Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1844-07-18
From the N. Y. Tribune
The Game Of Deception.

and Public Services of the Hon. JAMES KNOX
Polk, NTH Compendium of his Speeches on
Various Public Occasions Also, A Sketch of
the Life of the Hon. GEORGE MIFFLIN DALLAS"
We give The tile Of this pamphlet in full in or
to set forth lis performance.
The Life of Mr.. Polk commences with the
statement that his great uncle. Thomas Polk, of
N G. was an early and ardent Whig of The Re-
volution. So far true; bu, the writer conceals
the equally well known fact that James K
Poik's grandfather, Ezekiel Polk, was famous
Tory throughout the Revolution, and barely es-
capped execution such for his oulrages when
taken at last prisoner by the exaspersted Wings
Now this is no fault of Mr.. J. K Folks, but il
as shabby TO attempt making capital out of the
Whlgsm Of a greai-uncle, cOnceailng The fact
that his grandfather was so bitter aud active a
Tory IN the heart of as strong Wing commu.
nifty as that of Mecklenberg, n C.
Coming down 10 Mr.. Poik's own time, we
are told that he entered Congress Young, and
followed implicitly The lead OF Gen. Jackson in
the Bank waf, and hostility to Internal Improve
menls. and pieces of his Speeches on The Re-
moyal of the Deposiles and sustaining the Mays.
vile Veto, aGe given; but not one ucord, either
10 his life or speeches, of his being the author
or champion In Congress Of the Pet Bank
scheme-a medley Of gross corruption and hum
bug-which the Wings told him would fail
must fail, because il had within it the elements
of dissolution. Neither is there a whisper of
his early, deadly, persevering hostility TO any
sort of Protective Tariff, which led him even
b,b. n A ,ko e.,
year after its passage, and put down The duties
at once TO a Revenue standard. His bitter,
lifelong hostility TO Protection, commenced in
1923 and was prosecuted 10 the utmost even in
the campaign of lS43, with false assertions
that the effects of Duties are always TO raise
prices correspondingly and absurd predictions
that the presen, Tariff would prove utterly in
adequate TO the production of suficien, Reve-
nue.. OF Mr.. Polk's uniform opposition 10 the
acts passed from lime 10 lime providing some
relief for the aged Veterans of our Revolution,
robbed of their pay by The worthless Continen.
lal currency, and his vote in a minority of 80
against proposition (moved By Virginian) to
take more efectual measures for the suppress
sion of The African Slave-Trade, we have no,
word In faci, you would hardly guess from
this most luminous life iha, Mr. Polk ever did
any thing in Congress but help Gen. Jackson
break down the Bank and Internal Improve
ments. But on the last page OF the cOUer, there
is single passage quoted from his speech at
Jackson, Tenn. ON The Sd OF April, lS43, in
which he says.
He (Col. P) was opposed 10 Dircc' Taxes,
and TO prohibiIory and protective duties, and in
favor OF such moderate duties as would not GU!
off imporiarions. In other words, he was in ta-
ror of reducing the duties to the rates of the Com
promise Act, uhere the Wing Congress found
them on the 30h Of June, 1912"
This passage, the Life says, "runs concur.
ren,ly with the views of Mr. Clay himself" in
a speech made by him on the 2lst of January,
1892, Of which they quote from the condensed,
hasly. daily report of The National In,elligencer
the following:
"Carry out then the spiri, of the Compromise
Act, Look to REVENUE ALONE for the
support of Government Do no, raise the ques-
ton of Protection. which had hoped had been
pu, 10 rest. THERE is NO NECESSITY
OF PROTECTION FOR PROJECTIONS"
Here. then, arc TWO passages picked ont from
two of the many speeches OF Mr.. Clay and Col.
Polk respectively, TO prove that their uiews NTH
respect to the Tariff essentially concurrent.
But who believes a word of this! Do the au.
thors and distributors of this pamphlet! Not
man of them! Does any man who knows any
thing of The history of these two men! Impos-
sIbIe. Look at the eagerness with which South
Carolina rushes TO the Polk standard. express
ly on the ground that Polk is her man on The
Tariff and Clay is not The truth is. these
men mean TO deceive. 1t is Jus, the same as
though they weIe ulieripg counterfeit money.
They know that Messrs. Clay and Folks views
on the Tariff are discordanu, antagonist, yet
they labor and hope to make their readers be-
lieve the contrary Honest politicians.
But let US look at The language they have
pressed into their service. Mr. Polk says
pIumply he is in favor Of cutting down the pres
emf Tariff To the rates of The Compromise Act
--iha, Is. TO twenty per ceot. at the highest
This Is what he is arguing for. as The rest OF
his Speech shows--io keep the Proceeds Of
The Public Lands in the Treasury. and reduce
the duties levied by The present Tariff 10 iwen-
~ per cent This, he says. is required by the
Compromise Act, being ia deadly hostility TO