The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-28
REMARKS OF HON. J. d. FREEmAN,
Differed in the House Of Representatives., July %
and 90, 1852.
under the fve-minutes rule. ]


The House being in Committee Of the Whole
on the state Of the Union, Mr.. oLps in the chair
on the bill making appropriations for the improve
ment Of rivers and harbors-
MIR. FREEMAN. move TO amend the amend
ment, by inserting $50 600 for the removal of the
bar at the mouth of the Yazoo river. 1t is very
clear that this bill is partial one upon its face.
While appropriations are made for streams which
pass through the interior Of almost every State in
this Union, not one single dollar is appropriated to
rivers or harbors in the State Of Mississippi, nor
on its gulf or river coast. The chairman Of the
committee [Mr. SErMouRl admitted the other
evening that two bays--the Little Sodus and the
Great Sodus, entirely within the jurisdiction Of
| the State OF New York-had large appropriations
| 10 them in this bill, and that the State Of New
York had the right to improve them, thereby ex-
Guiding the Federal Government. On the second
page Of this bill is another appropriation Of $50 900
/ to the Hudson river, at Albany. This place is
also entirely within the jurisdiction of the State
I Of New York-and such is the case with regard
10 most OF the items Of this bil--yet not dollar
il appropriated TO the rivers Of Mississippi, emp
/ tying either into the Gulf of Mexico, or into
f the Mississippi itself Just at this moment, an
amendment Of my colleague Mr.. BRowNl for an
appropriation 10 clear out the mouth of the Pasca-
goula river, which empties into the Gulf Of Mex
loo, has been voted down without ceremony. We
have the Tombigbec river, running through the
States Of Alabama and Mississippi long enough,
according to the definition Of certain gentlemen
here, to be called national stream also the Pas
agoula and the Cbickasawsy; yet not dollar is
gwen to either. Wehnve the Pearl river, passing
rom the Gulf Of Mexico to Jackson, the capital
Of the State Of Mississippi, and thence to the in
trior, which is navignble for six months in the
year for large steamers, and not single dollar is
appropriated to that. Here, also, is the Yazoo
river, Tor which offer an amendment, and to
which not a single dollar has been appropriated.
Yazoo City, a large and thriving commercial town
upon this river, has more commerce than nine
i'nths Of the rivers and hsrbors included in this
ban.
Why, sir, the second appropriation In this bill
instead OF being an appropriation IN Improve rivers
and harbors, as professcd in its title, proposes TO
construct hsrbor upon the cast side OF Reedy
Island IN the Delaware; and there are several APP
propristions for the same purpose.
Instead, therefore, Of making appropriations for
ihe improvement OF rivers and natural harbors this
committee have recommended appropriations TO
build harbors, where nature never intended they
should be-
Mr.. WALSH. would say to the gentleman
That that IN one Of the horbors in the Delaware
river, which tho Government 10 under solemn
contract TO keep in repair.
MIR. FREEMAN. The gentleman is mistaken.
10 repair or improve H. The gentleman will have
to amend The bill. n u is an old hsrbor.
want $4,000 to be appropriated for the inn
proyement Of the mouth Of the Yazoo river,
Implying into the Mississippi river, which later
admitted, upon all hands, 10 be stream enti-
ued TO improvement. The Mississippi river u a
great national highway, stream not within the
Juusdlction Of any single State, but the common
boundary Of nine States, and over which no ain
la - ~ liar
lore, "a strictly within the power Of Congress TO
Improve as the Atlantic coast The Yazoo river
runs from the interior of Mississippi, through one
~ inc most fertile cotton regions in the world. II
pears away the cotton, and brings in return, the
anhoel supplies for the planters. Al the mouth
o. ms nver, IN the Ted Of the Mississippi river,
er, OF equally as much importance and mag
Wp Ius ~ me bar in the Hudson river, at Albany.
wy not cut II ewayl The bar at Albany, as
am informed by the chairman OF tho Committee on
commerce, lMr. SEYnouR, requires $500, 600 TO
improve u, and they have been improving tina,
par ever since ! cnn remember. They have &C
many expended SSl5,000 upon il, and yet the bar
lust as bad ~ when they commenced appropti-
suhg TOT It's Improvement II feeds with grow
mg appetite; the bar gets larger as the public
sure V laVlshed upon il, and, ut the same rate
rsmeni, by the time the whole estimate
'exfended upon the work, the river
WI e Ub9iy impossible
f hammer fell
l14- ULLER. | am opposed n the amend
menl offered by the gentleman from Mississippi,
Mr. Fstraas.l Gentlemen oppose this bill be
cause It does not contain appropriations for every
harbor and every river in the Union, which +
susceptible Of being improved, and which scay be
oons eons,utionslly. Unless, therefore, you ge,
up abnl large enough to do the whole at once,
snail we do nothing' You can do portion this
year, and aPortion another year. do not sup,