Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-03-22


consider that many amendments although a ma
joly has been found to refuse lay the table, yet it
Is scarcely possible that there viii be majority who will
finally vote tor the passage of the bill IT, But how
Is Il possible that be passed if there is small
neony We are at the second reading Of the BILL and
is to 80 back to the House with oil the amendments which
may DC made How do gentlemen expect to get this
sure through Do gentlemen intend the risk of losing
the appropriation bills for the sake of passing this b If
they do they have the power to do it, and them will
the responsibility shall vote to lay asida to take up the
appropriation bills.
Although many anxious that this bill should pass if
we are defeated this, and the appropriation bills cannot
pass the country subjected to the expense and
Inconvenience Of called sessions if the appropriation bills
hurried through such manner as to be an injury 70
the country in any respect the responsibility will not be upon
who oppose taking this BILL but upon those Who on
this last day OF the session. when the appropriation bills re-
main behind, press upon in the morning hour before
any reports be made from the committees. The Com
mitee on the Judiciary anxious report yesterday
morning, and they prepared report this morning upon
national question, In which the greatest interest is felt
in response the message of the President of the United
States We are even denied the opportunity Of presenting
this reports and other committees have bills be reported on
very important subjects all Of which must be laid aside if the
proposition to press this bill forward prevails shall not
yield to the taking up this bill 30 long as we cannot have
full and fair opportunity consider it, and 90 long as it puts
In jeopardy the appropriation bills. do hope gentlemen
Will concur Ia the suggestion frequently made by the
chairman OF the Committee Finance and allow this ques-
ton to be disposed Of at future time move to lay the bill
on the table. r.
Mr.. DAVIS, of Massachusetts call for the yeas and
nays on that question.
The yeas and nays ordered and TAKEN with the fol-
- Atehi.on, Berrien, Bradbury, Butler
Hamlin Houston, Hunter, King, Mason Morton, Norris
Rhst. y Ru.s soule Sturgeon Turney and Yulee-as
Dayton. Dickinson Dodge Of Iowa. Douglas Ewing Feleh
Rantou Sebastian Seward Shields Smith, spruance, I'm.
| derwood, Uphsm, Wales, and Waker-1S4
So the motion was not sgreedto.
Mr.. RUsK. do not intend TO enter at length into any
arguments relating to this question, shall against
the amendment which is Immediately under consideration.
think much laid throughout this discussion upon
estimates from the department regard them Of no bind
ing force upon Congress- and only in the light Of information
upon which TO act, and why should
vote for object which consider national in its charac
ter well without estimate go bndy upon such
recommendation from the department One The objections
to this bill IL, that in its gives much power to the
Executive officers expend the money expend
suits them. know there objects much national
their character left out Of this BILL than many that in it.
intend, when can have opportunity TO do to offer
amendment that the moneys herein appropriated for improve
in the different States shall be expended upon such OBJ
ects shall be designated by board Of commissioners APP
pointed in The States where the expenditures to be made
know that year after year appropriations are made for i'm
Provements to be made in navgatou and they suffered
by the departments TO remain unexpended till they fall back
into the Treasury. 1t has been with regard to appropra
tons made for the whole coast Of Texas upon which there
tons have been made for lighthouses from time me and
in many instances the money has fallen back into the Tea-
sury At the last session large appropriation made but
steps taken TO carry II into effect am anxious that
when appropriation made that that appropriation shall
be applied to those Objects and be left the discretion Of
department. because think officer Of any department
could exPend so property as it could be done 10 the way
that suggest think the friends Of this bill mistaken il
their policy of opposing amendments believe the bill is
going to pass if the cheap postage bill the approprs
bills should fail We have evidence enough Of that It's
friends here will not permit the appropriation bills be taken
up any thing done upon the subject reports
be made from committees. have Of apprehension
but that goes back to the House Of Representatives will
be adopted think the Senator from South Carolina, when
he designated California "ounce TAIL the other day.
mistaken. think this bill 10 "aounce tail" 1t drives
every thing Of the way and will drive every thing before
like chaf until it is acted upon.
Mr.. DAVIS. Of Massachusetts shall be very brief In
what have say apprehend the true way to dispose of
this bill to come to vote. II gentlemen will permit to
be disposed Of final vote, the they will obtain the
object they have in view. The Senator from Texas is mis-
taken in supposng that there is special authority any
discretionary power by the terms Of this bill vested in the
Executive officers of the Government believe there is none
at anot enough perhaps properly to protect the interests
Of the Government That defect Of the BILL Then
with regard to the appropriation for lighthouses in his Sste
will one word Certain appropriations made for those OBJ
ecs passed into the surplus fund What the reason He
inmates that it because there discretionary
power in the Government which has been abused There is
law which regulates all that. Il is that until the Govern
Wuc6
is to be built, it shall not be erected
Upon wha, is this bill founded great many questions
raised and discussed herehe constitutional power ques
tons of expedency, questions Of all sorts and all descriptions
But is founded upon the idea that by cheaPening the
pense Of between different portions Of the un,
you enable the people the country bring the produce of
their labor market Now, what have been the results Of
this operation in combination with individual enterprise
think may say with SAFETY that it is within the memory Of
the honorable Senator from Michigan when could not
except with difficulty bring barrel Of -four from the West
the would have been worth bringing, for
would have perhaps twenty dollars. What has been
the result of these beneficial operations Why they have
opened the vast rich and productive valley Of the MISSISSIPPI
pi and enabled its inhabitants take their products TO pro-
able market That's the great result Of the system Where
lie the objections to Gentlemen say it is unconstitutional
This is the period to argue that question But all the
gentlemen who rise say it is constitutional TO improve the
Mississippi Some gentlemen, with vivid maginaons mag
nied the Mississippi noa river with coast Of some twenty
thousand miles, The Mississippi, then, an object which Is
worthy Of the consideration and patronage OF this Govern
men and ought turn out portion OF the treasury
improve it. Why Is because Of the great quantity Of
which flows in No, sir; is because it is the
common highway oil many of the States of this Unon Be
is highway that is beneficial to great population,
you say proper that il should be improved If that Is the
principle if it is because there is large commerce which
floats upon its surface il is becauseh highway adspen
sable the producing population send their producsto
ke and thus becomes constitutional to improve il may not
the argument be applicable to much smaller highway
take that you please, which is TO be stricken
Of this bill the Illinois ryer which, has been justly
Observed by artificial work built by the State Of Illinois,
standing between the lakes and the waters the Mississippi,