The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-08-03
W A S HIN G I @ N.
SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 8. 1874

WHY JAMES X. POLK VOTED FOR THE
TARIFF ACT OF 1882, AND THE COMPRO-
MISE ACT OF 1888.
1t was truly and elegantly said by Mr.. Causin,
at the Wing meeting on Monday evening, that
the principles of Mr.. Polk upon the subject of the
tariff like the chameleon, change their complexion
with every varying shade of public sentiment,
from Maine to Louisiana. In the whole Southern
tier of States that border the South Atlantic and
Gulf Of Mexico his principles are "Southern TO
the back bone;" that is to say, he advocates free
trade, according to Mr.. Cahoun's definition of the
doctrine in the Middle regions, where opinions
are neither strongly in favor or strongly against
protection, Mr.. Polk is willing that home industry
may enjoy very moderate incidental protection
but in Pennsylvania, his friends openly proclaim
him the advocate of protection, and deny that he
countenances the doctrines of free trade, which
they say are the doctrines of Mr.. Clay!
We admit that James X. Polk voted for the Ia
riff Of 1882, which, though in itself as high as the
present tariff, was an abatement from the yet
higher bill Of 1923. We also admit that Mr..
Polk voted for the Compromise Act which was
passed in March, 1888 ]; but we utterly deny that
he sustained either Of these measures because
they afforded protection to home industry. but for
the very opposite reason that they gave less pro-
lection than the laws in existence at the time of
their passage. Thus when he voted for the bill
of 1882 it was because it lo,oered the duties inn
posed by the law Of 1928, for which Mr.. Van Bu-
rem voted and the very next year he voted for
the Compromise Act, not for the reason that Mr..
Clay did, because it gave some protection, but for
the reason that Mr.. Calhoun did, that it gave less
than the bill of 1892 for which he voted the year
before. All this we shall prove by Mr.. Folks
recorded statements, under his own hand.
The following extract is from pamphlet pub
lished by Gov. Polk at Memphis Tennessee, in
May, 1913:
"Upon the subject of the tariff, / have but little
to add to what have heretofore often declared to
the public All who have observed my course
know that hare at all times been opposed to the
Protective Policy am for laying such mode
rate duties on imports as will raise revenue
enough, when added to the income from the sale
OF lands and other incidental sources, to defray
the expenses Of Government economically admin
opposed to tariff for protection. was a men,
Der OF Congress during the period that this subject
excited greatest interest. was opposed to the
protective tariff of 1928, and voted against it.
voted for the act of 1882, because it reduced the
tariff of 1928 to lower rates. That made some
reduction, though mol as much as Idesired 10 haue
made | voted for the act of March 3D. 1888,
Commonly called the Compromise Act,) which
reduced the rates Of the act Of 1882 to still low
er rates, and finally brought the rates of the act
OF 1882 down to point at which no article was,
after the Both June 1912, to be subject to high.
er duty than 20 per cent.'-Leuer to the People,
page 81.
Here, then, is not confession, but boast,
made by Mr.. Polk little more than twelve months
ago, that his motive in voting for the bill of '32,
and the compromise Of 1888, was on the princi.
Pile, that as a free trader, he felt bound to take
those bills as concessions made by the friends of
the protective policy. Not that he was willing
10 stand by the compromise as settled policy,
but 1t was the best he, az Southern man and a
nee 'rader' could get then, and while taking the
concession, he would trust to the chapter of
accidents" for an opportunity to demand still
greater. He only showed himself a good tac,.
clan in voting for those measures AS friend Of
free trade he acted wisely, because both those
meaOures were, in their order, concessions 10 tho
free traders. But we have no occasion to draw
inferences, we have positive proof. His subse
quent conduct shows that he regarded the COM
promise itself temporary measure-that he
took it at the time because he could get no,more.
We here introduce an extract from Mr.. Clay
tons speech, and refer the reader, for the accu-
racy OF his statements, to the Journal of the
House OF Representatives for the session of 1888
"a. Mr.. c. says:
"On the 28th February, 1884, within one wear
after the passage Of the Compromise, Mr.. Hail. of
North Carolina, in the House of Represe natives.
introduced resolution, the object of which was
10 procure from the Committee of Ways and
Means report Of plan accompanied by bill to