The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1844-10-17

to increase home productions and diminish
foreign importations. have no means
of knowing exactly the amount of presen,
imports, but they are unquestonably far
beyond what they were in 1912.
1t is not my intention, however, 10 dis
cuss The merits ofthe present tariff ques-
ton, but | may be allowed to say that it
may well be questioned whether the APP
parent present prosperity of the country
is not less attributable to the Tariff act
lot l842, than to the small importations
and large expectations Of past years, and
particularly to that Of l84l-2, and to tie
fact that we have had no National Bank
to initiate and derange the currency and
exchanges. To this last we are mainly
to look for the true protective policy No
tariff of duties however high they may
be laid, can ever be of any avail while
we have a National Bank or banking
system of any kind that can expand and
contract the currency at wil!-yot such
a bank and such banking system, form
the most prominent feature Of wing meas
sures.
That there are men associated with
the democratic party opposed to this ard
all other protective tariffs is true and so
there are men and many of them too, as
sociated with the why party equally OPP
posed to it. The tariff never has been
made a party question, and if the people
OF this country are true to themselves
they will never let ambitious politicians
thus use it. The use that has already
been made of it by Mr. Clay has done IT.
reparable injury to the country, While
it suited his ambitious views to urge on
his high tarD policy, misnamed the ga
mercan System, even to the verge Of
civil war, bloodshed and disunion he urg-
ed it nadly on. When he had thus
raised the storm of maddening passions
to their height, and by his policy had
created the necessity fer government
al protection for many interests of the
country, he, Henry Clay, was tie
man to strike down his own American
system and at single blow, level all
protection, and leave, as did his com-
promise law, the country in i642 without
any tariff. His whole course of policy
and action has been to build Up and des-
troy as best might suit his own selfish
ends-lo promote through banks and tar
ifs high fictitious prosperity at one time,
and panic and pressure at another. All,
all his course has bccn to raise the whirl-
wind that he might direct the storm; and
this it is that caused his contiual chang
ing and vaciat!on in relation to the
tariff,
This is The history Of Mr. Clay and his
tariff policy What has been that of Mr.
Polk? Let his whole life answer. 1t las
been patriotic, calm, steady and consistent
from beginning to end His doctrine and
that of the party that support him is pro-
lection to all classes of the community
privileges to none, In his speech in Con-
gress in January, 1888, he expressed his
views that the tariff should be kept to the
standard Of repeaue that Tie gocernmem
required, and that it be icricd so GS tO"cf-
Cord sufficient incidental protectiOn' TO all
the substantial interest OF the country.
From that day to this all his speeches,
votes and letters express and carry out the
same sound doctrine. In his las, letter to
MIR Knne, he thus rei,erales the sen,i-
menls that he expressed eleven years before
in Congress:
81 am in favor of a tariff for revenue,
sucn a one as will yield n sufficient a.
monnt to the treasury to deCray the eSpen.
SEES of the government economically adj
minis,ercd. In adjusting the details Of a
revenue tariff, have heretofore sanctions
ed such moderate discriminating duties, as
produce the amount of revenue needed aud
at the same time afford reasonable incdcn.
tai protection to our home industry"
"ln my judgment, it is the duty of tho
to extend, as far as it may
be practicable to do so, by its revenue
laws and all other means within its power,
FAIR aud JUST PROTECTION TO ALL
the great interests Of the WHOLE Union,
EMBRACING AGRICULTURE, Manu-
tactures, The mechanic arts, Commerce, and
How nobly docs this consistency con-
trast with the cyer-changing course OF
Henry CIay-trimming his sails 10 catch
every popular breeze. Had Mr. Folks
doctrines; which he so eloquenly urged
upon Congress in 1888, been carried out,
how diileren, would have been the scenes
Of the last ten years. No surplus revenue
would have accumulated to prompt TOO
large expenditures or be distributed a.
nong The States TO promne speculations
that ended in widespread state debt aud
individual ruin. Nor would the duties ON
foreign merchandise have sunk as they did
under Mr. Clay's comrromisc bill, until
hey afforded neither protection nor reve-
nue., but all would have gone on steadily
md prosperou,y. Mr. Folks whole course
,hou hat he is for leaving free everything
hat aids the industrial classes in thelrpur-
nlts, and does not come in competition
with their productions, and 10 raise by
moderate, discriminating protective duties
N all that does come in competition with
heir pIoJuc,lous,a sufficient revenue Cor
he economical expenses Of the govern
neni. This is true democratic ground
he true interest of the country. This is