Mr. HENDERSON. The Senator tells me it was the Senfrom Illinois. Then I will say that he is very much mistaken. I am aware that the merchants of StLouis sent on acommission here a short time ago to protest against this measure. The committee came and delivered their papers in writing and went borne. lobby interest. The Hannibal and StJoseph railroad has had its president here during the whole winter urging forward the passage of a bill of this sort. A very distinguished citizen of Illinois, a residentofQuincy, has been here urging, with his vast political influence, the passageofa bill of this character. When I say that outside influences have urged on this thing, I am not mistaken; I cannot be mistaken. I did not mean to say that the farming interests of the country were nnre presented here, because Senators represent the interest of farmers as well as I do: but Inndertake to say that those individuals who have been unjustly ur ing forward the passage of this bill. the outside men, are interested in attempting to show that It is not so with regard to the outside no other bridge but a draw bridge. can he built with safety across this river. Distinguished engineers say that it can be done. Why is it that the railroad interests will not submit to the building ofasubmerged tabular bridge '2 It is, in my honest opinion, to clog the navigation of the river. They have that object; they have that before them. Why not let. both interests prosper? I am not inimical to the railroad interest. I would bridge the Mississippi river every 100 yards, if desired, provided I could do it without obstructing the navigation of the stream. Why not subserve both interests 'I The Senfrom Iowa and the Senfrom Illinois say that no such bridge can be built as one of these elevated bridges. Sir, they have the certificates of the most distinguished engineers against them, and they have the fact against them as demonstrated by the bridge at Steubenville, a successful structure, one that is not doubted to be a success. And yet upon the mere t'psedirit of these gentlemen, knowing no more about civil engineering than I do, we are to pass this bill and to insist that this character of bridges shall be built, whether all the engineers of this country shall report against it or not, whether the dearest interests of the country may condemn it or not. Sir, both interests can be subserved. I would not take one penny from any railroad company. I desire to see freights carried over them as cheally as they can be carried. I desire that trave over them shall be as cheap as possible. I would interfere with neither of these interests. I would not permit the Mississippi river to stand in the way of bridge building by any means; but if a bridge can be built so as to save the navigation interests and also prosper the railroad interest, why not build such a bridge? I honestly believe it can be done; and that is all I have asked the Senate to do. I have said nothing heretofore about submerged iron bridges, but we have a report before us showing that it can be done; and now I propose that if that character of bridge can be uilt under the report of the commisston which we have provided on this subject, we shall wait until that report comes in. I move to amend the amendments of the HoRep by inserting at the end of the 7th section the following: Provided, That nobridgeusuallyknown asadraw bridqsshiill be constructedor commencedunder the provisionsof this not, unlessit he found and sn ro ported byaboitrd of engineers, to beappointedunder the laws of the U.S.adoptedat the present session of Congress, that such bridgescan be consbtrriudcgtecsd and operated at less cost.than elevated ofcontinuous spans, or submergediron tubu lar bridges, and without material obstructionto the navigation of the river. The amendment was rejected.