The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-03-03
WORCESTER:
THE GOLDEN AGE APPROACHING.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 1880.

THE GOLDEN AGE APPROACHING.
In few years, in the ordinary course of
events, provided that no unexpected cause of
expenditure arises, the whole of our national
debt will be extingushed. The first impress
slons which we should be likely to feel on the
approach of such an era, would be those of I'M
mingled satisfaction and pleasure; and such
we might nationally indulge, but for the per-
verseness of the nature of man, which but too
often leads him, instead of improving lib
orally the good things of Providence, to per-
vert them to purposes of evil. The event of
which we have spoken, is looked forward to, by
some, and we fear not without reason, with
alarm, rather than complacency, as one, when
Jealousy and cupidity will find new occasions
for wrangling and contention ANY measure
which political wisdom may devise, by Which
such consequences may be averted, and the
event be met without any of these conflicts of
feeling on the part of the various sections and
interests of our republic, cannot but be entitled
to respectful consideration. Mr.. Benton of
Missouri, has introduced in the Senate bill of
most plausible pretensions, and which, from
the confidence expressed by him in the wisdom
of its provisions, is calculated to effect wonders
1t purports to be neither more nor less than ga
bill to provide for the abolition Of unnecessary
duties, to relieve the people from sixteen mil
lions of taxes, and to improve the condition of
the agriculture, manufactures, commerce, and
navigation, of the United States" We cannot
give it in detail, nor the explanations by which
its introduction was accompanied; which occu-
ply more than six columns of the Intelligencer
The plan is one of equivalents and retaliationS,
founded, as the Senator alleges, principally on
the suggestions of Mr.. Jeffersony the peculiar
recommendation of which, is, that " it secures
chance, little short of absolute certainty, of
procuring an abolition of twelve millions of
duties upon our exports, in foreign countries,
in return for an abolition of twelve millions OF
duties upon imports from them"-to be effect
ed by amicable arrangement with foreign ma
tions, of mutual benefit, and involving " the re-
peal of sixteen millions of taxes, counting the
merchants profits at 33b per cent" Among
the very comfortable consequences, which the
protector predicts, would be, that 81 the repeal
would be felt in every family, in the purchase
of its necessaries, its comforts, and its luxuries
Linen, for the person, the table, and the bed
would be one-third cheaper. Coffee would be
one-third cheaper in the pound tea, one-third
wines and silks, one-third and so of all the
articles enumerated in the bill. EUery family
'cOaId SAGE one-third or upVards Of its annual
store account. Every State would retain with
in its limits, its proportion of these sixteen mil
lions, and all the shame and mischief of plot
ting, and combining, and wrangling, here
about the division of so much spoil, would be
avoided = and yet the browning mercy" re-
mains to be told. This would be, "the speedy
death and burial of the tariff question, and
with its interment, restoration of that harmo
ny of the Union, which all true patriots desire
and which the progress of this question has SC
greatly impaired"
We are not prepared to listen without some
sad misgivings to the inventors description O
the virtues Of his grand panacea. In the Ian
guage of the Intelligencer, " it is before tri
bunel by which its merits will be thoroughly
siitcd, and to which it may be safely left" Il
il is found genuine, our readers will hear more
from it. If, on analysis, it shall prove a mere
deception, il will 60 down forgotten with the
rubbish of the patent office. 1t is no evidence
of the wisdom of Mr. Benton, that he has gone
far out of his way, on this occasion, to intro
duce an unfounded reproach upon the admins
tration Of the elder Adams, and to talk, in the
silly terms of frothy defamation, of eight pei
cent loans, the stamp act, the black cockade,