The daily union., 1852-08-29

sueh circumstances a. seemed 10 render these remaIk
The Mississippi has been pronounced an INLAND SEA
il was called by Mr. Calhoun, and there seems 10 bt
dsP1siuon 10 some quarters 10 ausute TO il peculia
privileges IN consequence OF that designation By the
by, Lot me say 10 my friend from Missouri IMr ATcHI-
SON. that have much respect for that gLsat artery bu
rivers" from the Indians. They called il Mechee OF
Misse; for Il is the word in the Algonquin dialect
differently pronounced in different localities and meaning
great-and Sepe river Thus the Indians of thai family
called II the great river and Lake Michigan in like
manner, owes It's name 10 the same word Meehee and
Gan, waler-neanlng great waters and Mchllimacki-
nae he great turueso called from lis geological out
line 80 much Tor etymoogy.
but, referring now TO what some gentlemen call this
FINLAND SEA- etme remark that you cannot confer upon
The government power which il does not otherwise
possess, by changing The definition OF term. My friend
that -.
" rose by any other would smell as sweet"
So il would. But if you have power under the con
sloon 10 tax roses, you have power 10 call mson-
weeds by that name, and thereby levy tax upon them
were they as fragrant as the OF Sharon even.
You call the Mississippi river inland sea-" But il
rs truly speaking no more an in and sea- than the
Aleghany mountains. II is great river, and drains one
OF the most magnificent regions in the world But il il
only ryer and not INLAND SEA.
Mr.: President there is provision in the constitution
that Congress may laws Tor the punishment Of pa
cy committed on the high seas But can Congress de-
clare the Mississippi river TO be the high sea- and then pro-
ceed TO pass laws for the punishment of piracy upon
NO, sir. Were such proposition made here, the simple
answer would be that the Mississippi river and moth
ing else. Once that you have right to give
new meaning TO old terms and thereby TO enlarge your
powers, and you destroy whatever value there may be
your constitution An incident occurred while was in
France which may well illustrate this position
The Senate well know the terrible evils which were ex-
perenced In that country from the system OF conscplon
by which the mass OF The population was liable be
called out at the will Of the government-a system which
is one OF the most terrible inventions Of modern times TO
give power to despotc governments When the revolu.
hon took place IN 1880, by which Louis Philippe
called to The throne, the French charter then established
declared that the conscnpiion should be abolished.
On my arrival IN that country, notwithstanding this
provision in the charter, this system Of conscrp-
uon was IN operation every day. saw the best young
men OF the country taken from their parents and friends
to in the army. while their relatives stood by de-
plonDg the misfortune with tears and lamentations
inquired of General Bernard who had been in our ser
wee. and was then Minister of War. how il that
they got over That provision OF the charter which abolish
ed the conscrption, Oh" said he, we don't call il
conscrption now; we call i recruiting" And thus,
BY changing the meaning of term, one of the lunda
mental provisions of the charter was 20, rid Of And
so Is in this instance Ii you can give new definition
TO an old term, SO as TO bring within the constitution,
you might as well have no constitution at all
The senator from Georgia Mr. DAwsoNl the other day,
m some remarks which he made on this snbec seemed to
charge the democratic senators with having abandoned
the platform OF hr Polk have grea, regard for the
memory OF Mr.. Polk. believe thai posterily will pro.
nounce high judgment his Administrations very
high judgment He went through difficult period. and
went through il well He was a man of a strong and
high order oil intellect, and OF great probity believe
that history will do him justice than many of his
contemporaries. But allow 10 ask the senator from
Georgia what are the facts in this case Mr. Polk did
not lay down any platform. Not at all He merely gave
his reasons for decliAng TO sanction bill But suppose
he did lay down platform, what Them Should Mr.
Fillmore establish new whig platform-and when
speak OF Mr. Fillmore speak of him with thai true re-
gard feel towards him for say here in my place that.
the latest and most dangerous crisis this country has
conducted himself with The ability, frmness aud mode
ration OF statesman and patriot; | am not blinded
by party nor do mean to be, that cannot do Justice TO
the character of political opponent, whether in high
oflce or IN low one, or in office al all do
justice TO every one;-bu 10 return the point desire
TO refer to- appeal TO the from Georgia TO know
whether the President in bis message should lay down
platform, containing principles TO which be could not
assent and 10 which he had ever been opposed, whether
II should be considered the platform OF his party and
whether he ought be taunted with deserving his faith
because be might refuse his assent 10 this poiti-
cal creed | am no such believer in human iuiability
nor in the rights OF even the highest station have faith
IN the great body OF the people and when platform
what think ought to be- / shall profess and practise
allegiance to II, bat go no further
My friend, the senator from Missouri, Mr. ATcHsos
one OF that spartan band, the old hfyfour ores
no. will not say " old !" may he live thousand years
and never grow older-the senator from Missouri, when
shooting his arrows abroad the other day, charging
senators with inconsistency, aimed al me, as
thought, in connexon with this subject charged him
with II in conversation the day, but he told that
IT not intended for had thought that it was and
am now going 10 say TO him, that il | the marx he
aimed al, bis projectile whether arrow or bullet would
have inflicted no wound on me--not the slightest will
a so say to the senator from Virginia, (Mr. MAsos who
charged me last night with being leader in this
matter, that ! am no leader at all | never sought
10 be leader IL - ot the last characters wish 10
assume in this country That gentleman seemed inclined
10 taunt the democrats with being favorable the subject
of nyef and harbor improvements and believe the gen.
teman included me in his aDmadversons when he init
mated we were pursuing wrong course, opposition TO
true creed Now lei say reference TO this sub.
ect that do not concur IN The views held by that hon
orabe senator have already stated 10 the senator the
doctrine OF General Jackson and that doctrine met and
meets my cordial assent In ls47 supported the biIl
proyements which passed both houses OF Congress- and
was vetoed by Mr. Polk ; and now repeat, what said
on foTmeT occasion, that when that bill was pending
before MIR. Polk, went to him three times NV
inend, Mr.. Mcclellan then The chairman OF the Com.
ml,iee on Commerce in the House OF Representatives
went with me- and knows well as do the representa-.
tons and arguments urged to induce the President TO
assent TO The bill and will say that in all the conyersa.
tons bad with him this subject. he did not express
any opposition 10 the general principle OF internal i'm
ptovemenls. HIS objections wese made to particular
places and appropriations and be said distinctly, ii YOU
will present me bill omtng those Objectionable pro-
visions, have no objection TO giving il my assent The
amcuy was That there particular provisions in the
bill which he could not sanction And will here remark
to my friend from Missouri, lMr. ATcHsosl that there
was an appropriation in that very bill which met with his
suppott--'hif Bag Sodus, that Old Sodn which is now
bs bstt nor the object Of bis adherence need not
trouble the Senate with reading the bill. Here il is
Eyey one knows that conaias the class OF ap
preparations that included in the present BILL and all
or very nearly all Of them.
That was the bill, and test vote was called for by
m,. m,. bsgoy OF Alabama, who moved TO strike out the
following words: