The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1841-12-21
PEOPLES PRESS.
Tuesday Morning, Dec. 81, ls4l,

unimportant remarks which we shall now pre-
sent to our readers. The spirit in which the
message is conceived is manly, kind and con-
ciliatory. 1t is generally approved by the
wing press throughout the Union. There are
parts of the speech which are truly excellent.
The pacific, and yet firm and Independent
tone in VIII ich the President speaks of our re-
lations with Great Britain is worthy of an A |
merican statesman. His views in relation to |
our national defences, our army, navy, and the |
slave trade, and the severe rebuke he gives to
the loco doctrine of repudiating the state debts,
are worthy Of all praise. As strong believer
remedy for the evils of deranged currency,
we of course could not be well satisfied with
the plan of fiscal agent proposed by the
message; yet as a substitute it may afford es-
sential relief to the monetary embarrassments
of the country, and to a limited extent furnish
us with sound circulating medium.
We are by no means as well satisfied as ma
ny of our whig editors with the manner in
which the president meets the question of
tariff. The temper which he manifests upon
this subject, is just that of one who would smo-
Their every effort to give it. that prominence
which its unspeakable Importance demands.
He advises Congress, should they take up the
subject at all, to touch it as delicately and
moderately as possible, and have especial care
tina. every collision should end, as it ever has
done, in compromise, which never fails to
be made at the expense of that protection
which alone can secure the prosperity of the
country. 1t is little cheering, however, to
find that the president does fairly admit that
it is proper, in imposing duties for the purpos-
es of revenue, ''to discriminate with reference
to considerations of domestic policy connected
with our manufactures. But we lament that
nothing is said about reciprocity of trade, and
the necessity of retaliatory enactments against
all nations who deluge our markets with their
goods, for which they demand our specie, and
at the same time spurn the productions of our
soil from their ports by prohibitory Duties
The tame and subdued language of the mes
sage upon subject of such vital importance
to the country, will be extremely regretted by
the intelligent in every class and in every Sec
ton of the Union, without distinction of party.
The merchant, the manufacturer, the grain
grower of the middle and west, the grazer and
wool-grower of the north, demand reciprocity
and protection; and even the southern cotton
planter Is beginning 10 contemplate the home
market as the only city of refuge against the
efforts of England to furnish herself from her
Indian possessions. The voice of the people
for protection at home and abroad, should be
heard above the din of contending parties, and
awe even faction into silence. Nothing calls
louder upon the earnest consideration of Con-
gress then this. The currency sinks into in
significance in comparison with it. And if
Congress do not take decided stand in its
favor, we care little what they do. If it were
once irreversibly decided that we were forever
to remain as we are, the mere vassals of Brit
ish avarice, the battles of the revolution would
have been fought in vain. The Union would
be matter of Indifference TO us, and the con-
sttution as worthless as the paper upon which
it is written.