e opportunity
to be heard; that it would not be fair under the circumstances to
pass a bill so largely affecting them; and they seemed to be sorely
aggrieved when they could not prevent or delay its passage.

I introduced the bill in the first session of the Forty-ninth
Congress, and after a great deal of difficulty, even with my
colleague, General Logan, against it, finally had it made the
special order. General Logan knew nothing about the subject; he
cared nothing about it, and on one occasion he told me that I would
ruin myself by advocating it.

When I called the bill up for consideration, I was so anxious to
press it along that I did not care to make any general speech,
excepting to explain as carefully and minutely as I could the
various provisions of the measure. I said, in opening:

"I believe I am justified in saying that there is no subject of a
public nature that is before the country about which there is so
great unanimity of sentiment as there is upon the proposition that
the National Government ought in some way to regulate interstate
commerce. The testimony taken by the Committee shows conclusively
to my mind, and I think to every man's mind who reads it, that
there is necessity for some legislation by the National Government,
looking to the regulation of interstate commerce by railroad and
by waterways in connection therewith.

"I believe the time has gone by when it is necessary for any one
to take up the time of the Senate in discussing the proposition
that Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce. These
questions have been discussed over and over again in Congress, and
the highest judicial tribunals of the country have decided over
and over again that Congress has the power to regulate commerce
among the States. So I do not feel at liberty, if I were disposed,
to occupy the attention of the Senate in discussing the general
subject of whether there is any necessity for our doing anything,
or the question of constitutional right of Congress to pass some
act regulating commerce among the States.

"If the three propositions are correct: that the public sentiment
is substantially unanimous that we should act; that the necessity
for action exists; and that the power of Congress is admitted,--
the only question left is, what Congress ought to do specifically;
in other words, what kind of an act should Congress pass. The
committee has reported a bill which is the best judgment tha