The North-Carolinian., 1854-07-22
inPRsyEMEsT OF CAPE FEAR RIVER.
Proeecdings im the House of Representatives. on
i - Monday, July 10, 1854.

ton OF Senate Oil NO. 2OZ making apprO-
priaton for the removal OF obstructions from the
mouth of Cape Fear river.
Mr. Cobb. ask for tellers on that resol,,-
tion.
Mr. Jones. of Tennessee. call for the yeas
7uln6nn kdcred s
u 4ell0l ssrs Uiiugm.p,-
and Harris, of Al sess'zppointed.
Theqnestion was then taken; and the tellers'
reported-ayes LOG, noes 13.
So the rules were suspended
The question was then put upon the motion
to discharge the committee from the further
consideration of the bill; and it was agreed to.
The bill was then read by its title, as follows:
An act making appropriation for the i'm
provement of the Cape Fear river, North
Carolina.
Mr. Ashe l move to suspend the rule which
requires this bill to be first considered i'll the
Committee of the Whole on the State Of the
Union.
The question taken, and (two-thirds
voting in favor thereoD the rule was suspended.
The question recurrcd on ordering the bill to
a third reading
Mr. .Ashc. Mr. Speaker, the best return l
can make to the House for the generous vote
they have g ven me in taking up this bill, and
in dscharging the Committee Of the Whole
from its consideration, will be the extreme bre-
| vity ofthe remarks shall submit upon its merits
will dispense with the reading of the memo
rial of the citizens of w ilmington, presented by
me, under the rule, in the early part of the ses-
sion; but will read the resolutions unanimous
y adopted by the largest convention ever as
scmbled in that State, representing, as it did
the chief interest of the State. This convcn-
ton was presided over 10y his Excellency, the
Governor of the State, Hon. David S. Reid:
Resolved, That the General Government
by the erection of jetties on Oak Island for the
| nrotaction Of tho fOrtificatiOnS there no
consequent washing away of the sands upon the
opposite point of Bald Head and their deposit
upon the main bar of Cape Fear, has been the
cause Of great and lasting injury to the commerce
of North Carolina.
Resolved therefore, That we may rightly
appeal to the Government, and we do appeal
to it by all the claims of magnannty and jus
tice, to urdo what it has done to our injury, ard
to restore what it has taken from
Resolved, That, in the Judgment of this
convention, the improvement Of the Cape Fear
by closing of the New Inlet, is work natl onal
in its character, constitutonaly unobjcctionable,
feasible at cost far below comparison with
the benefit of its results, of equal Importance to
the shipowner and underwater of the North,
and the merchant and farmer of.the South, and
of vital necessity to the commercial interests
of this State; aud, moreover that 1t would OBJ
vate at great saving Of expense to the Gov
crnment, all necessity for completing the plan
already adopted, and as yet but partially eN-
ccuted, for the fortiiication and defense of Cape
Fear harbor,"
will also mention that, independent of these
highly respectable appeals to the justice of Con
gress in favor of this work, the last Legislature
of North Carolina unanimously adopted rcsolu-
tions instructing their representatives to urge
upon Congress its execution. These are sfromy
! appeals; too strong, | hope, to be disregarded
by this body. Before l more fully enter into
| IL, e
liminary objections which may be urged against
the passage of the bill. 1t will be doubtless ill
quired why if this work is of much impor-
| tance, did the Committee on Commerce report
| adversely to the passage of the bill? In reply
to this objection, feel authorized to state that
| the adverse report of the committee was not
founded upon any want of merit in the BILL but
upon the fact that the committee had determn
ed to report general river and harbor BILL and
| for that reason majority of its members thought
it would be inconyruous to report a separate
and distinct bill for any work whatever. The
honorable chairman informed me, in the pre-
scnce of the committee, that this work appeal
! ed more strongly to the justice of Congress than
any other they had before them AS evidence
that this was the feeling of the committee l AN
Informed that there is liberal appropriation
for this very work contained i'll the general bill
which they have reported.
It may be, then inquired why did not con
sent to make this a portion OF the general Dill!
Why make an exception in favor of this work:
If the memorial had been read, the House would
have observed that this work is now being car
ried on by funds raised by private subscriptions
I The former appropria ton made by Congress had
been exhausted, and the works, being left in al
unfinished state, were exposed to daily destruc
ton; and, to avoid that misfortune, the patrio
tic and enterprsing citizens of Wilmington
raised such amount Of money as the officers
in charge of the work reported was necessary
to continue its execution until the end of the
fiscal year. That time has now elapsed, and
vet this general bill has not been acted upon
and if this bill is not passed, another draft
must be made upon the patriotism and enter
prise of my people. l would submit that in
| this there would be neither fairness nor justice
Hence my unwillingness to defer this measure
until general bill could be passed. Some OF
alx Remoeratia friends MaX ash WY ReI xesokl
"' ucf 20 aiifouIi'
required? In reply to this question, will state
that if there existed any reasonable hope tina,
| Congress would authorize the laying of such