The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-09-14

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"A nep sort Of Veto-the Democracy progress
sing:
Next followed veto of very extraordinary
character, viz: by a factious minority in the
Senate Of the United States, at the close ofthe
last session of Congress. Never was there ex-
hibited scene more disgraceful to deiber-
atiye assembly, and never course pursued
more Injurious to the best interests of the
country.
A very excellent bill of appropriations for
river and harbor improvements passed the
House of Representatives February 18th, 1851
yeas l04, nays 81, wide house Journal I'd
scss., 3lst Cong, p. 306.) and was sent to the
Senate. This bill contained in the aggregate,
$2,35S,S7 a large sun it is true, but not too
large in view of tho fact these improvements
had boon arrested substantially for more than
ten years, and in view of the further fact, that
the Treasury was full to repletion. The old
works had fallen iuto decay, and distractions
Congress, been muilipliedto almost indefinite
extent.
.Ne,c England Whigs for the bill, and .Nelc
Eagldnd Democrats against 10!
The bill appropriated to New England only
$l2l, 800, and to the Atlantic coast, south of
New England. Gncluding Breakwater at Platts-
burg, Whitehall harbor, and dredge boat for
Lake Champlain,) but 1885, 10, whereas it
gave to the Northwestern Lakes no less than
$752,676, and to the western and south-wes-
tern rivers and harbors $945,700, so that this
BILL like the one vetoed by Mr.. Polk, was, in
the main, a measure for the relief Of the West
Northwest and Southwest.
Notwithstanding the small sum allowed n.
England, by the foregoing bill, every Wing
member present from that section, voted in fa-
.ho~
it: thus, Otis of Maine, (the only whig from
that Stato,) Elliott, Fowler, Grinnell, Mann,
Rockwell, and Duncan of Massachusetts,, Al
len, IF. s. from the same State, King of
Rhode Island, Butler, of Connecticut, the only
whig from that State, and Tuck of New Hamp-
shire, independently voted for the bill, and
Gerry, Litchfield, Sawtelle, Stetson, and Full
Ter of Maine, Peaslee, Hubbard, and Morrison
of New Hampshire, Booth, L. s., Cloayeland,
+. s., and Waldo of Connecticut, and Peck of
Vermont, the only Democrat from that State,
voted against it. The reader will not fail to
noto that every Democratic member from New
Hampshire went against the bill, but it is some
relief to observe that an independent gentlo-
man of the name of Tuck, appeared from that
State, who seemed to have some just apprecia-
ton ofthe wants of the west. We venture to
say that his was the first vote from the Granite
State which has been given in favor of Harbor
and river Improvements since the Patent De-
mocracy obtained en- ascendency there. And
the reader will also note how the change in
the political character of the delegation from
Connecticut from four Wings in the 29th Con-
gress, (when the bill was passed which Mr..
Polk vetoed,) to three Democrats, two little
for free soill and one Whig in the 31st opera
ted to the prejudice of tho West On the for
mer occasion the "Land Of Steady Habits
rov re.~,lnt~ r. al
cause, but alas! the aforesaid land has become
a little unsteady, and in the last House, there
was found only one Wing in the House, and he
alone seemed TO have proper sense of snag
and sawyers, rocks and breakers, while the
three Democrats did not care how many boats
were pierced by tho former or dashed on the
latter.
People of the West! What say you TO TAX
ing President from New England, endorsed
and supported by men so utterly lost TO prop
or sense of the wants of the country!
This bill having been sent to the Senate, as
already remarked, was taken up in that body
on Saturday March lst, and occupied the
whole of that day, and until late in the sue
ceeding night. 1t was resumed on Monday
morning the 3D., and was under consideration
during that day and most of the night follow
ing. The proceedings may be found in the
Senate Journal I'd session 3lst Congress- from
p. 233, to 252: and from nero inspection of
the record, it would seem that factious at
tempt, and one, too, of very strenuous char
acter, was made TO prevent final vote on the
bill. AL, sorts of motions were submitted to
amend, alternating with motions to adjourn, to
lie on the table, and to postpone Indefinitely,
which were successfully overruled by votes
that indicated conclusively there was large
majority in the Senate in favor of the bill
But what appears by the Journal TO be a prob
ability, turns out, on inspection Of the debates
as reported in tho Congressional Globe Appen-
dix I'd session 3lst Congress, TO 20 o certain
ty The debate for Saturday, March tho 1st,
on this subject, extends from p. 326 to p. 353
of the Appendix; and on the succeeding Mon
day, from p. 353, to p. 3sl, making SO quarto
pages of solid matter, and probably that does
not include one half Of what was said and
done.
Clay, Cass and Douglass on The bill:
| Mr.. Clay,o ,on Saturday, in few brief words
indicated the character of the proceedings
"There are" ho exclaimed, 'three modes OF
killing a bill. One is by meeting it boldly,
| straight forward, coming up to the m'rk and
rejecting it, Another is by amendments upon
amendments; and third is to speak against
| time when there is little time left" The op-
position had no idea of trying the first method
but by the adoption and pertinacious adher-
ence to tho two las, they did not kill the bill,
as Mr.. Clay said they could. The friends OF
the measure received little aid from some oI
the leading men of the Northwest. Con. Cass
made long speech on Saturday, which opens
with a warm advocacy of the system, but con-
cludes with many objections to that particular
bill, one of which was based on the fact that
tho bill contained items that had not been rec
commended by Tho Executive. "The War de-
partment," he said, "has not asked for these ap-
propriations: wc have not wo-d from it in
relation to them"
snow sir, l cannot sanction this dangerous
system, and am not willing for one to intro
duce it, leaving Congress destitute Of all infor-
nation, and the Executive of all just response
bility." wide Congressional Globc Appendix
p. 337.) Then, General, it is your opinion
that the action Of Congress is to depend on the
/ War nnnarfmont or the Execufixa5 If the