The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-28

/ defiance Of them pursues its destiny. Commerce
is not 10 be taken there by the Improvement. IL
is there already, struggling against almost insur-
mounlable distractions and difficulties. Shall Il
continue 10 struggle without relief and without
hopel
Sir have presented this application for an APP
preparation in separa bill, for the further reason
thnt the Mississippi river is object entirely ma
| tonal, and over which States have no jurisdiction
for the purposes of It's improvement. In support
| of this position beg leave TO refer authority,
| and TO which would particularly direct the atten-
/ ton Of gentlemen from Virginia.
| President Tyler in his veto message of the llth
of June, 1874, on what called the eastern har-
Dor bill, speaking Of the Mississippi river, says:
| "The Mississippi occupies footing altogether
different from the rivers and water-courses OF the
different States. No one ate, nor any number
| of States, can exercise any other jurisdiction over
il than for the punishment of crimes and the SER
vice of civil process. Ii belongs TO no particular
State or States, but OF common right, by express
reservation, TO all the States. II is reserved as
| great common highway for the commerce OF the
| whole country"
| The national character which President Tyler
| here gives to this great public highway, places Il
at once under the jurisdiction of the Federal Gov
| eminent No State or States have the right to
| undertake it's improvement. BY express "reser-
vaonn that right belongs TO all the States in their
| Federal character. If anything was wanting as
to the power or policy of the General Government
| to make appropriations for the improvement ofthe
Mississippi, might refer TO the purchase of that
| stream and to the motives that induced the pur-
chase s
Mr.. Jefferson, with his prophetic eye, beheld
the future, now the present commerce OF the Mis-
sssppi river, and It's great valley. The necessity
of outlet for this commerce was the first great
| m owing cause that impeled the purchase OF the
| Mississ ppi river.
Mr. Monroe, in his message Of March, 1921,
| when speaking of the moral achievements of the
United States, in glow of national pride, ex-
| claims that sour physical atiainments have not
| been less eminent twenty-five years ago, the
| river Mississippi was shut up, and our western
| brethren had no outlet for their commerce." He
then goes to say, that the river has become the
| "propsriy Of The U,li,ed Staes," and in the same
exultng strain speaks of the great results that had
flowed from the purchase Of the river and of those
that would continue to accumulate. And here
might well Put the question, " If the Constitution
! contained the power that would authorize an APP
| preparation of money TO purchase riper for the
| benefit of the inferior commerce of the country,
| would not the same power authorize an appropri-
alton of money to improve that river so that the
| object of the purchase might be carried into COM
plete effect ~ II there is power in the Consti-
tuition that would authorize the erection Of light
/ houses, the placing of buoys and beacons, for
the purpose Of guiding the navigator in safety
| through the dangers Of the channel, would not the
/ same power dn appropriation VI money
| to remove the dangers against which the naviga-
| tor is warned, and thus relieve the Government
| from the perpetual expense Of pointing them out'
| Sir, the friends of the Improvement of western
rivers and harbors have guarantee for the future
in the history of the past, that IT is to the Dem
ocratic party alone they can look with any hope
of success.
| IL the Democratic policy of combining the
ercise Of the constitutional power to the improve
ment of navigable rivers and harbors on the lakes,
should be superseded by tbs adoption Of the
general SYSTEM" to which the wing party is
/ much welded roads and canals, and other local
/ and State improvements, would swallow up the
revenue Of the Government to the exclusion of our
| great navigable streams, and the destruction of
| our commerce on the lakes.
| regret very much that my friend from Ken
| lucky [Mr. MAasHALLl deemed it necessary, in
the Of his speech to-day, to make an issue
| between river improvements and harbor improve
ments. These two interests are, in my judgment,
inseparably connected with each other, and their
respective friends will best promote the great OBJ
| ject they have in view by considering them they
| really are-idenucal.
The commerce Of the lakes may, to a great en-
tent, be considered the commerce of the rivers
The Illinois and Michigan canal has connected the
waters of the lakes with the Mississippi and the
| Gulf of Mexico. There is also direct connec-
| ton by railroad, running from Cleveland to Gin
cinnut on the Ohio and in a short time other and
and their tributaries, will be connected with the
| shores of the northern lakes. Much of the river
| commerce, even at the present time, before il
| reaches its destination, is compelled to encounter
| the dangers Of lake transportation, and as the
various chains of railroad projected arrive at
| completion, it will be greatly increased. hope,
| therefore, that the immediate representatives of
| the river interests (and | class myself amongst
| that number) will feel that our cause in the great
| Northwest is common cause, and should COM
| mand our common support-thc only sure way TO
| effect the object we have in view.
In relation to the question Of power in the Gen
| eral Government to improve and construct har-
bora on the lakes, unable to perceive the die
tnction which is sometimes attempted to be drawn
| between harbors on the lakes and harbors or
the seaboard. Large sums Of money have been
| annually expended for the improvement and con-
| strucrion Of hsrbors the Atlantic coast, from
| the foundation Of our Government up To the pres
ent time. The aggregate sum expended by the
Government for roads and the improvement OF
harbors and rivers, and Improvements in the inte-
| ror, from the year 1906 up to the present tine,
amounts TO l7Igo ,0j0, only 81, s6I 1854 Of which
| has been devoted to The improvement Of western
rivers and harbors. This great inequality in the
expenditure Of the public revenue IL, to some
tent attributable 10 the distinction attempted TO be
drawn between improvements on the sosboard
and improvements IN the interior. Piers for the
protection OF vessels at the mouths OF rivers, nets
| from Washington down.
Now, what is pier' Why, sir, piers at this
time constitute the harbors Of the lakes. Piers are
defined by Mr.. Calhoun to be " moles raised for
the shelter Of vessels against storm and ice," and
| two lateral piers make harbor. Now, sir, it
| does seem to me that IL you can build one pier,
| you may, without very great infringement of
power, build two piers, parallel with each other,
and then you viii have a harbor Of refuge-one Of
the life-preservers which are much needed on
our lakes, whore the tempest and the storm by
far more appalling and dangerous than in the open
sea There you have room; but on the lakes
tho proximity Of the coast, in the absence Of hsr
bors, makes escape from destruction almost inn
possible We have in all about FIVE thousand
miles Of lake coast--two thousand miles Of the
opposing const belongs 70 foreign Power. I'M
der existing treaty with Great Britain, neither
of the two Governments is permitted 20 float
navy on the lakes in time Of peace. Al the first
signal Of war (aod there can now be seen small
| speck in looking in a certain drcction) what
would be our condition on the lakesi Our de-