The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-24

we Iegisaie in this way the Senate is useless bodya
incrumbrance upon the House OF Representatives We
stand here prepared only 10 register he prescrpt the
edicts OF the country unable to say whether the
House of Representatives have passed this bill not
il has been 10 them from the character OF the
expenditure involved in il and that put upon il what
may will pass because there is such combination oil
interest in il that il will carry majority through either
body do not mean OF course. that there is an impure
combination because do not believe it. But every sec
lion OF The country far judge from scanning
the provisions of the BILL is interested. There IS com
bnaon, therefore. OF local interest everywhere which
will, apprehend. carry the bill, put into II what you may
But, sir for one holding the very humble position that
do upon this floor before the American people, wish 70
place upon record that this lest vote upon ms amend
ment is intended 10 preclude deberauon ana aeuon on
the part Of the Senate in an immense moneyed biii.
MIR. BELL | do not propose, Mr.. President, to enter
into discussion OF the principles upon whch ms Dill
il founded or 10 go into the argument which has ofien
been araey examined and discussed in this body on for
mer occasions, whether 1t 10 wise policy or not Ba,
wish TO trespass upon the Senate for lew moments by
offering few remarks upon the immediate question be-
fore the Senate II proposed by some oil the friends OF
this measure that the amendment under consideration. 10
strike and insert, shall be test question. for the pur
pose OF deciding the point whether the Senate will admit
any amendment whatever to the bill and my apology for
lrespassng at all is that have what consider very
important amendment TO propose, and az not think is
perfectly fair that this proposition should be presented
questions for in regard to that point the improve
proposed to be made by the appropriation 10 which
that amendment is attached requires the sum OF 600
to be appropriaedand doubt not 1t will be very Judi
cously expended in deepening the channel at the mouth
Of the Mississippi that that Improvement will still 20
on under the auspices OF the the amend
not offered excluding any appropriation TO be
made for deepening that channel Now, TO the gen
eal proposition, that 1t s the policy OF the friends OF this
bill 10 reject every amendment as II strikes every indl-
vdua member of the body who is favorable to the bill
il will be regarded favorable and wise policy in
the Senate to reject an amendment where particular
section OF country has II you please sectional interest
where it is known to have been duly provided for
But in regard other members of this body, whose par
tcular sectional interest," whose share in the general
policy OF improving the internal communication OF the
country, has not been sufficiently appreciated, II will
strike them unreasonable and an unjust policy 10
exclude every amendment when their particular section
OF the country shall appear to be entirely mainly over
looked Now, do not pretend to say that the south
section and the interior States have been entirely
overlooked because of the partial appropriations made To
the rivers Ohio. Mississippi. Missouri, and Arkansas
which deeply interest the particular commerce and the
transportation Of the productions of that country Sill
there large sections of the country, including entire
which are wholly overlooked in the various provisions
10 this bill trust will be pardoned for auding TO par
tcuar and local objects, since am claiming the njus-
lice which think is done to particular section
ground OF apology for consuming few moments OF the
time of the Senate upon this subject.
Now, here the Tennessee rivers: there is the
Cumberland river, with ordinary navigation OF SOC
miles, a, least il is passabe for steamboats, for $50 miles
and not cent OF money is given by this bill TO ITS
improvements it is entirely overlooked. And so il is
with the Tennessee river; while streams, only twenty
thirty miles in length in some instances have appropna-
tons made for their Improvement, while they are con-
fined 10 single States Now il is impossible Tor me, as
friend to this general policy and il you please, as
friend to this b-or do no, pretend say that shall
act upon such limited ground that because no meas
ure-l will not say unequal measure-is dealt out TO the
sections represent by this bill, therefore l shall vote
against the whole bill will not take any such ground
as that; but think il is my duty, and think this Senate
aud the friends this bill will not complain OF me il do
feel myself called upon TO bring TO the notice OF The Sem
ale wha, consider omission in this bill. Not that
consider equality OF distribution important in meas
ure of this sort; but think there should be some
approximation TO it, and that should no, have inf
mite variety OF small detached objects, dispersed over
large section OF country particularly attended to, while
the more magnificent streams and channels oil commerce
in another section wholly overlooked. Though
may vote for this bill. shall consider ii gross and
rank injustice in the trainers OF this bill il povisoH
is pu, in il reaching to this case, which is case thai
be defended any us
DAvIsl has well said that large proportion OF the Items
contained in this bill think he said almost the entire
body OF them-ae but continuation OF old objects ant
works, which have been examined and surveyed, ant
appropriations made for them, from time TO ume To-
twenty years past, with such intermisson as, unde
the policy and The principles OF the government for tn
time being, has been caused by inhbitipg them by the
veto OF the executive authority That is all very
and during all that time, il not majority, yet large
proportion OF the people OF this country have been il
favor OF the measure, and have supported ii from SEES
sion 10 session. and from Congress TO Congress- during
this whole time OF twenty years Well sir, taking II L
be true that the appropriations in this bill are chiefly,
M
amounts OF money have been already expended, still III,
representatives of other sections Of the country and o.
other very considerable interests, think that IS tint
now, after this twenty years. 10 pay some little attention
TO those other objects which have received attention
at all in all that time, which have had any moneys
appropriated by the general government, because they
consider them worthy BY hve and tenfold than The
objects which have received the repeated attention
couteses OF the government in The way OF appropriations
OF money My argumentis, that II about, as the
honorable senator from South Sarona Mr. BUTLER
thinks, enter upon and commence the system, i
time that those larger objects should be noticed Blu
the truth is. not about to commence system
this is but the continuation OF old policy
a policy believe, OF General Jackson's administration
which appropriated eight or ten millions OF dollar
for these improvements.
Mr. BUTLER Has the money already expended done
any good at all
Nj BELL. think il has
Mr.. BUTLER. will refer 10 the Cumberland dan
particularly.
Mr. BELL. | am happy 10 have j, in my power tc
say that the money expended upon that Improvement dc
great deal OF good And the whole country interested
In that navigation have been appealing TO Congress for
least four yearsbat is, for all the time that has elapsed
since last returned to Congressal that country has beer
applying TO Congress for money to that dam alto
geiher, put in that state OF repair in which it
have the pleasure to 10 the senator from South
Carolina Mr. BurLERl that that dam was very bench.
cent work the whole commerce OF the Ohio river tina
remained for great many years, but Tor The last 1--WE
six years, owingnot TO the removal OF the DAM or
OF any portion OF II being swept away by the
cunentbu owing 10 depression IN part OF II which
not completely finished. il has now become very
great nuisance The government placed il there. and
then the Congress and the Executive period OF the
mt IN mi urrafIp IN