The daily union., 1852-08-20

Now, have said That II this olu system which bit
Monroe favored, commencing long ago, could De con-
hnued, preferred it, Ii has been done away and now
done away Il has been done away by violation oi
the very principles which Land down when was speak
ing before, for the purpose OF substituting IN lis place
system which carries with il that kind OF contracting
that kind OF bargaining with departments, and that kind
OF man9uvrng by when men make private fortunes pa'
OF the government As long as the old system existed
the government furnishing the money and leaving ihe
work TO corporations, you had private enterprise ana IN
eres 10 carry these works But you have abandoned
that system and substituted for il system OF contracts
by appointing government agents do not know pul
committee you now have in one OF the lower rooms
of the Capitol will develop something OF thar system pc
fore they get through will not say more nor go far-
ther than that | said when was up before thhs the
corporations that were most dangerous TO inns country
the corporations which men resort 70 lot hdvluual
emolumept by means OF division OF the spoils through
system OF intrignes and cllques, Wnch act upon he
country with their practices everywhere Ihat Is
thing that wish TO guard against by this old fashioned
system OF corporations, by which we appropriated the
money and secured individual enterprise and interest TO
execute the plan :,
any OF these works upon that pan and he referred to the
Ohio and Chesapeake canal saying that that was not yet
finished. while The New York canal has been nnlshed
long and long ago, and look at the millions OF revenue
that the New York canal has brought in Now, in an
that have to say, that if you had furnished the
money as think you ought TO have done when you had
put your hand the plough in reference TO this Chesa-
peake and Ohio canal you would have formed at this day
that connexion with the Ohio river which would have
poured thousand and millions OF dollars worth OF valua-
BILE commodities into the lap OF this District for
cial purposes, and for the supply OF this government
You failed to do lhis-you abandoned the whole scheme;
you entered into contract sort OF pledge OF faith, as
il were, with The people representing the District ana
with the stockholders Of that concern that you would
from time TO time, unite with them IN furnishing the
means and that you would contribute portion 10 Their
contributions But instead OF that you have abandoned
you have thrown il upon the State OF Maryland you
have thrown ii upon individual enterprise and Failed TO
contribute with them any proportion OF the amount to be
raised You. TO be relieved the District IN their
Holland debt and took upon you some live hundred thou
sand million of dollars, and then abandoned the
scheme and now 1t is held up as matter OF reproach
that the canal Improbable. The reason Tor that Is
that il has been nished-that the original plan has
never been carried out. II IS poor argument to say
when you have carried house up 10 the caves II is
good for nothing because II has no ROOT upon It, You
should have finished it, put the roof and then twoud
have been valuable building.
Mr.. PRA TT and Mr. BADGER addressed the Chair
Mr.. PRATT. believe have the floor.
Mr.. BADGER. Well, you have spoiled a frst.rate
speech. can make a better speech upon this subject
than you Laughter
Mr. PRATT That is the very reason desire to speak
first am sure that il the honorable senator from North
Carolina Mr. BADGERl should make speech now he
would leave me nothing 10 say. Laughter
A SENATOR. That is good reason for your going on
now. [Contlnued aughterl
Mr.. PRATT. The honorable senator from Illinois
Mr. DoUGLAsl has opened new theme OF discussion,
The results OF which desire the representatives OF some
OF the older States TO look al Tor sugle moment The
honorable senator commenced by saying that he does not
intend argue the question OF the power OF this govern
ment 10 appropriate money for purposes OF internal I'M
povement The honorable senator, however during the
course of his remarks, said that he would vote against
this bill II approprates money instead oil land, and he
tells that there three reasons which will influence
his determination to vote in that way The first IL, that
there 100. 100000 OF of land on the margin OF
Lake Superior which would be greatly enhanced IN value
Tar above the amount OF expenditure on the part OF this
government in apprnpratng 500 600 acres OF land, or
halt million Of dolars' worth OF that public land The
is, that this canal ought 10 be made because
of it's commercial importance But if money is TO be as
propated for this object he sagainst H. What then.
become OF the STATE represented in part by the honor
able senator from Georgia, Mr.. DAWSON j What is 10
become OF the State represented 10 part by The honorable
senator from Kentucky who sits before me- Mr.. MERI-
wErHER y What is 10 become OF the State OF Mary
land Where all these States TO be in respect 10 in
erna Improvements, upon the margin OF which there is
public land According 10 HE argument OF The hon.
orabe senator from Illinois, MIR DouGLAs,1 appropa
ons for works of internal Improvement must be made
of land, and where the Improvement TO operate an
enhancement OF the value o the remaining public land.
Consequently that argument wIthdaws from the scope
OF the exercise oil this power the constituencies OF those
members upon this floor who represent States where there
is public land 10 be improved by any particular inter-
nal improvement Ii Is apparent, then, Mr.. President,
and think the honorable senator cannot escape the
cessay conclusion TO which his argument will lead that
the government OF the United States have the power 10
make appropriations for purposes OF internal improve
ment but only in those States in which the United States
hold public lands, because according to his argument
those appropriations must consist only OF public lands
Now, the national view which the honorable sena.
tor takes OF this matter is that cannot appropriate
money for wofkS ot internal Improvement lhe power
Of approprating for internal Improvement is power
which legitimately exercise only where
have lands, which lands actually be enhanced in
value by the particular internal improvement which is
to be executed. Now, let us take a common sense
view OF the matter ask the honorable senator from
Illinois Mr.. DoUGLAsl TO look al il for moment in
comm on sense point OF view am sure be imagined he
was doing so all the time, but be mistaken in
that He says that the distinction lie makes is ths-tha
we have the power 10 appropriate The public lands but
power TO appropriate money, in this particular
where he that internal
would enhance very many fold the value OF the public
domain upon the margin Of Lake Superior That is the
concession upon his part The government have the
power improve these public lands by making these
works oil internal Improvement, but be restricts the pow
er by saying that, although this improvement can be
made for the purpose OF increasing the value OF this pub
lie land, it only be made by appropnatng and-you
cannot appropriate money for that purpose Now, the
common. sense view ask him take of the matter il
this where is The difference regards the treasury
Suppose you look at the work under consideration
solely with a view to the public lands, which is the
view he akes Of il. II the public lands are 10 be en-
HANGED in value, cannot the general government appro-
pirate money Tor that purpose well as to appropriate
andl Where is the difference to the treasury You
appropriate hall a million of dollars worth OF land now
OF half million OF dollars out OF the treasury! The
only difference s II bis Argument is true about this work
enhancing the value of the public land there that you
would have 10 take larger quantity OF land 10 be worth
the half million of dollars Than 1t would take to
bring that amount Of money into the treasury after the
value OF the land was increased by making this i'm
ptoyement By an appropriation o Sj0O,0O0 IN money out
OF the treasury now.
Now, my honorable friend from Virginia Mr. Ma
sos says that this doctrine Of appropualng money for
internal improvements was started by John Quincy
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