The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-21

Ill. ~
and II we do not make the appropriation of money in
very short tme feel perfectly certain that the Bril-.
isn government VIII make one on the Canadian side OF
the river They have had their engineers there making
surveys this season aud they there now for aughl
know. They there al my last advices The
moment Brush canal is constructed, far the bus
ness interests OF lhe country cOnceIned-and some
senators say they do any such work for war
purposes-another canal would be wholly unnecessary
For the honor Of my country, desire to have Amer.
can work but II We cannot have that, am willing 10
have British work. and would not ask Congress to
go INTO war to capture 1t but would be willing 10
pay toll. 1t would, however be a morifying circum-
stance 70 me to have this great communication fall into
British hands.
This. then, is the condition Of things | do nor
wish TO occupy any further the attention of the Sem
ate in discussing the subject wished merely to point
out the condition OF the matter My belief is,
that the bill as il now stands will amount to donation
Of these lands to Michigan, and that the work will never
be constructed certainly not within such period OF
time TO make il of any value whatever TO The upper
peninsula; and sir what poor miserable way this is
OF meeting subject OF this kind. Honorable senators
refuse 10 meet i with money appropriation, and they
refuse to come up TO the exgences Of the case The
honorable senator from Illinois Mr. DoUcLAs says it
canal; and there ia something, would suppose,
horrible in his notion OF that word-a canal He told us
yesterday that If you make this canal, there great
many other canals to be made. | cannot go over that
alogue but he thought il would take about $500 0O0,-
900 to build all the vast canals that might be wanted in
various parts OF the country and he could not consent
TO go for this work because il falls under the Of
canal will relieve the honorable senator from that
difficulty and if he will only consent TO grant the
money, can make dam in the river-make il slack
water navigation The rapids there might be overcome
overcome this entire difficulty Then it is nothing but
river Improvement. And if the honorable senator is not
satisfied with putting up dam, will accommodate him
about rod or two from the west bank There is not
vast amount Of water that flows out OF Lake Superior
probably not over one quarter OF the amount OF water
out over an eKpanse Of nearly mile. should Judge
could just well build wall there as not two rods
from the west bank OF the riyer and then is nothing
but river improvement 1t deserves no other name.
Suppose you were to make utof upon the Mis-
sissppand believe such thing has been done often
you dig canal in the first places and is not that river
improvement
In the river and harbor bill which passed the House.
but which did not pass the Senate towards the close oil
The last session, there was an appropriation to open
communication between AlbemaIle sound and the AT
lantic ocean by the way OF imprnvng harbor or har
bors Well, ii you baplze il by the name OF canal, il
is horrible thing but i you call tia communication"
comes very constitutional and highly expedient.
Now | say this is nothing but river improvement !;
and # there are gentlemen that have conscientious di
cultes-consttuiional dficulties-l am very much dis
posed 10 accommodate them. will do all | can 10 re.
ieve them from their troubles. II they only come out
for this enterprise they may put the work in the river it.
sell, and there would be no difficulty in putting ii there
bank
But want 10 call the attention OF the Senate in my
concluding remarks here, TO the condition oil things
do not any dscouresy 10 other honorable members
OF this body wish to treat every senator and his
gumsns with respect but here are senators, and among
them my honorable friends from Michigan and Illinois,
sustaining the appropriation OF land and then comes up
my friend from Missouri and says; :" will gran,
100000 acres Of land;" and do not know but thai
some other gentlemen, who will not give penny OF
money, will propose TO grant million, or two millions.
II you will only agree TO give land enough to the State
OF Michigan, suthcien, amount, of money can be OBJ
tanned out OF the grant 10 build the canal There is no
doubt about that. They can sell il at New York shi-
ling an acre, and get the money ultimately. Bat have
Of 20 mas "a e a = ny eapss G WSs
IS this but taking The property OF the Union and squan
dering il How is il that senators make distinction be.
tween taking land and taking money want to know
il land is not properly and il money is anything more
than property Sir do not understand this ! may be
obiuse on this subjects perhaps have no powers OF
comprehension.
The principle advocated seems TO be to take the land
seize township after township and sell at twelve pence
acre but, as to taking dollar out OF the treasury,
there is the constitution in the way but let the British
government build the canal, and will capture II from
them. Sir, that is not my view OF this matter, This work
ought TO be executed by the general government,
ought not to be executed at all have no idea OF making
myself party to such miserable proceeding as this,
and grant the land the State OF Michigan, under the
circumstances OF this case, which has not the power
to create corporation, which has not the power OF
borrowing single dollar OF public money the power
OF issuing scrip, but simply 10 take the land and sell il at
time other, and getting something out OF al
remote period regard t-with proper respect for
other senator's, and particularly my friend from Mch
gan-as a most stupendous humbug The canal would
never be built in that way or il built il would only be
at period 80 remote render II OF sort OF import
apce maintain, therefore, that unless honorable sena
tors consent in some form other TO have the general
take this matter into lis hands, and
sfuct the canal within some reasonable perod-and then
willing that it should be handed TO the State
ii is useless TO do anything think some OF my friends
this side oil the chamber yesterday took an erroneous
view OF the subject in not agreeing TO The amendment Of
my honorable colleague, Mr.. ToUcEY.l | am for the
construction Of the canal by an appropriation OF the gen.
era government or am for doing nothing.
Mr. BORLAND. Although not one OF the representa-.
tives OF the State OF Michigan, or the guardian OF her
public interests upon this foor yet deem il not altogeth
inappropriate as representative OF that great region
OF this country known by the name qf The West" TO
return my thanks TO the senator from Connecticut tMr.
SMITH for the very great interest he has manifested on
several occasions. and particularly on to-day for the wei
fare the peculiar welfare, OF the improvements to be made
very far any attempt to vindcae the propIey oil the
action Of the committee in reporting this bill But does
strike little remarkable that the views OF the hon
orabe senator from Connecticut Mr. SMITH should have
undergone such change within the short space ola year
| think 1t is year. II my memory serves me, about
cafes OF this very bill The canal, in his opinion then,
ought be made Congress ought 10 grant 100000 acres
OF land 10 the State OF Michigan, and with this 5000
OF land the canal could certainly be built IN very
short time.
The senator says he is very obuse upon this occasion
he cannot understand senator's at this time who do not
agree with him entirely in opinion. | apprehend that,
without more lucid explanation than that senator has
given il s rather more difficult 10 under stand what has
produced this sudden change, this remarkable change IN
his own views. And may suggest to him that until
he has thrown a little more light upon this subject, he
should be little charitable in his estimate OF the
views Of other senator's when he undertakes TO differ