Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-07-11


tions Oh the subject, amongst others one
in the following words:
.sResoEved, That the Clerk be, and he isl
hereby authorized, as the agent of the House,
in this behalf, to purchase on the best terms
he may find practicable, such stationary as may
be requisite for the use OF the House, and the
Clerks offce,'' &c.. &c.
An amendment was offered 10 this reso-
luton, by member from Massachusetts,
by inserting the following words after "of-
fce," ''giving preference in all cases, to-
articles of American manufacture" A.
motion was then made by a Southern mem
Der, to amend the amendment, by adding
the following, "provided they be equally
cheap, and of as good quality For
this latter amendment, the Democrats vo-'
ted, whilst the Wings voted against it. 1t
was adopted, however, and is now the law
of the House. Thus stood the matter, un-
til the session of '43-'44, when Wing
member from Pennsylvania, made a mo-
ton to amend that portion of the general
appropriation bill, which related to the two
Houses of Congress, by requiring ''that all
articles purchased for their use, should be
exclusively of the growth or manufacture
of the United States, adding afterwards,
at the suggestion of Democracy provided
that the same can be purchased on as good
terms, as to quality and price, as can be
obtained of foreign growth or manufac-
ture." Gen. Mckay, with others. voted
against this amendment, for the following
reasons, and not because he or any other
Democrat, preferred patronizing foreigners
rather than our own citizens, as Mr.. Meares
and the Chronicle would have the world
TO believe. The resolution Of Al and AZ,
so far as the House was concerned, rem
dered this amendment to the general ap-
preparation bill utterly unnecessary. Fer
that resolution (of '4l-'42,) covered ex-
actly the same ground as the one against
which Gen. Mckay voted. Besides, each
House has separate contingent fund, cut
of which, its expenses are betrayed, and
each House has the right of disburslng its
own funds, as it may think proper, and
Gen. Mckay thought that the Senate ought
to be left to adopt such regulations as it
pleased, in the management of its expenses.
Besides, every article in favor of which this
legislative preference was made, enjoyed
already under the policy of our Tariff laws,
an advantage Of from 80 to 100 per ct. O.
yer their foreign rivals. Again, if the
principle of the amendment was proper
why not apply it to all the OUTLAWS of the
!, General Government. Why confne it tc
, the petty Insignificant portion of the pub
lie monies appropriated TO the use Of the
Houses of Congress, for purchasing sta
tonary, &c. The amendment was move
on the part of the Northern manufacturing
interest, and but very little move at that
it could scarcely benefit single mechanic
But the manufacturing monopolists of The
North, seem to be the darling pets Of Mr.
) Meares and the Chronicle. Whateye
enures to their benefit, no matter how j
: may injure other interests, must be sup
ported at all hazards, by the Federal par
ty. Again, suppose the principle ofthe a
mendment is to be made the permanent pol
, icy of the country, who is to be benefited
r Why, portion of our lellow-c citizens, al
1 ready too much pampered by partial legis
lation. The manufacturing interest, cal
: alone be benefited by adopting this prn
3 ciple. All others must suffer, commerce
e and agriculture, particularly. But what 0
that, if Mr.. Meares and the Chronicle Cal
> only propitiate the manufacturers and abo
litionsts of the North. They may do this
but they cannot blind the people Of tn
: sixth district.
i Next comes the New River, Onsloy
d county vote, TO which the Chronicle al
n ludes thus:
. The people ofOnslow county do, we are as
r sured, think often of General McKay's vote c
y gainstthe New River Appropriation, after HAY
o ing himself brought forward the propositio
st for it.
}, 1t is one of the doctrines of the Reput
l. lican party, that the general governmer
d has no right to construct works of intern;
e improvement in the several States. w
1t have not time OR space to say much NOR
II on this subject. But wheh did Gen. NJ
st Kay bring forward the "proposition" fc
J. the New River appropriation? We shou|
st like to see the documents on this sublec
le Mr.. Chronicle. The only agency tn
b. we are aware of that Gen. Mckay had
It. the matter, was in presenting the petite
le of the people of Onslow for an appropri
,u ton to improve New River. This, as II
a Representative of the district,he was bour
is to do. But his SO doing is no eviden'
ne that he was in favor of the measure.
cit principle Gen. Mckay is averse to all SUE
appropriations, but if majority of Co
" gress were to continue to appropriate m