Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-02-22
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1851.

uESDAfs TEbRUARf 10, 1901.
On motion Of Mr.. McLANE, of Maryland, the House
then went into Committee Of the Whole on the state of the
Unon (Mr. MEADE Of Virginia, in the cha) and resum
ed the consideration of the bill making appropriations for
improvement Of certain harbors and rivers.
The CHAIRMAN stated the question be on agreeing
to the substitute moved by Mr. McLAsE for the original bill
Mr.. JOHNSON, Of Arkansas, moved an amendment in
creasng the appropriations for the improvement of the Ohio,
Mississippi and Arkansas rivers and for the Tennessee and
Illinois rivers and urged the adoption of his amendment
few remarks
Mr.. FITCH opposed the amendments and it, was then
agreed to-
Mr.. McCLERNAND moved to strike out the item in the
substitute making appropriation for the repair Of Cumber
$50 900 for the removal of the Cumberland DAM the Ohio
river stating that the dam obsuced navigation and the
object amendment to that obstruction which
had been wrongfully placed there.
The amendment was rejected.
Mr. BAYLY said that he stated yesterday that this dill
was sectional In its provisions His friend from Maryland
(Mh McLAsE took issue with him the subject and asked
him he had made calculation the amounts appro-
pated south Of Mason and Dxons line and north Of that
line He had made the calculation but had the state
men with him that time He had examined the BILL and
found that it appropriated to the States of Virginia. North
carolina, South Carolina Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
Texas and kentucky but 500 while there appro-
prated for the State of New York alone s3aO 900. So that
the bill contained larger amount of appropriations for the
single State Of New York than for the whole Southern States
put together was not necessary look to the provisions
O.
Partially the principle Of bill of this and he
tended that only unconstitutional, but that it
contrary to the spirit Of the constitutions because impariay
and uniformity were,he great characteristics instrument
Mr. HiLLiARD said that bis opposition to this bill rested
upon wholly different grounds than those expressed by Mr.
BArLr. He would not look into the bill to whether i.
gave more to one section than another the of
the country demanded that larger appropriation should be
made for Northern States than for Southern States he would
as representative in the American Congress- vote for them
This sectional spirit ought be arrested. full Of
mischief He objected to the bill because il sqnandered money
for local Objects which would add the prosperity of the
nation enlarge its commerce.
Mr.. RAYMOND moved to insert in the substitute an
item appropang for the improvement of the navigation
the Monongahela $50 O0O be invested in the stock
OF the Monongahela and Allegheny company in the State
OF Virginia and he supported his amendment, stating that
1t contemplated improvements Of national character.
Mr.. STANLY replied 70 Mr.. BAYLn, who had said that
this was sectional measure He had but few remarks
make in reply to that statement He regretted that the
chairman Of the Committee of Ways and Means, from whom
they had right to expect better things, shoud be
peter of party bis friends here excite their opposition
his measure. The gentleman selected certain Southern
States, and proclaimed that New York gets than all Of
those he mentioned. Whose fault this Certainly
the fault of the Northern members They had the gen
teman from South Carolina Mr BuRT) strike out On
appropriation for Improvement in his Stale The House
voted down his motion This evidence Of the feeling
which animated Southern gentlemen in opposing
codng TO their Of duty this bill Southern gentlemen
refused to take the appropriations Take example Of
the sectional character of the bill Last night when the bill
was under consideration, the gentleman from New York
ne men that 10 whom the chairman Of the Ways and
Means referred good humoredly being only five feet
inches high, (Mr CLARKE,) who If the mind is the
sure OF the man. is very ta-moved appropriation Of
thousand dollars for sackets Harbo,, but his amendment
iaiied This morning, the member from Arkansas (Mr.
JoHssoS succeeded in obtaining additional appropriation
Oh one hundred thousand dollars for several Southern rivers
and this too in House where the North has large majority
OF members Was this evidence of sectional feeling He
hoped that the gentleman from Virginia would give facts
and not merely charge that this bill sectional It wa.
not according to his knowledge of facts never had been
secuonai bill, and he had disposition the part
Northern members to make it SUCH From his nowledge
OF tnem he never expected to see this the case
mere was not large appropriation in this bill for the
Southern Safes the fault Of Southern members They
bad sometimes constitutional scruples They refuse 10 call
the attention Of the committees the wants of their cons
tuen's they refuse to move appropriations for the benefit
OF men secons' and they warmly oppose this BILL He most
earnestly ho ed that this bill would pass The interest
his state would be greatly promoted by it. II was another
bond OF Union And offer the passage Of the glorious
promise measures give them this BILL and then little i'm
Provsmen IN the tariff and would be the capsheaf adorn
| ing the whole.
Mr.. BAYLY thought that nothing could show more clear
the impolcy Of such than the remarks Of Mr.
sTAsLr and stated that the course Of Southern men wa.
controlled by considerations Of constitutional duy
Mr. MORSE proposed amendment to prevent appca-
tons Tor The removal of works which might be made by the
Government under this BILL and addressed the committee in
| favor OF the amendment, when il was rejected
Mr.. lNGE moved amendment approprispp forty thou
sand dollars for the improvement certain rivers in Alabama
He thought it very obvious that this bill wa. sectional il
its character. He Of opinion that tho South would have
TO wat long to be admonished of danger by the gentleman
from North Carolina, (Mr. srArIr) They might sleeI
unconscious If danger until the work Of spoa,iop should
o'nsumma.ed The Of the gentleman fiom Norti
Carolina did not surprise him. That gentleman saw nohiu
sectional character in the bill DID he approve Of th
appropriation Of for the Hudson river both abov
and below Albany He also referred to the Illinois river
and said that both were not appropriate subjects m sp