The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-07-23

mittee with injustice and neglect of duty towards
their particular sections. He then refuted those
charges by calling attention 10 the duties Of the
committee. and detailing, its labdrs and the data
| on which its action was baGed. In the course OF
his remarks he said one thing was cert ain the
committee proposed to appropriate As m UGH az
| Could be judiciously expended by the next
session Of Congress. As to the complaint of yir-
GINA members that there 10 no appropriation in
this bill for that State 90 long as they adhere to
the dog-in the manger policy and hair splitting
constructions Of the Constitution, they must suffer
the consequences and take the responsibility. He
expressed the hope that the substitute of Mr. STANLY
would not be adopted, for reasons which he stated.
| Mr.. VENABLE would not discuss the constuu
| nonal question. He simply wished to pay his
! respect to the memory OF the Constitution. He
had been In the House long enough to know that
the mere will of the majority fixed the construction
OF that ihstrumentj and when gentlemen rise to
speak about the constitutonality of q measure il
excites smile, and they are called abstractionsts
for endeavoring to maintain the Constitution which
they are sworn to support The question Of constitu
tionalty the subject now before the committee had
In favor Of ii had been driven from point to point
til they had been compelled TO take shelter under the
| shade of "the general welfare" The Wings spend
all the money they can. 1t was their policy.
them; but he wished to confne his remarks to
those gentlemen who call themselves Democrats
They had just returned from the Baltimore Con-
vention, which declared against any general sys-
ty-three items in this bill-oue of them appropri-
ating five thousand dollars for connecting the wa
ters OF Indian river and Mosquito lagoon, at the
Haulover, Florida When small stream was made
so peculiarly Democratic as to come within theforce
and meaning of the Democratic platform, he was
at loss to understand the meaning Of the decla-
ration.
Mr. WALSH asked the gentleman what he
thought Of Mr.. Calhouns opinions.
Mr.. VENABLE replied, ne dssented from them.
Mr.. WALSH asked whether Mr.. Calhoun was
not, up the time of the Memphis Convention, the
leader of the strict constructionists.
Mr.. VENABLE replied, he never pinned his
faith to the sleeve Of any man. He only respected
them, adopted their opinions, and took their light,
far as HE understanding approved the conclu-
sions to which they might come. He then gave
his reasons for opposing the bill.
Mr.. CAMPBELL, of Illinois, discussed the merits
of the objects for which the Committee on Roads
and Canals appropriated the sum of one hundred
thousand dollars towards certain river improve
ments and in addition took into consideration the
interests of the Mississippi and other rivers. He
showed the importance of improving the Des
Moines and Rock river rapids, and contended Tor
the constitutional power involved in the matter,
sanctioned by Democratic authority. He could
difference in principle between improving
harbors on the Lakes and Atlantic coast and the
Improvement of the western navigable streams.
Mr.. MOLONY obtained the floor, and at 9
O'Clock gave way for motion that the committee
rise, which prevailed.
And the House adjourned.