The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-24

sections OF the Uaion and in doing So speaI OF him
Individually type representing whole class sa'es-
men and politicians upon this floor. This QUESTION now
ITSELF after having been the popular aad favored
measure OF large majority OF the people OF lhi country
for twenty years at one ilme-irom me Tune Of a. Mon
roes administration down 10 the close OF MrlVan Blu
ren's administration il apopular and conceded doc
uine---i do not system OF general Involvement,
including roads and canals through States wahor with
MES but mean the system OF Improving lie great
rivers of the West and the harbors upon ourgre inland
seas and lakes Now although that has been lie senii
ment OF majority OF the people OF the county, what
has been the opinion OF mnonly OF the representatives
of the States ia this body and upon the floor of The other
House They have been continuing TO stand oul upon
the old objection OF ency. OF them stand
ing upon that ground and the others upon the ground OF
of power in the constitution Now, let these gem
temen come in and regard this question settled tits
but doubtful ground of objection at BEST and will gentle
men still stand upon the ground that This clearly
constitutional attempt 10 appropriate money from the
treasury OF the general government Tor these purposes
Why sir this system has had the OF some OF the
most enlightened OF the most patriotic statesmen OF
the country for twenty years past and the assent Of some
they say il is not doubtful question Will they
regard il settled question Will hey come
10 consider il as policy sanctioned by majority Of the
people of the counirys Will they not cone and give
justice and equality to its working and restrain lis
abuse and ntepose their influence here, ard their votes
here TOO give tnot only the semblance nut the real
y of Justice, approximation To equaiyas near as
that can be given in matter OF this kind! And when
they speak of constitutional objections, let item say
upon what ground they give their support 10 ne light
Now the late eminent and distinguished Mr.. Calhoun,
former representative of the State which the honorable
senator [Mr BuTLERl now SO worthily and honorably
represents upon this oor took what conceive to be the
view OF practical and sound statesman upo this ques
ton when he made up his mind that the making these APP
preparations for the Improvement OF the Mississippi and
it's tributaries proper policy for this government to
adopt He saw no constitutional objections tothat pocy
that not in his Judgment surmouniable. His prnct
pal objection the expediency OF such system as
ore m
must be done TO section another whethere was
considerable and respectable minority OF Sites repre-
scented upon this floor always protesting agains this poll
cy and this measure, and thus preventing Compete justice
to all the sections OF the Union.
| That reason why he apprehended mch re-
suit But he took more farseeing and statsnanlike
view of the matter. He thought that inasmuh as this
system loudly demanded by the condition OF the
couniry-of the West particularly; the great hikes and
fully upon his everyday obsevation-the continuing and
abiding interest OF the great productive region OF the
West was such, that ne saw that this policy woald be
forced upon the country And if he had seen that
it objectionable upon constitutional grounds
than really was, he would have strained the censtruc
ton of the constitution not as against valid objections
but against constructive objections. He would have
strained his mind to the conclusion that was consilu-
tona, because he il was likely TO become eslab
shed policy OF this country, and he considered great
calamity to the country to adopt any policy that was direct
y unconstitutional; for if we could break downone bar
rer OF the constitution, then his mind led him TO conclude
tina, the others would be the easily and really
eaped He therefore wanted this policy TO sane upon
ground that not constitutional His great mind, his
staesmanlke views led him acquiesce in this
And If all his admirers-a those who generally agreed
with him in the Souh--woud adopt his opinions upon
that subject they would come in and admit the consIu
tonai,y OF this measures they would come IN and en-
Justice 10 it Having the advocates Of every section duly
and properly represented in this great measure heir con-
vatve feelings their OF justice their disposition
to avoid an abuse OF the powers OF this government,
would then up in array TO the assistance of these
who oil opinion that although this polite system,
vet is liable to great abuses, necessarily, from lis very
na,ure and who that the only way Tor them 10 pre-
vent those abuses is for them unite heartily in the
support OF such objects are considered important, ex
peden and proper and those hlch are not proper
but which may be considered necessary to be put in
bill of this kind in order 70 get majority IN is favor
These the views entertain upon this subject. II
they would come in and regard this as settled Question:
which must b. acqniesced nat least, they nk Is
but OF doubtful constitutional expedency-et the coun
be considered competent TO settle the question: be-
the system must and will the great interests
of the West will that goes on, Tor they are strength
ening from year to year am opposed TO any abuse
of this system as any man upon this oor can be- Al
though may give my support TO this bill, shall do 81
under a kind OF duress-not so much from doubt OF
the great importance OF the works, hut because, with The
real interest OF the West must take along with II nu-
other minor objects that are OF no great conse
quence my estimation, but treat OF the interests not oil
The whole Union but Of the particular sections to which
they belong In some Instances might be oil opinion
hat the object was to build up haIbor ~ place where
there real necessity for it, but local interests only
are be benefited by -make one upon the lakes, per
haps, where Nature did not design one TO be made
But did not rise for the purpose of making such
marks as these but the honorable senator from South
Carolina [Mr BUTLER] called me cut upon this view oil
the question. will, however, remark IN further reply
10 his question: that the navigation OF the Mississippi
river and portions OF the Ohio has been greatly I'M
proved by the appropriations heretofore made
The honorable senator also spoke OF estimates IN regard
10 the probable OF the deepening OF the mouth OF The
Mississippi Now. what corps OF engineers IN the world
can make an estimate 10 the amount II will cost 10
clear out the bars and the annual accumulation OF snags
| in the Mississippi We want annual appropriation
for that purpose and engineer tell how much will
be needed Now in regard 10 the deepening OF the chan
mel of the Mississippi rver, that great inland torrent or
il il more like torrent than ordinary 10 the eye
of the careful observer-it is annually making immense
deposes that whole delta is but the deposiies OF this
perpetual and eternal flood OF the Mississippi bringing
down sands and soil from the Rocky mountains and
the Allegheny mountains. The channel may be deepen
must be kept clear after Il is deepened and shall
have TO make annual appropriations oil twenty, thirty, OF
perhaps y thousand dollars. IN order to keep the chan
mel open. But who estimate what il will cost But
suppose that. instead OF $4,000. should cost
1850 600 annually The honorable senator from Mary.
land Mr. PRATrl alluded 10 the duties upon impora
lions al New Orleans Why. sir, great States receive
their importalons from New York and Baltimore, and
that makes il important TO deepen the channel Of the
Patapsco, a little stream-I do not know how long OF
how small IL is Our Imporatiops, know, are not
ceiyed to any great extent by the way OF New Orleans
but it is through the mouths OF the mississippi river, thai
OF cotton tobacco, corn. and grain and all the products
of the West II is in that way that they find their way
10 the West Indies the eastern Staes and Europe. TO
The a,nount of forty and fifty millions OF dollars And