Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-09-05
Or The .AsS placed IN a Qnandary.

CT me Mss ptdced "a lHGnddy
To those who are conversant win the Spirit
Of The Age" aud the course adopted 10y It's Editor
the last winter and spring on the subject OF tar
III, It's present position will seem not lle singu-
lar Then, no ultra nuter could have ciaInored
louder or labOred harder to convince the lreemen
OF Vermont OF the blessings that would flow from
FREE TRADE aud DIRECT TAXATION. -
Now, however, ii is all for tariff, and according
10 tins sagacous cduor, too much protection, even,
could not he lad upon wool. From uhOut the first
OF January last, down to The last OF March, speech
es of members OF! Congress who were in tyor of
the dJctrine of Free Trade were pdraded Dtfore
lis readers, ana clumsy editorials deLuced from
these speeches numbered up the coiumts Of his
paper and were weekly dOed out to The public,
un his own patrons even, became nausented with
The stuff, aud lie was compelled 10 dessl from pol
icy, rather than from any better motive. OF all
thus, the W higs did not complain; deeming it best
TO give the fellow the full length OF his rope, and
If his own party were satisfied with, and approved
OF his course, 10 let them embrace the doctrines if
they wished, and i'll due lime, by bitter experience,
TO reap the consequences.
One old farmer however, up in WeStt0rd who
signed himself " v eslord Farmer" discussed
the subject with The Age man through the columns
of the burlington Free Press, mud by means of II
few figures batiled all The fine spun theories OF tn.
Ag, and compelled its editor TO back OUT of the
controversy. 1t was II Illuminating spectacle for
the okies AMI particularly so 10 tho Age man, TO
witness how etiscluay this doughty champion OF
free trade in Vermont had been si.enced by the
close logic of the farmer of Weslford. Al this
time us we have il from good authority, the bright
luminaries of locoiocoism in The State, who had
not been Indifferent lockers on in the controversy
between the editor aud the farmer, wrote to the
editor commanding cessation OF hosiles, and
forbddng him writing any more free trade arli-
Giles, assigning as reason that they would prove
the ruin OF the purity in The State. Our Friday"
obeyed, as matter of course.
But this same Editor who was so fierce cham
pon OF Free Trade, longer ago than last spring,
has OF sudden, become almost insane in his ef-
forts 10 prove that his party are the special advo-
Gates OF Tariff, and that protection is neces-
sary as The mir we breathe to The interest OF Yer.
mont. That our readers may see for themselves
The inconsistency of the man, and he made fully
sensible OF The inslncerty OF his present tariff pro
iesslons we sublon few articles which appeared
IN his paper last spring, written, not in view OF an
approaching election, but because they spoke the
sentiments Of the Editor and his parry
And first we copy troui the Age OF January 7,
1872 capitals aud all; tie pieces on this subject
are somewhat lengthy and we make short extracts,
but sufficient TO show the jist OF the articles.
"ANY TARIFF is A TAX UPON THE PEG.
PIE.
"Ihese Manufacturers aud their papers have
talked aud written to the people of Vermont so
much about protection, that one half have come to
believe, that they individually, are, in SOME way
protected by this high sounding Protective policy.
The truth Of the matter il, however, they are
TAXED by Ii, il 10 the lordiy manufacturer, like
our AuIocralic governor, that is projected, and
every man who buys any thing he manufactures
is taxed TO protect him.
We say, this doctrine of having tariffs to pro-
tect one interest TO The neglect oil the rest is not
Democratic"
In the Spirit of the Age OF 2sth January last
we find the following.
" HE LABOR OF THE NORTH.
"This Is one of tho grard catch phrases of the
advocates OF protection. Il is SAID by them that
protective tariff will benefit the aborers OF the
north. NOTHING UPON EAETH Is OR CAN
BE FARTHER FROM TIE TRUTH"
And again in the same paper VIZ find the fol-
lowing.
pGf MAKE THE RICH RIcHER-LET THE POOR
GROW POORER, tbs is the PROTECTIVE SYS-
TEN"
In the Esprit" of February II, was commenced
the publication Of speech of Mr.. Eastman of N.
H., one Of the granite State Radicals, and mn adj
yocate for free trade. The following is an extract
from Easlmun's speech
"There may be few on this floor, democrats
in principle aud democrats in action, representing
strong manufacturing districts, who may feel bound
by tho wishes OF their constituents to refer thi
subject 10 the Committee on Manufactures, recog