The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-07-12
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.
From the Salem Advertiser and Argus
DIS TRIBUTION AND TARIFF.

When the Distribution scheme brought iof-
ward and discussed, the Extra Session, IL was eA
pressly understood between both Clay and yief
men, Ia Congress, that the Compromise act should IN
event be nringed by any Distribution law mat
might bel sed. The MadlsonIan has recently pup
lished from the speeches OF Messs bernen,
Mangum, an he other leading Clay men, conclusive
iy proving that they maintained this ground al thai
time 1t was we'll undersl ood al the time that
an lnvolabIe preservation of the Compromise prncl-
pe the sine qua with President Tyler, and
that no law for tue dlsr button OF could
ceve his sanction which did not explicitly recognise
this obligation.
Now, before we go further, let say, that howso-
much our Federal w hg mad-caIs may now rarl
against tbe9aesent operations of the Compromise act
Ma. CLAY is THE FATHER OF Ii they will turn 10
Their Federal newspapers of 1888, they will I'm the
most extravaganza praises bestowed upon HENRY CLAY,
Tor edecting this Compromise system.
J. Dlgresson aside hen Win the mutual under
st4lAIng above referred TO, the Distribution law OF
September la-t constructed by Congress as t.
render itself nuty in the very contingency which
lis on all hands acknowledged 10 exist. As Mr..
Tyler very clearly states in his Message "The ACT
which provides for the distribution, couples 1t insepa
raby with the condition that it shall cease-lst, IN
of war; ID, soon and SO long, the rate of
duties shall for any whatever, be raised above
20 per per cent" The President is tight asserting
that nothing can be more clear, express inpe-
rave than this language" 1t amounted to ex-
pic conlract--a solemn bargain-bindng on all par
ties concerned The President shows himself dis
posed like an honest man, to alb de by the covenant,
and act in good faith, touching this measure
But how has II been with tactious majority in Con-
gress2
For seven long monlhs--to say nothing of their
Extra Session-they have been wanton!y throwing
away the time and consuming the resources OF pa
lient people-studously and wIlfully practcing the
HOLD BACK POLICY in regard to the TarIif-a question,
the prompt and permanent settlement OF which most
vitality concerns all classes of citlZens-and which
tour-fiths of The people, including the whole Demo-
cratc party have been anxious have settled In such
way would most rebound TO the interests of the
Government and the equal benefit of the Industrious
classes.
But actual adjustment of the Tariff has not been
what the Federal leaders in Congress desred-other
wise they would have settled the matter long ago,
with their ample majority in both branches of Con-
gress Governed entirely by factious and election
eering designs, they have conceived that perma-
nent settlement of the Tariff, upon just principles,
while John Tyler sat in the chair of the White
House, would tend to thwart their caucus plans for
making Henry Clay President, some three years
hence. To this end their duty and we'll
paid legislators of the people has been wickedy ne.
elected, and the people left to suffer
The mountebank trick they attempted upon the
President and the country, in what is called " the
little tariff bill is such as none but the most aban-
doned demagogues and knaves would stoop to per-
form.
After playing hoLaback for seven months, these
perhdous abusers of their trusts pretend they
law, In default of which the Government would be
unable to collect any at all, after the 30th
of June.
So these magnificent refor7ners go to work and
frame bill for continuing the rates of duties they
existed on the 30th of June, for month Had
they stopped here-had they been content to make it
revenue measure, disconnected with base plot to
violate in double pre-exsting obligations and
contracts veto would have followed, and it
would have become law. But their sole object was
to get rid of the restriction in the Distribution lap, al
luded to in preceding parts of this article The
whole affair was gotten up merely rider for re-
peal of that restrictive section. They had no right
to expect the cooperation of the Executive, and the
President deserves the thanks of the country for the
firm and honest stand he has taken in this case.
Whatever we may think of some of Mr.. Tyler's
acts, let us not withhold from him all due praise for
deeds of righteousness Democracy tolerates nc
such course as opposition for opposition sake
but leaves free to discriminate between the just
and Just acts of any Administration, and to award
praise or censure accordingly.