The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-09-14

not iVr tnut Diil, tnOuB III III guvc tno NOrtnWcs-
tern Lakes S752,676. You wanted to state
what part of that bill you were for and what
against. Why did you not do this? Why did
you remain silent during tho whole of the sub
sequent proceedings, leaving the Senate and
the country profoundly ignorant as to your
views on the objoctional features of the bill!-
Mr.. Douglass at this very session, has propos-
cd in the Senate an amendment to very in
adequate bill, from the House, for the assent
of Congress to the levy of tonnage duties by
the States, thus proposing to abandon the
whole system of harbor and river improve
nients by the General government Will the
west tolerate this piece of management, frau't
as it is with nothing but mischief to the coun-
try.
But although the bill was not brought to a
final vote, yet the Journal shows sufficiently
who were for and who against tho bill, thus,
on the motion submitted by Mr.. Badger, of n.
O., to take ii up, the vote stood: yeas 81, nays
25, Davis, of Massachusetts, Phelps and Up
ham of VeTment, Green, of Rhode Island, and
Smith of CT, all Wings; and Rantoul of Mass
Democrat, voted in the affirmative; and Ham
lin, and Bradbury, of Maine, Norris, of New
Hampshire, Democrats, Hale, of tho same
State, +. s., and Clark, of Rhode Island, Wing
voted IN the negative. Mr.. Clark, however, is
known to be a sincere friend Of river improve
ments, but, for special reasons, he thought it
inexpediClt to entertain the subject at that
time-in this wc think he was mistaken. The
subsequent votes showed substantially the
same state of things he Wings of New Eng
land for the measure-the Democrats against
it, except Rantoul Mr.. Norris, the bosom
friend of General Pierce, displayed the utmost
inyeteracy against the bill, and concurred in
all the parliamentary tactics and arts which ul-
timately proved successful.
Majority forced TO succunlb-treachvy and
fraud rule the day:
The Senate having spent the whole of Sat
urday and most of tho succeeding night on
this bill, and the whole of Monday and the
night following, up TO o'clock A NJ, and
most if not all of the appropriation bills re-
naming Unfinished, it became manifest, that if
tho friends OF the measure persisted, that the
last named bills would be lost, and an extra
session of Congress would become indispensa-
BILE. Ii they could have thus secured this be-
neficent measure, it would perhaps have been
their duty to porsevere, but of this there was
no hope, and, as decent method of disposing
of the subject, it was postponed un l s o'clock
and did not come up again. The Senate then
Immediately turned its attention to the appro-
priation bills, and the two Houses, with the ut
most difficulty, got them through SO as TO ad-
journ, as they did, at ~ o'clock on the 4th.
"A grab at the treasury:
But although the country was saved from an
extra session of Congress, yet the President
was obliged to call special session of the SEN
ate to attend to large amount of Executive
business, which was not acted on at the regular
session by reason oftho factous course OF those
who defeated the river and harbor bill.
The Senate accordingly mot on the 9th of
March, and remained in session until the 9Th
at a cost tn tho annnfry in ray and mlaaaa nf
members (actually taken) $l0, ,l67 20, and a
further amount for tho pay Of officers of tho
Senale and contingencies. At the regular Sos
sion, Congress had passed an act cutting off
the constructive mileage as it was supposed,
but certain honorable members discovered a
small fisure in the law, through which they
were enabled to mako grab at the Treasury,
and captured spoils, in the name ofmileage 10
the amount of S35,7S0 so. The operators in
the line were, Democrats "a, Wings 2; and a
mong the former we find those members who
were most actively engaged in defeating the
river and harbor bill, viz: Foote of Mississippi,
(his plumber 81, ,064;) Borland of Ark, ditto 81
sos: Clemens of Ala, ditto, 81 sos: Soule of
La, ditto, s2,074 so: and Norris of n. H., dit
to, S472. Pretty good round sums these for
flashing over several hundred miles, between
tho 4th and 5tb, and all matter ofhypothesis.
Foote, Borland, Clemens and Soule, wero al
most necessarily on the floor, raising points OF
order, reading documents wholly irrevalent
and making speeches equally so. Would it
not have been better yea far better to have ex-
pended this money in pulling snags out of the
Mississippi? These honorable members seem
cd TO have stitch in their conciences lest
Congress should violate the Constitution by
the bill: pity the fisure in tho constructive
mileage bill had not been closed by stitch
then these members must have been content
with having the above sums once, viz; at the
regular session. Twenty four members refus-
ed to take the mileage--of these, Is were fol
the bill out and out. This sufficiently illus
trates the spirit and motives by which some al
least of the opponents Of this system of intern
al Improvements are actuated. Will the peo
pie tolerate such conduct?
We have gone into these details to show
what weare to expect on this subject in case
Franklin Pierce should be elected President
We see what has been the course Of this gen.
tleman, and what the cause of those who
are now promoting his election. Is it not Ger
tain that the Treasury will, in tho event Of it
success, be hermetically sealed against the
necessities of the country in this respects
Hon. M,,. Stuart Of Michigan tries TO squirn
out Of he difficulty.
But the Hon. c. Il. Stuart, of Michigan
made in tho House Of Representatives (July
18th, very disingenuous attempt to obviat.
this objections. "Why,' he exclaims, "mem
bers frequently vote against measures, which
occupying the Executive Chair they would Ger
tainly approve" Ahl Mr.. Stuart. do yor
claim that man is to be made President with
out respect to his conduct Are the votes of
candidate for the Presidency on subjects of in
finite Importance to have no weight May
man oppose. most strenuously and at all time
this system, and still bo deemed trustworthy
But, says MIR. Stuart, he represented an '.inte
rior district-a small mistake, as member
from New Hampshire were chosen by genera
ticket until long after Mr.. Pierce left Congress
anterior district forsoothl we have goot
reason in the conduct ofPierce, why he shoul,
remain in the interior" Welll WE'LL respond
Stuart, Mangum spoke against one of tho bill
which Pierce opposcd-wondcrful discovery
why did not Mr.. Stuart namc few other whip