Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-07-17
&c congressman Gariicld's Speech on tho
Mississippi River Commission Bill
A Great National Interest.
Bcncdting Millions Of People and Strength
.cning the Bonds Of Union.

Mr.. Speaker, l should oppose this bill
very decidedly if it committed US at this
time to any plan or theory of managing tho
Mississippi River; and think the remarks
Of the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bakery
warning us against committnl in any
such direction are wise. But have looked
the bill over with what care could, and il
docs not seem to me that by its passage We
commit ourselves to anything farther than
tho purpose to obtain accurate oGcal infor-
nation touching the present condition and
needs of tlis great stream. ! admit that
We have already had examinations aud
explorations OF the Mississippi, some Of
them scicutiiic and very valuable; but
everybody will conccde that one important
experiment has been nude ia recent years
which, though against the opinion Of the
majority of engineers, has provon, arpa.
renty, great success. mean the ietty
System at tho mouth of that river. l say
apparently" beouuso it is possible that 10
the long run it may not provo success:
but at tho present moment it appears to be
great and striking success in tho manage.
ment of tho mouths Of that river. If it
prove to be permanently so, all our oalcula-
tions and Indeed ull our theories concern
ing the improvement and management of
other portions Of that river need to bc re-
considered in view of the new light that
the jctty system will throw upon the ques-
ton. llehcc proposition to turn on the
light, to get information, and to got it from
the best scientific advisers that 80 can call
to our aid, is Il stop in the right direction.
| have always favored measures which will
result in giving US Information upon all
questions about which we ore cullcd upon
to lcgislatc, What shall be done with this
knowledge when it comcs, will be for us or
our successors to say. We do not commit
time. But for myself, believe that one
Of the grandcst of our material national
intcrcss-one that is nulional in the largcst
material sense of that worlds the Missis-
sippi River and it's navigablc tributaries
It is tho most gigantic single natural feature
of our continent, far trunsccnding the glory
of the ancient Nile, or of any other river on
tho earth. The craftsmanship of America
must grapplo tho problem of this mighty
stream. 1t is too vast for any Stute to
handle; too much for any authority less
than that Of the nation itself to manage.
And believe tho time will conc when the
liberal minded craftsmanship of this country
will devise wise and comprehensive system
that will harness tho powers Of this great
river TO the material interests of America,
SO that not only all the people who live OH
its banks ind the banks OF its conaucDs,
but all the citizens of tho Republic, whether
dwcllcrs in the central valley or on the slope
of either ocean, will recognize the impor-
tanco Of preserving und perfcctipg this
great natural and material bond of national
union between tho North and the South
a bond to be SO strengthened by commerce.
and intercourse that it can never be sovored.
[Applausc.
One of our early Presidents went SO far
as even to exceed his early prccouceivcd
opinions of tho constitutional power of tho
Executive in order to buy from France a
mighty ompire to be added to tho
/ Union; and ho did it for this reason
chiefly, that tho young Republic could not
permanently endure as u nation without
owning aud controlling tho mouths Of that
mighty stream, The whole continent
West Of tho Mississippi was bought to make
tho Union perpetual by bringing every foot
of the shore of tho Mississippi under our
aag, If | did not think it almost unworthy
of so great u theme would say that If
there had been 10 patriotio impulse higher
than any consideration of material welfaro
which moved twenty millions Of Americans
to rcsist tho attompt to break tho Union in
pieces, and compelling them to hold it
together by oil the cost of blood and treas.
uro that our lutc war cost, if thoro had been
no higher national scntmout inspiring thom
tho immense material stake which tho