The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-18
CITY OF WASHINGTON TUESDAY MORNING, MARCH 49, 1851.


tigue and all those unworthy means thai have been
suggested make such charge. IL may be so. but
have no evidence OF i and until have. will believe
that II has been conceived in spirit OF Justice OF all
the objections that have been uged against this bill this
behad the bill itself.
Is not right 70 look giithose in the mouth" Now,
II find that which is done is likely do Justice 10 that
portion OF the country that in part represent will
u, because We have no occasion to be thankful for
Justice; but must say thai shall be highly graft.
fed, not only oil the benefits to be conferred
but because II indication OF awakened spirit of
justice from which we are to expect better things here
alter
measure ought not to feel offended that those who op
posed to should say few words after the labored
and profound speeches that have been delivered All
say the Senate this, that do not desire to
their time, but intend give very briefly my views
and the course which shall pursue know very well
that the gong has been rung for the friends OF he meas
TO be stricken from the bill IN order that may be good
hat may pc very right But present this view 10 The
Senate and The sonp s Here : oGsHn e sss
OF the United States since the year 1874 Now, the ques
ton Of prudence and policy and the views which should
regulate the action OF those who are representing The
rights OF the country should be understood Is this the
time 10 revive this plan OF appropriation OF the public
money What is your public debt! The Secretary Of
The Treasury ESTIMATED the public debt at sixty five
millions al The beginning OF this session, The Mexican
debt is ten millions, and by amendment adopted yes
ieray the debt increased at least three and half mil
hons and we may safely put dowa The national debt al
eighty millions
This, then, presents the old question of whether
public debt is public blessing public curse, and on
this question two divisions OF opinions arise. | am one
of those who believe that public debt public
yet we are now going to increase this pubc debt Our
income is about ory-hve millions, and our expenditures
this year, according to the estimate, will amount to IRON
nifty to tyhye millions. The expenditure, then, tor the
year is greater than the income. How you 10 sup
ply the balance You must supply il by resorlny to
N
the question which present TO the Senate and the coun
Try this whether scheme OF appropat general in
its character not regulated by surveys estimates, but
Just by combination of individuals who from diff
ferent sections OF the country, this saying have
river that ought to be rendeied navigabe that that
he has a harbor which could be made a line one by
little appropriation and thus they combine together
and make bill without estimates from your depart
ments, without surveys being made by your engineers
and then they call upon us to do--what? Why, 10 ap
proprate the public money, and to borrow Tor the pur
pose OF supplying the appropriation Have you and The
aueaee f'e " the senator from Kentucky M CY has
been heard here and after the views OF the senator from
Arkansas. Mr.. BoRLANBl which have been produced
ewhen these combined it is but just and proper
to look into the OF the matter. Now, what is it
You ask appropriation OF two and hall millions.
What Tor !whee is the estimate And this, too, at
time when poor, aged claimant, who has claim that
has been recognised by the unanimous opinion OF tins
Senate, and who has gone TO the other House, asked
by them to be put into an Appropriation bil-a claim
which you all know 10 be just and due and yet you
do il because estimate has come from the
department Aud yet, without estimates, without sur
veys the West, the Nor the East, and other sections
of the country combine to pass two and hall millions
IN this way, 10 throw Il upon the very waves that How
into the Atanlc-imted by no Judgment. controlled by
no prudence nor pfopne.y wa VI no anowedge oi tue To-
things and how they be accounted Tor
charge combination. Not But speak OF il be-
cause the appropriations for local purposes and, IN
the language OF the senator from Mississippi, Mr..
FooTE,l Tor the purpose oil improving the value OF pri
vae property whether belongs 10 individuals or com
ll,.,f.1
itself instrument the hands OF these individuals and
these companies for the purpose OF apProprating the
public money without an estimate, without surveys,
when the time it would not pay the claimant
titled to the money upon unanimous judgment Now,
submit, TO the wisdom, prudence proprlety, and good
sense oil the public whether we should legsale IN TINS
way.
For one. waving the constiiuiiouay of the question
waving the grounds upon which parties have heretofore
decided-as mere citizen or as senator, even " be-
eved in the consttutonay OF this power being exet-
cised by Congress, certainly would hesitate Where is
the that would consent that his hundred thousand
dollars should be vested in lands, unless he had sent
man OF judgment, examine The land survey IT, and esi
mate its value Why, one would 40 IT and yet sem
here would send the public money afoat without
survey and without estimate, when you have now, al
vast expense the engineers OF the country employed for
the very purpose OF preventing the government from
being imposed upon in this way; and yet you will not
resort to them and why Because these very aPpropri.
a,ons could be made there for your surveys, when
made would deny, upon prudential reasons, the propr
ETY. Of making these estimates Now is time we should
consider Gentlemen may go in this way-the North,
South East West-they all do it; bu, il is wrong There
is a OF proper consideration IN IT, 81"
There is something still more alarming. about this mat
ter Here is measure dead since '4i about 10 be re-
vived be galvanized an hour, and the friends OF the
measure say, Don't suffer to be dotted or TO be
crossed let nothing be taken from it, although bad and
nothing added to it, although good" This is the exer
else OF a power. the result OF combination, pro
duced not upon principles of principles OF
propnsly but upon principle of interest by the va
rous sections that to be the benehclares OF this
appropriation. Now, submit il TO the honesty the
honor, of the Congress Of the United States whether
we should do this thing ] am willing to go thus
far with my friend from Kentucky Mr. CLAyl and my
friend from Arkansas,I Mr. BoRLAnp] am willing to go
as lar as the estimate upon the principle na whenever an
estimate is made, presume II is for national purpose
will then examine into the estimate and see whether
ii is for national purposes do not believe there is
&c ntleman upon this floor who will claim power in
Congress 10 send appropriation up every stream.
Why, in my own Sate-let me speak OF her a few mo-
meAts-now there is the river from Augusta down 10
Savannah, which is the dividing line between South
and the State OF Georgia has expended thousands OF dol
lars render il navgable Augusta large place, with
II 900 Inhabitants and exports annually about l7ooVo
bales OF cotton Now could not ask for an appropriation
TO make this river navigabe up 10 Columbus Could not
ask that the taxation OF this country should be expended
the whole country, and the money appropriated 1or
this place aso' would call itnaona but then there
BILL and an appropriation OF something like askeu
for a survey OF the Mississippi rver above ~ Antnony
Falls in order TO whether can De rendered
nayisable from there Keokuk and other places on he
river That is in this bill The party that belong to-
the whig pay-from its acknowledged hean down 70 my
And ye, in this bill il il there and how did get there
rha., -ho m. no suspicious in their nature-and am