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


sis In some shape other. either by constitutional
amendments or Otherwise, that the great valley Of tie
mississippi shall have It's share thereof. Why say,
taned shall vote against any general measure including
features which do not, IN my opinion. constutonally
appropriate the public funds and shall insist II bill is
in progress that such shall be migrated upon
il will give the enjoymsnt al least of many OF the
advantages arising TO this government 10 the western
side of the Allegheny. Therefore, having thus shown
the course intend to pursue, am content let the
amendment take The eoqfse 70 Which the Senate might
stricken from the bill, shall insist upon a much larger
appropriation 10 be made for the Improvement Of the
yers Illinois, Missouri. &c. If justice is contemplated
/ if equality is coniempatedif II is intended 10 do full
mslice TO the great section OF the West even at the
pense of the constitution shall insist on much larger
APPROPRIATION ihah 'ha' whch Is now proposed shall be
adopted, -,
Commerce, who submits this motion, intended TO bring
this bill TO the estimates OF the President OF the United
States and the administration, he would accomplish that
object better by submitting tie motion once and let
by one vote go directly TO that point am not willing to
oft branch at tne and run the hazard OF cut
ting oil one and then retaining others not provided for in
the estimates, and thus do injustice TO the important
works in the bill rise Tor the purpose of saying
word in this connexon in regard TO the Illinois river.
think If there any work which is national in
ion with the Mississippi river, 1t is that The navga-
ton in the Illinois river the larger portion OF the year
perfect in the Mississippi IL Is true that there
few temporary distractions but the Illinois river is
better navgable stream by nature than the Ohio; it
mains navgabe a large portion OF the year, and can be
improved with much less expense. Il has degree of
nationality attached TO it over and above most of the
between the great line Of lakes and the Mississippi river
the connecting link between the Gulf of St. Law
and the Gulf OF Mexico II is the link that
meets those great waters together and makes most OF the
States of this Union island Savesses have sailed
from the port of Chicago on Lake Michigan, through
the canal into the Illinois river then down the Misss
sippi river TO the Gulf OF Mexico and then upon the
10 foreign countries, within the last year This is
the great connecting link between these inlaad
NATIONAL is this Illinois river which forms that con
nexon therefore trust that this will not be stricken
If the bill is TO be passed. these works, which have
strong claims upon the public national works, ought
to be included. And, sir. here will remark, shall give
vote with reference to embarrassing this bllno vote
for the purpose OF making an amendment that will EN-.
barrass il. My people too much Interested in i'm.
provements to be made for TO give vote of that
kind. 1t is sufficient for me TO give this bill fair
chance-lo try to bring II 10 correct principles and
fail in that, TO give vote Against the entire BILL and
not embarrass il by amendments which do no good to
my principles, but which may do injury TO my constu-
MIR. TURNEY. In relation TO the Tennessee river
know not by what rule senators Judge what constitutes
national river and what does not. repudaie the idea
that necessary that stream should run through
three States, or any other number OF States. think
however, if that rule to govern, in these instances
the Tennessee would be national stream. | think
that could be used occasions OF sudden
gencles for national puTPosesthe transportation OF your
troops, munitions OF war; and any other articles neces
sary TO carry the affairs Of the government And in
III IL
would be The Tennessee But if TO carry
this doctrine, make these remarks because opposed
to striking out the Tennessee river which suppose is
as national stream as any other contained IN the BILL
and certainly merorious. | shall therefore vote
against striking it out. shall, Notwithstanding vote
against the BILL because | OF those who will
resort 10 this description of reasoning 10 make river
national and the object national Imagine the country
in state of and lei il become necessary, in the pro-
gresslon Of that war; TO transport your troops and num-
tons OF from portion of the Union 10 the other.
am not one of those who thus reason for the making
any Improvement NATIONAL and therefore constitutional
Nor it, in my udgmdnt, 10 depend upon the number of
the States through which it may II is very certain
that the Tennessee river does pass through settled
community densely settled country-one from which
troops could be speedily raised and troops that would
be effective in service any other troops IN the Uni
ted States Whether this will constitute national char
acter is for other senators TO decide as well as for
shall TO retain these rivers II the bill is 10 pass, it
ought TO pass with these appropriations and the amount
ought to be increased We might well be told that the
Mississippi is not national nver II is true that it is
larger than the Tennessee because il Is the waters OF the
| Tennessee which increase lis size
| But wha, is IT tina, makes river national The Ten
is navigabe river, well as the Mississippi
they both naylgabe streams IL is not because the
Mississippi contains more water II IS not the amount of
water which makes a river national or not national Is
II because the Mississippi enters the ocean III that
would constitute national stream, then there mul.
t,ude of rivers not three hundred miles IN length which
might be called national. But BY comparing the Missis-
sppi and the Tennessee you are not reaching the same
thing and the point hold that gentlemen cannot
distinguish, so far as the nationality OF the object is
cerned between the tennessee and the mississippi MYERS
shall therefore vote 10 retain IT, shall vote against all
attempts TO strike out all MYERS, and 10 accept the Msss
spp shall vote against that for II local,
well the Tennessee Ii ~ located in the south
section Of the Union, and consequently cannot be
national IL is local So is the Tennessee river local
and every object mentioned IN the bull, IN that point
Of view, ocal-not the Tennessee more than any other
object provided for in the bill
This bill, MIR. President has been hurried upon in
very great haste called up this morning, only giving the
Senate few days, scarcely time to look into II and
4 To lake and act H. and 10 do this without
debate The friends OF the administration 90 this floor
for the purpose of acting upon this BILL and forcing il
through without debate, take the responsibility OF laying
down your civil and diplomatic bl-take the response
bly OF postponlng the ordinary appropriation bulls, Tor
the purpose OF giving place to this extraordinary appropr
alton biltake the responsibility Of deerrng the passage
OF those bills which indispensable 10 carry the
wheels OF the government IN order TO force through this
body that is wholly unnecessary, so far as carrying
| the affairs OF government ~ concerned. III they
choose take this responsibility OF placing behind this
bill all the ordinary appropriation bills without which his
government cannot go onii they hope by that means 10
place the gag upon those who feel disposed 10 make oppo
stion 10 the bill, the responsibility will rest upon their
shoulders 1t is done with the votes OF the party and
upon strictly party measure-an administration
and II they choose TO do H. they need not hope by
that fix the gag upon those upon the opposite
sdc because orsooth may endange the passage of the
ordinary appropriation bills. This - the responsibility
which they take. ltisaresponsbility which they incur
and for winch the country will hold them responsible If
those consequences shall ensue. The civil and diplomatic
appropriation bill before the Senate II was the
flushed business OF yesterday could have been finish
ed before ths bourcoud have been sed but order
to the passage OF this they chose lay that
down and take up this, supposng thereby that they could
a.