The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-04-19
POLITICAL, pANICS.


Mr.. Benton's indignant rebuke of those politi-
clans who would get up tariff panic for presden-
tial effect, deserves universal heed. We all recol-
lect the similar game which was played in connec-
tion with the bank-a game that resulted in the
most disastrous consequences, both to that instil-
ton and the country. Is it not much to be deplored
that ich important and permanent inter ests should
be delivered up to political managers, to be sported
with in subordinaion TO the ephemeral party
contests of the day? To such extent does
party delusion prevail, that many of the blind
partisans of Mr. Clay have been made to believe
he is the actual father of American manufacturers;
that domestic industry was not known until hatch
ed into existence by the ''hot incubation and
meriricious embraces of his so called "American
system.' Mr.. Benton proves that our manufac-
turers are of ancient and spontaneous growth, and
that they, as well as agriculture and commerce,
were in most Aourishing. state before the war,
wi. en- "tariff'' was never invoked, or even heard
of as the means of encouraging or protecting
manufactures Globe.
"Mr Benton was done with this part of the
subject; but there was another part OF 1t which
claimed his attention. He had listened to nothing
with more pleasure this session than the indignant
manner in which the senator from South Carolina,
fMr NJ .Dufie, } il his first speech on the tariff,
had denounced political legislation. He poured
stream of hot and burning eloquence upon the
legislation which looked TO presidential elections,
ami prostituted the halls of legislation aud the law
making power, to the execrable business of putting
up or putting down presidential candidate. He
(Mr. b. concurred with him in the lofty and
indignant feelings which he expressed, and had
hoped that the Senate chamber would be free from
the presence of that plague, which, like the frogs
OF Egypt, spread itself every where. The Senate
had been free from it untithis day, but the senator
from Rhode Island had introduced the presidential
candidaes--one for approbaton-one for condem-
nation. He mr. b. would not initiate him, nor
follow him, but considered all that he had said on
that subject, with the lamentations over the de-
struction of manufactures and ruin OF laborers to
be the commencement of panic-a co!d-blooded,
studied commencement of panic--to be taken up
out of doors, and ran through the land. This was
Inorifying and humiliating, and he profoundly
regretted to see it. We had panics enough in the
time of the old bank of the United States; and the
hgh-tarif champions all served their apprentice
ship at panic-making then. Destruction! ruin!
loss Of wages! loss Of property the bank the only
saviour of the people such was the cry in the bank
panics! aud, from the givingsout of this day, all
this is to be repeated BY the hightarif party and
tariff now, like bank then, is to be the only means
of saving the people from everlasting perdition.
"Let there be no panics-no alarms. The high
tariff candidates for the presidency and the vice
presidency were defeated in 1892; the bills then
int roduced into the house Of representatives show
ed that man ufactures bad nothing to fear from the
issue of that election; that discrimination and
incidental protection was the basis Of democratic
policy; and that every interest of the country
would be duly sustained. The sarae now The
success of the democracy in 1874 will be ausPi-
cious to every interest, and as much o to manu-
facsurefs as 10 any other"