Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.

180 ABRIDGMENT OF THE SENATE.] Delaware and Chesapeake Canal. [FEBRUARY, 1825. that the gentleman from Virginia had brought had not only controlled the deliberations of forward his amendment. It appeared to him this Congress, but had named his successor? that the friends of the Dismal Swamp Canal Was it not their duty to pause and seriously rewere willing that the canal in their part of the fleet on the awful consequences that were likely country should be completed, and had no great to result from granting this power? He trustobjection that the public money should be ap- ed they would, and that every gentleman would propriated for that purpose, if it could be done feel it his duty to vote against this bill. without their vote, they being constitutionally The question being taken on Mr. TAZEWELL'S opposed to it. But, Mr. S. said, if they would proposition, it was negatived by the following only allow the present bill to pass without at- votes: taching their proposition to it, they would be YEAS.-Messrs. Barbour, Benton, Branch, Elliott, the more sure of their project succeeding when Hayne, Holmes of Miss., Jackson, Taylor, Tazebrought forward by itself at the next session. well, Williams-lO. This bill, Mr. S. repeated, was proposed NAYs. —Messrs. Barton, Bell, Bouligny, Brown, twenty years ago, and in consequence of an Chandler, Clayton, Dickerson, Edwards, Findlay, amendment similar to the present, being pro- Holmes of Me., Johnson of Ken., Johnston of posed, the whole fell to the ground; and there Lou., Kelly, King of Ala., King of New York, was no doubt, if the present amendment pre- Knight, Lanman, Lloyd of Mass., Lowrie, McIlvaine, vailed, some of the Western members would McLean, Macon, Noble, Parrott, Ruggles, Seymour, propose an additional amendment, which would Smith, Talbot, Thomas, Van Buren, Van Dyke break down the whole. -31. The plan proposed by the gentleman from The question recurring on the third reading Missouri (Mr. BENTON) was certainly a most of the billextensive one. He would not be satisfied by Mr. MACON, of North Carolina, said he rose taking things piecemeal, but must have every with a full heart, to take his last farewell of thing transacted on the largest scale. It was an old friend that he had always admired and his (Mr. SMITH's) opinion, that if they were to loved-he meant the Constitution of the United attempt to act on a general system, they would States. On this occasion, he said he had expeget nothing at all done. The fortifications had riencecl a difficulty in expressing his feelings. been erected by piecemeal; a certain sum of Perhaps old people thought more of what took money equal to the means of the country had place when they were young, than of the ocbeen annually appropriated; but if they had currences of after times; but in times of old, attempted to complete the whole system at whenever any question touching the constituonce, it never would have been done; there tion was brought forward, it was discussed were many parts of the report of the Corps of day after day; that time was now passed. GenEngineers, on which many of the members of tlemen say it is not necessary now to enter into Congress would have been unwilling to have the constitutional question on this measure. acted. It surely was not sound argument to The first time he had ever known them refuse say, they were to relinquish a great good be- to discuss the constitutional question, involved cause it could only be accomplished by piece- by a proposition, was, when the act was passed meal. If they had attempted to procure the incorporating the present bank of thirty-five construction of the Cumberland road accord- millions; from that time the constitution had ing to this grand system, not an inch of it been asleep. would have been made. He would advise gen- Every scheme that was proposed was with a tlemen to be content with what they could get, view of tying the people together. The late and not, by attempting to overload the carriage, Bank of the United States was to give them a to break down and lose the whole. currency alike throughout all the States. It Mr. BRANCH, of North Carolina, said, al- was said at the time, that this was impossible; though he had his scruples in regard to the con- the friends of the bank insisted they could.do stitutionality of the present measure, which it; but, had they done it? Then they got into would probably influence his vote, he was not a system of manufacturing, and everybody was disposed to defeat the bill on the table in any to get rich by it. The next thing was the sysother than a direct way. He was opposed to tem of a great navy and fortifications, which the exercise of the power, because he thought was to make them one people from the Atlantic that the constitution under which they acted, to the Rocky Mountains, from the Bay of Pasdid not confer it. He should forbear portray- samaquoddy to Florida; but, had it done so? ing the consequences that had arisen from the And now the people were to be tied together immense patronage possessed by this Govern- by roads and canals. He thought the plan of ment, because many instances of it must be the gentleman from Maryland, (Mr. SMITn,) was fresh in the recollection of every gentleman. as wise a one as ever was devised to add power The power already exercised was excessive, and to the Government. Do a little now, and a litshould they add new strength to this power, tie then, and, by and by, they would render already so formidable to the friends of liberty? this Government as powerful and unlimited as He trusted not. Should they place immense the British Government was. We go on decidsums of money at the disposal of the Govern- ing on these things, said Mr. M., without lookment —of the President? that President who ing at the constitution, and I suppose we will,

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Title: Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.
Author: United States. Congress.
Canvas: Page 180
Publication: New York, [etc.]: D. Appleton and company [etc.]; 1857-61.
Subject terms: United States -- Politics and government

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Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.

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