Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-01-14

anus ANA EuA PV9OS VI Intern Al prONeueuL, /
should vote againstit. cannot see that the ques-
ton Of internal improvement" or Gland distribu-
ton" is involved, either directly or indirectly in
the application which the resolution eontemplates;
out do see therein, the principle that the General
Government should act like State or an individual
and make adequate reparation for an injury y hich
/ 1t may have caused.
know not how much injury has been done-that
must be left to Congress to determine upou ADEQUATE
proof of the facts; but whatever be the amount Of
/ injury, l believe it ought to be repaired be-
heve that the General Government is not and never
was intended to be so far above the States which
created IT. and whose joint agent it is as not to be
required TO remedy injuries which it nfcts wheth-
er those injuries be to State or to Individuals.
The matter ought to be investigated-the extent Of
/ INJURY ascertalned-and proper reparaticR made.
The proposition Of the gentleman from Hickman
! (Alr Williams,) that Congress should remove the
cause Of the injury, is impracticable The injury,
! If any, has been caused by leveeing the west bank
! of the Mississippi. Lands reclaimed and formerly
worthless have been sOld thousands of men have
acquired vested rights in and to what have been
known as ''sWamp lands" How, then, could Con-
gress remove the cause Of the injury complained of
without the infection Of more grievous injuries on
those who have acquired rights on the west side Of
the river? The proposition, with all due Difference
to the gentleman who introduced it, is impracG-
CABLE not to say unjust, that it ought not to be for
/ a momentent ertained.
/ Not wishing to trespass at greater length the
that shall support the resolution notion the ground
Of fayoring internal improvement or Gland dstT
BUTTON" but because l wish to have justice done by
the General Government to those citizens Of West
| Tennessee whom it has injured.
| Mr. RONLES declared the right of Congress to
make appropriation to enhance the price Of the pub
lie lands; and certainly it behOoved them to repair
/ damages done IN the exercise OF that right. He
movedto lay the amendment in lieu Onlhe table; but
! withheld for
! MIR WILLIAMS, who said: As my friend from
Bradley, who has grown gray in defending the prin
/ ciples Of our common party much more ably than
am able to do has asked me to explain what princi-
! pie Of our creed, what great party leader has
urged carrying the principle so far as to preclude
CongressfrOm having the pOwerto levee the East bank
Of the Mississippi L would suggest to my friend
that it has been of the brightest characteristics
Of our party creed since have been party that
Congress had right TO do any work OfinteFna i'm
Provement nor TO make any appropriation in lands
or their proceeds for such purpose. This is the
principle TO which l have phghted my faith while
every other party that has been has advocated and
urged that Congress had these powers. 1 conceive
this to be the same doctrine that we fought through
the heat and dust Of last summers canvass clothed
in different apparel Has Congress the right to
make this appropriation? 1t is said that Congress
erred in causing the West bank to be leveed. 1 be-
Ieye 1t did; but because Congress did wrong once,
is that any reason why it should do wrong again
Can two wrongs make a right? If in the first in
stance Congress violated the spirit Of the COnstitu
tiOn in leveeing the West bank Of the Mississippi,
would it not be violation Of it to levee the East
bank? Or can violation of the Constitution
justify another? But it is said that Congress has
the power to improve so to enhance the value Of
the vacant lands. That may be true, but / do not
understand this resolution to contemplate any such
thing but Il IS to enhance the value Of the lands Of
individuals, which, in M view, is quite a different
affair. But l am asked no, could the resolution
in lieu be made effective? l answer, (althOUgh |
introduced III that 1t could not. l have told the
House that would vote against it on its final pas
sage believing the whole affair wrong in principle
l believed the bill in lie, lore democratic. Laugh
ter 1t would be justified in that view by the Cape
Fear river case, alluded to by my friend from Maury
yesterday evening, and introduced 1t 10 the
nakedness of my democratic friends the question
OF distribution, daughter intending to voteagainst
1t on its final passage should be adopted But 1t is
said that Congress has no power 10 remove the EN-
bankments, or nuisanCes, the West bank Of the |
river complained Of doubt it myself, andin conse-
quenee, am going 10 against it in any shape.
But If Congress has the right put there it must
have the right to take it away; necessarily fol-
lows the other.
If there is question Of politics in this resolu- |
ton, why DO you find every Of Sans boys VO- |
ting for 1t, they have done yesterday and this
morning. Why does tie American party stand here |
in solid body on that side Of il Il seems TO me- |
sir, unless they mistaken, there is question of
political principle in it. compelled, sir, from
constitutional principles, to vote against the resOlu
ton on It's passage, or any similar one. InoW, sir,
IN conformity with nay promise to my friend from
Bradley, by whose courtesy l am entitled to the
door, renew his motion to lay on the table,
Mr. ROW LES motion TO lay the amendment on the /
table, was now pressed and agreed to and then,
under the force of the previous question, the main
question, viz: Shall the Senate resolution pass as
amended: was decided by yeas 80, nays 33-as
follow:
Te1s.-lIessrs. Algee Anderson Beale Benton,
BIcknell, Cooper, Copeland, Davidson, Dayie Dun
lap Ewing, Frazer, fulton, Ivie Kendrick, Laokey
Lloyd, Newbern, Randolph, RoulstOn, RensLaw,
Richardson, ROwles St. John, Smartt, Stanton, Sto-
VAIL White of hOZ, and Faughn-3O.
Nays.-Messrs. Bate Bayless Blackburn, Brad
ford BrazeltOn, BullOch, Carrier of Carter Carter Of
Hardin, DobsOn, Cannon, GOlladay, Griffith, Ham
ilt0n, Harvey, Johnson Lamb, Low, Maris Nick !
ley, Newman, Roberts, Rose Schmittou, Seuter.
Shrewsbury, Summers, Thompson, Turner of ROane,
Williams, Wilson, Wood aud Mr. Speaker D0nelson
So
Mr.. BULLOCK explained his vote. There was
no doubt as to the power Of Congress in the case;
but this practice OF instructiUg our delegates in !
Congress on all occasions was inexpedient and liza
bic to abuse. He might be induced 10 vote for res
OuJOns Of instruction great national questions.
Mr.. NEWBERN explained, and said lie objected
20 the levity with which this subject had been re
garied lie looked upon it grave question.
The action Of Congress had actually and materially |
damaged large tracts Of land belonging to the peO-
PIE of Tennessee. He had personal knowledge Of
the fact Some Of these Overhowed lands be onged
to his door neighbOrs. Although he might not ike
the terms of the resolution the principle was right
sud the demand exhibited a feature of The doctrine
O. State Sovereignty which he approved
Mr.. GOLLADAY explained his vote. hold, said
he, that Congress has the right TO make apprOpria-
tons Of msncy, Of land, expressed in the res
olutOn passed at the last session of this Assembly
have sought to engraft the land idea in this reso-
luton, and The opposition have refused to receive
it, and hold that there Is a difference between an
appropriation Of money anu Of land A peculiar
is sought to be given TO this resou
ton, and under the operation Of the previous ques
ton, | am forced to vote, without proper discussions
and as my Democratic friends have the power TO
pass reject the resolution, I shall No, and
leave with them the entire responsibilities of the
question, as through them it has been introduced on
this floor.
MIR ST. JOHN said: Mr.. Speaker wish to say
word in reference my vote upon this resolution.
can see any barrier in the Constitution to pre-
vent Congress from repairing injury sustained
der the operation Of this leyee l suppose no one |
vii doubt that Congress has the right to enhance
he value OF the public lands, by drain levee,
he swamp lands that generate disease in the sum
ner 1t there mas been error commit ed it
was IN leyeeing the west bank Of the Mississippi
River; there can be no wrong in the proposed {
indemnify The rule between individuals is this:
very man has the right 10 enjoy his property in i
any way he may think proper, provided that he
Ion Tespass upon the rights Of others.
AHu D q gfwo rrrla r1lFTr