The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-09
THE MlssIsSlPPIRlVER COMMISSION
How Congress Treated the Bill
When It Came Up.
The Vote on the Bill-The congressman
Who Favored and Those Who
Opposed It.
from the Congressional Reoord.l


Mi. Gihson---I move to suspend the rules
and put upon It's passage the bill blouse res
plution No. 23S3) TO amend an act entitled IAN
act to provide for the appointment Of d Mis-
sissippi river commission. for the improve
ment 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 26. 1872 by striking out the words
appointed from the engineer corps OF the
army" after the word commissioners, where
that 1t will read:
HE THE President9 shall designate one OF
the commissioners to be president Of the COM
mission"
Mr.. Dunnell-I think there ought to be
some explanation OF this BILL
Mr.. Gibspn--I will make the explanation,
with the permission OF the House.
The bill constituting the commission on
the Mississippi river, while providing for the
appointment Of two civil engineers, one citl-
zen, and three engineers from the army,
limits the choice of the President In the selee-
tion Of the presidency of the commission to
one of the members thereof from the engineer
corps Of the army. This, In effect imposes
the disability and disqualies them, or any
one OF them, no matter what his merit, In the
event OF q vacancy, from ever becoming the
head Of this Important commission.
This is regarded by the gentlemen thus ex-
eluded as an invtdious distinction against
them. IL was the expectation of the friends
OF the original bill that this feature would be
amended before " became a law; but circum-
stances tran.spir,ed to prevent il What JUS
known that the conditions Of the Lower Mis-
sissippi river are novel and difficult, and that
practical knowledge as we'll as experience are
quite as much demanded as 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
Justice or propriety In this disabling clause in
the bill Every member OF this commission
should feel and be made to feel that tho way
iss clear for him. fs open to him, by energy, by
the exhibition of superior character and abif- |
ity-it may be OF genius-to rise to the first
and highest place on the commission.
At all events, we should not impose an ar |
bitrary barrier against any one Of the men, !
bers OF the commission, or upon the disere-
~ a. ,e know b y , 1 b ~
OF this House, nay Of the Congress, when the |
issue Is once made. trust la 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 q short |
period to sacrifice amour propre and mere
personal considerations TO that profound |
sense OF duty to the country that should ami |
mate every man in the public service. There |
is such sentiment as genuine patriotism,
lifting men above mere placement and out of
mere personal or professional PRIDE The peo-
pie OF the Mississippi Valley will appreciate
and applaud the men who shall dedicate them
selves unsefishly 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 were |
yeas 118, nays 81, not voting lat: as follows
J. Yeas-Messrs; Aeklen,, Aiken, Anderson.
gga,rpe a ,, loasweIl C!ardy. John ?. Clark
Cravens. .Culberson. Davidson Davis George
RI, Deering, Deustar. Dtbrel. Dickay Elan,
Ellis. Ewing; Farr. Fa!ton. Finley, Ford, For
ney. Forsylhe, Fort. Frost. Garfield. Gibson, |
Gillette Goode9. Gunter;;, John Hammond,
Hatch. Hawk. Hawiey. Henry Herbert. Hern.'
don, Hooker. Horr, House.. Hull, Hunton.
Jones. Keller, King, La Fevre Manning. |
Marsh, Mason. Meqold. Mckenzie. McLane, Nc
MMillin. Mills. Monroe, Morrison. Muller.
ter: Reayaa. Robegtson, Rothwell,. Stanford
William i. Smith. Springer, Etephens Stew.
enson, Talbot. TAYLOR, Thomas Thompson, |
Iilman. Amos Townsend. n. w. Townshend, |
Oscar Turner, Tyler, j. T. Updegraff, |
Thomas UpdegraF. Valentine. Weaver. Well
Willis. Wilson, Wise-11s
Chalmers. GofTroth. Daggett. Dmnnell Hander-
son. Hnbbell. Johnston, Joyce, Benz, T., Martin.
yam Voorhis. Voorhis, Warner. Yoeum. Casey
Young-H.
Not votng-147.