Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-03-14

A rs,,,sA il nsi.1 n xlaksfsr csrn srsd.
q .pc,omac.' ,hs able lrotrespoodsnt 81 the
RaLimors Ps,rics. givestl following dssorip.
smn Of scene which occurred II Washington
ON Monday. p ~ e ~.
The proceedings u Congress being dull 10
day, accepted aninvita,ion to visit the room II
the House Committee on Post Ofilces aud P,es
Roads, were found Mr. Homer, bro,heft 10 Bid.
,ney Homer, whose snti.Tsrih letter appeared
in the last number Of the "Union," exhibiting
about 200 specimens Of goods Of English manu-.
factare, with like goods Of American production,
and prices attached to esch-- in order to con.
vince members of Congress that our Tariff ought
~ sc struck down!
don't know when ever enjoyed en- hours
tune more heartily, Mr.. Homer Is gentle.
manly person. who seems to understand the
wants Of the English Manufacturers ad,nirsbly
well. Indeed he told those present that he had
resided in Manchester. Eng sland, Tor ten years,
engaged iu sending British goods to this coun.
try, and that he left England to reside in the U.
nited States in 1912 He has amassed large
fortune, and seems to come to instruct Congress
in behalf of "Sir II. Walker" on the one side,
and the Manufacturers of Manchester on the 9th.
er. He brings q letter of instruction and re-
com,nendaion from Mr.. Alexander Henry,
great capitalist in Manchester. which is dated
january Sd. ls46, and was received per the
steamer Hibernia. A part Of this letter, Mr..
Homer exhibits to those who wish to peruee it,
The British writer OF it, n speaking OF Mr.. Folks
antl-tariff message to Congress, excams--"A
second DANIEL come to judgment! A second
Sir Richard Cobden!" He praises the message
very much-,herehy showing how highly it is
appreciated by the British Manufacturers!
In regard to Mr. Homers mission to instruct
Congress into the belief that it would DO best to
break down the American Manufactures and ex.
alt those Of Great Britain. Mr.. Henry writes /:
81 am glad that you, whose long experience as
onr Importer, enables you so well to understand
the subject, have taken it in hand for il the
object ofthose at Washington be to obtain sound
information and arrive at Just conclusions in the
proposed alteration of the present Tariff, the in
formation which you can lay before them will
be highly valuable"
There were present in the room while
was there, Messrs. Stewart. Collamer and Hab.
bard, Of the House, and Mr.. Wethered Of Bait.
more; also, two ant.TaritF members, who coon
)sA. You may well imagine that such gentle
men as have named would, under the circum.
stances, put some searching questions to Mr..
Homer, coming there for such purpose and GO
commended And assure you they did pu,
them! Mr.. Homer answered as we'll, perhaps, q
any Free.Trader could-but never have seer
man 20 completely cornered ..,.
He exhibited two pieces Of calico which he
eaid were Manufactured by Senator Simmons, o
Rhode Island, who sold them, one for II cent
per yard, and the ether tor IA or Is. Mr.
Wethered thought there must be some mistake
i'll this and went up 10 the Senate and request
ed Mr.. Simmons 10 come down to the Commit
tee room, who readily assen,ed to the request
He said the pieces in question were none OF hi
manufacture, and from the quality the bes
piece was not worth II! cents, and the o,he
not over l0A per yard. Those persons ron
whom Mr. Homer had obtained them had de
ceived him.
Mr.. Homer said the manufacturers Of thi
epecies goods made profit of from 60 to
per centum. Mr.. Hubbard asked him VIII
then more persons did not inves, their capits
in such profitable businessi lie asked Ml
Homer why he did not embark in the bus
nessi The latter replied, that he would invel
f50.OO0 in it, i! be did not tear that 50 man
would push into the same enterprise as to brin
down the profits, by competition, so low ~
destroy the business. Mr.. Stewart asked
that was not the American doctrine, that cor
petition reduced not only the profits. but III
prices! Mr.. Collaner asked who but the gres
mass Of the people reaped the benefit from tn
competition among manufacturing capitalists
reason why he did no. invest his capital in tn
line of business was because competition won
bring down The prices ofihe goods MANUFACTURED
Mr.. Homer filtered in his reply, and said lheI
were several reasons why he would not engae
IN manufactures One was that the mark
would be huclua,ing.
Mr.. Wethered, seeing the state OF thing
and exercising his compassion, said il was Il
bad fnr so mary to be against one. He hop'
The Tariff folks in Congress would also have
Commuee Room, as well as the British Ma
ufac,urers, with specimens for examination O