Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-04-21

The question REQUIRED OH Mr.. Decker
sons amendment 10 tire amendment OF MIR.
Barbour.
Mr.. Smith wished Mr.. Ven Dyks,s "a
mendmcnt had remained, because there
could have been no difference of opinion
on il and he would have voted for il,
with The view oil saving meney, mas
much as II appeared that a contract had
been offered by domestic mauuiaciur-
er, To supply the army will, certain clio.
thing 10 or 10 per cent. lower than could
be procured OF foreign fabrics. MIR. S.
Then went into general argument against
the bill, which lie denominaied one Of
the mechanical powers, the wedge, which
! would be followed in a lew days by Tie
screw, (alluding 10 the tariff bill IN the
| other fouse,) which, combned, could
rive the world asnnder.
To accommodate gentlemen who pre-
ierred MIR. pn DyLe's proposition, aud 10
make way for II, Mr. Babow Withdrew
his amendment.
Mr. Lioyd then moved an amendment
| similar 70 that which was offered yesier-
day by MIR. Van Dyke, aud Withdrawn
this morning; and The question being tas
ken thereon, il was decided in ile nega>
| tive--ayes IL, noes 10.
MIR. Williams, of Tennessee, then NOV
ed TO amend The ball, by adding lliereio
| The following:
" Prorided. Thltno contract for, or purchase
| of, domestic goods Tor clothing the army, shall
| be made, AT more thau ten per cent, above
| the price of articles of the same hiud and qua
| lily, imported from foreign county
MIR. w. observed that the bili, as IL
| stood AT present, made il imperative on
the purchasing department TO buy do
inesiic goods, no matter at What cost a.
buve foreign goods: this might create AN
enormous expense. II reasonable encou-
ragenieni only Was desirable, his amend
,m'ni must he acceptable 10 the iricn,is
at the bill. lie wished The extent of 4 e
| protection 10 be stated specifically and
| II seemed 10 be generally admitted thar
| 10 per c"ntw ample. But Mr. w. said,
II would be necessary 10 follow up this
protecting provision with an appropria-
lion 10 support il; and therefore, il his
amendment prevailed, he should move
another section TO the bill, which he had
| prepared, and was as fellows:
| he it further enacted, That the sum Of
| dollars be, and the same is hereby appropria-
tea, for clothing the army g! the United States,
III addition TO the appropriations heretofore
made"
Mr.. Dickerson disrlamcd any desire
| 10 give exorbitant protection: he wish
| ed encouragement only so far as TO give
| The preference 10 domestic manufactures
when 10 be obtained al reasonable prices
and was willing so To modify The bill.
Mr.. BrOWn remarked, il this was the
view OF gentlemen, why uoi have accept
edoi Mr.. Lloyd's amendment, which went
| no further than that, though more spe-
| clhc Mr.. b. thought these words " rea.
sonable" and materially" TOO Indefinite.
Why mol avoid all obscurily or ambiguity
| by saying plainly and precisely how far
the preference should be extended 10 do.
| nestle iabricsy Mr.. Williams amend
ment would give this precision.
| bill, II Was true, would then be a
| nuIliiy. but II would be ineligible aud
as the War Department had hereto iore
| given the preference 10 domestic manu-
| features, II would continue 10 do so but
the limit 10 which il might go would be
hxcd, and remove all doubt and discre-
| lion, &c.
MIR. lViisom had though, this bill al
| first unnecessary ; but az il had appeared
that The conduct of ihe Commssary Ge-
neral OF Purchases was somewhat obiec
| tionabie IN regard 10 "a due encourage
meni OF the domestic manufactures, lie
was wiling To provide corrective. MIR.
w. observed, that IN his private capacitv
lie always gave Il preference 10 domestic
goods when he could obtain Them on eqnal
terms as 10 price aud quality, with iorcie II
articles thus tar he was willing 10 20
III his public capacity, and if an oppOr.
tuniiy were offered 10 him, he would
move such provision.
10 glveilils opportunity, and because
he approved the proposition suggested,
MIR. Williams withdrew his amendment.
Mr.. Wilson then moved 10 add 10 the
bill the following prov'so :" Pro0iIed The
same can be procured at the same prices
as goods OF the same kind and quality Of
foreign manufacture"
Mr. LJWIte moved TO add TO The pTovi.
so Tie words, ' having due regard 10 The
expense of transportation :" which MIR.
Hiiso" accepted as Il part of his amend
mtni.
Mr.. BnryW offered some remarks i'm
reply to Arguments OF gentlemen opposed
10 the bill, and entered again into state
nlenls 10 Sllew that il was practice bile 10
obtain domestic cOtipHs and other arti-
cles, OF superior quality 10 like articles of
foreign manufacture, at even less cost,
&c All he desired or expected 10 obtain
by tins bill was TO intimate TO The Purcha-
sing Department tiIat when domestic
clothing could be obtained as CHEAP and
good as foreign, lie was 10 prefer il. As
10 encouragement OF domestic mauuiac
tures by this bill, il WAS scarcely AN oh
ieci ; for, at NEST. it was only 10 provide
clothing for 10000 men, which single
mauniaciory could do. A saving OF mo.
ney--a prevention OF waste, was it's chief
argument, &c.
Mr.. Williams, of Tennessee, submit.
ted some additional observations and
facts TO defend tie Commissary General
of Purchases against reflections thrown
out on the correctness Of his conduct in