Mr. ALLISON. lam certainly much obliged to the Gentfrom Illinois. I desire to say one thin with reference to the policy of the State of law York on this subject of canals. I say that the policy which that State has adopted is sufficient in itself to justify the Congress of the U.S. in interfering with it by the adoptionof this measure. I old in my hand the Proceedings of the Canal Board of NewYork, wherein they report to the Legislature of that State that this ris canal, which the gentleman says cost $100,000,000, instead of being a char c, has actually been a benefit to that State, an has placed in its treasury $9,000,000 over and above the money expended for the construction of the work, nearly all of which was levied as a contribution upon the grain producing States of the West and yet the State of NewYork proson now, by its interference here, to prevent tcwestern States from transporting their cereals across that State unless t my pay tribute to that State in the way of tolls such as it may see proper to impose; and it is for that reason and to establish a competing line of transit that this measure is proposed, for the purpose of depriving them of this monopoly of transportation between the lakes and the sea. I know, also, that the Gentfrom N NewYork, [Mr. J. M. HUMPHREY] whenamember of the NewYork Senate, introduced a bill for the purpose of enlargin the Erie canal, showing that herbelieved at that time, as every one but him now believes, that we do need additional facilities by which the cereals of the western States can be transported to the city Of NewYork and to the markets of the East. How did he propose to enlarge that canal? He propose to do it by means of locks, which were to as vessels of 600 tons burden, an to levy upon the commerce of the western States 70 cents on every ton transported through that canal, in addition to the tolls levied by the State of NewYork upon its own citizens toopsy for its construction and enlargement. Now, the very fact that it has been the poli of the State of NewYork to compel the proone of the West to pass through the Eric canal or over her railroads, in or or that she may control at will the commerce of the western States, and levy tolls upon that commerce, is in itself a just reason why we should interfere and pass this measure, in order that Congress may love control over this national highway, connecting the lower with the upperlakes, and thus connecting the lakes with the ocean, which thus far has been to us an unknown sea and in order to kec this question of tolls within the power an control of Congress, I offered the amendment to the 23rd section of the bill, giving this control to congress. in order that we may not ese ape from the rapacious jaws of one class of monopolies to be swallowed u by the voracious maw of another; and in the ope that this competing highway may be used to cheapen transportation upon all the great lines eastward upon which we now depend to carry off our surplus productions, and in some degree to meet the growin wants and expectations of an industrious, inte ligent, and virtuous population, now numbering millions, who liiive cast their lot west of the great lakes and in the valley of the Mississip ii and here I wish to exress the thanks of that people to the benefit le member from Massachusetts, [Mr. Bsxxs] who spoke so eloquently on Saturday of the growing wants of this eat nation, and to his colleague, [Mr. ELIOT, for his earnest, persistent, and successful effort to improve the rent river upon which we must largely depend hereafter for the transportation of our products. Mr. Speaker, if we would keep pace with the growing civilization of the age in which we live, we must foster and encourage our internal commerce, by opening up new avenues, and improving the natural highways which Providence has carved out for us, and thus encourage every branch of our varied industry, and enable us with case to meet the great responsibilities and burdens imposed upon us by the rebellion and war through which we have passed, and from which we have so triumphantly emerged. This improvement is is but one link in the great chain of improvements necessary to develop our great material interests, and raise this nation to the high and brilliant destiny that awaits it. Mr. Speaker, the measure as it is now presented, believe, has in it but few if any objectionable features, unless it be the fact that it authorizes a corporation to construct this canal instead of providing for its construction under the direct auspices of the General Government. For in self, I would ircfer that the Government should itself underta ethis great work of mate rial improvement, in order that it might be as the ocean, free for the commerce of the world; but I have no doubt that whatever we could do by ourselves we can do through the necessary and properagencies we may create. That we have the power to create a coloration for this purpose was decided by the npreme Court in the case of McCulloch against the State of Maryland, where it was decided expressly that Congress has power, where an object is necessary to be accomplished, to create the means by which that object may be accomplished, and that it may create a corporation as one of the means, if that is deemed the best my to accomplish the end sought to be attaine. Here the hammer fell.]