The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-07-16
The Mississippi River Commission.
How Congress Treated the Biil-The
Vote on the Bill.
From the Congressional Record

From the Congressional Record.
Mr., Gibson move to suspend the rules
and put upon its passage the bill House reso-
luton No. $3.50 to amend an act entitled An
act TO provide for the appointment of a Missis-
sippi river commission for the improvement
OF said river from the head of the passes, near
Its mouth, To its headwaters."
The bill amends the second section Of the act
OF june %, 1879. by striking out the words
" appointed from the engineer corps eof the
| army after the word commissioners where
1t occurs the second time in said sections; 80
that it will read
= He THE PRESIDENT shall designate one Of
| the commissioners 10 be President OF the com
! mission"
Mr. Dunnell-I think there ought to be
some explanation OF this bill.
Mr.. Gibson will make the explanation,
with the permission OF the House.
The bill constituting the commission on the
Mississippi river, while providing Tor the APP
Pointment OF two civil engineers, one citizen
and three engineers from the army, limits the
choice OF the President in the selection OF the
presidency OF the commission to one Of the
members thereof from the engineer corps of the
| army This, in effect, imposes upon the other
members OF the commission the disability and
disqualifes them, or any one of them, no
| matter what his merit, in the event of va
eanev. from ever becoming the head of this
important commission.
This is regarded by the gentlemen thus ex-
eluded as an invidious distinction against
them. Ii was the expectation OF the friends
OF the original bill that this feature would be
amended before il became Il law; but circum-
stances transpired Ia prevent It, What JUS
tice is there in this disqualification Ii is well
known that the conditions of the Lower Mis-
sissippi river are novel and difficult and that
practical knowledge : well As experience are
quite as much demanded the engineering
taught in Our Military Academy
Nay, more than this, eminent engineers,
graduates OF West Point but who are no
longer in the army, might feel the exclusion
put upon them by this restriction when called
upon TO serve under those who were once
their juniors and subordinates. There Is no
justice proprety in this disabling clause in
the bill. Every member OF this commission
should feel aud be made to feel that the way
Is clear for him, Is open To him, by energy, by
the exhibition OF superior character and
ability-it may be OF genus-to rise to the
first and highest place ON the commission.
At all events, We should not impose an ar
bitrarv barrier against any OF the mem
bors OF the commission, or upon the discrs
ton of the Executive. 1t is not necessary or
just or proper. / know this will be the sense
OF this House, nay OF the Congress, when the
issue is once made | trust in the meantime
the civil engineers OF the country and the
civilian who may be selected to be members
of this commission may be willing for short
period To sacrifice amour propre and mere
personal considerations To that profound sense
OF duty To the country that should animate
every man in the public service. There Is
such sentiment as genuine patriotism, lifting
men above mere placemen and out OF mere
personal or professional pride. The people
OF the Mississippi Valley will appreciate and
applaud the who shall dedicate them
selves unselishly to the development OF their
great interests. | call for the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The question was taken and there we're
yeas u.s. nays 81 not voting l47 as follows;
Yeas-Messrs Acklen, Aiken, Anderson,
AthertOn Atkins, Blackburn, Blake, Bliss,
Brewer, Bright, Burrows, Caldwell, Cannon,
Carpenter, Caswell, Clardy, John b. Clark,
Clymer, Cobb, Conger, Converse, Cook, Covert,
Cravens, Cubertson, Davidson, Davis, George
r. Deering, Deuster, Dibrell, Dickey, Elan,
Ellis Ewing, Farr, FELTON,, Finley, Ford For
nev, Forsythe, Fort, Frost Garfield, Gibson,
Gillette, Goode Gunter, John Hammond, \.
J. Hammond, Benz. W. Harris, Haskell,
Hatch, Hawks Hawley, Henry, Herbert IIern-
dom Hooker, Horr, House, Hull, Hunton,
Jones, Keller, King, lie Fevre, Manning,
Marsh, Mason McCold, Mckenzie, McLane,
McMillin, Mills, Monroe, Morrison, Muller,
Murch, Meyers, New, Nichols, ONeill, Phis-
ter, Reasau, Robertson, Rothwell Sanford,
Sawyer, Shelby Sherwin, Simonton, O. r.
Singleton, Siemons, Hezekiah, Il. Smith, Will
liam r.. Smith, Springer, stephens, Stevenson,
Talbot, Taylor, Thomas, Thompson Illman,
Amos Townsend, b. w. Townshend Oscar
Turner Tyler, J. T. Updegraff, Thomas Up
degraf, Valentine Weaver, Wellborn, Whitea-
ker, Thomas Williams, Willis, Willis, Will
son, Wise-1lS.
Nays-Messm. Bicknell Bowman, Briggs,
Chalmers, Cotfroth, Daggett, Dunnell Hender-
son, Hubbell Johnston, Joyce, Benz. +. Mar
tin, Neal, Prescott, A. Herr Smith, Van Aer-
nam, NanVoorhis, Voorhees,, Warner, Yocum
Casey Young-2l.
! Not voting-147.