New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-03-07
Rivers and Hnrbors.

the struggle in the Senate for and against
the passage of the River and Harbor bill.
The friends of the measure were pstient,
resolute, cheerfully allowing all reasonable
time for discussion, and readily considering
all inquiries and cavils, but careful not to
waste time and anxious Only to proceed as
soon as possible to the vote. They voted
down the amendments proposed, first be-
cause they believed they were mainly con-
cocted by a secret caucus for the express
purpose of embarrassing and defeating the
bill, and secondly because they were moral
ly certain that, whether intended or not,
that would be the effect of adopting them.
To send the bill back to the House at the
heel of the Session, so mutilated as neces-
sarily to ALLEVIATE portion of its supporters,
was to all but insure it's defeat.
Very little was said until near the close
of the debate by the friends of the bill, but
that little was we'll said. john DAVIS pa
tiently explained the provisions of the bill
whenever explanation seemed requisite, and
refuted the objections made to it HENRY
CLAY exposed the underhand purpose of
those cavils, and urged the opponents of the
bill to stop their guerilla warfare and come
at once to a vote. Other friends also spoke
occasionally, but very briefly, leaving near
ly all the time to the enemies of the bill.
These were of two kinds-the open and
manly foes, who indeed resorted to excep-
tionable means of opposition, but who did
not conceal their views nor their purpose.
The other class of adversaries were the
'Artful Dodgers who wanted and worked
to kill the bill, but did not mean to be
caught at it. They would vote for or
against an amendment proposed according
to its bearing on the improvements desired
by their respective constituencies, but they
did not try nor wish to put the bill on its
passage. They wanted it killed as it toas
killed-by speaking against time, by read
ing old documents by any trick or dodge
that would screen them from the RESPONSE
bility of voting upon its passage. Butthey
are known and will be remembered.
For the outspoken opponents of the bill
we have more respect, though the position
of some of them seemed irrational. To see
Mississippi, Texss, Missouri, (Col. Benton
being absent by sickneSs) and even Loui-
siana, uniting with the Loco Foco half of
Tennessee to vote down appropriations for
the improvement of the Father of Waters
and his great branches inland seas Mr..
Calhoun called them, but we need no such
hyperbole to render their improvement
Constitutional seemed strange enough.
But the Party had been committed in
past years to the negative, unfuitful, do
nothing policy of the hair-splitting con-
struers of the Constitution whose sterilities
have long scourged the land from its high
places and the Party must be kept con-
sstent or it would divide and explode in the
next Presidential campaign. And so the
bones of seamen needlessly lost for want
of Harbors must whiten the depths of our
great Lakes and steamboats, be snagged on
our great Rivers and grounded or stopped
on the lesser for want of the needed i'm
provements in order that sham Democracy
may once more revel in the White House
and lord it over the interests Of the
Country.
The general tenor of the objections to the
bill by such of its opponents as pretended
to argue, was eminently worthy of their
cause. There is no time to consider this
BILL, was leading idea with those who
were tediously talking, in pursuance of
secret conspiracy, on purpose to kill time,
the argument having been entirely ex-
hausted long before. In fact, the general
or fundamental argument had been over
and over again presented to Congress and
the Country before some of the present
Senators were bonn object to all items
of Appropriation but such as are based on
regular estimates from the proper Depart
'ments, was a favorite cavil, though
perfectly absurd one. The Bureaux had
only estimated, as they only could esti-
mate with propriety, for works already
commenced; and to say that only such
items were allowable, was to say in effect
that it is quite proper to improve those
Rivers and Hsrbors which have been part
ly improved already, but very wrong to do
anything for those equally important which
have thus far been entirely neglected.
THE bill gives too much here or too
.l;ttle there, OH srives urhere IL mead not