New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-14
THE s0LDIER-aRANGERs PASS THE Ca
NAL BILL.

| According to Messrs. A, B and c, en-
gineers and orators, each is entitled t.
the exclusive merit Of having secured tn
passage Of this important measure. w
have turned to the debate and votes t.
satisfy ourselves Of the real causes of {
success unexpected to most of its advo
Gates. For ourselves we are gratitied tt
state that we were mi staken in a principa
point of apprehension. We had assumed
the adverse and concentrated influences
of the Eastern railroads and the lake port
cities as far more powerful than they have
proved to be. In these apprehensions We
did not suffice ntly allow for the hostility
of the Changers to the railroad monopo'
lies, nor to the independence Of the West
ern farmers of the city trade rings. In
deed, the South has not attributed enough
influence to the expanded experience OF
the Western soldier. He came out OF
the war confident of his own capacity to
comprehend the political interests of the
country, and determined to express and
enforce his opinions. The especial SER
| vice of these men has taught them the
infinite value of transportation to SOL
der as we'll as farmer, with an estab-
lished contempt for the quartermaster,
which has been naturally inherited by the
railroad "exempts." These Western SOL
diers understa nd properly the value of
the home and foreign market, and the
work of the Mississippi is the more obvious
to them that they have traversed its whole
length under arms, and have encamped at
it's great outport, and have had trouble
in effecting transportation on its great
tributary, the Red river. From these
troubles, however, one of these North
western soldiers extricated them. 1t is
our duty to state that the Confederate
soldier harmonizes with his late antag-
onist in impre ssing upon Congress meas
ures of progress.
As an evidence Of the intelligent COM
prehension Of political rights which these
ruling young men Of the West have mani
tested, we md tbe permitted to describe a
scene of which we were an eye and ear
witness:
During the sessions Of the Senate |
Committee delegation |
from the Changers was announced and
admitted. These gentlemen were young |
and extremely intelligent men. They pre-
sented and read memorial Of great force,
showing the extent of present and prob
.ble production in the out6elds Of the
West; the exactions levied upon this prod
,ct in its transit to the consumer, and
by asking at the hands of Con-
yress certain railroads to be constructed
It national expense.
It was, in fact, requisition for trans
A member of the committee
inquired of these gentlemen if they had
onsidered the question of consti-
utional power involved in the grant
nd construction of these works? 1t was
eplied that the government belonged to
be people, and that whatever the people
emanded it was the duty OF the repre-
entatives to perform. A very eminent
lrist on the committee then remarked
nat there was another department Of the
overnment whose approval OF law was
ssential to it's effect, and asked what
ould be done if the Judiciary should de-
srmine such works to be unconstitutional?
he response was instantaneous: "IVe
ould a0ipe it out as IRE did the Dred Scott
eciston.'' Here the colloquy ended.
Indeed, We heard no more Of it until
le other day in the Senate Messrs. Win
ON and Bogy, Morton and Oglesby sub
,ribed eagerly to the doctrine Of those
Changers. The vote which We
ow proceed to analyze satisfies us that
le great producing interest Of the West
sufficient intelligence and indie
endence to defeat the combined influence
the bank directors and railroad rings
Congress. We did not attribute the
roper moral force to this powerful in
rest. ,
The House committee had reported a
ii authorizing contract with party {
AIMED Eads for the construction of jetty
the mouth of the Mississippi. To this E,
of the same committee, through
II. McCrary, of Iowa, moved the canal {
i'll as a substitute. Pending the consid-
alton of the jetty bill, an attempt was
ade by Mr.. Garfield to adjourn the ques- {
on until survey should determine what {
ode Of improvement was best. The {
ouse would not be interrupted. 1t re- !
lsed to reconsider the previous question
-dered on the pending bill and substi
tie. Preparatory to the vote, the two '
ills were made as perfect as their friends {
esired. Eads reduced his first install {
ent from the treasury from two millions s
one, ard widened his outlet channel
ON GOO feet to 1900.
The canal bill was amended with words
3citing the works to be constructed.
here was limitation of the cost, with
rohibition to invest any of the construc-
on money in the purchase of the canal
tie or appurtenant grounds, and with an
to advertise for the construc- I
on of the canal as soon as the surveys
Mould demonstrate its practicability.
he two cocks thus heeled and trimmed
, the satisfaction of their friends, were,
it'll the leave of Mr.. Bernau, pitted The c