The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-11-22


done every thing which an honorable and sensible
man could do to avert n war; undertake TO soy that
no power or popularity can uphold him in his position
for an hour. Aud any administration in this country
which shall plunge it into such n conflict must OK
poet a very severe ntorrogatory from the American
people II must expect to show that it has done what
it could, and all it could in pacific spirit, and with
out ofensivcness TO save the nation from so great
calamity with the preservation OF its rights aud hon
or. Any man, be he Prime Minister of England,
President of the United States who shall unuecessu-
rly light up tho flames Of war--humss, let me say,
which will burn over the whole globe-mny consider
The Genius of his Country US addressing TO him
what tho great Orator of Rome supposed tho Gen
ius Of his Country 10 address to Catuline;-
can, quinn beIo vastabilur Italia, vexahuntur u rbes
tocn nrdobunt, tum to, te eXistimHs, nvidiD in
cendio confogra,urumi"
Men who ncautious'y,o or from pride or love Of par.
~, prov oke or kinde The flames OF war, must look
out for it-musi expect that they will be consumed
by burning connigralon Of general Indignation
(Vehement applause) Vhero will in such case,
ben public Indignation before which no popularity,
personal or of party, can stand, II will melt
down the monuments of the dead, will destroy all
respect for the living, if they have recklcssy and
necessarily plunged the subjects and citizens Of two
great, civilized and commercial states into a war,
which shall cause the destruction of millions Of prop
crty, tho sacrifice Of thousands and millions Of lives
the smoke Of cities, and the devastation Of countries
all over the globe, md upon every line oC latitude
and longitude which surrounds the ball on which we
live
do not propose that you shall take any alarm
In OF the Southern cities Of the Union there J.,
considerable alarm aud fear Of war. | regret the
cause Of this feeling. It is n very common mistake
with certain class Of politicians TO think that they
can play the small Palrict safely, on a small scale
There are those who think that they can talk Of
war with England, and gaia great credit for love Of
country, and yet keep the game in their own hands
This is not wimt lofty and sensible ncE feel in regard
to questions Of peace or war. Tho anticipation that
war may come upon ~, the agitation about war the
speculation about war, the interruption Of CONNER
cia enterprise, are half bad rs war itself The
apprehension OF war deter senterpt,c and conround.
and conruses men about ,huir business arrangements
say therefore, that while ii is duty not to takc
alarm, md TO believe that tho Government of the
country viii act sobery and Justly, still we must be
aware that it is less diiF,ult than somo people may
suppose, by the Indulgence Of disposition to quarrel
about matters not very important in themselves to
produce state Of things that may lead to consequcn.
nre right, and in the the language Of late Presiden,
Of the United States Osk for nothing wrong and DO
al that is right fairly and honestly, and without any
particular parade Of patriotic feeling
The other great question upon which propose to |
remark, is the system Of laws which is generally call
ed the tnriF system. Every man expects that very |
serious attacks viii be made upon that sys,om How
far they may succeed know not The President
was elected by the general voice Of the ap,i.tarli'
States. The question: however, for put to our
'c'ves, is what have the people Of Massachusetts, to
Expect from any change in the tariiract Of IsI2?-
Mud this leads TO the question whether the operation
If tho tariff has been useful and whether the present
: a day ofpros1erity. | put this whole subject on
me ground do no; inquire whether great capital
ais are benefited or whether few individuals grow
icN; but i the inboring community, ia the mass Of
Industrious persons well Off? l. labor in demand?
Are wages high? II you will givo me country
where The aboror is we'll off, call that a hnppy coun
ry, tariff or no tariff Now does any man suppose
hat the abolition alteration Of the Tariff will raise
he price Of labor? Let take the act Of 1912 as a
whole. ! admit that il is imperGect--thnt il we could
20 over It deliberately, some alterations might be
made. But if the tariff act were this day DESTROYED,
md the fuvorto system of horizontal tariff with a
inform duty OF twenty per cent, introduced
would labor be better compensated observe that
he public organs in Washington quote England as
IN example for bringing down the tariff to an ad va.
oren duty Of 90 per cent. They say that 20 per
'eEt. is just rate. have reason to know if YOU
AXE the average Of all the tariffs in this country from
he time Of Washington down, turning all specific to
d vaorem duties, the result will be tina, there has
zen an nd valorem duty ofaore than thirty four per
ent; while if, as are invited, we follow the foot
tops Of Sir Robert Peel and initiate his liberal poll
y, the actdemonstraes that the of duty at this
ay, under peel's bill, are not less than 40 per
ent. And yet are asked to follow the example
{ England, and bring down duties as low as 20 per
emit
One thing more There always has been for 20
ears, an attempt TO show that the Tariff helps the
ich; and Lowell and Springfield, and other places,
where large operations carried on are mentioned
proofs Of this assertion. But this is not the found
ion of the Tariff policy, and never was The fac.
that it is in manufacturing establishments Of more
Individual character, that its benefits are chiefly felt
among those who work in their own shops-our