The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-09-24

o. u, q
sdoutsd we found in one section OF The Union the most
decided condemnation OF Il. The strongest epthsts OF
dsnuncstion and OF contumely were heaped upon y
But dad hope that in another quarter OF The Un'on-in
thai section from which the from Tennessee and
myself come--iheTe would have been very different
disposition and that there the whig party would have al
hered 10 their platform laid down by their convention
Now, am 10 understand, from The leerng manner 70
which The gentleman spoke OF platforms, mat ne aoes
moi consider that there Il any binding obligation 10 the
whjg PLATFORM but that the South, well as the North
NAV sp upon il and derdet II such IS his understand
ing, think il is time the county should know H.
know very well that The platform OF party has not
such binding legal obligation that are sworn TO sup
por Il; but have always understood and still under
stand that where parties soemny adopt platform, SET
ting forth their principles, and make Their nominations
and promise them, that II they not bound
lerav they are honorably bound honest to abide
BY The principles thus LAID down. and party can disTe-
gard them without unairness. Though have no right
to suggest opponents, must call the al
,enon the Senate and the public TO the fact that from
the course pursued by so prominent member OIL the
party, ii would that In the approaching contest as
10 the last, although platform has been adopted y Is
mere form that nobody bound by il, but that II may
b. dsregarded whenever the interests oil any portion OF
the party seem 10 require il to do So The gentleman anu
his party may adopt what course they please ~ sgaa
Of the democratic party il that party pursue diefent
course. say, whatever course he or his party may
,hnk proper 70 adopt and my party coming toge,nel
cnaes feel bound honor and fairness TO carry them ou
faithfully and fully, and do not think the public would
b tlsaed with fairness BY pursuing different course
Mr. President, there is another point IN the honoable
geOlieman's argument TO which l wish 10 advert. lie
has argued this question as TO amendments with grea,
deal OF warmth, AZ though it were question between
The East and the West Now do not understand II in
that light al all do not any reason why the gen.
tleman should rally the West ls he stronger advocate
for western interests than myself and many others!
come from point much further South and much further
West than he does; and think am idehuied by my
feelings and my as much with the West as any
one here. would go far to promote western interests
str
Of these appropriations to the West as any one Is TINS
question OF amendments TO be made the subject OF con-
test between the East and the West! Look at the
amendments which have been adopted making appropra
lions. Are not great many OF them Tor the East
think almost many, if not quite as many amendments
have been put in for the East as for the West The
amount put in for the West may be little than Tor
the East or il may be less do not know how that IS
But still, taking the bill il is, either with or without
it, amendments think its character, as TO the dIsfbu
ton Of its benefits between the East and the West is
about the same. do not think there is any reason Tor
rallyng the feelings of the West in favor OF the amend
ments, because they locally interested IN
them than the Fast There il no necessity, them for rally
ing The West against the East Amendments nave been
put in for the Rappahannock and many other rivers IN
the East, which consider clearly without the prn-
cifls on which have acted and which the democratic
party have acted. But they have been inserted IN the
bill and wish TO see them strckeh out think the
staement made the other day by the honorable chairman
Of the Committee on Commerce, Mr. HAMLIN who has
looked very carefully into the subject shows very clearly
that with regard TO the distribution OF appropriations, The
bill 10 not unfair.
The longer this debate is continued The more am con-
WINGED that general system OF internal improvements
by the government of the United States never will be per-
manenly and satisfactorily established was when |
came here, in theory am now, in favor OF reasona
BILE and appropriate system OF national improvements.
This il the second great debate in which have been
engaged since have been here The FIRST one staggered
my opinion, extent of the practcablily OF this
syse but that the first debate and was not so full
this has been and is likely to be feel satisfied now
from this debate that pass this bill or not pass H. cut II
,iown or extend H. still feel sensible that the same feel
ngs which actuate Congress now will acluae Congress
Hereafter. and the difficulties presented will be so great
that proper system can be adopted Consequent
y, you adopt this bill you will go for few years
with partial system aud then il will be destroyed al
together Is not the history OF this bill proof OF that
II comes here from the House 1t has been long and care
fully debated; il from the immediate representa-
tives OF the people, who have good il not better,
means Of information from which TO judge OF the neces
sty and importance OF these Improvements than The Ser
ate OF the United States have This bill has come up
before us during the las days oil this session Now, "
particular and local interests 10 be insisted upon
with such pertinacy when This bill comes up un-
der such circumstances as these, when the recess
of Congress IL 10 be for only few months, and
then Congress will again meet, and, Il necessary,
bring forward another bll-when, under these cfcum
Stances senators cannot be induced 10 orbear from ug
ing forward their particular OF improvement Tor
even 30 shor, me all this is proof to me- sufficient
TO satisfy my mind, that the system can never BE- made
satisfactory that will be ruined by being overloaded
with amendments that you cannot conhne the improve
ments TO a limited extent that you must and will apply
u line OF demarcaiion by which Improvement
be distinguished IRON the other and therefore, as II
would be impossible, utterly impossible and utterly I'M
just, explained the other day, that this sweeping sys
TEN OF making improvements everywhere should be
adopted and get Congress TO agree upon
any principle TO govern their action this respect, the
System and will fall And argue that this will be
the case whether you this bill or not II you could
adopt moderate system then, when other Improvements
were proposed, we could pass them under the expectation
OF keeping Tie system w,lhin propr boonds Bot when
you md that 81 STAN commencing upon such moderate
grounds as this did, and there few reasons
Tor extending II, has still been far extended you
all admit that }, - impraclesbe and must be abandoned
hereafter as has been abandoned for years past
l therefore concu5e with the hope thai expressed
when first addressed the Senae-that will refuse to
concur m these amendments, and take the bill 1t
from the House. That will give much as will be
necessary, perhaps for the short time intervening before
another session But IL you 20 further than that, there
great probability that either this bill the whole
sysiem will be lost.
Mir JONES, OF Tennessee. II certainly was very far
from my intention to involve in this question party poll
tics OF any sort. did suppose that the honorable
ator from Louisiana Mr.. DowSsl with us for this
bill. Now, the remarks that made upon the subject OF
platforms made with respect 10 the discrepancy OF
opinion between gentlemen upon The other side II un
dersood the OF debate correctly, the honorable
senator from Mississippi IMr ADAMsl understood the
platform one way, while the honorable senator from
Michigan, Mr.. CAss1 and the honorable senator from
Illinois, Mr.. DouGIAs,l understood il differently The
whole contest about platforms has been upon the other
side Of the chamber | not that there Is a
particle OF difference among the wings upon this subject
there perfec, coincidence between their views
pressed here and their opinions declared 10 their
vention.
Now, the only point 10 The reply of the honorable