The daily union., 1852-08-19
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
MONDAY, AUGUST is, 1852.
SENATE.

Michigan the right OF way and donation oil public
lands for the construction OF shp.cana around the
falls Of ST. Marys in said State. The question pending
Mr. FeLcH had moved TO amend the bin by striking
out all after The enactng clause. and inserting
'Ths The Secretary of War be- he is hereby, author
ders after public notice given in the usual manner for let
ting contracts. for the construction of shpcana around
canal I shall be es ban one hundled est wide and
twelve feet deep, with single locks not less Than three hun
dfed and fifty feet long and seveuty-dve feet wde with
such piers and other appntenance as SHALL 10 the opinion
o. ad a ens
separate for such different portions OF the work in
constructing the said canal he shall deem conducive TO the
public and the aggregate amount Of all said
tracts shall exceed $4O0O which shall be paid to the
always sum equal 10 twenty per cenlun the of
work performed until the whole be compleedi dnd pro-
pded further That the contractor contractors shall per-
form the work such instructions and supernlendence
the said Secretary shall deem necessary and proper to
the faithful execution Of the contracts, and shall
give pie security Tor The performance thereof he
shall direct and approves Ind provided further That such
contractor shall have the right Of taking from
any of the lands OF The United States and other
ras for the construction Of said canal and its appure-
nances."
Mr.. TOUCEY proposed to amend the amendment by
adding 10 1t the following as an additional section:
Sac. Amd be further enacted, That The said canal.
with It's appurenances, when the same is completed, shall
operation and repair and subject to use by all czsns Of
the Uned States, and such may be permitted
10 use the same by authority Congress- upon the pay
Of such tolls and charges only SHALL the aggre-
gate be sufficient TO deay the necessary of the
boats and vessels belonging in the of The
United States shall all times be allowed pass through
said free of all charges Provided aiso That there
shall be kept under the authority OF said State
Of expenditure in the repairs and the operating OF
said canal and also of all receipts for tolls and charges and
statement OF the same be returned the Secretary
of War il the month OF January in each year: lind pro-
pded further, That the work upon the said canal shall
be commenced until said State, by OF the legislature
thereoi shall to accept the same and shall make
proper provision for the preservation repair and operation
thereof on the terms and conditions above specified"
Mr.. CASS Mr.. President, listened with attention
10 the remarks OF the senator who spoke last, when this
subject was before the Senate days since but
must confess attempted IN vain to understand wrpre
cson his views upon the disputed question OF internal
improvements. In respects his doctrine good
orthodox democratic doctrine; hut OF his iluslra
tons seemed 10 destroy his restrictions, and leave
at sea- wihoat pilot or port as we were some years ago,
while the system was in vigorous operation The senator
announces that he is in favor OF great national works,
and that on that subject he has party zeal to guide
influence him. He lnquires--he will excuse Tor say.
ing twh emphasis than justice, what precedence
this work has over others !-some OF which he enume.
rates. while the rest left 10 conjecture We claim
no precedence for this work object OF internal i'm
provements nor do we compare its character with the
claims OF aDnheTs OF that class, not only because we
ask its construction important means Of national de-
fence but because whether the honorable
by precedence, that priority which depends on time,
age upon Importance, it is useless TO enter into any
such competition. have not the senator's speech 10 ad
vert to but think he referred TO the Cumberland dam,
and TO the Muscle shoals and believe TO other Of
the western rivers having many years the advantage
of the work contemplated by this bill know OF no c-
cumstances OF time which give any priority in these
tiers They present no Questions OF age; but OF import.
every portion of the Union equally entitled 10 be heard,
and 10 have its claims fairly considered.
The places this the category OF all other
nals and asks that difference may be shown in the stu
alton objects which give IL peculiar claim 10
sderaton The circumstances urged during this discus
sion by the friends OF the give what is true,
and what ought 10 be satisfactory, TO this ques-
tionthat il is needed as means OF defence, and they
show it, too.
Objections have been made here, and think very
Justly TO the practice oil inserting great number OF local
objects in The bill II is bad plsn sir, and leads
10 great deal OF improper legislation We all know the
effect OF this sgglomeraon II may call II, and how
each appropriation bears upon the bill and renders itself
essential its Far other considerations than
the real merits OF each proposition bear upon its fate, and
giving here and taking there becomes almost necessarily
part OF the system will cheeriully o,n any senator
in effort TO prevent the recurrence OF this evil, and
satisfied that the nearer we arrive al plan which
will insure the consideration OF each disconnected
from others, the more likely shall be TO succeed in
object As suppose II will be impossible TO pass
bill for each work. we must conhne ourselves TO some
kind OF classification by districts perhaps, which will
give more control over the tendency TO admit PROPOSE
tons because they strengthen the bill than because
their juet claim gives them right to be provided for in IT,
But opposite objection to this bill is also made, we'll
showing the discodan opinions that prevail this gen.
era subec and that H. that il stands alone with other
proposition in the bwith associates in fact TO give
It artificial strength. If il is alone il must stand fall
upon its intrinsic merits. and not upon the strength OF
weakness of lis associations believe some of those
who urged this objection in favor of the Cumberland
dam bill That bill contains but single appropriation
However, rules, il seems, not always infexible
Now, this appropriation asked for in the river
and harbor BILL simply because the object of the proposed
work has not doct relation with the objects OF that
bill The power OF Congress over this wok is placed
npon the ground OF its being defensive one, and not
upon its eonnexion with the commerce of the country.
Those gentlemen who have constitutional objectans 10
all works OF this description, whatever may be their
cessy national importance may, indeed fight the bat
lie of principle upon this bill II that ofen-iough battle
is to be again renewed but the place OF contest is badly
chosen because, as have sad The proposed is
urged upon other grounds.
As TO the old docrse OF internal improvements have
bd little to say, and shall limit myself TO few very gen
ena observations, growing out Of some OF the remarks
made here when this bill first before u.s. The dis
eussions which the subject has undergone from time TO
time have certainly rendered the doctrine less laiudi-
nasn with the party most disposed heretofore TO
nush The surhest. struck with this truth when
saw the resolutions OF the New York whIg convention
last autumn which declared tha, those works should be
confined objects OF national character as consutu-
uoaal principle and TO such had been previously SUR
veyed and estimated a fiscal one, prevent the com
mencement OF too expensive and improvdent works. ]
nave not the resolution 10 refer to- but cannot be wrong
M 10 lts purpor and good sound doctrine y contains;
sno me Objections which many OF Us had to the extray-
ks D OF the last upon this subject was that
violated these Just safeguards,
ofgInay, very loose ideas prevailed upon this gem
-, question. great system, carrying the authority
a we influence OF the federal government everywhere,
ooSea forward 10 equally constitutional and ex-
r"ena network OF roads and canals was to cover
mAns ooor An estimate made OF the amount oil
the propositions of this end,n0