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

We do know officially whether any improvement can DC
made.
Mr.. CLEMENS. The Senator from Missouri will allow
me to make statement The proyso which has been
adopted by the Senate confines the appropriation Tor Ie I'M
of the Tennessee river between the points OF Cnata
nooga Tennessee and Decatur, Alabama IL so happens
that know very nearly every rock in the whole between
these two poins There are sandy shoals WHICH may be
very easily removed and which are distractions 10 tne naV
CATION. do think, 10 the whole distance rom Chaa
nooga to Decatur will be necessary to blow single rock
There is steamboat navigation between those points for the
whole year. Az Decatur the railroad touches the yer which
communicates with north Mississippi and west tennessee.
AT Chatan the Charleston railroad strikes the rver
This gives an important commuhcauon WIN Nashsle'
Tennessee with north Mississippi and with west Tennessee
The appropriation of fifty thousand dollars is believe,
sufficient
Mr.. DAWSON wish to correct the Senator in one
thing II is not the Charleston railroad but the Georgia
State road which strikes the tennessee rVer u tue Pos
which be has named.
Mr.. CLEMENS 1t may be the Georgia railroad but it
connects Charleston South Carolina with Chattanooga, Ten
nessee There is another railroad at Decatur going around
the muscle shoals This appropriation will remove the OBJ
structons between these points, mako the river navgabe
for the whole year.
Mr.. ATCHIsoN Then we have nothing than the
loose opinion Of The Senator from Alabama.
Mr.. CLEMENS. have swan every bit Of it, from
Chattanooga down.
Mr.. BADGER. That is a floating opinion.
Mr. ATCIIISON fit be OF so much Importance as the
Senator represents why have not the States interested en-
poyed engineer to make the estimates and ascertain
these improvements be made and in what manner they
can be made Now have nothing but the opinion OF the
Senator from Alabama
Mr. CLEMENS The Senator is mistaken. twas sur
yeys f. twenty ayi five years ago.
Mr.. CLEMENS. BY the United States surveyors; and
FIVE hundred thousand of land granted the State,
and appropriated by the State for the purpose Congress
left the land to the State Legislature and the State Legsa-
ture wasted il in building canal,
Mr.. ATCHISON. Then it adds nothing to the credit of
the State Alabama that the five hundred thousand of
land which were appropriated for purposes Of improvement
wasted away In that case, the Government is not
under the least shadow of obligation in relation to the matter
Mr.. CLEMENS. The Senator does not und. rstand.
The never appropriated dollar for this purpose
Five hundred thousand of land appropriated and
left the disposal of the State Legislature and they applied
all the building Of canal around the muscle shoals.
All the muscle shoals within the State of Alabama, and
that land applied under the direction Of the State Legs
aure Of Alabama This appropriation applies as much to
Tennessee to Alabama.
Mr. ATCHISON. Then il is still indefinite. We have
information upon the subject upon which any deberatve
body could act.
Mr.. BELL. The Senator from Missouri and the SEN
from Michigan both totally mistaken in regard to the
Tennessee river. hold in my hands general report Of
COL Long, the subject in s43, in which he states, after
the different points, that these Improvements for
the Tennessee all be made at moderate expense
He Of Board selected about the period, and
regard to the mode of improving this part Of the river nd
Gated by the Senator from Alabama He referred specifically
that part of the river above the muscle shoals with the
lesgn OF locating western armory there and in this general
eport the western waters he says that river Of the
affords greater facilities for steamboat navigation during
ordinary stages Of the seasons than the Tennessee river
above the muscle shoals. He gives description of what
Improvement should be made at these points,
knew could not have been mistaken in regard to this
natter This river may not have been infinitely surveyed
do not know that any precise estimate has been made in
citation it. but there has been in point of fact what may be
allied estimate. It is true that there has been plan
suggested.
M Glass; That very fact is the material one Of the case
The plan should before us, approved by the Depart
nent, in order to enable make the improvement eec
ualy, and for the right place.
Mr. BELL. Are not good judges of what the
contingencies in relation to that the Department
Mr.. CASS. In all cases the estimate should first come
from the Department, before we make appropriation
Mr.. CLEMENS. There is not solitary river in this
bill that does not stand precisely the footing and
should like know what the Senator from Missouri UNDER
by the " St Louis for which there an APP
preparation in this bill Was the Mississippi surveyed
above the rapids, below the rapids, any where else
Mr.. ATCHIsON The harbor Of ST. Louis is not mat
ter in question. have not committed myself
for the appropriation of fifty thousand dollars for that harbor
not to be bought to for bill like this for five times
fifty thousand. >..'...# T.,
Mr.. CLEMENS hope the Senator does no, mean to
intimate that my vote has been bought at all. .,.
Mr. ATCHISON. Not at all.
The question taken by yeas and nays the amend
men' and it resulted yeas %, nays 81 SO the amendment
rejected.
The discussion and disposition of numerous other proposed
amendments for detailed report of which have no room
in this paper) occupied the Senate until midnight when it
adjourned.
.. ~. MONDAY, MARCH 3, 1851.
Mr.. CLAY. Mr.. President rise to make motion to
dispense with the morning business and previous ORDERS in
order to proceed with the unfinished business which left
IN that unfinished state Saturday last and while
beg leave, not TO make speech-o should consider him
worthy of almost any punishment who should make speech
on this day-bu is manifest to the Senate and the
country that there majority in this body in favor of the
passage Of that bill and wish to appeal to the justice to the
generosity to the fairness Of the minority say whether they
will, hey have the know they have the power
defeat the bill by Of delay and procrasnaon If
they are determined TO do it, although such determination
is utterly incompatible with the genius Of all free governments
and should hope, ALSO incompatible with that of pro-
Priey which each individual member fee-if there
determination upon the part Of the minority to defeat the bill
by measures to which they have the power resort but
which am 10th to believe they would use-f there Is such
determination and they will avow it for one as think il Of
the utmost Importance that great connected with the
operations and continuance OF the Of
be adopted Notwithstanding the pain
which should feel in being obliged submit to the action Of
minority intending defeat the will Of maiory-if such
is the avowed purpose will myself for the laying this
bill upon the table. hope there will be no such purpose
trust that shall take up the bill and upon It and
implorc its friends, if they desire pass it, say not one
word, but come to the vote upon it.
Mr.. HUNTER. Mr.. President, hope the Senate will
agree the motion Of the honorable Senator from
lucky II Is obvious from the past history Of this BILL that
is impossible be taken up and disposed Of without de-
bate. II forced upon Saturday, at the imminent