The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-05-20
River and. Harbor improvements.

The good old Wing doctrine of Internal I'm
provements, which Democracy combatted SO
long and so furiously, excepting in cases
where the improvements belonged exclusively
to the East,) has been gradually winning its
way into public favor. Democracy has been
flirting and coquetting with it for some years
-latterly, fearing to oppose the principle, yet
at the same time disliking to openly avow
themselves in favor of the great doctrine they
formerly so bitterly opposed. But we have
before us, an illustration of how self-interest
will make leading Democratic statesman for
get, or throw aside for popularity, his old cher
ished opinions on this question. Gen. Cass
has opposed appropriations by the General
Government for Internal Improvements, his
whole life time. But lately, a bill has been
before Congress, passed, and now only awaits
the signature of the President, which directly
touches the the sympathies of the Senator
from Michigan. 1t provides for the dredging
out of the channel over the st. Clair Flats, in
Michigan, and for the removal of distractions
to navigation at the mouth of the Mississippi
river. In this, the extreme North and South
are favorably considered, but the intermediate
Great West totally unprovided for-our thou
sands of miles of river navigation utterly over
looked, but both extremes, North and South
uniting upon bill from which they receive
all the benefits. As contemporary says, here
tofore, all the sops have been given to the
East; now, one is thrown to the North and
another to the South, while the West is kick
ed out with nothing at all.
The St. Louis News says that there is an
anxiety to know whether the President will
approve of this bill, or not. We have not g
doubt that he will. 1t is only bills for the i'm
provement Of the great western rivers that he
delights in vetoing, while one contemplating
benefits to sections are sure ola favorable con.
sideration at his hands.
That our readers may be able to form some
rational conception of the very irritable argu
ments used against River Improvements by it
enemies, we give below the pith ola debate
which occurred in the Senate few days ago
on the subject. The bill we have Spoken
of above was under consideration, and tina
misty old Democrat, Gen. Cass voted for it
avowedly because, as he said the improve
ments it contemplated were absolutely neces
f sary to avigation-really, because his owl
D State, Michigan, was to get the biggest sop
c and he could not afford to become unpopula
in Michigan, by opposing the bill. The fol
4 lowing conversation took place between Gas
D and Butler, of South Carolina:
f Mr.. Cass said: 1 disavow now, as much as
did before, any great system Of internal i'm
provement by the Central Government.
Mr. Butler. Yes, sir; the Senator object
: to general systemic great system, but h
|: does not object to small system for the i'm
provement of the harbors about Lake Mich
gan. Laughter
Mr. Cass That is another thing. Laugh
: teri
4 Mr.. Butler. Now, sir, propose to put MI
Calhoun right upon the record.
Mr.. Calhoun went very farm my judg
ment too farm favoring these measures; bu
q | think that he would have been impartial
e know that in regard to the public lands h
: thought that, as a great proprietor, the Gov
eminent of the United States was bound t.
> contribute its share, and that when road o
canal ran through the public domain, alter
: nate sections should be given by the UniteC
States in consideration of the improvement @
9 the residue. When you quit that limit whicl
he prescribed, and which was very defnit
one, and went off and took the best lands yo1
; could get anywhere to make a canal, it was
Il violation of the principle. think the honor
# able Senator from Michigan says that he is op
posed to canals being made part of interna
' Improvements.
e Mr.. Cass. Entirely.
Mr.. Butler. Then what do you call tina
: around the Falls of st. Mary-a ditch?
Mr. Cass. l call it what the honorable Sen
ator calls tan improvement. | call it wa
d for the United States to get to their propert
: on Lake Superior.
. o. Mr.. Micajah Tarver, one of the oldes