The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1845-12-09
lO,647 $l7,432, $40

Now Of all these operatives, and the num-
Der has much increased since lS4l, few
only in Cotton and Wool, of whom there are
but a few derive benefit from the Tariff
whilst the workers in Iron, Leather &C., ex-
perience injury.
We have now shown, we trust, system
of Tariff taxation TO be obscure, unequal,
Auctuating and oppresslve-hosllle to agH-
culture, to labor and to commerce, partlcu-
larly those departments Of them IN winch the
West is mos. deeply concerned We have
proven the existing Tariff TO be pre-emnent
in the most odous features OF such system,
without pretext in the relations OF foreign
commerce. excuse from the spirit
of the age, which even in the despotlc 60
vernments of Europe is giving more and
more freedom to trade. We believe that the
present system is the product of sordid
combination of capital with INSCRIPTIONS
ambition to break the faith that was pledged
in the Compromise Act of 1888, for the pur-
pose of plundering the people of liberty and
property. We consider any effort of gov
eminent TO compel men TO follow or to aban-
don innocent pursuits by pecuniary penalty
or bounty, an infraction of that individual
ri ght which is the glory of our institutions,
and departure from the policy, which al
though sometimes violated has given us our
wealth. Above, all, when we reflect that
pauperism and crime and the accredited
wees of society where population is dense,
constitute the great curses of our civilation,
and threoten the stability of our institutions,
we solemnly protest against a policy which
like that of this Tariff aims to withhold and
withdraw our people from the sunny sky
and verdant landscapes of the West, TO toll
amid the lurid and mephtic atmosphere of
factnries and cities.
The Federal government imposes on Agri-
culture not only disproporiio nate amount
of taxes for public expenditure and for the
purpose of enriching privileged capitalists
but has accumulated an immense public do
main by extortion from the same interest
The quantity of public land now unsold
exceeds a thousand million acres, and is
worth after paying every dollar it has or will
cost, at least as many dollars,-one fifth Of
the aggregate value of all the property Of the
Union. Now why should government ask
for this land more than it cost; why has i
eSacted of farmers and planters for the hun
dred millions already sold them ten times
what was paid for it? Without the interven-
ton of government, private citizens had a
natural right TO buy the land of the aboriginal
proprietors, and of course could have pur-
chased at the rate paid by government. Now
government was not instituted in this country
to become land speculator upon the agri-
cultural community. Its proper function
was to regulate and facilitate, not restrain
the rights of the people. In this case go.
vernment might purchase and survey-so as
to prevent disputes with the original proprie-
tors and among the new settlers, as 10 title
and boundary--and sell for enough TO reim-
burse the total expenditure incurred. But
what system of policy or rule of right can
justify ii in specializing enormously on the
agricultural settler. The only pretence Of
reason we have ever heard assigned for this
course was to prevent the new States from
settling too fast, in order that population and
labor should not be drained from manufac-
turing districts in the East. This was one
obiect--another not avowed, but not the
less influential, was TO prevent the speedy
accumulation of political power on this side
of the mountains. And for such unworthy
and selfish purposes have the functions of our
government been prevented. The conse-
ouences have been disastrous in the extreme.
1t was not only the right Of the citizen TO
emigrate to this region and TO settle it on the
La,t = a.,,,- th,t oouId hn Yo,da with tho ~;
ginal, proprietor, but it was the policy of our
institutions TO promate the enterprise.
Cur forefathers, it is we'll known, on achie-
wing their political independence Of Great
Britain were still much imbued with Euro
pean manners and opinions at variance with
their new system of government.
A great and growing tendency then and
since was, manifested, TO adopt social habits
at war with political rights. The vely best
anlidote to such an evil was the rapid pre-
cipitation of our people upon interior agrcul-
tural life--as is evident from the existing
western character--so happily exempt from
the theocratic and aristocratic features visible
among the Atlantic colonies. We would
thus have acquired that individual independ-
ence and simplicity of manners so necessary
&proper for republican nationality, so indis-
pensi5le TO resist the seductive and perverted
habits and fashions now received with so
much favor from abroad. But the West in
stead of being permitted 10 take that part in
the formation of our national char which
nature and circumstances intended to assign
her, has been the victim of political and Pc
cuniary rapscity--has been retarded in popu-
la,ion, and consequently in the attainment of
her due political standing and power--and
has been drained by enormous and unjust
taxation of her resources for the education
of her children and for the maintenance of