The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-03-03


A very interesting discussion occurred in the
Senate on Saturday on the River and Harbor
bill. Mr.. CLAY led off in an animated speech
in favor of the bill. He alluded to the various
modes Of killing legislative measure, one of
which was by loading it with amendments at a
period OF the session when it would be difficult
to procure the action of both branches on the
amended bill. For this reason he was deter
mined to oppose all amendments in the present
instance 1t was so late in the session that there
was no reason to hope that the bill would escape
the casualties of legislation, or the restrictive
rules of the two Houses, if it should be
varied from its present shape. He thought it
not improbable that there were some details in
the bill which might be improved Imper-
lection was incident to all measures devised by
merely mortal wisdom; and if the question
were, whether they should take an imperfect
bill, or no bill at all, he was disposed to take
bill which even, in his own judgment, might
be susceptible Of amendment. He was dis
posed to take it as n man takes his wife, for
better or worse; knowing that, though he
might be disappointed in some respects, any
wife is better than no wife.
Mr.. FooTE was disposed to vote for bill,
but not the present bill. In his judgment it
was quite too Objectionable, in many of its pro-
should strive TO improve it in many of its fea-
lures, and proposed series of amendments, all
of which were voted down.
Mr.. DOUGLAS was in favor of river and
harbor bill, so drawn as to meet his constitu
tional views. The present bill appropriated a
sum of money too large for the state Of the
treasury, and the increasing public debt In
this bill there were too many items inserted
which had not been called for or estimated for
by the Departments. He was opposed to fore
ing on the Administration larger expenditures
than they had ventured to recommend. He
should, therefore, vote against the bill.
Mr.. BoRLAND spoke at some length in its ia
vor, and Mr.. DAWSON in opposition. The lat
ter gentleman called upon the Democratic par
ty to rally on their own principles, and referred
to the Baltimore platform, which Mr. BUTLER
read for the information of the Senate. This,
Mr. DAWSON said, contained the old WING doc
trine ON the subject, and expressed his own
views with sufficient precision. In concluding
his speech he made an alusion TO the absence
of all noise and confusion" at that time, that
would prevent any gentleman from the express
sion ofhis opinions.
Mr.. CAss replied to this challenge, and al
luded pleasantly to the occasion which had
become historical, to which Mr.. DAWSON
had referred, and which had been brought be-
fore the country by certain newspaper In this
city, which he mentioned in terms which
showed that it had ruffled even Senatorial equa-
nimiiy Mr. CAss then said that he should
proceed to give his views explicitly on the
subject before the Senate-and reviewed at
some length the opinions of General JACKSON
and Mr.. CALHOUN. We did not hear the
whole of the Senator's speech, and we have as
yet no corrected report of it. When we re-
ceve it, we shall do the Senator the justice of
Immediately inserting ii in our columns.
The remainder of the day was occupied with
a running fight on amendments, proposed from
various quarters and rejected, enlvened by
little personal passage between Mr.. CLARKE
and Mr.. FooTE, which was conducted with
humor and spirit which showed that warm
partisan controversy may be effectively carried
on without degencrating into bitterness, when