Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1843-05-30
REPLY OF MR.. BUCHANAN.
WASHINGTON Cry. Feb. IL ls43.

REPLY OF MR.. BUCHANAN. &c
WASHINGTON CRY, Feb. IL, 1913.
GENTLEMEN:-I have had the honor oi
receiving your communication in behalf
Of The late Democratic Convention of tho
Slate Of Indiana: and in obedience 10
theirTequest, shall now proceed TO an,
swer the interrogatories which you have
propOunded to me by their direction. In
performing this duty, think shall bu,
consult the wishes Of the members OF
that Convention by employing, as far as
can the clear and explicit language OF
the interrogatories themselves, not
fileeming II necessary to enlarge upon
subjects, the Consideration and discus
siOns Of which have occupied consider
able portion Of my public life. Instead
therefore, Of troubling you with reasons
in detail for my opinions on the Bank,
the Distribution, and the Veto questions
| shall have the honor Of transmitting to
you speeches delivered by me on these
subjects, in the Senate Of the United
States, during the presen! Congress.
In the first place, then, am "opposed
to the chalteFinga National Bank, or any
other institution, by whatever name il
may be called, authorized 10 issue bills
Of credit for banking purposes, or to reg
ulate exchanges" believing any such in
stitutions to be both unconditional and
highly inexpedient.
I'd. | am "opposed to the distribution
Of the proceeds of the sales Of the pubs
lie lands among the several States of the
Uuion."
Sd. If ssby a protective tariff" you
mean the levying of any higher tax upon
imports tEan may be necessary to secure
sufficient revenue for the purpose to sus,
tam an economical administration Of the
Government, then am opposed 10 any
such tariff. On this subject cannot bet
ter present TO you my views than BY CO.
pying few sentences from my remarks
made iD the Senate OF the United States.
on The 9Th Of Agust last, on the Tariff
Bill. They are as follows:
81 would upon the present, as upon al.
most every other occasion, have acted
upon the principles Of Gen. Jackson-a
man scarcely as much distinguished for
sagacity and craftsmanship, as for his
courage and conduct on the field of bat.
tie. That illustrious old man, having
the review and reduction ofthe Tariff OF
1882 distinctly in view, uses the follows
ing language, in his annual message of
December in that year:
"ThO soundesi maxims Ufpublic poll
cy, and the principles upon which our re.
| publican institutions are founded, reco.
mend a proper adoption Of the revenue
IL the expenditure; and they also require
that the expenditure shall be limited to
what, by an economical administration
shall be consistent with the simplicity of
the Government, and necessary TO an eff.
fcient public sarvice. In effecting this
adjustment, il is due in justice TO the in.
terests ofthe different States, and eyen
to the preservation Of the Union itself,
| that the protection afforded by existing
! laws 10 any branch of the nationalindus.
try, should not exceed what may be ne.
cesssry TO counteract the regulations Of
Foreign Nations, and to secure supply
Of those articles of manufacture essential
10 the National Independence and safety
in time ofwar."
"In severalof his previous messages
to Congress, he ayows similar principles
in terms still stronger; and in one Of
them he cites the authority Of Jefferson,
Madison aud Monros, 10 their support
This is my creed dupOn the subject Of the
Tariff, and | am both willing and anxious
to carry il out fairly into practice. am
willing to unite with my Political friends
from the North, the South, the East and
the West, in reducing the expenditure:
OF the Government to the lowest pOin:
consistently with the National safety.
would not impose one dollar OF duties OF
Foreign imports beyond what may b
necessary to meet sOch an ecohomica
expenditure. In adjusting these duties
shall abandon the principles Of discrim
ination in favor Of such branches Of hom
industry as may be necessary TO secur
! a supply Of those articles of manufacture
essential 10 the national independence
} and safety in time Of war" And thi
: moro especially after such manufacture