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

DEBATES OF CONGRESS. 563 MAY, 1826.] Dismal SwamTp Canal. [SENATE. of Virginia, in this, did not give the authority forth. It was their duty to avoid such feelings. to receive the United States subscription, he He acquiesced in the opinion, that there was no would ask whether the act on the part of this State in the Union which had received so little Government, did not subvert, in a great meas- notice, as the State of North Carolina; and, Mr. nre, the power of these States over their corpo- V. B. said, where he could do it, consistently rations? Corporators are under liabilities, as with his view of the constitution, he would well as individuals; they may do acts which with the utmost cheerfulness contribute his supwill be a forfeiture of their charter. Supposing, port to any project to assist that State; but on then, the Government of the United States this occasion he could not do it. At the same should acquire, by any means, a majority of the time he must say, that, if he believed it in the stock, and do acts, which, if done by individuals, power of the Government to grant money for would subject them to a forfeiture of their char- this purpose, the present mode would be the ter, what a state of things would be produced last one he should think of adopting. If there between Virginia and the United States! He was any grant of money at all for this purpose, apprehended that no remedy could, in such a it should be direct. Where aid was granted in case, be applied by a resort to legal tribunals; the mode now proposed, abuses would creep in, and he quoted decisions of the Supreme Court, and in nine cases out of ten, deception would be and argued, at some length, to show the force practised. In the State of New York they had of this objection. The Government of the had, Mr. V. B. said, full experience of this, in the United States, he said, would be a partner in application for charters for banks; plausible prethis corporation; the Government of the United tences were set up that the State would be thereStates could not be sued; one of the individuals by benefited, till these practices became so nucomposing the corporation not being liable to be merous, that in the end public opinion was desued, no suit could be entered in the Supreme cidedly against them, and the Legislature, to her Court of the United States. Mr. K. said further, honor, at the last session, had refused all apthat he did not believe that the Government had plications of this description. So it was with the power, except in cases of most evident neces- Congress: they would proceed from one thing sity, of exercising the right of improving within to another, till many millions of the public the limits of a State, without the consent of the money were thrown away on disadvantageous State. What should be the evidences of that projects, and they would finally come to the same consent, he would judge for himself. If the conclusion which the State of New York had arRepresentatives of the State, on this floor, ad- rived at. When an individual subscribed for vocated the bill; and if from the evidences which stock, he had a personal, a direct interest, which history furnished, he believed that the State induced him to move with caution, and to see consented to the measure, his objections would that his interests were properly attended to, and be done away. This was not the case here. he would not embrace any wild scheme. Would The State of Virginia by her Representative, any man believe that the United States would protested against the exercise of this power; be benefited by the Louisville and Portland and had Congress the power to inflict this canal canal? Every gentleman on this floor believed on her without her consent? It seemed to it to be a useless concern; it was nothing but him they had not. a cover to give money in this form which could Mr. VAN BUBEN said he rose principally to not be given directly; and now they were called call for the yeas and nays; but while he was up, on to subscribe for stock in the Dismal Swamp he would make one remark on the subject. He canal, giving to the existing stockholders the could not vote for this bill, for he did not be- money of the United States, to reimburse them lieve that this Government possessed the con- for the money they had expended on a bad constitutional power to make these roads and canals, cern. Did this line of conduct comport with or to grant the money to make them; but, sound policy? He hoped the gentleman from while he entertained this opinion, he did not North Carolina would not be discouraged; pubwish to indulge in feelings of asperity towards lie opinion on this subject was taking the proper those who differed from him. It was a subject direction, and in the end this assumption of not free from excitement, especially so far as power on the part of the Government, would be the power to grant money was concerned. Dif- put down, or there would be a salutary amendferent views were taken of this subject, by per- ment to the constitution to provide for an sons who were pure and honest; and, Mr. V. B. equitable and fair distribution of the funds of said, he should take the liberty, which, perhaps, the Government for this purpose. he had no right to take, to express his regret, [A short explanation then took place between that in the course of the discussion on this Messrs. CHANDLER and BRANCH, and then] question, such feelings had been drawn forth, Mr. RowAN rose to tell the gentleman from as had been witnessed on the present as well as New York, (Mr. VAN BUREN,) that there was on former occasions. There were no two gen- one gentleman on this floor who had been led tiemen on this floor, who placed more unqualified to believe, that the stock of the Louisville and confidence in each other's integrity, than the Portland canal was profitable. Mr. R. said he gentlemen from Maine and North Carolina; might be deceived, but he would tell the gentlestill, from the misapprehension of a few words man that scientific and calculating men from used in debate, these feelings had been drawn the east and the north had believed it to be

Pages

About this Item

Title: Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.
Author: United States. Congress.
Canvas: Page 563
Publication: New York, [etc.]: D. Appleton and company [etc.]; 1857-61.
Subject terms: United States -- Politics and government

Technical Details

Collection: Making of America Books
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ahj4053.0008.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/ahj4053.0008.001/565

Rights and Permissions

These pages may be freely searched and displayed. Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically. Please go to http://www.umdl.umich.edu/ for more information.

IIIF

Manifest: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/api/manifest/moa:ahj4053.0008.001

Cite this Item

Full citation: "Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856." In the digital collection Making of America Books. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ahj4053.0008.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 24, 2025.

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

Annotations Tools

Actions

About this Item

Technical Details

Rights and Permissions

Related Links

IIIF

Cite this Item