Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-03-17
THE ENQUIRER.
RIGHT MON ID, Y A.
Saturday Morning, March II, 1916.
TIE PREMlER'S ABANDONMENT of
PROTECTION.


- ------.,r,-,, ar
THE PREMIER'S AbANDONMEHA "
PROTECTION.
.rbare is in Sir Robert Pccls avowaI o'
change in his opinions on the sunjcct u f''o'.e-
tiYe duies, an appearance Of conscious '"'s5'' ny
and manly independence which co'ni'a"us o"'
al,oira,ion. In such an arowal Of chahSe' 'neie
is nothing stimulating" There IS indeed, hu
reason for feeling abashed al admitting INC eiioi
or received opinion" II is he dn'y OF every
being endowed with reason, 10 ''asserl, as is
has done "he privilege OF yielding 10 me lofce o.
argument and conviction, and OF acting upon VIC
results of an enlarged experience we pe''e,e
thai in abandoning The policy Of proeclioh' nc
b.s acted in obeiierce 10 an honest CONVICTION,
,ha; The interests OF his country required ma '''
nolicy should 70 longer BE- upheld. II the p''s
ross NJ truth in the nineteenth century uid nv
,c,d ma 10 anticipate such changes, me over
wbelmirr evidence addnced By sir Kooe.! ~
support of his altered position, won'i SATISFY .
orh;s sincerity. We attach no importance 10 ihe
can>,;c ,aun,s of DIsraei, or 10 the embIlIefe''
.c,rss,ioos ii his enemies. They were 10 Dc
expected. The high position which ne still MAIN
,.;ns he undiminished confidence which he Sill
rri,ys sufficiently show that the 2vowai oil ms
change has moi impaired The general conviciioA
Of his honesty.
Il isto The moral lesson 10 be derived from ms
example thai we wish TO call attention. In our
own country, consistency in politics is generally
n,acrs,ood 10 mean an Underwriting adherence al
al times 10 The same opinions and the same
measures. In regard 10 most c;hcr matters, II :
esteemed the province Of a narrow MAD 10 slIcHe
for lis own iniallbiy. Be. il tie Intricate
and uncertain science OF Government, io'soolh,
a change of opinion is evidence Of inexcusabe
fckleness or laxiiy oil principle. However Ire
onent such changes may have been, their manly
avowal has been exceedingly rare. A reluc-
lance 10 acknowledge error especially pnoi
acknowledgment is one Of the most common
frailties OF The human mind. Perhaps, with our
public men, fear OF their constituents strengthens
Iris reluctance. Is there reasonable ground iof
such ieal} Is i! not based upon 100 lew an
estimate Of popular intelligence ine'e Is
always something noble in the Candid ackno~-
ledcmep, OF error. Under some CIRCUMSTANCES
il smineuily displays enlargement Of mind AMI
greatness Of soul: and the in.uivc dlscrimlna'
ton OF The people will, We may rest assured, IN
ali cases interpret Alright the patriotic avowal
cr honest conviction. Sir Robert Peel has,
10 the face ofthe world, acknowledged great e.
ror and made great change in HIS measures
Has he lost By such course his station, his in
rucnce, or The confidence OF the English people
And are The American people less Intelligent. OF
less capable than he English Of approaching such
conduct in her statesmen
Ills Ian: ,ntab!e abuse Of terms, that incon-
si>ency and change ofopnion should be consider
d SYNONYMOUS. Ito undergo change ofopin
ion be Inconsistent no Consistent man mas eVei
l;ye. no, 10 The ninteenih ceniury-Nc
civilized People are now governed By the same
principles as before The invention Of Printing ana
discovery OF steam. In The present age Of rapld
Improvement, new truths are hourly burst.
ing upon The enquiring mind in every de-
| partmept Of knowledge Thousands Of at
surd fallacies have, in The last lew years
been exposed which, for centuries, cnchainet
The worlds assent Who applies tic word III
consistent" TO the chemist who changes and med
Ges his conclusions according 10 ,he different ie-
suits OF MS experimenis2 But. wherein does tie
science Of Government differ from that OF Natural
Philosophy, excep, in the difference OF heir sub
ec,s, and the greater uncertainty OF the former
The statesman and experimental PhilosorhcT
have both The same obcct-the discovery
OF truth; and both seek it h. The same means
by The same principles Of investigation, BY
he same general laws OF induction-one ]:
concerned with men the other with things
One has 10 &C, upon human passions and inter
css: the other, upon material objects and relations
The task of The former is, Of necessity, more
difficult. and greater his liability 10 error. The
properies and relations OF things are ilnnntable
he character and condition Of nations, as OF in
dividuais, in a state oil perpetual change. Ire
happiness of The people is The great object o! ;
good Government and as The people change II
Incl. feelings, prejudice. and opinions as ais
interests grow up and new relations arise, III
measures OF Government should De adapted L
The changed circumstances Of those for who's
good il was Instituted. That a statesman hs
modified his opinions and changed hi, measures
is, in Ibis view OF The subject, no proof oil hi
inconsistency To determine This point the en-
oui,y must be made, TO use the language Q
Peel,) "whelher The motives for a modification
or qualification OF opinion are Sufficient an
honcsl"-"to think one way and ACT another" Ca
Lord Brousham said in commenting upon III
.,l<z \ Il,
consistent and dishonest"
We believe that the number is considerab bic
who, from false PRIDE II consistency, think or,
way ant. act another" We believe that there
arc many, having once proclaimed their opinions
who, from an unmanly reluctance 10 comics.
themselves mistaken, shut the portals Of hei
breast against every doubt Of their own inEallhi
Inv Since The period at which many Of our pub
lie men honestly, no dou5, embraced the
policy OF protection, The question has as
snmed e rev aspect Time and experience
I have relieved i. OF many embarastm-n's, ant
have taken away much OF lis uncertainty
! The circu distances Of our country have
changed, and the astonishing progress Of know
ledge and liberal ideas has poured food Of ligh
upon every question Of governmental policy. !
doubts, then, upon this sub ec should arise Gas i
is natural that they shoudl in The mind OF am
public man who has yielded 10 protection lis uni
form support, it is bis dnty 10 solve them, By Civ
; ing them thorough and impartial investigation
Perhaps, however, it is idle 10 aPreal 10 the pa
! rriolism Of politicians, or 10 expect an homes
/ avowal OF error behind an impenelrabe bulwarl
Of selI-suthciency and conceit. Butte The homes
ylvmanry OF the country, who, influenced b,
! plausible soPhisiry, under circumstances differ
eni from the present, have given their sanction /
inc principle Of protection, such thoughts as Tics
must naturally suggest themselves: III the lar-
experience, the eminent judgment, The exiensiv
information, The vigorous and disciplined min
Of The greatest, statesman OF England could III