New-York daily tribune., 1844-09-03
THE TR IBU n f..
VI, Wrighl's Speech at Watertown.
IRepored for the DAILY Albany August

II, WRIGHT said he had been, in The course of
.nsrormance OF he services which for many wears
+ s-Iihssn deyolyed upon him by The kindness of his
! liz c,izsns-he had been often called upon by
s ,5,os and subjects %! foreign governments 10 con-
',.s about our popular institutions. And when he
IA undertaken u tell them that with The people
& ~.s rpt ueIe subjects 10 be governed, but were u
AN of the government 'seii-aye, that ail the gov
! i,,,ent we haG rested them It's basis and re-
4 nod lis direction from their Wilt state
i s.n which they seldom failed 10 receive with in
i .dulty Tie proudsst moment oi his lie would
4 mis- Il nov he could have intelligent citizen
lone of the governments OF the old world standing
| i his SIDE and could point him 10 this vast assem-
J,,e and ask hm whether he did not think that The
! Ipsrcan people felt that they were part OF the
! ,,scrnnient of the country. Look, tcentinued Mr.
r. as If in this imaginary position, and speaking to
,oreign subject by his sde) look at this sky (Which
sss slll loweringl and at this assembled multitude
| I'D feline, according to your notions OF government
4 shat has brought this great mass here. Would he
oeieve that is because i'll your breasts rests the
! .ep abiding consciousness thar crisis has come
i he affairs of our government demanding Your ear
| ss, patriotic attention, without reference 10 the
ncter oi The weather the comfort ot your posi-
| ml Ave. il would be a demonstration 10 such
ran Be, ond the power of argument; and leow-citi.
;.ps would that you had one more competent than
lam TO aid you in the discharge Of your duty free
/ nen Of this country. Yet called on as have been,
1 Nth the utmost checrfulness as but speck in the
j.bl of gratitude | owe TO the democracy of this
S.ie, and most especially to the democracy of JEFF
ison, and Lewis, and OSwego and st. Lawrence,
vii devote the strength OF my voice and the best
.rsr,ions of my feeble mind.
Every election brings with il TO us issues of vast
Importance dividing the two parties of our country.
This election has brought along with ii, with many
others much discussed before you four years ago,
81 nayvadinp and universal interest 1 refer m ths
question OF a Tariff. 1t is a vast queston-a ques-
non of great COMPLICATION; but believe, with lit
de Of your cam dispassionate reflection, and fair
daft on our cnndor, we can arrive al conclusions
clear and unquestioned even upon this intricate sub
ret. What is the difference between the two par
tes on this subject Our opponents tell us they
,r in favor of Protective Tariff: and that Pro-
sciye Tariff, as they understand it, is source OF
.nOst every blessing Individually and collectively.
,Oeyery portion Of the whole country. That we
nav understand each other perfectly, let us first as
c,Isn, il we can, what should properly under
saad by Protective Tariff; for | believe brief
examination will satisfy us that a confusion and
ni;appicaton of terms has produced as mvch diff
Gully on this great question as any other cause.-
But first, 10 remove from our way, as Democrats,
ssumbng. block which our ingenious opponents
place there let us look at what they mean and how
We should understand them when they tell you thai
We are the Free-Trade party OF the country, and re-
Ter YOU 10 q pOftlOu OF our DFelDIeH Ut tHt SUulH
who assume that name. Ii is msaDplication o!
terms TO US. We know and feel it. We are not in
favor of Free Trade in the proper, fair and egiti
mate sense OF these terms. Are our Southern
brethren So Do they desire repeal of all duties,
and that the necessary Revenue SHALL be raised by
4 Direct Tax on property l cannot answer any
farther than am informed but | will give YOU 10
candor and frankness the information | have.
admit when | Saw this name assumed by those
who acted politically with me, at The South, II star
lied and alarmed me- | could not conceive that
nen OF sense Of Information, OF extensive prac-
teal experience, should have adopted notions OF
That stamp as practicable under our Government.
On repairing TO Washington at the commencement
o,he last session, finding that this subject must be
pressed on us for discussion and action, l went 10
some of these Southern members OF Congress whom
lhad known many years, men Oi truth and candor,
and whom had thought men of sound views, ana
said beg you TO tell me, you have satisfied your
self that our revenue system is all wrong-that we
should no lopgertax foreign imports TO raise revenue
10 support government, but have direct tax upon
the property of the countryr No. said the first
man asked, Il entertain such opinop-never
have, and know of none who do Well then
will you be good enough TO tell me what you mean.
You call yohrselfa Free Trade manP Il do so and
lmenn this. l am friendly TO having the trade OF
the country kept free it can be kept and raise
the revenue necessary for the support OF Govern
nent; and when it is so, | call il Free Trade, be-
cause il is rs free as our institullors will permit
Then sir, yoa are in favor OF a 1arh or Revenue,
ad of so much duty as may be necessary 10 support
he Government TO be sure-as much
Jourself' And here was the explanation. Though
ne called himself q Free Trade and ani-Tarlt man,
he was in fay or OF Tariff for Revenue; and opposed
only 10 Tariff laid for the mere purpose OF proec.
uon alone. This was the explanation given by ali
these gentlemen OF their positions as Free lIade
men, Ii they were candid-lf they tald me the
truth, they ate not Free Trade men, though they
cali themselves so. For Free Trade nee sSari!
implies an entire absence ofduties, and have not YET
met the first man in public life in this Union, who
will admit in conversation that he is in favor OF such
sprinciple
Mr. w. went on 10 advert 10 another misapplica-
ton OF terms. He said TO these gentlemen that ne
was in favor Of Il Protective Tariff, and the reply
was YOU are in favor OF heresy, an oppression
an Inequality in the administration OF the Govein
inent' Bu; what was Protective Tariff, in the pro-
per sense OF tina, term? IL was Tariff, m hsjudg-
menI, impos, for the great purpose of supplying
th- Government with revenue and so arranged as 10
protect as lar ms they may be protected all The great
Interests of the and principal object i which
should he revenue public treasury Even MS southern
Trend would tell hn that he found noiaut WIN thatInn
what he understood by Pru,ecve Iarn would be laiil
Of cue injured no; Tor the treasury hut
purely simply TO protect certain iavoe .sd NJ u M
Of such fst Here then was an explanation OF VIVA, MI,
petectre rar' and ct wna, ,bs is STa,eG
Mir ~ stated what his rule would be in arranging the e
vepue ,rf would ~ means lay the same rn'e oil du
on every article o importation The thing mpraccabt
IN ,,t Lcluse one article would boar cent. un
nj you pfnhibt and destroyed revenue. Another would
hear er ccn and yet the trade hold up from he nature oil
The article absurd revenue seH>e, 10 say poi
uniform duty on both Because do thut and either ih To-
re The revenue prohibit the Importation u!
together Mir w would then discriminate according 10 the
patue Of lie article That would be ground o dsctn
nation Another ground Every community consumed oi
foreign imported articles, portion which are really necesa
re f life or have become all classes Another por
uon were emrhatcay luxuries. ney purchased and
Consumed 10 crafty taste. the pride OF dress the prde oi Nv
n2 Ii. OF our elupage &c w oud he tnN these
clss.r, ahke 70 rae Would he tax the nesessare>
of e which every man. and child must consume ana
the luxue, OF ire rich equally No lie Won Tax the ne
ce,rt NJ lightly a. could. and secure The necessary re-
and he would the uxure> as heavily us tey con
tew,hon des,royi1g by cutting np the trade h>
aa0-r gronnd Of .cnwlnaton But there vas ahoihei
ihd ground There certain interests IN tins c"n
uy winch competition with similar luteiss ~ oitisu
sir w would discGnate IN reference t0 thet
When importation connection with donesc a,
ce he would raise the tax the foreign article Ms lar ~
revenue required favor the domestic But he would MOI go
an defeat the otec, OF wkoie-,he obtaining OF
venue for the treasury.
To how far we nigh; soake first the agricultural ~
e Of this section of the country Where were the 'tcs
you could bereht by rauff1 What were our pIincipai
,ape articles! Bread .,uffs Could you benefit the
tanner, and tbs growes OF bread sus by putting duly on
oesn brsnd-stufs7 Z No. Why no, Because we do mol