, 1866-05-12
which Is In itself complete argument On this

most extensive In is operation WINCH can be-
long 70 any Governmcnts Is 1t not certain
taat toey intended to remove this power from !
tho tno astna ana conflicting legislation Of
9 urited and efficient Government, nowe~
10 be largely, ubcrally, and bcnefcia,lT con-
stf1ed In Mrtlcranee Of the great obiects
Of Government. to be exercised prodenty
States. and to operate as well within tha
merce
We nc i1nperativcly called upon now to !
exercise this power IN behalf Of ihe sgricul-
tuTal interest Of tho country, In ordtr "a fur !
uih competing lines for tho transportation Of |
their products, so that the corn of the praities
may rcnch New England and tho East, where |
it Is needed for consumption and expectation,
Instead 90 ct being burned as now for fuel. We
deVelopmentyof the great West, 20 that the
food:consuming States NAV have cheap bread
ward for bis toll.
And inasmpch as the bill has tendency to
diminish the cost of transportation by creating
l. competing line Of communication, It viii
receive the support Of the people of the West
ern States and the sanction OF their Rcpresen-
tatives.
Humphrey insls fault With this measure, be.
cause he can find in the Constitution Of the
Unftcd States no power to pass it; but If be
will refer TO the measures that have been 1T
various times before Congress, lie will see that
it has become the uniform policy Of the Gov
eEnment to engage IL these great works ffn-
tezual improvement. There has scarcely
been d Congress that has not, in 1ome form
or another, recognized this principle IN our
legislation But the gentleman from New
York M1. ]. II. Humphrey objects 10 this
New York alone, because It does not connect
any two States but the whole Of the proposed
Improvement is necessarily In The State Of
New York. Ue Seems t. forget that 1t unEtes
BY water communication the great chain Of
LIKES which loat the commerce of many
| with tho ocean that beans upon its bosom the
| commerce of the world.
Now, think this bill finds Its sanction In
many provisions Of the Constitution, Us in
the power "to regulate commerce with tor
| cign nations and among the several States;"
"to declare war; - "to mise aud support ar
mics, "an1 provide for the common detence,''
s'to provide and maintain navy" g.. II Is
admitted that this measure will be one OF
necessity, for the protection and defence Of
our Northern lakes should We come in con-
llct with England.
But the gentleman says we are not likely
to have o war with thai country. Why, sir,
upon the principle he advocates nc cannot
! cast cannon nor build fertilization In time
o! peace, because 1t i not necessary except
L
ship for the protection Of our commercial
marine because VIC are not engaged In war. +
believe the true policy Of the Government Is,
N time OF pence to prepare for war. There.
fore it Is that whatever is necessary to con.
troll and protect the commerce OF our great
northwestern lakes aud the States bordering
upon them asa war measure, tue Congress Of
the United States certainly has power 10
adopt, and 1t is the sole judge OF the cxigency
which shall call for the exercise OF that pow
er-
But another objection Of the gentleman Is
that it interiercs with the prorer local ju5is-
diction Of the State OF New York. The .e1,.
tlcman from New York will bear in mind that
wease constantly interfering with tho local
Jurisdiction Of the States. We have done it
tional banking law, Whereby We controlled
tho moncycd interest and power of this coun-
try By the creation Of national banks. BY
the operations OF that act iu the State 0f
Iowa, which I have the honor In part to
utterly destroyed. Under tic constitu-
tion OF that State cl,arlcr organizing a
general bankin. system in that State must be
submitted 10 q vote of tue people, and We
lad system there which had been thus sub
under the national banking law, os1r State
bank system has been utterly ignored and
driven ont Of existence, and without the cen
sent Of the Slate Legislature. A national
system has hecn established there in yiola-
tion of cur State policy. So that we do H.
legislation here, and We have the constitution
al power tot int trtere when it Is necessary for
the general interests Of the Government, or
TO carTy out specific powers granted in the
Constitution
| Here the hammer fll.1
Mr.. ISoERsoL1.. I will yield five minutes
Of my time to the gentleman from Iowa to
conclude his remarks.
| Mr. ALLISON. l am certainly much Obliged
to tho gentleman from Illinois. l desire to
say one thing With reference to the policy Of
the State Of New York on this subject OF Co.
nails. I cay that the policy which that State
has adopted is sufficient Of itself 10 justify
the Congress OF the United States in interfer-
ing with II by the adoption Of this measure,
! hold In my hand the proceedings of the
to the Legislature Of that Statc that this Erie
canal which the gentleman says cost S100, ,00o, :
0lO, ,instcad ofbcinE charge has actually teen
benefit to that Stale, and hos placed in its
treasury s., ,000, GOO over and above the money
expended for the construction of the work,
upon the grain-produeing States Of the West.
And Jet the State Of New York proposes now,
by Its Interference here, to prevent the West
crn States from transporting their cereals
across that State, unless they pay tribute to
that State In the way Of tolls, such as 1t may
see proper to impose; and !. ss for that rea-
son and to establish competing line OF tran.
sill, that this measure is proposed, Tor the pur-
pose Of dcpriring them Of this monopoly Of
transportation between the lakes and the sea.
| know, also, that the gentleman from New
York, Mr.; J. y: Humphrey. when mem.
for the purpose Of enlarcing the Erie canal,
showing that lie believed ut that time, as
every one but him now believes, that we do
need additional facilities by which the cereals
Of the Western States can be transported to
the city Of New York, and to the markets of
the East. How did be propose 10 enlarge that
canal? Ho proposed to do 1t By means Of
locks, which were to pass vessels Of six hun
dred tors burden, and 10 levy upon tho COM
uerce Of the Western States seventy cents on
every ton transported through that canal, In
addition to tho tolls levied by the State Of
New York upon its orn citizens to pay for its
construction and enlargement.
Now, The very fact that It has been the pol
icy Of the State Of New York TO compel the
produce Of the West TO pass through the Erie
may control at will the commerce OF the
Western States, md levy tolls upon that
! commerce, Is In itself Just reason why We
should interfere and pass this measure, In
order that Congress may hare control over
this national highway, connecting the lower
The lakes with the ocean, which titus
Tar has been to US IN unknown Sea.
And in order to keep this question OF tolls
within the power and control Of Congress, I
offered the amendment to the twenty-third
section Of the bill, giving this control to Con-
gress, In order that We may not escape from
the rapacious Jnws Of one class of monopoliss
to be swallowed up by the voracious nav Of
another; and in the hope that this COM
petiug highway may be used to cheaper
transportation upon all the great lines cast
ward upon which We new depend to carry
OF our surplus productions, and in some
degree to meet the growing wants and ex-
and virtuous population, now numbering
millions, who have cast their lot west Of the
| great lakes and In the valley OF tho Iissis-
sippI. And here wish to express the
thanks OF that people to the honorable men-
ber from MASSACHUSETTS, lMr. Banks], who
spoke so eloquent1y On Saturday OF the grow
Ing wants Of this great nation, and 10 his col
league, EMr. Elot], for his earnest, persistent,
and successful effort to improve the great
| river upon which we must largely depend
hereafter for the transportation OF our pro-
ducts.
Mr. Speaker, If We would keep pace With
The growing civilization Of the age in which
I we live, we must foster and encourage our IN
ternal commerce, by opening up new avenues,
and improving the natural highways which
Providence hns carved ont for Us, and thus
encourage every branch ofour varied industry,
and enable US with ease to meet the great
! responsibilities and bur dcns imposed upon us
by The rebellion and Tar through which We
hAye passed, aud from which we have so trI-
umphantly emerged. This Improvement Is
but ono link in the gyent chain OF improve
ments necessary to develop our great mate
rial interests, and raise this nation to the
high aud brilliant destiny that awaits it.
Mr. Speaker, the mcasurc as It Is now pre-
sented, I believe, has In 1t but few If any oh
l jecIfouab!e features. unless It be the fact that