The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-01-03

L
with Mr. Van Buren, at their head, as blind, yes,
blind bats-bnd as those who will not see
Others may set us down, perhaps, among the in
sane for reckoning them among the blind; WE'LL
we shall see.
FORMER PRESIDENTS ON THE TARIFF
While the Enquirer is engaged in the task of
presenting the tariff as an unheard of enormity
it may not be amiss to refresh the memory of our
readers by few short extracts from the messages
Of former Presidents, to whom that paper success
sively professed the most unlimited devotion.
First Of all comes the Father of his country.
In his message Of 9Th July, 1890, he uses the
| following language: 5a flss 8agt
| "The safety and interest of the people require
| that they shall promote such manufactures as
tend to render them independent for essentials"
&c. 7ssss8, l6 .8 ssai 3t'Ia
The Enquirer may plead homage to that; so
we give him next an extract from the message
of Mr.. Jefferson, dated December, 1909:
| "To cultivate peace and maintain commerce
and navigation, in all their lawful enterprises !;
to favor our fisheries as nurseries of navigation ;
and TO PROTECT THE MANUFAcToRIEs adopted to
our circumstances" afs
Again: as
| "When nation imposes high duties on our
productions, or prohibits them altogether, ii may
| be proper for us to do the same by theirs; first
| burdening or EXCLUDING their productions, which
they bring here in competition with our own of
the same kind" t
Mr., Madison was literally the father of our
Constitution. In his message Of May, 1909, he
recommends to Congress
h To make such further alterations in the laws
as will more especially protect and foster the
several branches Of manufacture" N
Six years after, viz 1915, he goes still further
into the subject Hear him! F
There is no subject which can enter with
greater force into the deliberations of Congress
than consideration of the means to preserve and
promote manufactures which have sprung into
existence and attained an unparalleled maturity
throughout the United States during the period
of the European wars; this source of national
independence and wealth, Ianxiously recommend,
therefore, to the prompt and constant guardian
ship of Congress-" 9s
Mr.. Monroe, another Virginia President, in his
Inaugural Address, held the following language:
''Our manufactures will likewise require the
systematic and fostering care of government
possessing, as we do, all the raw materials, the
-
TO depend, in the degree we have done, on the
supplies from other countries" &c. a
In allusion to the same subject, he afterwards
says: a
& g 1t is important too that the capital which
nourishes our manufactures should be domestic,
and its influence, in that case instead of exhaust
ing, as it may do in foreign lands, would be felt
advantageously on agriculture aud every other
branch of industry equally important is it TO
PROVIDE A HOME MARKET for our raw materials
as by extending the competition it will enhance
the price and protect the cultivator against the
casualties incident to foreign markets"
We pass over what Mr.. Adams said on this
subject, as being of no weight with the editor Of
the Enquirer. But we make up for the omis-
sion, by inserting, at full length, the following let
ter from man, the bare mention of whose name
is wont to enrapture the old gentleman:
t3 WASHINGTON Cry, April 26, 1924.
Heaven smiled upon and gave us liberty and
Independence. That same Providence has bless
ed US with the means of national independence
and national defence. If we omit or refuse to
| use the gifts which he has extended to us, we
| deserve not the continuance of his blessing. He
| has filled our mountains and our planes with min
| erals-with Lead iron, and copper, and given us
climate and soil for the growing of hemp and
wool. These being the great materials of our
national defence, they ought to have extended to
them adequate and fair protection, that our man.
ufacturers and laborcrs may be placed in fair
competition with those of Europe, and that we
have within our country supply of those lea !
ding and important articles so essential in war;
4HGI Twill ask what is the real situation of the agri-
culturist Where has the American farmer a |
market for his surplus produce! Except for cot
ton he has neither a foreign nor a home market
Does not this clearly prove, then, when there is
no market either at home or abroad, that there is