Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-02-02
WATCHMAN g. STATE JOURNAL.
FRIDAY, FEB. 2, 1914.
MR.. RIvES LETTER-vAN BUREN,, CLAY
AND THE TARIFF

AND THE TARIFF.
The Patriot, with dignity equal to that of the
Globe, its master, arms that the coons are thrown
into ecstacos" by Mr. Rives' letter. 1t turns out,
however, on examination, that very small fraction
of the letter has served to fill the Patriot and the
North Star with such exceeding ecstacy as to
transport them entirely beyond the range of COM
mon sense hence, a single paragraph is to the
whole of Rves letter. SO is the brain Of locofo-
co editor compared with that ola I" coon" But 10
king aside the Patriot enrentS us to read this par
agraph, and 10 emphasize the more important words
We shall crafty our neighbor by initiating him ex-
actly in point of emphasis:
"On the subject of the Tariff, do not hesitate
to say that Mr.. Clay's creed developed in his RE-
CENT LETTERS, is in every respect as lust as
eound, as unexceptionable as that of Mr.. Van Bu-
rem, and his practice infinitely better Mr.. Clay
did not vote for or approve the tariff of 1928, con-
signed to an odous celebrity, und the name of
the Bill of denominations, which Mr.. Van Buren,
and his friends carried by their votes. 1t is rather
an unfortunate coincidence, considering the pro-
LESSONS of Mr.. Van Buren,, THAT ALL THE
TARIFFS, WHICH HAVE BEEN MOST CON-
PLANNED OF IN THE SOUTH, owe their exis-
tence upon the statute book to the vote of himself
or his friends"
Now, what of it Is it neUs that Mr.. Van Blu
rem, and many who arc now his friends, voted for
the Tariff of 1928? Is it news that many of his
friends voted for that of 1924 and also that of
1882? We have ever admitted all this; we have
ever admitted that fraction of the locofoco party
has been in favor Of protection, while the mass of
the party has been the other way, and the fraction
of locofoco protectionists has been growing less g.
less. Does it follow that Mr.. Van Buren, and his
friends, to whom Mr.. Rves alludes, are NOW in ia
ror Of protection? That is the main question, and
to that we answer qualifedly-NO. While Mr..
Van Buren, himself Messrs. Benton, Woodbury.,
Wright and Buchanan, comprising, as the reader
sees, the leaders of locofocosm,) in former years
voted for Protective Tariffs, they hare noy abandon
ed The doctrine ,chich they then protessed Van Bu-
rem voted for the Tariff of 1928, and then, in
southern tour, to reconcile the anti-Tariff South,
he Sneaked under the couer Of instructions from the
legislature of his state Benton and Woodbury.
haze been protectionists but they too have repudia-
ted the doctrine; while Buchanan and Wright,
who were for the high Tariff of 1928, could not
vote for the Tariff of 42, except under protest a.
ganst the doctrine of protection, and with pledge
to their southern friends that they would go for re-
peal. We recall the remembrance of the Patriot
to 1928. 1t was the year of Jackson's election; he
wanted votes, and he and his party, al the North,
pretended to be for "a judicious Tariff" while al
the South, they pulled the other string. How were
they to reconcile this double-deaing when they
came to act in Congress? The whole world knows
they offered bill with duties arranged exceed
nulv hiuho Al.
press purpose of driving the manufacturers to go
against 1t. They wished to have the bill defeated
to satisfy the South, and they relied upon forcing
the manufacturing interest to defeat it. Their
game was dishonoj be- at the North they in
tended to get the credit of reporting high Tariff,
while their Southern friends were to understand
that it was reported thus forthe very purpose of Sc
curing its defeat! But the reckless demagogues
were caught in their own trap: the manufacturing
interest took the bi-the South groaned out ours
es on their Northern allies and these, in their turn,
at once began to beg pardon and secure it, too, by
belieing their pledges to the North and betraying
its interests. From that time, the great mass of
the locofocos have always voted TO reduce the Tar
if. AT this period, the very Virginians, to whom
MIR. Rives addressed his letter. have been urged to
support Mr.. Van Buren, as AN ENEMY OF PRO-
lection, and the appeal is backed by the fol-
lowing letter from Mr.. Van Buren, himself to a
Virginan:
"ALBANY, Feb. 2S, 1913.
Ny dear Sir,-I thank you kindly for your
friendly letter. have at no time nor any where
hesated to express my decided Interpretation of
The Tariff .4ct ofhe last session, as loc in respect
TO The PRINCIPLE upon ,chich it is formed, as
10 its Details In good limo you will have my
views in respect to that and other subjects before
the public. In the mean time, believe me 10 be-
Very sincerely, your friend and ob't servt.
NJ. VAN BUREN,
Mr. Rives then appropriately warns Virginia
that this very has been at the other extreme of
the question in other words, that his acts prove
that he has once betrayed the confidence reposed
in him either by the North or the South. And we
think he as appropriately points to Mr.. Clay as a
better and safer man; not as the Patriot seems to
infer because Mr.. Clay is opposed to protection
his whole life and his "recent letters alike forbid
such an inference,-and Mr.. Rives himself dis
; claims it in another paragraph which the Patriot
takes care not to quote Mr.. Rives takes the
ground that Mr.. Clay is favorable to an adjustment
OF the Tariff "on terms just and satisfactory 10 all
sections Of the Union harmonzing their various in
terests by the golden rule of moderation, which is
the only pledge of permanence and stability in any
arrangement that can be made Pin other words,
that he is for fair Tariff and therefore that he is
far preferable, even to Vrginian, than the man
who sweepngly denounces both the principle and
the details of the Tariff, and who has during long
political life, marked at every step by the tricks of
dishonest demagogue, demonstrated that be Isl ut
terly unworthy of being trusted by any body.
If the Patriot is so well pleased with a part of
Mr.. RS letter, why not publish the whole?
C. M. CLAY--AGAIN.
See the admirable speech, Oh our first page, by
this noble Kentuckian. God speed the labors of
such men-they are laborers in the vineyard where