The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-29

mere can DC no doubt about that This is great port
a Which the local authorities and the panes
ested have made temporary and very imperfect work
lhey are IN want OF better work. which they have not
go because they have not been fortunate other
secuons oil the Union have been in getting appropriations
ior other harboTs which have the Importance that
.a,s mas there is any case in the whole bill which
comes within The rule have laid down, and about which
mere can DC DOUBT is this very habor TO be construct
ed upon Lake PontchartTaia
Mr.. BUTLER, Mr.. President, rise TO submit mo-
ton 10 postpone indefinitely the further consideration OF
thus bill wish to have test vote upon it, II were
disposed TO check the system OF internal improvements
completely would let This bill pass for. sir il is
questionable that none OF understand it II is admit,
yea by all mat II ~ crude and undigesed-iba
egslatng in the Oakland upon conjecture than up.
on evidence II seems also that puzzled by the de
milton OF what is national and what is local-what is
general and what IS particular Some gentlemen say is
whg system and looking to general system OF inter-
nal improvements; and they oppose because it is often.
sive to the democratic platform regard to what is
oaa and what is Local but SIR that opposition amounts
my doxy Is orthodoxy" lLaugher]
II you say anything about New Orleans. or any i'm.
provemens in other places then, according to the gentle
men from those States the objects all national for
which the appropriations are asked in this way
the Appomattox can be sweed into national stream
And, sir, you may take Arkansas. | know very little
about Arkansas, yet venture say that everything
would be called national there II depends, sir entirely
upon who TO Judge TO what is national and what is
not national. agree sir. with the gentleman from
Maine IN one respechat short empiyng into the
ocean may be national, II ii have port OF entry
other port do not think however, that this definition
the character OF nationality do not agree with that
all; neither do think that every short empyins into
The ocean ought to be considered national.
/ NOW, sir, permit me 10 remark TO friend from Mis-
sour, Mr. ATcHIsoN,l who speaks rather slghtingy OF
what he terms the Atlantic bench" and says small
tract OF land the besalow me to say TO him that that
!" Atlantic bench can be superseded by railroads
The ocean is not 10 be superseded by railroads. rail
road compete with the ocean And then he calls il a
perseded by railroads. and probably will be superseded by
,hem. But SIR the ocean, with its ports harbors its
cities, and ghthouses and everything Of the kind, is
not 10 be superseded by railroad any other artificial
mode OF communication.
will make one other remark, sir before submit the
motion; and that is with regard 10 the principle of this
bill II the appropriations which made inadequate
to accomplish The objects contemplated by it, they are too
small and too ditusve 10 do any good and if you under
take TO appropriate to all the objects which may be iu-
Gated TO the members Of the committee and all the porls
oil the United States, why, sir you will not have money
enough IN your treasury; and, cir, If you should have
money enough IN your treasury you never distribute
II equally. you adopt the policy OF besowng all your
labor and approprang all your money upon single
object Bonapare did with regard TO the Simp!on then
you may bestow 81 900 upon the Mississippi river and
upon the lakes But you might practically well pour
out into the rivers which undertake 10 survey to
give INTO The hands OF these Job contractos for in that
case you will effect nothing with regard to the end con-
emplaed, except distribute the money into The hands
OF those who will make advantageous bargains with the
government
Something has been said about Charleston and we are
told that S5oOoO has been appropriated 10 try expert.
men therefor il but mere experment-to see wheth.
er the bars al Charleston cannot be dug away
make deep water there But sir that will be for the
benefit OF Charleston altogether and will undertake 10
say that will be for the benefit OF Maine han of
any other State for il will be the vessels of Maine who
will undertake the work. and the money will all be
bausled IN those contracts do not know whether il
will be done cheapy not, whether the object is
my oil The experiment or no-l cannot undertake
But when gentlemen call attention TO this as a local ap.
preparation for the benefit OF the State OF South Carolina
must answer them by saying that il is appropriation
more for the benefit OF Massachusetts, and Maine than OF
any other States. as i will afford security 10 Their vessels
aad the $4,000 will be absorbed in these In all
the contracts that have been made in Charleston believe
the contractors have come from the State OF Maine or
hereabouts, because they have vessels suitable Tor the
work And have no objection TO that al all, for believe
they always do their work very we'll But, after all il
appropriation in the OF Charleston, but for the
benefit OF Maine and other northern Atlantic States
And so II Is with regard 10 great many things: gel
the name, and deuded with the idea that it is for
the benefit OF this place that place, when fact The
benefit is derived by other place Sir, the bill is
wrong-totaly wrong and my friend from Illinois, Mr.
SHIELDs,] who spoke upon this subject has satisfied
tina, il to go into this system ought al least ,c
have all the intelligence obtain with regard
these proposed surveys therefore move 10 postpone
this bill indefinitely; and If il had not this name-
were not identified with this name OF "nver and har
Dor BILL" which has been connected with polltlcs-there
not five gentlemen here acting upon their responsi-
by senators, who would not be willing 10 postpone
it, Or they believed il TO be bill affecting private in
teress OF their own, they would be willing 10 postpone
IT, But, sir IL is called river and harbor bill :" And
having that there very few here who ress
IT, II is said that "a by any other would sme
harbor bill, which up much crude Legislation
any bill that introduced into this body II il
admitted, sir, that is undgesied. You require
: make appropriation for the Big Sodus and the Lu
Sodus; and what do know about the Big Sodus th'
Little Sodusl My friend here from Louisiana [Mr
Dowssl may perhaps know something about them, but
do not. They places which never even upon
map aod you require me TO make appropriations nroi
your representations and not upon my knowledge
We egisatng in the dark and allow 10 say, Mr.
President that the successful way TO get this bill
passed would be TO do II rather by guess work. than L
say that you were voting for general system. Tor one
sur il TO have general system, do not object
the name at all Let US have a general system. ! an
not afraid Of names, But whas national and what u
1 general Why, sir, gentlemen seem TO be very willing
make appropriations for great national objects But
sir, who is to Judge what natural objects and wha
are notl Oh, the wisdom Of the majority What is ma
onal is TO depend upon your opinion upon mine
rying a selfish system subserve local purposes
You may not think il So butt is essentially Legis
aiion of this kind must depend upon combinations To-
when you combine measures they stronger thar
when they separate But If wanted 10 carry out
system OF internal improvements would commence VIII
great object first | would put million and ma
upon and my opinion Is, from the remarks OF my col
league and from representations OF others, that ~ you
would carry out system at ALL to put your money ou
in the best way would be make channels OF com
merce believe il would be productive OF better results
IT, instead OF undertaking look TO these remote chan
ne we should dig rivers and harbors that we have
never seen or heard anything OF.
But, sir, allow 10 say what will be the result OF
this system carried out for five years TO come. II will be
a contest between those who 1--we upon the Mississippi
.lL. .IuI.m- 4 -.