Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-04-24

1aAs NpCeLhCI3 dfall Myself OF Ll1 ODpOf-
tunity now presented to say few words in
behalf Of proposition now pending before
Congress, which / had the honor Of intro
ducing, and which asks an appropriation for
the construction of suitable buildings in
Nashville, the capital of Tennessee, for the
accommodation of the courts. customs,
postofice, pension, internal revenue, and
other necessary offices in our midst of the
great Government of the United States.
Indeed, when rejecting over the PROPOSE
ton and considering what has been done on
this subject in other States and at other
points, am astOnished that this measure
ofjustice and necessity has been so long
delayed and denied to one of the oldest and
most hOnored capitals in the Union; for
Tennessee has been a State since 1896, and
was the third added under the immortal
compact fashioned by the original thirteen,
Kentucky and Vermont being but little in
advance.
L trust, sir, We have now reached period
Of time when something reasonable and
just viii be Gone in behalf Of or growing,
beautiful, and thriving capital; a
capital famous in the national his
tory Of the country, and at which
are buried two Of our most illustriOus Pres
dents, Andrew Jackson and James Knox
Polk, pure and incOrruptible statesmen. 1t
is high time the Government should be in
our midst with its temple of justice, and
with suitable buildings adapted to the wants
and commercial interests of our people.
We sincerely hope we are to be no longer
neglected. We are a part of the great Fed
eral Union, and we are so in spite Of storm
and war, and we hope so to remain under
the Constitution of our fathers for all COM
ing time. We need, we want and require
the emblems and substance of our common
government in our midst, peTpetually re-
minding us we are the worthy and remem-
bered children Of great republic. Such
peaceful evidences, substantial and useful
in their character, would be emblems of ma
tionalty, and substantial indications of
growth, thrift, worth, and Of a care on the
part Of the General Government, teaching
us to forget unhappy memories Of war,
waste, an ruin.
We ask and demand, as a child put upon
life may ask and demand Of parental love
and care that which it is ale and ought Ct
right to grant. We are entitled by every
showing Of wealth, population, growth and
commerce, and we really are much in need
Of what We are asking-puO.iC buildings Of
the United States in our capital. The dig
nifty of this great government, lis absolute
business wants, and our necessities, all
appeal to the Congress to remember the
interests of a State which has heretofore
received the merest pittance !; = State which
has furnished three Presidents Of the
eighteen who have presided over the desti-
ny of this great republic, and has given Two
distinguished Speakers 0, the House Of
Representatives, and four Of whose sons
were called to grace and honor Cabinet Off
ces, to say nothing of 4 roll-can Of honored
and national names in other fields.
But, Mr.. Speaker, 1 do not ask this ap
preparation because Nashville has great
names and illustTioUs tOmbs, nor altogether
because she is the great focal point midway
between the North and South limits Of the
Union. Neither Mount Vernon, Monticel-
le, Marshfield, Ashland, or the Hermitage,
are entitled 10 public buildings because they
are classic spots Of earth, for, without such
evidences, they must ever be sthe DelphiC
wales, the Meccas Of the mind" No, sir,
ask the passage Of this bill in the name
and interests.of commerce, business, neces- |
sty, and merit. The Government Of the
United States to-day holds her. courts, col
lecis her customs. assesses and receives her
Internal revenues, pays out her pensions TO
sons she loved in our capital, and yet owns
not a building to shelter the heads Of her
officers. Her courts are held alone by the
courtesy of our LEGISLATURE within the walls
Of our own beautiful capital, while for all
her other necessities she rents from year to
year as a thriftless tenant with no ambition
to become his own landlord.
In rented buildings she assesses and col
lects her revenues and customs; in rented
buildings she manages one Of the largest
distributing post Offices in the South, and
in rented buildings she settles with her PEN
siOuers, objects Of love in every govern
ment; while for the conducting of her
courts, filed with many important causes,
she spouges from year To year upon the pJ-
likeness and courtesy Of our Legislature.
The revenues collected by the General Gov
eminent in the Nashville district for one
year would be ample to erect a structure
creditaDlc aud useful alike, and Cling all
wants, and yet leave large surplus for the
Treasury. From the internal revenue she
gathers upward of $4,000; from customs,
$4,000, to say nothing Of $4,000 realized
from sale Of stamps and other sources,
amounts not known; making a grand total
Of near FIVE hundred thousand dollars. The
designs and plan Of a building adapted 10 all
the wants Of the Government have been
made by the architect Of the Treasury De
year or two ago into our midst for this
business, and the whole cost viii be $780,
600.
We have had some legislation on the part
Of Congress, which resulted in providmgus
wlNPSpleudid grounds for the buildings, aud
W flrh grounds, costing $4,000, are now
worth $4,000. In the year 1856 a bill
passed Congress approPreating $4,000.
(S5e Statutes at Large for 1855, 1856, page
IS, section eighteen.l Out Of this sum a
lOt was purchased on the lTth Of February,
1857, hut no work was ever undertaken.
Looking TO the growth Of this city, and its
business demands, it was determined that
the lot was inadequate for the purpose |
sought, and so, by a resolution Of Congress !
approved Feb. "A, 1870, the first site was
exchanged IN June, 1870, under the super |
vision and appreciation Of the Secretary Of |
She Treasury, for one larger and better adj !
ap-ed for public buildings, so that we now
have aC cost Of $4,000, Il lot one hundred !
and sixty-ige feet square, with protecting !
alley of some fifteen feet. Il was decided I
by the powers that be, after the close Of The |
war, that the remainder 0fthe appropriation !
Of $4,000 had lspsed, under a resolution
of Congress passed in 1856, and SO nothing
has been accomplished in the way of build !
ms. DuflN1 Iilt ldlt tbuglt5S AEOItA-
Firs) this proposition received the fayOra-
BILE consideration of the Secretary Of the
Treasury, and he recommended the appro-
priation then asked for this enterprise, as
did the cDmmi tee having the question be-
fore them. An appropriation Of some $780,
600, which had been put on the deficiency
bill, was IN some fit Of economy, (and
most improper one,) about the last Gay Of
Congress struck out; and now we are here
again, urging and pressing for an act OF
justice aud necessity to our people and sec
ton.
Mr.. Speaker, something over thirty mil
lion dollars have been appropriated since
the foundation Of the Government for pub
lie buildings in the Northern States, while
in those called the Southern States less
than eight aud a quarter millions have been
appropriated and expended. Appropgia-
tions for the improvement Of harbOrs and |
rivers begun in 1924, and since that time
considerably upward of thirty million dol
lars have been given these works. The