Mr. HENDERSON. In January next. This consent, then, cannot be had before next January. My amendment cannot harm the object of the Senfrom Minnesota. If it be the desire of western members on this great river to bridge it in this way, I must submit; but I do enter my most solemn protest, as I have already entered it, against this work of constructing pivot and drawbridges on that great river. I have alluded to the increasing commerce of the country. In 30 years from today we shall all see how unnecesary and how idle and how absurd it was to constructthese bridges, because by that time it will have been demon strated by the American mechanics that bridges can be built with a span of 400 feet to accommodate both the steamboat and the railroad interests of the country. It will have been demonstrated by that time that there was no necessity for building these ontoon bridges and fastening them to the ban 5 of the river, thus obstructing the curreutofthis greatstream. This will be demonstrated in the next 30 years, and then we shall have to regret our folly in having filled the river with these struct ures. The Legislature of Wisconsin does not meet till next January, so that nothing can be lost by my proposition. Let us sensome engi neers out to the Mississippi river, and let the Senate be informed on tesubject. If continuous span bridges can be erected, let that commission so report, and I for one shall say amen, and pledge the Senate that I shall make no further opposition to bridging the river. If they say that pivot and drawbridges can be built, be it so; but if they say that continuous span bridges canbe built. I ask whether there is a Senator in the hearing of my voice who will then consent to construct these low bridges. I hope not. Sir, you are now putting in the way of the great lumber interest of Wisconsin obstructions that will seriously damage the lambermen of that State and seriously damage the commercial interests of that great northwestern country; and yet Senators seem to think“ they are hastening to do them a great benefit. I cannot so think. I wish I could so think, provided they are right and I am wrong; but until Iam further satisfied, I cannot believe that we are doing any good to the Northwest and the West by this course of proceeding. The board proposed by the Senfrom Minnesota [Mr. ltnnsav] can report by next December; and as the Legislature of Wisconsindoes not meet until January, the Senate may be informed on the subject long before permission to build the bridge can be obtained from the State of Wisconsin. Of course no company would be foolish enough to proceed with the construction of this great bridge under an act of Congress alone. They must have an abutment upon the soil of Wisconsin, and they must get the consent of the State of Wisconsin before they dare put an abutment upon her soil or within the jurisdiction of that State, and her consent cannot be obtained before next Januar.