Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-12-24
yyashtngtom correspondents.


The approaca OF Christmas wears Wiil y
Kind of charm OF which every one seems 10 par
take. The children are all agog and are think
ing ofnothing but Christmas, and the thousand
and one nice things which they are TO get and
desiroy--trumpeis, dolls. sugar plums, SC.
SC. &c.--ohl how carefully viii they hang
up their stockings al the head Of their beds.
and expect when morning comes, TO have had
a visit from the "old man of soot," who drives
bis car down and up chinnies loaded with
presents for them. The school boys bounce
along with elastic step in joyous anticipation
that the day Of their Liberation is not far dis
tani. when they win, for few days. escape
from the close confinement of the school room,
and the intimate acquaintance OF ''the rod"
and roam "free as air." and wherever incli-
nation or fun and frolic may lead them. And
members Of Congress-old and young grave
and gay. all look forward with joyous antici-
patton to few days Of relaxation from toll and
political excitement, and to the interchange Of
the social and friendly relations Of lie. They
all seem determined Notwithstanding this is the
short session, not TO commence any very hea-
w work until after "ihe holidays" Indeed
there is onl, one class Of beings here. who
seem no, to "relax efforts" IN anticipation of
Christmas. and they are he Office seekers who
are here in regiments, and are warmly urging
upon the Government the necessity of The pro-
grcssive art, and the beauty Of the revolution
which produces rotation in office-the reno
val Of many Clerks now in Office here, is an
ticipated, and hundreds are waiting for ''an
old pair of breeches." Many dsinteres,ed
patriot who fought under the banner of"PoLK.
DALLAS and the Tariff Of 1892" is now here
for his reward, but will have to 60 home with
out christmas gift"
BY the way, speaking Of the Tariff OF 1912,
reminds me tina, have just given second
reading TO the Tariff portion Of the Presidents
Message, and the Treasury Report ofSir Ron
ERr WALKER. What think you Of them r.
Can it be possible that such false reasoning
such doubling and twis,ing-such throwing OF
saw dust can succeed in binding the intelli-
gent people of this Republic, and especially the
farmers, for whose particular benef; these doc
uments seem to have been prepared. Let US
for moment examine them and see what they
are made of-certainly man with half an eye
will see the length and breadth--the heigth and
depth Of this grand British Scheme, manifest
ly the title Of Great Britain to it, is much more
"clear and ndisputable" than any she ever had
TO an inch Of land ID Oregon, and IT is equally
"clear and indisputable" that the United States
have no pallablc interest in it. The leading OBJ
jec,s Of the Message and the Treasury Re
port are to extol this "Revenue Tariff" and to
induce the farming interest TO believe that they
have, after much trouble, found "the phloso-
piers stone," by which every thing is to be
turned into gold should not be surprised to
see the hardy yeomanry ofihe country -four
ishing "like green bay trees by the river SIDE"
or, like Jeshuran waxing fat and kicking. If
| remember distinctly, Mr.. President PoLK-
then simply Gov. or Col. Polk Gas GENERAL
RIrcHrE always delights 10 call him)-in the
year lS43 canvassed the State Of Tennessee,
and addressed the people Of every county in it,
predicting with the most gloomy forebodings
the destructive effects OF the Protective Tariff
Act Of 1912, upon all the great interests Of the
country, constituting and making up the grand
temple Of Nationl Industry. Indeed the wheels
of Government were to be instantly stopped,
and the Treasury reduced to bankruptcy, unless
an immediate return was made 10 Horizontal
or Revenue Tariff. AT the time this prediction
was made, you must remember well the beg
CARED condition of the Treasury, and the fl
culties Of the Government and the people, just
emerging as they were, from the effects Of the
graduated Revenue Tariff, where the receipts
ofthe Treasury had sunk below Fifteen Millions
of dollars. In the very year in which the pre-
diction was made, the Revenues Of the Gov
eminent and Receipts Of the Treasury began
to rise up, and before the end Of another year,
they had risen to thirty millions, which point
they main aimed up 10 the ist Of the present
month, when the Tariff of 1912 expired. In
stead Of bankruptcy. prosperity came TO the
Government and the people-and industry
III dti no iIulupiieu lOluS, iOuuu ciLpiOJ liieut
and ''good wages" Thus were his prophs
cies falsihed, and stubborn facts" showed d.
-ectly every thing opposite to his views. Yet
he seems to have learned nothing by experience,
and hugs his delusve theories 70 his bosom, as
though they were precious and sacred, and
involved with certain and triumphant des,i-
nv, which is now reaching its eliminating
point, and which is TO cast flood oflight and
prosperity over the minds and business of the
people of this country.
| Oh unblushins humbug-the Tariff Act
of 1912 was imposed ITO afford advantages TO
farored classes at the expense Of large MAORI
ty of their fellow-citzens." This is the stale
imputation Of every Free Trader in the land
the empty sound OF assertion, which does not
rise to the dignity ofargument, and which the
common-sense the advantage OF division
of labor among men, and the prevention any
overcoming any one branch Of it, puts to
the blush on its very Threshold. How different
was the language ofthe fathers Of Republics
! the statesmen who carried the Govern unent