 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
Click on Image To Enlarge
autographs 
autographs 
autographs |
Document 5236 JAMES BUCHANAN Pennsylvania's two Senators advise three constituents to present a petition re: the site of a national foundry to President Van Buren rather than to the Senate. ALS: "James Buchanan", as U.S. Senator, 1½p, 8x10. Washington, 1838 March 27. To "James Burnside, James T. Hale & A.G. Curtin Esquires". Also signed: "Saml McKean". In full: "We have received the memorial which you have done us the honor to enclose to us, recommending Bellefonte as the Site of the proposed National Foundry. The Bill which has been reported by the Committee on Military Affairs of the Senate confers upon the President the power of selecting the Site; and should it pass at all, we have no doubt it will be in this form. It would be impossible for Congress to make the selection, on account of the great number of sites recommended & the variety of interests which exists on the subject. We would, therefore, recommend that the Memorial, instead of being presented to the Senate, should be delivered to the President in case the Bill becomes a law. We shall, however, be guided in our course by your wishes. We do not consider it probable that any such Bill will pass during the present session. There seems to be a determination in Congress not to adopt any measure of expenditure at the present moment which can be avoided, whilst we shall be are obliged to borrow money to meet the wants of the Government." Pennsylvania's two U.S. Senators (both Democrats) were, from 1833-1839, SAMUEL McKEAN (1787-1841) and, from 1834-1845, JAMES BUCHANAN (1791-1868). A "Memorial" is a statement addressed to the government accompanied by a petition signed by its supporters. On December 5, 1837, President Van Buren, in his State of the Union message, urged the "creation of a national foundry for cannon, to be common to the service of the army and navy of the United States". Memorials from all over the country began arriving in Washington, D.C. to be presented on the floors of the Senate and the House recommending sites for the national foundry. The bill giving the President the power to select the site was not passed by the current or next Congress and, from time to time, Buchanan presented Memorials on the Senate floor. On January 13, 1842, Senator Buchanan (from the "Journal of the Senate") "presented the memorial of the citizens of the city and county of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, praying that a site within the limits of their county may be selected as the site for a national foundry; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs." On February 7th, he "presented a memorial, signed by numerous citizens of the city and county of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, praying that the 'Conestoga navigation,' in said county, may be selected as the site for a national foundry; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs." On January 20, 1845, Buchanan "presented a memorial of citizens of Hollidaysburg, in Pennsylvania, praying the erection of a national foundry at that place; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs." Forty-four days later, he resigned from the Senate and was sworn in as President Polk's Secretary of State. On February 1, 1854, it was resolved (from the "Journal of the Senate") "that the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of authorizing the Secretary of War to select a site for a national foundry, at some suitable place." The national foundry as proposed by President Van Buren in 1837 was never established. Folds, vertical fold touches "e" in James. Lightly creased, lightly soiled on front page, touching one word. Fine condition. Framed in the Gallery of History style: 36½x22¼. SEE IF DOCUMENT 5236 IS FOR SALE RIGHT NOW!!
|
||
|
|
|
Autograph Archive Index
Copyright © 2005 Gallery of History, Inc. All rights reserved.