Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-02-26
From the Richmond Wing.
TIL L TARIFF QUESTION.
IN C0nIisl,inI QnsfuI;a.. IL.

we make The following extract from the |
ctter OF Mr.. Abbott Lawrence, lately publish
cd in this paper:
"At the risk OF writing a long letter, l canno,
forbear abiding to the fact, that the habiuaI aoi-
tation Of this question of the Tariff has worked
IN the main, to the advantage of New England.
1--WE were previous to Ne war of 1879. an ao
Iieui'urai ana navigating people.-The American
system was forced upon us, and done for the mr.
pose oil creating home market for the products
oil the SOIL oil the South and West we resisted the
ndopuon OIL system, which we honestly believed
wou'a CREAMY inJure our navigation, and drive us
from our accustomed employ ments, into a bust
ness we did not understand. We came into IL
however, reluctantly, and soon learned, that with
the transfer of our capital we acquired skiil ,nd
knowledge In the use of it, and that SO far from
our foreign commerce being diminished, il was
increased, and That our domestic TONNAGE and com
merce were very soon more than quadrupled. The
illustrations Were so striking in every department
OF labor, that those who fifteen years AGO, were
me strongest opponents among us, have given up
their theories, and acknowledged, that the rela
lions are such as 10 satisfy the most skep,ical. =
we have gone forward steadily, till many de-
scrlp,lons OF manufactures are as well settled in
New England as the raising of potatoes. Onr
experience has given us skill, and of course we
nave confidence In our resources, that does not
exist elsewhere
1t has become evident that the assaults up
OH the Tariff are to be again renewed, and
with very certain prospect of success The
log by which MIR. Polk was surrounded be-
lore his election, is gradually breaking away,
and revealing him in his real ligt ID that
immense mass OF his supporters who, were DE-
iuded into the belief that he was as rood a
Tariff man as Mr.. Clay. We shall have a
word or two 10 say, ere long, on that sub
yriS m
tention 10 the facts set forth by MIR. Lawrence.
II Is probable that the Tariff will be repealed.
and perhaps peace be purchased, by It's sac
rihce.-Those who anticipate, and perhaps
exult In the anticipation, that irrccoyernble
ruin will fall upon the New England States.
by the establishment of Free Trade. know
nothing of the history of that portion of the
Union, and have only to look at the short ex-
tract which we present from the letter of MIR.
Lawrence; to be convinced OF their mistake
Let them study more closely the New Eng
land character, and they will behold a model
which 1t would not dsparage even our own
nooie ola Commonwealth to initiate. LIE, us
oWell upon 1t Tor Il moment. Perchance il
may inculcate a valuable moral.
IL Is most honorable truth, as appears i'm
the extract from MIR. Lawrence, that New
England owes none OF her prosperity to the
favor OF the Government-Thc character Of
ner sons Is formed upon system of sel(-re-
lance, OF independence, Of courage and reso-
luton. The daunlless spirit which led their
fathers 10 forsake the iuXuries of civilized
life, and pitch their tents in a bowling wilder
ness still survives, and glows with increasing
fervor in the bosoms of their descendants
1t 'was no nursery Dlaat, requiring warm
sun and artificial proieclf6r, which has struck
Its roots into the New England soil. A s,ur.
dy tree indeed it must have been. which.
planted upon rocky cliff by the ocean side.
growing up amid tile roar of winds and waves.
wrestling continually with the tempest. and
exposed 10 the fury of the thunderbolt. has
at last attained the majestic altitude of lofty
oak, and, spreading abroad its leafy arms for
a shelter 10 thousands, towers upwards. the
more grand and beautiful from its victory
over an adverse fate. IL The New Highlander
has prospered, it has been against, as we'll as
by the policy of the Government Settled O.
riglnally upon comparatively sterile aud in
hospitable soil, his strong arm forced the
stubborn earth to yield her treasures, and
transformed desert into garden. He en-
gagged in the pursuits OF commerce and trade.
and The white sails of his cruisers were seen
OIL the most distant seas, now penetrating the
frozen regions Of the North, and now return
ing from Southern land, making the very
ends of the world tributary to his greatness.
From the heart Of rocky earth, and the
bowels ola raging sea, his strong hand pluck
ed the elements of greatness, wealth and pow
err. But in the height Of his prosperity,
sudden paralysis struck down his mighty for
tunes. The policy Of the Government was
too by the instrumenial,y
of Southern votes. And what did the New
Englander then Did he sit down with fold
ed hands and broken heart, to mourn over
the ruin which had come upon his hopes
Did he prepare himself to lorsake the rude
land where he had toiled so long only to
reap the bitter fruits of disappointment Did
he curse God and die? No! different spir-
1t reigned IN his bosom. He could not leave
the scenes of his youth, the spot which had
been hallowed by deeds of revolutionary re-
nown, the tombs of his ancestors, the theatre
OF his own past greatness. lie turned himself
to new pursuits. The current Of bis industry
ana enterprise forced out new channel
over the whole land his workshops rose, and
the sound oil his cheerful toll was heard in
the hammer ringing OH the anvil, the music
OF machinery changing upon thousand water
courses, and the no! breath Of steam speaking
WIN It's otoIDy voice oil lhe stronger spirit
that ruled its energies and acould not be'subdu-
ed. Again prosperity returned-again wealth
pnnrnh IN It's gollo- ';,,o-aoain tho s,erp
and resolute will triumphed over all opposi- |
tion And can 1t be that there are those |
whose envy is aroused at success thus homo
rably won, that the policy Of the Government
must again be recklessly changed, and labor
and perseverance once more be deprived Of
their reward Would it not be better, far
better, for other States whose interests are in |