Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-07-25

The Candidates i'm DupI1n.
The late hour at which we returned from
Duplin and the want of space will not ena-
BILE us to give as full an account of the dis
cussim which took place at KenansviIle.
DuplIn county, on Tuesday last, between
Gen. Mckay and Mr.. Meares, as we could
wish.
The day announced in both papers of
this place as the one on which Messrs.
Meares and Mckay would address the
people at Kenansville, our readers will
remember, was Monday, the 2lst inst,
but on Gen. McKay's arrival in that place,
he, at the suggestion of his friends who
told him that on Tuesday there would be
great many more people in attendance,
postponed his address until that day.
We shall endeavor to give brief sketch
of the manner in which the discussion was
conducted.
AT eleven o'clock, a. M, the Bench We
ry courteously adjourned the Court, in or
der to give the people an opportunity of
hearing the speeches.. A large concourse
of people were present, not only 'rom Du-
pIin but from the adjoining counties Of
Sampson. New Hanover and Lenoir. AT
ii O'Clock, according o agreement between
the parties, Mr.. Meares lead off in speech
Of about an hours length. Mr.. Meares
commenced, as we believe he has done in
every instance, with violent lnveclive
hot tin I'll
between parties had run too hIgI,-,hat he
was whig, but that he was clearly of o.
pinion, that if party feelings were hot so
bitter, the people would get along much
better. The whole of which meant. when
literally construed, that if the democrats
would lay aside their feelings and their
principles, and vote for him, Thomas D.
Meares, it would be peculiarly agreeable
to himself and to his federal friends thro'-
out the country. The audience understood
perfectly we'll what mr.. Meares meant
when he said that he was no strong party
man. They were also perfectly aware
of the fact, that Henry Clay and the fede-
raj party had no stronger nor more active
partlzan during the recent campaign than
Thomas D. Meares. They were also a.
ware that mr.. Meares is The nominee of
convention Of the leading federalis,s of the
district, which assembled al Warsaw in
February last. Now, we think that it
couldn't but appear little singular, not to
say prepos;erOus, to hear the chosen cham
plon of party distinguished for the bitter
ness of its party spirit decrying this very
same party spirit. in such round set terms.
The democrats of the district see through
all this shallow artiice, and feel even less
inclined TO vote for mr.. Meares than if he
had come out boldly and avowed him self
an out and out federalis,, or modern wing,
which means the same thing.
When MIR. Meares had expatiated at some
length on this theme, he next came to the
charges which he intended to make against
general Mckay. and with which. from the
flourish with which he introduced them,
the auditor might have been led to believe,
that he would, most certainly, have tee-to-
tally demolished him.
The first charge which Mr.. Meares urg-
ed against Gen. Mckay was that of en-
creasing our Standing Army in 1888. above
what was required by the circumstances
in which our country was then placed.
and at an enormous expense TO the people Of
the Union. In reply to this, Gen. Mckay
denied that such was the case. Gen.
Mckay showed from the public records oil
the country that the very reverse Of this
charge, was the real state the case. That
in 1888, u communication was addressed
to Congress, by mr.. Van Buren, and mr..
Poinsett, Secretary of war, asking for an
increase in the Army, in order to enable
the Executive to carry on the Florida war
with more vigor. That he, genera
Mckay, was the Chairman Of the Com
mltee on military affairs, and that he die
recommend an increase in the military es
Enlistment of the country, but only such
increase as was absolutely necessary, by
the circumstances IN which our country
was then placed. Gen. Mckay, also shew
ed from the public records, that Mr.. Clay
the quondum "great embodyment" o
whiggery, was for much larger increase
of the army, than that which general Me.
Kay sanctioned. That when mr.. Bayard
in the Senate, moved to amend the army
bill. so as to increase the numbers to IA :,
900, the emtodyment Of whiggery. mr.
Clay, voted for This amendment. Gene
raj Mckay further Showed that he hac
this amount reduced IT, between ten anc
eleven thousand, thereby, saving million.
to the country. He also. produced speech
of mr.. Adams, good wing authority, we
presume, in which that gentlemen cempl
mented him in the highest terms for hav