. limitation
upon these western rivers perhaps OF all things in this
world the useless Considering estimate In-ihe
latter OF the have explained IT. TO What
the Improvement of the Mississippi in taking out snags
will costa work that is to continue long as there Is
forest upon the bank of that stream, producing timber
large enough 10 constitute snag-who can produce
estimate OF that so What is the amount OF money that
you conveniently expend in working upon that
river? II you appropriate hundred millions oil dollars and
it canno, be conveniently expended, ii will do no harm
Il will remain IN the treasury dollar OF will not
be taken out II is still there. The only thing that you
have to regard in making appropriation upon sub
ec OF this sort is that you do not appropriate large
sum that its abstraction from the treasury OF the coua-
try will operate demen,ay TO the public service That
is the only limitation subject OF this sort have
made these remarks because thought they appl-
cable 10 my friends notion with has inilmation that he
intended 10 strike out OF this bill everything for which
the no estimates.
Mr. President, allow 10 say that do not intend 10
enter upon the constitutional argument-not l. sys-
tenn which has been operation from the
OF the government down to the present day. beginning
with the founders OF the institutions under which we
ye and reiterated year alter year, NJ not alter age
II that cannot be regarded settled at this day, nothing
can be regarded settled believe that the unsettled
OF public opinion in regard to political questions is notor
Gus IN the mouths OF political individuals OF the country
Nothing to be settled. l. Tor one, act upon pre-
cedcnt, to very great extent believe the first act
passed after came into Congress was the act oil 1887
and remember that then, upon the motion oil gentleman
standing high in his party-General Mckay, Of North
Carona-an appropriation put into that bill Tor i'm
proving the channel Of little river of North Carolina,
called New river When il mentioned at the time,
my geographical knowledge did not extend TO the precise
location OF the stream. got map recollect, upon that
occasion, and hunted up New riyer, and found II TO
be tte stream in North Carolina, about twenty five
thirty miles long And yet, SIR in 1897, approprla
ton, upon democratic motion, was made 10 improve
that little Upon that occasion contras,ed that
little North Carolina river with the rivers upon which
lived and the mighty waters oil the West II had time,
would go into the whole subject from the beginning.
Several SENATORS. Go on there Is plenty OF time.
MIR UNDERWOOD No, sir; there il plenty OF
time-tme enough for the enemies OF the bill, but
for its friends. That Is the reason | do not make a
speech. II had Time | would like. 10 90 into u from
the beginning, aud contrast sentiments and opinions
which have prevailed al various times. would like to
address myself TO the distinguished senator have IN my
eye and prove to him, think TO demonstration, that,
you can make internal improvements Tor the purpose OF
beuehtng foreign commerce, according 10 the argument
which we have heard from him. you equally do IT
To benefit internal commemorative commerce between
the States-domestic commerce. can find IN my read
ing OF the constitution difference between foreign and
domestic commerce bat will not GO into this subject
done, from speeches heretofore delivered, that would
weeks and months, instead OF the few days lett
OF this session give il up, after having made for the
benefit of my friend the way Mr. Hanrs,l these