Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-11-04
Colonel YOung's Record in Con
greSs.

, OOlOmeI HOuug's Record ia Con
gress.
The citizens interested in the mate
rial prosperity of the city Of Memphis
aud the Mississippi valley, are invited
to give the extracts which we publish
from the Congressional Record of 22nd
February, 1877, careful perusal.
They contain the highest evidence
of the efficiency and ability of Colonel
Young. The amendment which he
offered, and pressed to its final pas
sage, enabled a survey Of the Missis-
sippi river to be made which produced
an appropriation of several millions Of
dollars by the present Congress,
the benefit Of our merchants, laboring
classes and farmers,
The Clerk resumed the reading of the
bill, and read the following:
Surveys Of Northern and Northwestern
lakes and Mississippi river:
For continuing surveys of Lakes Erie
and Ontario; determination Of points in
aid of State surveys and construction OF
maps; continuation Of triangulation south
from Chicago and east to Lake Erie; sur
vey Of the Mississippi river; and miscella-
neous, $4,000. Provided That the pro-
ceeds of the sale of the steamers belong
ing TO the survey of the northern and
northwestern lakes shall be placed in
the Treasury to the credit of the appropri-
alton for said survey, and the whole
amount shall be Immediately available.
Mr.. YOung-I move to amend the para
graph just road by adding to it that which
i send to the Clerks desk.
The Clerk read as follows
Provided further, That $4,000 of the
foregoingsum shall be expended under the
direction ofthe Chief of Ordnance in con-
tinulng the survey ofthe Mississippi river
and its tributaries, with a view of deter
mining the proper method of reclaiming
from overflow the alluvial lands of the |
Mississippi delta.
Mr. Conger-I rise to a point Of order |
The Chairman-The gentleman will |
state his point of order.
Mr.. Conger-My point of order Is that |
by law the expenditure of the appropria- |
tlon made for this purpose must be under |
direction Of the Treasury Department
Mr. Young-I think the point of order |
taken by the gentleman from Michigan |
[Mr Oongerl is not a good one. This |
amendment is in pursuance of an existing |
law. By law of 1872 or 1873 the Chief
of Engineers was authorized to make |
survey of the Mississippi river and tribu-
taries with a view Of determining the
very question suggested in this amend
ment.
Mr.. Holman-The gentleman from
Michigan is mistaken about that. This
Is under the War Department. The Coast
Survey is under the Treasury Depart
ment.
Mr. Young-There is perhaps no public
enterprise demanding the attention of
Congress that is ofgreater interest and inn
portance to the people of the whole coun-
try than that looking to the reclamation
of the oyerhowed lands upon the Mis-
slssippi river and its tributaries. The
chairman Of the Committee on Appro-
priations last year was willing TO accept
this amendment; and / submit now TO
the present distinguished chairman of the
committee It is simply a matter of justice
to that section Of the country that this
much Of the appropriation should be di-
verted TO this purpose.
Mr.. Hooker-0n that proposition l de-
sire to say single word. The amend
ment of my friend from Tennessee [Mr.
Youngl designs TO indicate the purpose for
which this appropriation of $4,000 or
$4,000, as the case may be, is made If
the appropriation is inserted in the bill in
the terms which the gentleman from In
diana Mr.. Holman,l the chairman Of the
Committee on Appropriations, proposes,
in all probability the entire amount will |
be expended in taking out snags frdD the
river and making other improvements
which are pertinent to the river, when the |
very object of the gentleman from Ten
nessee Mr.. Young] and those in favor of
his amendment is that the government of |
the United States shall take some steps |
with view to ascertain what will be the |
probable cost of the construction of such |
leyees as will protect the great delta of the
Mississippi from overflow. We may as
well appropriate money for this purpose as
for the lakes, for this great inland sea, us
the statesman of former days Mr.. Calhoun
called it, the internal sea of the continent,
sweeping, as II does, from the Allegheny |
Mountains, with its thousand tributaries,
down to the Gulfof Mexico.
Mr.. Holman-I move to amend the
amendment by striking out all after the
words Mississippi river" and inserting
the following. with view to the i'm
provement of the navigation OF that
river and its Tributaries" j."
Mr.. Yoppg--I cannot accept that
The question being taken on Mr..
Holman's amendment to the amendment
there were-ayes 2S, noes 80.
So further count not being called for
the amendment to the amendment was
not agreed to.
The question being taken on Mr..
Young's amendment, it was agreed to.