The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-01-09
MR.. VAN BUREN, AND THE TARIFF


is such variety Of conflicting opinions. and SO
much doubt as to which set Of opinions is favor
ed by a majority Of the People, that non-com-
initial man, smoked out Of his hole, and COM
PEELED to take side on it, apt TO run riot on the
other extreme, and take all sides. Mr.. Van Blu
ren's present position with respect to this ques-
lion is peculiarly ubiquitous. The FIRST sensa-
tion Of dread being over, he has learned to talk
the Tariff as familiahy ss maids of thirteen do
of puppy dogs, TO play with il, in fact, rs conf
IDENTITY and as fri KY as kitten does with its
iail--now curling il into spiral-,hen twisting
il into the shape Of the letter s, anon tickling
his own nose with il, shooting il out horizontal
~, then perpendicularly, and pointing it fearless
" 10 every direction Of the compass.
In his letter to the Committee Of the Indiana
Convention, in February last, he laid himself
out at full length upon this ques ion, covering as
much ground as possible. Yet, so hare is il to
please every body, even that letter was COM
planned of. The friend and spokesman of Mr.
Van Buren,, in the Democratic Review of the
present month, in the article on the Democratic
Nomination, upon which we commented day
or two ago, allodes TO the Indiana letter in these
terms-''His Indiana letter, against which we
80 often hear il charged, that there is nothing
satisfactory on this subjecl [of The Tariff }-tha,
it plays round and round the compass OF opin-
ion, without ANY definite indication of any fixed
point of doctrine" The writer in the Review
admits that there is some truth in these COM
plants, and that the Indiana letter ais marked
with hat less Of that lucid force and d.
recsness which have usually distinguished Mr.
Van Buren's communications of this character"
somewhat less of tina, blunt and brief sincerity
which placed him, in public opinion, at the head
of the non-commiital school Of politicians.
We think that this writer, in the excess of his
candor, does injustice to Mr.. Van Buren,
There is no want of ''ucd force" in tina, par,
ofthe Indiana letter relating to the Tariff. That
is 10 say, each sentence taken by itself is suffi-
ciently explicit and ineligible; aud reader
who could not place the various opinions in such
collocalion as TO suit his particular taste, would
hardly find any thing to please his eye in the in
finitely varied and brilliant changes of a kalei-
doscope.
The friends Of a Protective Tariff surely have
no reason TO quarrel with the Indiana letter.
Mr.. Van Buren, says:
"My views in relation to the protective system
were also called for by the Shocco Springs meeting
in 1892 and freely given. conviction that the es-
Enlistment Of commercial regulations with view
to the encouragement Of domestic interests, is within
the constitutional power Of Congress- was on that oc
casion distinctly avowed. But holding this opinion,
at the same time, denied the propreiy of exercs-
ing this power In calculated 10 Cypress any
portion OF my citizens or 10 advance the in
terests Of section Of the Union at the expense of
another J. on the contrary, affirmed il to be the du-
~ OF those who entrusted with the administration
oil tho Federal Government, TO direct its operations
In the manner best calculated 10 distribute as equally
as possible its burdens and blessings among the seve
raj States and the People thereof"
The constitutional point is here conceded in
the broadcast and most satisfactory terms; it
covers not merely protection of vested interests,
IN manufactures, but encouragement Of do
nestle 'nferesfs." Ii is true, that he would not
have this power Of encouragement exercised so
as to Cypress any portion Of the People; but
who has ever professed desire or intention so
to exercise in The most rabid high-lariT man
could not find fault with this Limitation; more
particularly when he finds, in another part of
the letter. a suggestion Of ''the expediency of
the adoption by Congress, at any time, of tenn
porary measures of retaliation, when likely TO
be efectual in coupteractiog foreign legislation
injurious TO American interests What more
could the warmest friends of the American Sys-
TEN desire, for instance, than that this country
should retaia,e the prohibitory policy of Great
Britain, by adopting similar policy with re-
spect TO her manufactured
The naughty high tariff man being thus ap-
peased, the more humble advocate of incidental
protection comes in for his share of smiles and
appreciation. Indeed this very numerous class
seem to be particular favorites with Mr.. Van
Buren,. After dwelling at length on the fact
that tariff for revenue purposes only, would
necessarily have the effect of protecting and en-
couragipg manufactures, he declares that "the
most considerate Of the domestic manufacturer.
are satisfied with this measure of protection ~
and says
This advantage TO the manufacturer is not, IL is
true the object Of, but only incidental to- tariff for
revenue. Still II is not on that account, the less
beneficial to him.
The position assumed by your convention, and in
which fully concur, is, tina, the incidental protec-
ton thus derived ia all the legislative favor which
at th's day be conferred upon the manufacturer,
without great injustice to other interests"
But then les, there should be some schismatic
difference between The advocates Of incidental
protection and the friends Of discriminating
tariff, he goes for discrimination also, whatever
that may mean. Hear him:
OF the constitutional power to make dscrimios-
tiou l have no doubt Equally clear II is that the