The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-09-24
LETTER FROM HONORABLE HENRY
A. WISE.
TO MY CONSTITUENTS.

FELLow-CIrIzENs Several gentlemen of the North
(my friends) have written to me requesting that
would enable them to dsabuse the puolic mind OF the
North and East in relation to my opinions upon the
subject Of the Tariff They say that my peculiar
position in Congress induces the People OF the Union,
as well of my district, to examine my actions
on all great national questions; that the tariff ques-
ton is one second to in importance before the
whole country and to it they call my attentions that
, impressions unfayorabe both to the President and
myself have been circulated freely at the North and
East on this subjects that represented as being
an ultra tree-trade politician, unuiHing TO afford neden-
tai protection the labor of the country and in fact
unwilling to adopt that mode Of legislation which
will tend to permanent revenue equal "to the 'oat'
| of the Government econom caliy administered"
Duly approaching this compliment and without
stopping to estimate the value of my poor opinions
on this any subject it being sufficient that some
importance is attached to them by others well as by
yourselves, was about complying with this fatter-
ing request by responding to the inquiry, when re-
Aected that had failed to obtain the floor the Ia
riff bills lately negatived and passed, that my vote
against them might seem to give countenance to the
Misrepresentation alluded to, that my opinions on
public questions belong first to you and that might
make them known TO all Other persons DESTROYS Of
knowing them through you. therefore address 10
you the response which at first nen ded to adLr
to my pondens, and beg that they will receive
this my answer 10 them.
gladly avail my self of This opportunity of giving
you my opinions without reference to those Of any
one else, on The general subject of the tariff refer
| Ia he fnr his nd
speaking for myself alone, have openly declared in
my place in The House af Representatives, June 22d
1912, that ras and not no,o that under
stand to be sun ultra freehrade politician" then
and there endeavored to define, in a short explanation
with my friend Mr.. Cushing of Massachuse Is what
understood rational free trade be, in contradstino
ton to the theories which have been pushed 10 wild
and impracticable extremes The subject. A ref
that debate (see National InelIigencer June
23d for imperfect sketch by the Repone) will show
hat utterly rejected tie idea Of cosmopoiite free
trade visionary and imrracticable. entertained
not even the ultimate end, which some look in the
future history Of nations of freedom from indirect tax
alton by means Of tariffs of duties regard indirect
taxation as he bes, kind of taxation, the easiest
imposed, and the most easily borne; tending most
TO popular content and Ia national wealth most
conducive to individual enterprise and to the faithful
discharge of the high duties and trusts government;
and in fact necessary to the very existence of civil
lied and powerful governments in the world.
Taxes must be raised for the support of government
in some foIm other. 1t is in vain preach the doc
trine of direct alton in ordinary times for national
objects and purposes. 1t will do, our experience
proves for corporation and State purposes whclY are
tivaIv M nd nnfi
sort it in time of war but in ordinary times of
peace The burden becomes too odous and tyrannical
to be endured to the amount required for the Federal
! Government. AT all events, the subject is too far
before this time to be discussed at this day. This
idea of aboshing tariffs of duties imports altogether
is the very ul' rslsm of free trade am no utaist in
! that sense. We must have tariff tor revenue.
| But short of this Utopan idea of free trade, just
discussed, Is another to which | do not subscribe
Some contend for perfect qualify among nations in
respect TO trade and claim best to put all other
| people upon the footing with own people,
and every nation the platform with ourselves
This is impossible, unless the people Of the whole
earth could be anal gamated under one and the same
! form of Cove rnment Our Constitution never con
templated such chimera but on he contrary pr, =
vdes that Congress shall have power 10 regulate
| commerce with foreign nations. This implies al
once power Of self-proiection. IL is power Of
fiondI protection In time of peace addition the
power of sci tdefence ri ct ar mis- in and against
the ultraist Of free trade most heartily maintain this
power and the right OF protection in this all
times and against all nations. 1t is apart from aud
may be exercised independent of the treaty making
| power vested in the Leg stature Of the Unon and
| without saying word for that most unwlse and i'm
polite system called system of countervaiIng and
reaiaiory duties, an decidedly in general sense
favor of the exercise OF this power Congress to
protect our nation commercially, in time of peace
| against foreign nations. | therefore answered Mr.
Cushing that was not one of those who would not
protect American interests against British or French
or Russian or German, any other foreign inere
that. the nations of the earth there
was, and is and must be inequality in trade between
them, and is an obligation of patriotism and the duty
of American Legislators To preserve the balance of
trade in our own favor, so far human wisdom can
do SO, by prudent laws. Thus faI then, ] am for
tariff Of revenue, and for the power protect our oa
nation, too, AZ between and foreign nations
All this promised, TO the general question in the
abstract and as to its foreign relations let us bring
the subject home And my fellow citizens il is here
here at home, where the subject throws away its
distractions, becomes practical and angb bile, and
may be treated of with the certainty Of definition
When is brought home TO us and 10 our interests il
is near enough to be judged closely and the moment
that you come to treat 1t as domestic and not for
egn question, the true doctrines of eq,iaiii the intel
ligbIe doctrines of free trade present themselves and
am arrayed their side. The moment that we
bring the tariff question home to ourselves to our
own citizens classes, individuals, Masses sections
| and interests, under the system of laws Weld
ing the same support and allegiance TO government in
mutual right and dependence, here wiH find equal
ny Qfrigh TO protection reigns. As between citizen
and citizen, class and class interest and interest of
our own country h,re universal and equal right If
protection 10 oH This the true doctrine Of free
trade IN land of equal rights. Fanatics on the sub