The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-07-31

SuLuMBlA, lENN., Juue 10, iCff.
"DEAR SIR have received recently several
letters in reference to my opinions on the subject
OF the tariff, and among others yours OF the 3Oth
ultmo. My opinions on this subject have been
often given to the public. They are to be found
in my public acts, and in the public discussions
in which have participated Il. Polk TO
j. X. Kane.
We have already referred to the "public acts"
of Mr.. Polk while in Congress, on the tarif'ques-
tion-and some Of his opinions, found in the pub
lie discussions in which he has participated, have
also been spread before our readers We shall
now continue the history. We have at hand, his
Address to the people of Tennessee" when he
was, for the first time, candidate for the office
of Governor, in 1889. 1t was published at the
time in pamphlet FORM and circulated throughout
acknowledged organ.
The question is there boldly met, and if the
ultra principles avowed in that address do not en-
title Mr.. Polk to full fellowship and communion
with the Southern "Chivalry," then no man can
justly lay claim to that distinguished honor. Well
may thes Charleston Mercury declare that his
views on the tariff are Southern 10 the back
bone they would suffer nothing in comparison
with those of Messrs. Calhoun and McDuffie.
We recommend, then, therefore, to the careful
consideration Of the friends of protection, and we
beg the iron MASTER the sugar planter, the WOOL
grower, the miner, and the manufacturer, to re-
member, what Mr.. Polk thinks of 81 that odious
and unjust SYSTEM" by which their interests, and
the interests of the whole country are protected.
1t needs no comment from us--it speaks for it.
SELF and in language, too, that is not to be mis-
understood. Here are full extracts from it, the
truth and correctness of which, no honest man
dare deny:
81 commenced my service in Congress at the
beginning of the administration Of John Quincy
Adams. The principles and policy OF that admin
lstration were fully developed in the first annual
message of that Chief Magistrate, and are of too
recent occurrence to have escaped the public
mind. They were in all essential respects bread
y federal. The lalitudinarian doctrines, with all
the consolidating tendencies of the Hamltonian
school, as practised under the administration of
the elder Adams, were resusctated and revived.
1t was publicly proclaimed that the wholesome
restraints of the public will on the action of the
servants of the people were to be dsregarded, and
that the Representative was not to be palsied
by the will of his constituents" 1t was declared
by that Chief Magistrate to be inefably stupid to
suppose that the Representatives of the people
were deprived of the power to advance the pub
lie veal, thereby substituting the unrestra ined
discretion Of Congress and of the Federal Gov
eminent for the specific grants of power confer
red by Constitution of limitations and restric-
tons. For the first time in quarter of CEN
fury, the doctrines of the "prostrate Federal
party" were openly sought to be reinstated. Fed
eral principles exhibited themselves under new
DISCUSSES in all leading measures of that admins
tration. 1t was during that administration that
the PROTECTIVE POLICY REACHED IT'S HIGHEST
POINT OF AGGRAvATIoN in the passage Of the tariff
law, that "bl Of Nominations in 1923. It |
was attempted to build up great system of man.
ufactures and internal Improvements by taxing
the whole people, and especially of the planting
States, for the benefit of Northern capitalists.
To make the investment of their money profitable,
the prices of all manufactured articles must be |
raised; and to raise the prices, ENORMOUS DUTIES
were imposed on corresponding articles imported
from abroad. Topurchase the support of different
sections OF the country to this nqutous system, |
IRON, SUGAR, HEMP, COTTON BAGGING, and even
SALT, were included in the HIGHLY TARIFFED AR
TIcLEs Every man who bought piece of wool.
LEN or COTTON CLOTH, every man who bought an |
axe or hoe, a plougll-share or pound of nails,
peck OF salt or pound of sugar, was covERTLY
TAXED In the increased price of the article for the
beneht OF The MANUFACTURERS, the 1RoN-MAsTER,
the SALT MAKER, or the SUGAR PLANTER. NEVER
WAS MORE UNJUST TAX IMPOSED. 1t was not
for the necessary support of Government that it
was imposed; such was not the avowed or real
object Its operation was to take the property of
one man and give it to another, without right or
consideration. 1t was to depreciate the value of
the productive industry of one section of the
Union and transfer it to another-it was to make
the rich richer and the poor poorer. in ano-
Their aspect this system was disastrous to every.
thing Republican or just in the administration of
the Government. Whilst the increased prices of
domestic articles went into the pockets of the
manufacturers who we're generally men of large
capital, that on imported articles, being the tariff
duty, went into the Treasury of the United States.
Immense sums of money, not necessary for the
support OF Government, were therefore likely to
to be accumulated in the public treasury, and this
accumulation, it was foreseen, might induce the
people to insist on a reduction of duties. TO OBJ
vIate this danger to the grand system, it was ne
cessary TO devise plan of expenditure large