Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1844-08-14

party throughout the Union, and choos
We. on which of the two parties you ca
best rely for maintaining that protectiy
policy which is SO dear and paramount a
object with you" Such is the powerfr
appeal and comparison which it was, an
is, their desire to be able to present to tn
protected interests, and their connecte
influences, everywhere. They are pre-
senting it most earnestly on the floor c
Congress, through The press, on the stump
Everywhere in the North and West. But
before they could successfully and truly d
SO, it was necessary II should be well un
derstood that no such contumacious anti
protectionist as myself was regarded, b,
the party as a genuine wing. Yes, gen
tlemen! Soitis! And from Washington
city to Passamaquoddy, if not to the ex
tremities of The Union in every other di
rection, a man opposed to Tariff 70
protection is summarily secuted out of tht
Immaculate wing church, as if he wer.
the enemy of the republican form of Go
vernment. Such man might be permit
ted to vote for wings, and in that way ap
proach their shrine as an humble sacrfice
Of his opinions. But the wing that woulc
vote for him would be denounced anC
damned without hesitation or ceremony
Nothing appeared 10 me more obviou:
than that this system of tactics for the
Presidential canvass of 1914, if it should
receive the concurrence of the Southern
whig Representatives and politicians, was
calculated 10 draw the whole wing party
of the South from their old ground on the
subject of the Tariff, and enlist them in
the support and advocacy of the protect
i've policy. 1t was equally obvious, thai
in such event, any individual! wing Repre-
sentative, who should stand out against the
general movement, would probably find
himself involved in painful difficulty and
misunderstanding with his friends at home.
| saw this fate awaiting myself But |
was not long left to anticipation and con-
lecture. Through the wing pressof Geor-
gia, through my correspondence with
friends, and other most authentic means
of intelligence, was soon made to know,
that, although the wing party, generally,
had come to the conclusion to overlook
kindly my differing with them on the elec.
ton question, yet l was not to expect a
repetition of this friendly tolerance if |
presumed to fly in The face of the wing
party in the House on the Tariff question
also. Under these circumstances, was
led TO ponder well upon my position, and
the obligations growing out of it; and it
to me exceedingly clear, that it
was my duty to myself, and TO the people
of Georgia, to take my stand in the breach,
and abide the hazard of being swept down
and carried TO the bottom by that swelling
tide Of high Tariff politics md latitudinous
principles, which, reS,..s rom the North,
were setting in full volume upon the South,
threatening to overwhelm and devastate
all those great landmarks of policy and
the constitution on which we have ever
deemed our safety, rights and interests to
depend.
Having taken this stand, all my antici-
pations as to the unpleasant and unwel-
come state of relations to which it was
likely TO lead between me and very large
of my political friends, have
been painfully realized. | found myself
promptly and sternly arraigned at the bar
Of the wing party of Georgia, for the
crime of opposition Ito use the language
IF your letter,) "to the leading measures
IF wing policy"
Gentlemen, it is true, am indeed OPP
posed to the leading measures and gener-
II politics of the great national wing par
y. And have no hesitation in declar-
ng il as my opinion, that the leading mea-
lures and principles Of the party, as ex-
libited in Congress and throughout that
quarter of the Union from whence ema-
late all the wing law and doctrines now
l-days, are such as deserve the special
hostility of Southern men. This hostility
IN my part is boldly and distinctly ayowed
n my late address to the people of Geor-
,ia. -
In that address | travelled out of the
ubiect which particularly prompted the
writing of it, in order to make this avow-
i; because felt it to be due to the peo-
those of the third Con-
Dislrict--that they should know
hat | anticipated from the wing party, in
he event of its coming into power, such
principles and policy in the administration
f the Government as | should feel it my
uty to oppose. cannot now doubt, that,
n that address, | made myself clearly un-
erstood to that effect. The call, how
yer, which YOU have. now made on me,
nd to which it affords me great satisfac-
ion to respond, amounts 10 requiring OF
ne to enter into full specification of the
rounds Of my opposition-a task which
shall endeayor TO perform with the grea-
PCT hrnv;iv and distip"tness in my power.