The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-08-04
Vol. 4.--No. 38.

much pleasure. He had attended great
number of Democratic meetings, perhaps
as many as an hundred in all, in order 10
aid his fellow-citizens in what he consid-
cred the great cause of Democracy, and
at every meeting there was one or more
of these flags. Before the death of the
lamented Muhlenburg his name was in
Guided, afterwards the notices were
-Polk," "Dallas," "Shunk," and sthe
Tariff of 1912. And while upon this top
ic he would add, that neither of the three
could have got the vote Of Pennsylvania
without being associated with the tariff Of
1912. Much as we disliked Mr.. Clay,
and much as they were attached to De-
mocracy, all other considerations would
have sunk before the tariff Of 1912.
Mr.. Webster proceeded. do not
deem it Of any importance, in discussion
of this sort, whether an eminent person
may have been accurately reported as to
any particular declaration that he may
have made. The construction gwen TO
such declarations by persons not acquain-
ted with the views of the individual ma
king them are not material, so long as a
general impression is produced by popu-
lar names and popular announcements
Why, | suppose, if should ask both the
gentlemen from Pennsylvania whether
they, III those very meetings which they
attended, had not themselves often and Of
ten expressed to their friends their entire
belief that the tariff of 1912 would be safe
under those persons whom they proposed
to place at the head of the Government
say, if were to ask those gentlemen
whether they had not held out this assu-
rance often and often, the answer would
be that they had done so; because know
they are now under the instructions of
their Legislature to maintain the present
tariff, and those instructions are believe
concurrent with their own principles and
opinions. Therefore | am persuaded that
if they had entertained any apprehen-
siOns that their efforts in the election con-
test at that time would have contributed
to the overthrow of the tariff of 1912 they
would have forborne those efforts.
Mr.. Allen said the honorable Senator
from Massachusetts had announced the
arrival ofthe English steamer as having
some connexion with the proceedings
Of Congress upon an important measure.
The Senator seemed to regard as a most
extraordinary circumstance the telegraph
ic information which we had Of the last
words of the British Minister, in his
speech to the House of Commons, res
pecting the probability of the passage OF
the great measure for the reduction Of the
American tariff. lie could see gentlemen
upon that floor from whom such an an-
noucement would not have taken him by
surprise. But when he considered the
deep sOIicitude that was manifested in the
early part Of the session, pending a.
mother great measure, for the arrival Of
British steamers, by the honorable Sena-
tor from Massachusetts, himself, he con-
! fessed that he was a little amused thatthe
same manner Of arrival from the same
country should have startled him so much.
Sir, continued Mr.. A., we had the Or
egon Question, which involved the divis-
ion ofa part of this great Republic with
Great Britain; and pending that great ques-
ton we were commanded from day to
day to hold our breath until the British
steamer announced the will and behests
of Old England in the matter. We were
desired to look to the arrival of British
steamers, because it was supposed that
the intelligence which they would bring
from England would have a direct bear
ing on the event of peace or war between
tho t,vO oor,trioS. and hocauSo a ,yoS ~
cessary that we should know what they
were about in England for fear that, In
the absence of that knowledge, we might
involve the country in a war, and break
the concord that existed between the two
nations. But now it seems that all OF that
ardent sympathy which superindIced
such an overweight desire to maintain
good understanding Great Britain is sur
rounded. We were told that, in the E.
vent of war between the two countries.
we would not only disturb the peace Of
the world, but interrupt that harmonious
intercourse between the two countries
which contributed so materially to their
subject, the arrival of British steamer,
bringing with it the announcem ent Of the
expectations of the British Government
is given as reason why the Course Of A
merican legislation should be arrested, be-
cause it may, perchance, the harmonlzIng
free trade which was announced to us
few months ago as being so essential to
the prosperity of the people Of the coun-
trv. | was never in love with British
steamers, and never legislated by their
arrival or departure. And do not rise
now for the purpose Of saying that the
Senator from Massachusetts is wrong IN
the intimation that we shoule not shape
our legislation to suit the views and wish