History of Congress, biographical and political: comprising memoirs of members of the Congress of the United States, etc

Front matter

a^/^^^^^Le HISTORY OF CONGRESS, BIOGRAPHICAL AND POLITICAL: COMPRISING A HISTORY OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS (RIVERS, HARBORS, ETC.,) FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE GOVERNMENT TO THE PRESENT TIME; EMBRACING, ALSO, HISTORICAL NOTICES OF VARIOUS POLITICAL EVENTS — OF OCEAN STEAM NAVIGATION — OF THE TEA AND COFFEE TAX; TOGETHER AVITH BIOGRAPHIES, PERSONAL HISTORIES, ETC, ETC. BY HENRY G. WHEELER. JHlustrateH fig Steel $ovttafts atur jfac=stmtle autoararjfijr. II NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, 82 CLIFF STREET. 184 8. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, by Hesry G. Wheeler, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York.

Preface

. J. HE history of Internal Improvements, to which the main portion of the following pages is given up, has excluded many matters of interest, biographical and political, connected with both houses of Congress, which were designed for the present volume. The importance of the question leaves us, personally, no cause to regret this result. We feel that our acknowledgments are due for the general spirit of kindness, public and personal, in which our first volume has been received. Accepting gratefully these tokens of confidence, we shall not fail to regard them as additional in centives to an honorable and faithful accomplishment of the object to which we are pledged. The Author. New York, November 1st, 1848. CONTENTS. KING, THOMAS BUTLER, of Georgia.

His position in the AVhig Party — Birth — Parentage — Education — Early Pursuits — Removal to Georgia — Marriage — Change of Business — Death of his AVife's Par ents — Turns Planter — His Success — Destruction of Crops — Change of Fortune — Sacrifice of all his Estates — Election to Senate of Georgia — Formation of the Whig Party in that State — Importation of a Reporter — Convention to reduce Number of State Senators and Representatives — Mr. King a Member — The "Georgia Journal" — Purchase thereof — Mr. King Security for Purchase Money — Loss there by — Success of the AVhig Party — Mr. King nominated for Congress — Defeated — Again elected to State Senate — Internal Improvements in the State — Visit to Bos ton — Formation of two Companies — Mr. King made President — Results — Rail road to the Tennessee River — Convention at Macon on that Subject — Mr. King a Member — Recommendation of the Convention — Favorable Decision of the Leg islature — Completion of the Road — Mr. King again elected to the State Senate — His Report on the Cause of Internal Improvement in the Suite — Nomination for Congress — Election — Scheme of Rail-road from Brunswick to the Gulf of Mexico revived — Completion of the Survey and Location of the Route — Mr. King takes his Seat as a Member of the House — Chosen President of the Brunswick and Florida Rail-road Company — Refusal of AVhigs of the Legislature of Georgia to support General Harrison for the Presidency — Mr. King sustains the Nomination — Franks upward of forty thousand Documents — Member of Young Men's Ratifi cation Convention — Takes an active Part in the Canvass — Writes a Pamphlet in Defense of General Harrison — Invited to a Seat in the Cabinet — Re-elected to Congress — Member of the State Convention for Nomination of Governor — Dele gate to the Convention that nominated Mr.

Clay — Again nominated for Congress — Meets Mr. Clay at Columbus — Enters into the Canvass — Is re-elected — Fights a Duel — Nominated for the Thirtieth Congress — Re-elected — Chosen a Delegate to the Chicago Convention — Distance two thousand five hundred Miles — Naval De fenses of the Country as connected with Ocean Steam Navigation — Member of the Committee on Naval Affairs — Chairman — Opinion of Southern Review — Home Squadron Report — Condition of the Navy under the " old System" — Abuses in this Branch of the public Service — Mr. King's Substitute for the old Plan — Rise and Progress of British Ocean Steam Navigation — Duty of the American Government — State of our foreign Relations — Affairs of the Caroline and of Alexander M'Leod — Historical Notices thereof — Other Causes of Difficulty with Great Britain — United States Mediterranean Squadron — British North American Fleet — Mr. Badg er's Recommendation of a Home Squadron — Mr. King's Report thereon — Estab lishment of that Squadron — Mr. Adams's Opinion of the Report — Appointment of Select Committee concerning Establishment of Lines of Steam-vessels — No Report — Report in 1846 by Mr. King — Objects sought to be attained — Another Report in June — General Results — Report on Steam Communication with China— Joint Resolution for the Accomplishment of the proposed Objects — Letter of Lieutenant Maury — Joint Resolutions of Mr. King having in view the Increase of our Inter- Contents. course with Europe— Mode in which our Intercourse is now conducted— The American System— Opinions of Mr. King— His Position toward that Subject, aud the Opinion entertained of his Services— Declaration of Isaac E. Holmes on that Point— Opinion of Southern Review— Dinner to Mr. King by the Merchants of New York— His Career in Congress — Absent when the Vote taken on the Tariff Bill of 184G— Reason thereof— His Objections to that Law— The Oregon Question — His Opinions — Proposition for Arbitration — His Opinions of the President's Re jection of Mr. Pakenham's Offer— His Course on " the Notice"— Annexation of Texas— His Opinions — Extract — His Opinions on the Mexican War— Course on the AVar Bill — His Course on Internal Improvements — The Savannah River — His Efforts to obtain an Appropriation therefor — Other Subjects — Summary — Re election Page 9-63 PILSBURY, TIMOTHY, of Texas.

District represented by him — Date of taking his Seat as a Member of the House — Beginning of his Career — Objects of this History — Self-made Men — Reasons for selecting occasional Cases of that Description — Birth and Parentage of Mr. Pilsbury — Education — Circumstances of his Family — Timothy goes to Sea — Voy age to Charleston, South Carolina, and thence to Scotland — Narrowly escapes Shipwreck — Voyage to Georgetown, District of Columbia, and thence to Ham burg — Captain Titcomb— Voyage to Alicante; thence to Lamatee; thence to Bos ton — Incidents of the Voyage — Mr. Pilsbury falls overboard — His Escape — Cap tain Rand — Voyage from Boston to Copenhagen ; thence to Cronstadt ; back to Copenhagen — Investment of that City by the British — Returns to Boston — Voyage of the Ship " Hesper," Captain Cushing, to Savannah; thence to Boston — Ship " Massachusetts" — Voyage to Charleston ; thence to Boston — Man overboard — Saved — Presentiment of the poor Italian — Fulfillment thereof — Arrival of Ship off Charleston — Spanish Sailor overboard — Saved — Voyage to Madeira, the Cape de Verde Islands, and thence to Boston — Mr. Pilsbury made Captain of the Ship — Purchases an Equipment — Ship sold — His Return to Newburyport — Disagree ment as to AVages — Meeting with the Owners — Angry Discussion — Result — Effect on Mr. Pilsbury's Prospects — Ship " Essex" — Mr. Pilsbury made Mate — Remark able Dispatch — Voyage coastwise ; thence to Liverpool and Cape de Verde Isl ands; and thence to Boston — Mr. Pilsbury takes charge of a Schooner to France — Runs the Blockade — Discovered by a British Frigate — A Broadside — Capture — Prize Crew put aboard — Schooner ordered to Plymouth — Attempt by Captain Pilsbury to retake her — He is overpowered — Schooner carried into Plymouth and condemned — the Captain returns to New Bedford — Made first Lieutenant of the Privateer " Yankee" — Incidents of the Voyage — Returns to Salem — Sails again under the Command of Captain Pilsbury for a Cruise off the West Indies — Chases a Schooner — Fires into her — The Stranger escapes — The " Yankee" chased by a British Man-of-war Brig — Broadside — Surrender — All hands removed on board the Brig — The Captain's Explanation of the Broadside — Prisoners carried into An tigua ; thence taken to Barbadoes — Put on shore on Parole — Generous Conduct of the British Governor, Sir George Beckwith — The Privateer " Decatur," Cap tain Nichols — His Character for Ferocity — Taken to England in a cage — Acquit ted — Captain Pilsbury's Arrival at Barbadoes — Taken Sick — Dread of a Hospital — Sent there — Fine Accommodations and best Medical Treatment — His Release and Eeturn Home — He and his Brother purchase a small Boat — Trade Coastwise from Peuobscot Bay to New York — Make great Profits — Sell out — Termination of the War — Mr. Pilsbury takes Command of the Ship " Harriet" to Savannah New Orleans, and thence to Bordeaux — Ship springs aleak — Crew and Pa6sen™ers Contents.

IX take to the Boats — Member of -the Council of Five Hundred — Member of the Chamber of Deputies on Napoleon's Return from Elba — Stormy Weather — Attempt of the People in the small Boat to board the long Boat — Kept off by Force — Short Provisions — A severe Gale — Boats lay to — The Process — Oil upon the AVaters — Gale subsides — Boats bear up for Madeira — A Sail discovered — Proved to be a Sloop bound to Philadelphia — All Hands from the two Boats get safe aboard — Not more than eight or ten Days' Provision — Proposal of Captain Pilsbury to the Captain of the Sloop — Refused — The Sloop is kept away by Force for Madeira — Clement March — Generous Conduct of the Firm of that Name ; also of the Commander of a French Frigate — Quarantine — Philadelphia Sloop sells her Cargo to pay the Port-charges — Never heard of since — Present to Clement March by the Member of the Council — Account of the Token — Crew sent Home — Captain Pilsbury returns to Newburyport — Takes Charge of a Brig to Baltimore — Series of Misfortunes — Their Results — Mr. Pilsbury goes to Eastport — Engages as Supercargo of the Brig " Beaver" — Engage* in the West India Trade — Remains so for two Years — Goes into Business in Eastport — Fails — Elected a Member of the Maine Legislature before and after his Bankruptcy — Chosen a Member of the Council of State — Applies to the General Government for the Collectorship of the Port of Eastport — Superseded by another Applicant — Desires a subordinate Office — Defeated — Party Intrigue — Left without Resources, and with a large Family looking to him for Support — By the Aid of his Wife's Father, purchases a Schooner — Takes his Son as Mate — Sails to Baltimore; thence to Jamaica, &c, and finally to New Orleans — Sells the Schooner — Purchases half of three wrecked Vessels — Sinks all his Capital — Nothing left but one of the Vessels, much injured — Procures Advances on her — Gets Freight to Amsterdam — Sails thence to Saint Thomas and Mobile ; thence to Laguna, Marseilles, Messina, and Palermo — A Levanter — Man overboard — Saved — Succession of Gales — Horatio Sprague — Homeward Voyage — Adverse Results of the Voyage — Mr.

Pilsbury purchases a Schooner — Takes Freight to Truxillo — Proceeds thence to New Orleans — Schooner strikes on a Ledge — Sinks to her bows — Crew take to the Boat — A long Night — Next day board the Schooner, which had not gone to Pieces — Procure some Water, &c. — Discover a small Island — Arrival — Cloud of Gnats — Crew compelled to anchor — Night cold and Rainy — Exposure — Next Morning went ashore — Procure some additional things from the Schooner — The Captain's young Son seized with a raging Fever — The Captain steers for Ascension Bay — Provisions exhausted — The sick Boy much worse — Violent Storm — Refuge in the AVoods — Storm abates — Boy better — Two Canoes come to the Relief of the Captain — Arrival at Ascension Bay — Recovery of the Boy, now a Partner in the firm of J. W. Zacharie & Co., of New Orleans — At that Place Mr. Pilsbury buys a Schooner — Sails to Campeachy ; thence to Laguna and New York — Takes Freight thence to New Orleans — Schooner anchors on the Bahama Banks — Gets under Weigh — Gale — Hurricane — Vessels lost — Schooner lays to for three days — Uncertain as to her Position — White AVater — Night — Bowsprit started — Stern Boat staved — Got on Deck — At daylight the true Position of the Schooner discovered — Hurricane continues — Schooner bears up for Charleston — Springs aleak — Is sinking — Breakers — Hands at the Pumps — Schooner water-logged — Masts cut a-way — Hands nearly exhausted — Small Boat prepared — Oil — Captain goes below to dress himself — Scene with the Mate — Subsequent Conversation with the Biographer — Schooner level with the water — Boat launched — Gold to the Sailors — Characteristic Scene — Crew take to the Boat — Dangers therein — Oil upon the Water — Weather mod erates — Hope of Preservation — Increased Violence of the Gale — Successful De vice — Gale abates — Sails discovered — Crew taken on board the " Jones" — Aston ishment of the Captain of that Barque — Mode of manifesting it — Arrival in Bos- A Contents.

X ton— Termination of Captain Pilsbury's seafaring Lhe— Goes to Eastport— Runs for the House of Representatives of Maine— Loses the Election by one Vote, which was refused— Recovery of Damages therefor— Chosen Member of the Executive Council— Nominated for Congress— Receives a Plurality of Votes three times, the Law requiring a Majority— AVhig Candidate elected— Mr. Pilsbury goes to Ohio : thence to New Orleans— Taken Sick there— Removed to the House of Mr. Zacharie— Restored to Health— Consents to go to Texas— Becomes engaged in Trade there— Texas Paper Money— Losses — Lives like a Hermit — Political and financial Condition of Texas — Elected to the Congress of Texas — Retirement of President Lamar — The Paper System run out — Retrenchment — Measures toward that End — Duties on Imports — Mr. Pilsbury's Plan — Defeat thereof — At the Next session, Mr. Pilsbury having been chosen to the Senate, the Tariff Bill was passed — Fi nances of Texas, &c. — Mr. Pilsbury resigns his Seat — Is chosen Chief Justice of County Court and Judge of Probate — Re-elected to the Senate — Resigns the Judgeship — Proposals for Annexation — Assented to — Annexation consummated — Mr. Pilsbury's Advocacy of that Measure — A Resting-place — Hymn to the Alamo — Mr. Pilsbury elected to Congress — Re-elected — His Character as a Representative — His Reply to Attacks upon Texas — Further Extracts — Mr. Pilsbury's general political Course — His Marriage Page 64-100 M'CLELLAND, ROBERT, of Michigan.

Birth — Incentives to Exertion — Education — Graduates — College Honors — Ad mitted to the Bar — Removes to Pittsburg; thence to Monroe, in Michigan — Prac tices Law — Success — Elected Member of the Convention to form the State Con stitution — Contest between Michigan and Ohio — Marriage of Mr. M'Clelland — Is elected to the State Legislature — Declines being again a Candidate — Is re-elected in 1839 — Democratic Candidate for Speakership — Renominated for the Legis lature — Declines — Re-elected in 1842 — Chosen Speaker — Elected to Congress — Retains his Seat by large Majorities — Chairman of the Committee on Commerce — Measures of which, in whole or in part, he has had control — Has acted with the Democratic Party except in certain Cases — Military Academy — His Support and Opinions thereon — His course on the Mexican War — On the Wilmot Proviso — On the Territorial Question — Ou the Creation of the Office of Lieutenant General — On the Tea and Coffee Tax — On River and Harbor Improvements — Retirement from public Life — His Letter, with Remarks of Detroit Free Press 101-108 INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS, History of.

Importance of the Subject — The Term "Internal Improvements" — Sense in which used — Committees on Internal Improvements — Term very familiar — Rea son for Change — Motion to amend the Title of a Harbor and River Bill — General Jackson's Explanation of the Objects covered by the Term — Appropriations for Internal Improvements sanctioned by all Branches of the Government from its earliest Record — Occasional Vetoes — Exceptions to a general Rule — Principle of 6uch Appropriations disputed now more than ever — Old Interpretations of the Constitution— Disregarded — A bad Omen — John Randolph's Prediction Misgiv ings of Mr. Jefferson— Power of Expansion and Contraction belonging to the Con stitution—The regal Powers of a President under his own Construction of the Constitution— Statement of the Object of the AVriter— Constitutional Arguments Their Value— Practical Illustration— Log-rolling— Definition thereof— Liability of Power to Abuse— Defense of Log-rolling by R. C .

Winthrop— Extract— Remarks on the same Point by the Committee on Commerce — Provisions of the Constitution under which the Power is claimed to make Appropriations for Internal Improve- Contents.

XI ments — Provisions chiefly relied upon — Act of 1789 for the Establishment and Support of Light-houses, Beacons, Buoys, and public Piers — State of our Com merce at that Time — Its AVants — Extract from Samuel Smith's Report — Adoption by Congress of the Principle of Appropriations for such Objects — Importance of the Act quoted — Piers — Mr. Calhoun's Definition thereof — Identity of the Prin ciple of Appropriation for AVorks then and now in use — Jurisdiction of the Sites of Improvements — Cessions thereof — Act of July, 1790; of August, 1790; of March, 1791; of April, 1792; of June, 1794; of March, 1795— Joint Jurisdiction to be considered a Cession of Jurisdiction — Oliver Wolcott's Reports — Extracts therefrom — General Appropriations — Extension of the Objects — Act of 1798 — AVarren River — Appropriation for " other Improvements in Navigation" — Act of 1S02 authorizing Appropriation for Piers in the Delaware — Act of May, 1802, making an Appropriation for Light-houses, &c., stakage of Channels, Bars, Shoals, &c. — General Appropriation Bill, March 1st, 1805, containing an Appropriation for Piers in the River Delaware — Appropriations for such Objects extended and in creased — General Jackson's Summary of that Legislation — General Course of Leg islation — Statement of Appropriations for Roads, Harbors, and Rivers, by Colonel Abert, with an additional Column giving the Name of the President who approved the Appropriations — Earliest Appropriation noted being for the Cumberland Road — Alleged approval of Mr.

Jefferson of the Project of a Road from AVashington to New Orleans — No Necessity for Appropriations beyond the Coast — State of the Country — Growth of the AVest — Facilities for Navigation demanded — Appropriations for such Purposes have not kept Pace with the National AVants — Much has been done — Harbor of Erie — Illustrative Anecdote — Other Harbors — Extent of the Lake Coast — Navigable Extent of the AVestern Rivers — Language of Mr. Jefferson at the second Session of the ninth Congress; also in his annual Message of 1808 — At that Time he had signed the Cumberland Road Bill — His Letter to Mr. Madison and Protest to the Virginia Legislature on the Subject of Internal Improvements — Claims of John Quincy Adams to the Paternity of the System — Extract from the Funeral Oration of the Rev. W. P. Lunt — Mr. Clay's Proposition in the Senate concerning a Canal round the Rapids of the Ohio — Referred to a Select Commit tee — Of whom composed — The Committee report a Resolution which was adopted — A Bill brought in accordingly and passed — Vote thereon — Bill sent to the House — Postponed indefinitely — Object has since been accomplished — Great Op position to it — Resolutions of Mr. Worthington in the Senate — AVithdrawn — A Substitute offered (being the Proposition referred to by Mr. Adams) — It called on the Secretary of the Treasury to report a Plan for Roads and Canals, &c. — Resolution adopted — The Vote thereon — Albert Gallatin's Report in answer to this Resolution — Extracts — Subsequent Reports in both Houses of Congress touching a System of Internal Improvements — Causes which operated against the Es tablishment of such a System — Mr. Madison's Message to Congress transmitting Copies of an Act of the New York Legislature relating to a Canal from the Lakes to the Hudson River — Extract — Extract from his seventh annual Message — Ex tract from his last — He Vetoes the Bill " to set apart and pledge certain Funds for Internal Improvements" — The Bill — Its History — The Veto — Rejection of the Bill on reconsideration by the House — Provision of the Constitution prescribing the Mode of Proceeding in such Cases — Opinions of Mr. Monroe on the Subject of Internal Improvements as expressed in his Inaugural Address — Change of Opinion — Qualification thereof as to Roads and Canals — Extract from his Mes sage — Referred to a Select Committee — They report — Resolution — Extract from the Report — The Proceedings of the House upon that Report — Adoption of Reso lutions calling on the Secretary of AVar for a Plan for the Construction of Roads and Canals, &c. ; and upon the Secretary of the Treasury, calling for Information Contents.

XII on the same Subject— The Vote thereon— Report of Mr. Calhoun in answer to the said first Resolution— Mr. Monroe Vetoes the Act for the Preservation aud Repair of the Cumberland Road— Extract from his Message— The Rule of Con struction " General, not Local ; National, not State"— The Right of Appropriation distinct from the Right of Jurisdiction — Extract from a Subsequent Message con taining Suggestions to obviate Objections in respect to Jurisdiction— Extract from his Message at the second Session of the seventeenth Congress concerning the Cumberland Road — Another Extract from the same Message concerning Appro priations for Piers in Delaware Bay— Extract concerning Obstructions in the Har bor of Presque Isle — Extract from his annual Message of December, 1824, touching certain Improvements in Navigation — Objects of Improvement which had received his Sanction— The Act of April 30th, 1824, to procure the necessary Sur veys, Plans, and Estimates upon the Subject of Roads and Canals — The History of the Bill, which was considered as the Precursor of all future Improvements — It is signed by Mr. Monroe — Report of Mr. Calhoun defining the Principles by which the Government would be guided in accomplishing the Objects of the Act — Further Extract from Mr. Monroe's Message of December, 1824 — Extract from Special Message — Opinions of John Quincy Adams on the Subject of Internal Inv provements — His Vote on the Bill concerning a Canal round the Rapids of the Ohio — Extract from his first Annual Message — Examination into the Truth of the Reproach cast upon his Administration in regard to Appropriations for Objects of Internal Improvement — Facts, Figures, and Results — Extract from his annual Mes sage of December, 1827 — Extract from bis last annual Message — Extract from General Jackson's Inaugural Address — Extract from his first annual Message — His Veto on the Maysville Road Bill — Bill rejected on reconsideration — Debate on Foot's Resolution — Its Character — Mr.

M'Duffie — Extract from a Pamphlet Edi tion of his Speech — The System of Internal Improvements not the exclusive Prop erty of either of the two great Parties — Largest Appropriations made under Dem ocratic Rule — The Resolution of the Conventions held of late Years to nominate President and Vice-President, denying the Power of Congress to carry on the System — Results thereof not yet ascertained — Differences of Opinion in the Dem ocratic Ranks as to the construction of the said Resolution — Illustrative Extracts — Messrs. Sawyer, Stewart, Burt, Stanton, Toombs, aud Pettit — Differences of Opinion not to be reconciled — The Definition of Colonel Tibbatts, of Kentucky, of the same Resolution — Compared with Opinions in Mr. Polk's Veto Message — The Session of 1829-30 — The Light-house Bill, and the Louisville and Portland Canal Bill — General Jackson's Disapproval thereof — Extracts from his Message — Referred to a select Committee, who reported a Resolution — Not acted upon — Veto of the Rockville and Frederic Road Bill — Bill rejected on reconsideration — Extract from General Jackson's annual Message of December, 1832 — The Act for the Improvement of certain Harbors and the Navigation of certain Rivers vetoed by General Jackson — Extract from his Message — Extract from his annual Mes sage of 1834 — The AVabash River Bill — General Jackson's Objections thereto — His Course in the Senate — John A. Rockwell's Speech, with some interesting Facts thereon — Mr. Van Buren — Report of Mr. Cambreleng — Recommends Dis continuance of Appropriations — Adoption of that Policy — Resolution of Mr. Grant — Suspension of Works — Sale of Implements — Extract from Mr. Tyler's Message — His Veto of the Eastern Harbor Bill — The Bill — Rejected on reconsideration Mr. Tyler approves the Western Harbor Bill — Extract from his last annual Mes sage — Harbor and River Bill of the second Session of the twenty-eighth Congress — Mr. Tyler pockets it — The Administration of Mr. Polk — His Adherence to the " Baltimore Platform" — Promises held out to Texas by Mr. Donelson, prior to An nexation — Extract from Mr. Polk's first annual Message — Report of the Secretary Contents.

XIII of War transmitting Estimates for River and Harbor Improvements — Extract from Colonel Abert's Report on the same Subject — Estimates included in the Letter of the Secretary of the Treasury — River and Harbor Bill reported by Mr. Tibbatts — Debate — Bill passed — Vole thereon — Sent to the Senate — Passed — Vote thereon — The Bill — Mr. Polk's Veto thereof — Reconsideration of the Bill in the House — Excited Debate thereon — Question whether the Bill had received the previous Approval of the President — Extracts — Messrs. James Thompson, M'Clelland, Payne, Thurman, and Constable — Vote on the Bill — Rejected — Senate Bill for the Improvement of the Ohio, Mississippi, Missouri, and Arkansas Rivers — Vote there on — Bill sent to the House — Rejected — Vote thereon — Bill passed at the second Session of the twenty-ninth Congress — Vote thereon — Passed the Senate — Re tained by the President — The Bill — List of Works contained in it which had been previously commenced, with the Amounts heretofore expended on each — At the first Session of the thirtieth Congress, Mr. Polk transmitted his Reasons for not approving the Bill — The Reasons — Character of the Objects appropriated for in the Bill — Declaratory Resolution of Mr. Wentworth — Vote thereon — Mr. Rhett's Bill, declaring the Assent of Congress to any Bills that may be passed by the States of the Union, laying Tonnage Duties on Vessels entering their Ports or Har bors — Referred to Committee on Commerce — Its Prospects — Reference of the President's Reasons — The Conventions of Chicago and Memphis — Address of the Chicago Committee — Proceedings of the Convention — Declaration of Sentiments — Appointment of Executive Committee — Names and Residences — Adjournment of the Convention — The Chicago Memorial — The Memphis Convention — Proceed ings thereof — Resolutions of the Convention — Appointment of a Committee- — Memphis Memorial — Presented to the Senate by Mr.

Calhoun — Referred to a se lect Committee, of which he was Chairman — His Report thereon — Opinions of Daniel Webster; of Thomas H. Benton; of John C. Calhoun; of Silas Wright — Letter from Henry Clay ; from Martin Van Buren ; from Lewis Cass — Address of John C. Spencer — Reference of the President's Message of December 15, 1817 ; of the Chicago Memorial; of Mr. Rhett's Bill, &c. — Report of the Committee on Commerce thereon — Extracts — Resolutions appended to the said Reports — The Votes thereon — Tonnage Duties — List of Acts of that Description — Remarks on the Extent and Character of that Legislation — Extent and Value of the Interests involved in the Subject of Internal Improvements — Extracts from the Report of the Committee on Commerce — Loss of Life — Extract from the same Report — Ex tract from Colouel Abert's Report concerning the Commerce of the Lakes as a Nursery for Seamen — Means of Communication by the Way of the Lakes with the Mississippi and the Atlantic — British Superiority on Lake Ontario — Causes thereof — British Opinion — Civil and Diplomatic Bill of the last Session — Removal of Obstructions in the Savannah River — History of the Movement to procure an Appropriation therefor — Votes in both Houses, and Results — The River and Har bor Bill of 1848 — Its History and Fate — Closing Remarks and Opinions Page 108-475