The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-09-04

! kay,) we're frequently held as TO the best
mode Of altering and reforming the iar'ii
/ of l5i2. The more eminent men OF the
1 Democratic party IN the Senate, and lead
4 nr sraesmeu from different sections OF the
Union IN Congress, took part 10 the dclibe.
I ralions and investigations which preceded
and accompanied the formation Of what was
then called ard known as Mchay's bill
and report" VIZ in March, ls4l. In the
councils whence that bill proceeded had
the honor TO be admitted as an humble and
unpretendlng participation, 50 that knew,
and II cannot be denied, that quito oil the
Democratic Senators from the South aud
West, and very nearly every Unc from the
North aud East, ssseutcd TO or acquiesccd
hint. i.lofmed subject OF congraiulailon,
| remember, anongs, the members oil the
party from all sections at tina, time, ls1ll
that the opinions ard views Of Democrats
| ~ the National Councils had been thus
4 brough, to harmonlZ} IN What was thought
to be o reasonable, prudent, practical meas
uro OF legislation upon this SUBJECT, winch
seemed likely to pu. at rest aud settle The
tariff dispute. Unfortunately, II did not
pass tho House Of Representatives ! will
4 cot stop 10 state the cause. Bll, hot~Ith.
standing lis temporary defeat III that body,
the Democratic party at once put theln-
I selves before the people OF the | mon upon
that bill as a common platform, and II was
promulgated ns their proposed scheme OF
I reforming the tariff act of lSi2. " Nc.
Hays report Of lsii vas published and
! sent forth as the true and authentic utter.
| probation OF their views Ia regard 10 the
change we were afterwards to INSIST upon.
So | understood il a, the time, and ever
since, and go have constantly declared.
The bill was named after its author and
advocate, (Mr. Mckay,) statesman OF
North Carolina-a southern man and a
democrat My own opinions IN lis favor
were freely expressed IN all my lnterroo'9.o
with you, and they wcro noI unknown IN
anu G,,r,ee. Ihe democratic press IN
worth Carolina, without exception, np-
plauded II; the democratic party zealousy
approved Of it throughout our limits. II
thcro was q single one of them who did
not, am yet to learn tho fact. hundreds
Ii no, thousands-of the other party IN
our State gayo their approving voice IN It's
favor. Our elections in 1874 aud lS45,
all Of them, were conducted upon that ba-
sis, so far as the tariff question entered IN
10 them at oil. Every intelligent man IN
the nation knows the fact that the fall c.
lec,ion5 OF 81, and those IN the spring OF
l-45, throughout the United States, for
members of the presen! Congress were
carried on, If not upon the same basis, with
a knowledge of tina. bill and report. The
north saw IN il q pledge of the south aud
vest that We did not mean TO break down
aud Cypress the labor and industry Of the
north and east the south saw IN Il rea-
sonable concession to their demand for
practical free trade; the people every.
where saw in 1t the hope for moderate lie.
gslltion, and the prospect OF permanent
arrangement of a question that had been
ngitaung the nation for quarter Of cen.
tury and if your memory sttlI serves you
with recollection OF any Of The speeches
OF our candidates for the last legislature or
the prescn, Congress, made IN North Car.
olina only year ago, | beg to know
whether It was not uniformly proclaimed
tina! all true democrats were going IA favor
Of Mckay's bill" OF ls44 Bear in
mind that the " Mckay bill " Of 1874 and
the Mckay bill! of ls46 agree in nothing
but the name, us Will show you hereafter.
And what, LEI me ask, was the result OF
oil this la the North, as vol as IN the
south aud west, the elections TO the present
Congress ended layorabiy to the democrat
&c party, 4 democratic majority OF more
than sixty were returned 10 the House oil
Representatives, The same party held a
majority IN the Senate. And democratic
President, nominated after the Mckay
bill "uf n ] had been framed aud APPROX
ed By the party, was elected 10y the votes
of States ia tho north as we'll as the south /;
southern aud western President, WHOM
we could not have elected without The votes
of northern States. OF course cannot un-
detlake 10 affirm, as q fact, that the north
EN- States which voted for the democratic
party were lnduced to do II by Mckay 5
bill aud report Of lSil. But tins know,
and will say, that 1t was put forth as po-
hucal peace. offering upon tho tariff, and
that the northern people at once rallied TO
the support of the party IN numbers largely
beyond those which had heretofore sup
ported it, and that II cds expected 6y us
pkea that Offering ,ras made, that II ,rouid
concilidte the northern democrats !, aud
have no doubt that 1t ENLISTED the support
of thousands who would not havo sustained
the party without it. Now, then, put il
to tho conscience Of the people OF Norlt
Caroina-who know love all Thereon
try, north, SOUTH east, and wesi--wheihe
, under such circumstances, | was bound +
violate my sense Of duty, and, contrary :
5 like to this party pledge and TO IT. owl
a sober Judgment as senator, - assen. v
!. nm net which violated out an! out the "Mc
kay bill" Of lsli, wher there was no PUT
r. Ac emergency to rcGd're 1t, and no nation
N al exigency to excuse 1t, and that, when
!. did mos, confidently believe that the ne
= tariff ar. Of the present Congress was l'se