The daily union., 1852-09-01


would agree 10 il, and should be anxious for II but
since has been amended and loaded down. do not un
derrland why the region OF country from which come
should not al least II II has got 10 run the hazard OF not
ceiling anything have something like justice done TO II
in the bill as amended.
am sorry that The senator from Indiana is so defective
10 s knowledge oil geography; Tor he says that one OF
the yers he heard OF before and that the other is
ouy recently known 10 history believe the senator is
these two rivers and read OF them; and The senator
will do US the honor the Mississippi. and
within our mits-where should be very happy to see
hIm--we will point them out 10 him But think the
senator must be 10 jest when he says that they not
within his knowledge. They have played too conspcu
ous part not only in the geography OF the country but
tenon Of senator well informed as himself. These
rivers. rs my colleague has stated have been surveyed
long ago. and have been estimated for have reduced
the au9an 70 that OF the estimate. and hope there will
be no objection.
Mr.. SEBASTIAN. will not, Mr.. President, in the
face OF evident disposition to vote upon the
question, say more than word in reply to the senator
from Michigan, whose fears AMI apprehensons as TO The
success OF the amendment are somewhat OF a morbid
character. and not sustained by the facts. As mere
question OF policy, by which intended to govern my
own action was anxious to pass the bill through as il
came from the House OF Representatives. acknowledging
It's mperfectons, but recognising as the commencement
OF system in its infancy which we would have time to
mature and regulate and prune OF its abuses hereafter
But the Senate dsregarded that mode OF treating bill
and alter giving my vote. without avail against the first
have exercised my best judgment in regard
to the amendments which have been offered since No
amendments Oh nave been lngrdfted The
bill which may weigh it down but more important
matter is the principle on which they ingafted and
when an amendment is proposed principle, and true
and legitimate in ITSELF shall entertain fears in Civ
ing my vote upon IL. entertain no fears TO the OBJ
jecon which has been urged in regard TO overlooking
The bill merely as to The amount OF the appropriations
Gentlemen disngenuous and unfair if they suppose
that just and legitimate system Of river and habor
provemenis is to affect this bill merely because of the
amount OF money involved: J affect no such moderation
that On the contrary, know that il these appropr
aons made, they must continue that they must not
only continue, but must enarge and let ask, what
appropriations OF whatever class are not enlarged under
the growth OF the government! But yesterday your
appropriations for the support OF your navy only
S4,00OO0O Now your appropriations for the same ser
vice amount TO so, 200 900.
The expenditure of the army and indeed every other
expenditure grows with the growth of the country.
Some seem to have forgotten that but yesterday
only colony, while to-day great empire !;
and you expect ciTcumscribe the expenditures
OF The government now within the same limits within
| which they were confined few years ago. But the
amendments which we have proposed here are not OBJ
noxious 10 the objections which the senator from Mch-
gan Mr.. CAssl supposes. We are not gong into in
definite field OF expenditure On the contrary, each one
OF these is based upon the compact entered
into between the Stale of Louisiana and the United States
rney come within The pale by which every senator pro-
to regulate his conduct They have been surveyed
and estimated for they stand upon principle which has
been ratified by previous administrations, and are de-
clared national highways by the of the compact in
which the States oil Arkansas, and Louisiana, and Mis-
souri, admitted into the Union. There a time
when iha, great territory all under political ju
rsdcto and TIE first State that carved out of II
Louisiana and careful was the federal government at
h 'oe lest these large rivers empiyng into the Gulf OF
Mexico and the Mississippi would oe withdraw from their
jurisdiction by State egalon. that they made provision in
the compact with louisiana and subsequently with other
OF the Mississippi valley thai The navigation OF
the rivers flowing into the Mississippi and the Gulf Of
Mexico shall forever remain common highways, open to
the czens OF all the States, without any TOLL duty,
mpos by the authority OF the States whatever Could
any language perfectly withdraw these rivers from
State jurisdiction. 10 incorporate them objects OF the
al fha iplp pnvS | wi he
amendment OF The senator from Illinois MIR DoUGLAsl
would be preservation OF the faith OF the government
with these several States since the federal government
has thus egmaed them as national highways, exempt
IRON their jurisdiction. They have IN one clause with
drawn and released the whole OF these from any preext
of jurisdiction by the States Tue White river, and the
Black river and the Red river and the Arkansas river
all rivers belonging to that class embraced in the
pact and there no danger OF extending the compact too
far This, therefore, is not general provision
and il extended TO every embraced under that
compact, could not be deemed an abuse OF authority
1t appears 10 me that we adopt this amendment with
out either fearing or inviting the abuses about which
many senators eyince so much alarm.
/ Mr. DAVIS. [ understand the gentleman that these
rivers have at some former time been surveyed. II Is
fact with which was unacquainted when the motion
was made TO add them to the bill But, sir, they have
undergone revision They have not been referred to
they been thought OF, far know, suitable povs
ions for this bill, until the amendment offered. Well
sir not about to argue that they are not suitable TO
put into the bill would rather believe all that The gen.
emen say; that they suitable objects for the expend-
iure OF the public money that they are among the
highways which deserve Improvement But wish TO
state 10 my friends from Arkansas thing which must
be very apparent to everybody and that s that you
not provide for all the rivers which may be esteemed
worthy OF provision in this bill 1t is out OF the question
There must be limit somewhere. You must stop some
where because it is quite impossible to put them upon
equality and however much they may deserve II, ii
is inexpedIeni TO put them upon an equality.
Now, sir, certain rivers IN which the honorable sena-
tors interested pretty largely provided for in this
bill and they hope TO press amendment OF this
without inviting others to make similar amendments
And will it not result practically the honorable
tors from Michigan and Indiana have predicted in the de-
feat OF the whole measure Ii is really time TO 10
vote upon this bill and rise TO ask the Senate
TO do that than for any other purpose
II Mr. BORLAND. 1t may all be very true, as the sen.
ator from Massachusetts suggests that these rivers Were
before The committee 1t is unfortunate, perhaps or
Arkansas and many other States that they not rep
the committee, but wish to call attention TO this fact
Not river, harbor, or pier has been omitted in the
States represented upon that committee There only
some seven eight States provided for by their amend
menis, My State, and some Others which had not the
good fortune 10 be represented upon that committee have
been omitted The committee have made appropriations
here Tor objects that three senators in this body will
rise aud say that they know the value importance Of
Le rivers and creeks here, little harbors and indenia
lions there provided for and yet when great
700 miles long brought forward tit object for i'm
1 provement by legislation, we are told that il was
not before the committee. Why was il not before
the commitieel The senator from Massachusetts says
that rivers in which The State which ] in part rep
resent Is interested have been largely provided for The
senator's estimate of large provisions must differ very
mucn from mine, II II is large appropriation To allow the