Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-02-15
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1851.
TWO PER CENT. FUND IN MISSOURI.


TWO PER CENT. FUND IN MISSOURI.
When the bill to make good to the State Of Missouri the
two per Of the nett proceeds of the sales of public
lands heretofore withheld from that State under consider
aton the following speeches delivered which we were
under the necessity Of emitting the current proceedings Of
the day
Mr.. CLAY. Mr. President when this bill was called up
days ago. said TO the Senate that instead Of Missouri
being the creditor of the General Government on account of
the two per fund referred this BILL would be seen
upon examination Of the whole subject that she largely
the debtor of the General Government In rising now my
purpose far as to make good that statement and
think upon the exposition which shall present, will be
compact between Missouri and the General Government has
been expended, and great deal that expended
with the silent acquescence least Of the State Of Missouri
and with the positive votes Of her Senators and Representatives
during the passage Of the various bills which shall have
occasion refer that il expended in the construction
and continuation Of the Cumberland road from Cumberland,
in Maryland Vsndaa, in Illinois that stopped in
sequence of collision which arose between the States OF
Missouri and Illinois, rather believe between the
of ST. Louis and Alton, what should be the terminus of
the road.
It will be in this exposition that between and
eight hundred miles Of the Cumberland road have been
actually constructed cost Of nearly six millions Of dol
ias and constructed upon pledge Of reimbursement to the
Government of the United States Of the amount expended
from the per cent fund.- dervable FIRST from Ohio then from
Indiana, then from Illinois. and then from Missouri. II will
be that the General Government out Of pocket to the
of four and half millions Of dollars and instead Of
being reimbursed h S. $780, 000 she has only been rem
bursed the extent Of about 81 23O OOO 900.
This will se shown in the progress Of what have say,
and will be from the laws to which shall call the aen
ton Of the Senate.
Mr.. President beg leave say, by way of apology-fo
you perceive, have but rarely ntereed in public bust
ness, and wish do little possible except when i'm
PEELED by profound Of dutythat have had some
thing to do with this road in former years. contributed in
degree, far my humble capacity would allow, to
the passage laws which, after session, for period
of years. greatly contested in the other branch Of the
National Legislature make appropriations construct and
continue this road and in those laws as shall presently have
occasion show pledges made Of reimbursement the
General Government Of the be expended of the
per fund.- portion Of which is demanded Of
right by Missouri part Of had been expended her
in conformity with the compact made with her. Hay-
ing contributed in this to the passage of those approp
aons having proposed the pledge Ihave referred
feel myself called upon by sense of honor for the part
have taken this subject when before the other branch
the National Legislature many years ago. to show that the
Government of the United States is under obligations
any one Of the four States have mentoned-Oho Indiana
Illinois, Mssou-o pay single cent Of the two per
cent fund.- 1t will be of some consequence to call the
ton Of the Senate in the first place. to the compact between
the State offs Missouri and the General Government of
which this claim originates 1t will be found in the third
volume of the laws page 547 The third condition of that
compact which will read from the 9th section of the to
authorize the people Of Missouri Territory to form consttu
ton and State Government, as follows
That per OF the proceeds of the sale Of lands
lying within the said Territory or State and which shall be
sold by Congress- from and after the first day of January next
after deductng all expenses incident the same shall
served for making public roads and canals Of which three
hs shall be applied those objects within the State under
fhs in deayng under the direction Of Congress- the
to be incurred making of road roads, canal
canals, leading to the said State"
Byths condition will be Observed reservation made
of FIVE cent Of the nett proceeds of the sales of public
lands Missou three per cent to be expended within the
State, and per cent to be expended without it. With
respect 70 the three cent to be expended within the State
1t has been paid from time to time TO Missouri and claim
attempted to be set that account. The claim alto
gether the two per cent fund.- which be expended
under the direction Of Congress in making Of roads canals
leading to Missouri The Senate will also observe that no
specific kind Of road provided for 1t is not provided that
it shall be railroad, macadamized road any other pecu-
cuia kind of road; it be road The money TO
be expended under the direction Of Congress- and Congress
to be the judge of the Of road and of the expen
diure of money for it.
1t will be Observed moreover that il Missouri alone
that interested in this expenditure The per
fund all TO be expended exterior to her limits She
would derive benefit undoubtedly but the expenditure
be made outside OF her limits in other States and other States
directly, well the Union at large indirectly, be
benefited by the construction of the roads.
have stated that the whole amount of this fund bad been
expended specifically upon the Cumberland road That road
beginning Cumberland, in the State OF Maryland, in
tended to be to tie Mississippi its eastern tank The
road has been macadamized only in par. 1t has been
macadamzed only from Cumberland to Wheeling, and
VI
partly in indiana but inconsiderabe and partly in Illinois,
lees considerably than in Indiana But has been graded,
and bdged and cleared and opened the entire of be-
tween 700 and 500 miles from CGmberlandin Maryland to
Vandala 10 Illinois would have gone and been graded
and opened 10 the Mississippi but for the conflict which
with respect its erminus the Mississippi Illinois being
desrous that should terminate Alton, while Missouri
desous that should terminate at point opposite ST. Louis
The Cumberland road originated in March, 1906 II
TO be constructed from the per cent fund reserved in the
compact between Ohio and the General Government When
it originally projected contemplated only extend
the Ohio rve but when reached the Ohio river, owing
the very great exerons made in the other branch OF the
National Legislature, carried that through
the State of Ohio the point have mentioned in the State
of Illinois.
Sir the benefits Of that road have been ncacuably great
know from personal experience. Why, before that road
remember took my family oneentre day pass
from Unonown Freem,n's the summit of Lau-
rel Hill, distance Of only about miles wish the Sc
nator from Pennsylvania (Mr. STUReKos) present.
he would recolect the place. The distance from Union
town TO Cumberland is about sixty four miles, and that
distance passed in about twelve hours The
whole Western country has been benefited by that road in all
its parts-bentfed in the emigration the States West
benefited the travelling and from those States the
of government and the cities Of the seabcard has almost
created country respects intercourse between the
Western and the Eastern States. 1t has diminished its
portance recently consequence of the opening other chan
nels road in Pennsyvan from Pitts
burg Philadelphia and the roads around the lakes through
the State Of Ohio and the State Of New York Still il is yet
road Of ncacuable benefit all who emglsng that
direction TO the West and to ell who travelling.
The extension Of the road beyond Wheeling, the original
terminus intended for took place about the year $780, about
itfpd dipt0