The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-02-21
SPEECH OF MR.. SLADE
AT THE WING STATE CONVENTION.
Continued.

meaning oil the letter on which have COM
mented, it is dispelled by another which comes
TO the point without circumlocution. 1t was
addressed to friend in Virginia, evidently
without intending that it should be published;
but being too good for an opponent of pro-
lection to keep, the substance Of it was incau-
tiously announced in the Richmond Inquirer
and the entire letter was finally drawn forth
through the columns of that paper. 1t is as
follows:
"ALBASY, Feb. %, 1913.
My dear Sri thank you kindly for your
friendly letter. | have at no time, nor any
where hesitated to express my decided disap-
probation Of The Tariff Aet Of The last session,
as nell IN respect to tie PRINCIPLES upon
1ei,ich tits formed as TO lis details. In good
time you will have my views in respect to
that and other subjects before the public. In
the mean time, believe me TO be.
Very sincerely, your friend and ob't serv't.
NJ. VAN BUREN,
Thirteen days previous to this, III. Van Bu-
rem had written his Indiana Letter; and this
was intended as private key to unlock its
mystery. ain good time you will have my
views;' and you will be able to understand
them
Here, then, is the exposition. And why
did he not give it in the Indiana letter! Why
!. not expressly say in that letter, that he was
opposed to 'he principles" on which the Ia
riff act Of 1912 "was founded!" Because
that letter was to be published; and his hos
tility to the principles" of the tariff must 90
forth mystifed-half concealed under cum
brous mass of verbiage. That was the rea-
son.
Butth veil is here taken of. Mr. Van Buren,
is opposed to "he principles" of the existing
tariff. Its foundation is wrong. 1t rests on
discrimination for the sake Of protection; and
for this must be substituted Dissemination for
The sake Of rersnue only" This is the sum
of the whole matter-'the complexion to
which it comes at last"
Here, then, is the man who is to be the
standard bearer of our opponents in the COM
ing contest,-the chosen leader, under whose
banner the Northern manufacturers and farm
ers, and mechanics and laborers, to whom an
abandonment Of 'He principles on which the
present tariff is founded" would be paralysis
and prostration, are to be invited TO rally. If
his real principles were TO be inscribed every
where on that banner, we should have no
fears, But they will notbe. They were new
er inscribed, in legible characters, in any place
where it was his interest to conceal them
In Vermont, the policy will, of course, be to
profess great friendship for protection; while
the herssy will, nevertheless, be cautiously in-
culcated that discrimination for revenue pur-
poses only" is to be the "rule Of legislation"
The manufacturing interest will, at the same
time, be represented as ''great and GGiuent,
standing out amid the general gloom" and
striving to secure its own aggrandizement by
new and unj ust impOsitiOns as though the
people did not understand that the manufac-
turing, and other industrial interests, have al
ways risen and fallen together; and are now
rising together under tariff, whose principles
Mr.. Van Bure1 privately says TO his Virginia
friends he disapprOves.
] have shown the double dealing character
of Mr.. Van Bpren's policy as exhibited in his
Indiana letter. The same kind of policy
marked the course of his Northern friends in
the last Congress. While about twenty OF
them dared not GO against the present tariff on
its passage, they were found in full co-opera-
ton with the svowed enemies Of protection
on some very important questions prelimina-
ry to its passage. Let me refer to two or
three of them.
At the extra session, viz on the I'd of Sep
tamber, lS41, the Committee Of Commerce
reported the following resolutions:
"Resolved, That a select committee of IL
members, not more than one of which shall
be from any one State, be appointed by the
Chair for the purpose Of taking evidence at
the principal ports of entry and elsewhere, as
to the operation of the existing system and
rates Of duties on imports, upon the manuiac
turing, commercial and agricultural interests
of the country; and of procuring. generally,
such information rs may be useful to Con
gress in any revision of the revenue Laws
which may be attempted at the next session.
"Resolved, further, That said committee
be authorized to sit during the recess, and to
employ Clerk"
The importance of these resolutions every
friend of protection, will, at once, appreciate.
They looked to the revision of the tariff, which
the approaching expiration Of the "comprom-
Use" rendered necessary; and provided that
the time which would intervene between the
extra, and the first stated session of the 9th
Congress, (about three monthsl should be en-
ployed by Il committee, in taking testimony
as to the actual effect of the existing rates Of
duties upon the leading interests Of the cOun-
try.
These resolutions were laid on The tdble,by
a vote of 81 to 62-the entire vote Of the Lo-
COS from the North going thus asainst the res
OluuODS WIFI Tue tACtpuOH VI iOuI-luIct
from Pennsylvania and one from Massachu-
sets.
1t was in vain that the friends ofprotection
urged the indispensable importance of the
contemplated investigation for the ascertain
ment of the actual effect of the reduction of
duties under the compromise" upon the in
terests which had been deemed worthy the
fostering care of the government; in vain that
the example of the British government was
appealed to, whose uniform practice of taking
testimony preparatory to any revision of their
tariff, attested the wisdom of the measure,
How, it was asked, can we arrive at any salts
factory conclusion as to the extent to which
any particular production Of our agriculture
or manufactures needs protection, or what
amount of duty will effect the protection need
ed, unless we are permitted TO examine those
best acquainted with the processes of its pro-
duction. and that of the rival articles Of for
eign growth or manufacture!
But all was in vain. The only answer we
could get to our arguments was dead vote
against the measure, not only from the open
h,,f from, l.