The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-20
THE INTELLlGENCER's VIEW OF THE
ADMINISTRATION

guage:
1--WE have been not a little acquainted with the
Of public opinion in this country, its varis
tons and changes, for some forty years. We have
seen il often excited, and often allayed. But we
remember no instance-none even connected with
the last with England-in which the general
feeling of the community has been so deeply, and
so suddenly excited and reused as il seems 10 have
been by the alarm which the tendency Of the pres
ent revenue BILL and the dread Of its ultimate
cess have spread over the country"
This is the finest specimen Of the "panic" tao
tics with which we have yet been favored. Its
barefaced extravaganee in this respect is simply
ludicrous. But it suggests in another point Of yey
some matter for wholesome reflection. The Incl
ligencer, it seems, has watched public opinion in
this country for "some forty years"-has seen it
"often excited, and often sllayed." Doubtless the
excitement Of opinion here referred to often on
questions truly American, and deeply involving
American interests, rights, and honor Now we
should be glad to learn upon how many Of these
occasions the Inellgencer has ranged itself on the
im,riean side Of these questions. How often has it
upheld, in matters Of foreign policy for instance,
the American against the foreign viewi Without
going back "forty years." or to the period Of
"the last war with England" nearly 40 far back,
we will call to mind some instances Of this same ex
element Of opinion in which the lntelligencer has
deliberately elected and borne its part.
We will begin with the excitement on the sub
ect Of Texas. Righduy it only a question
between Texas and ourselves, and in that view Of
it, the InelIigencer protested long and loudly, and
in many various forms of objurgation againsta meas
ure which gave a whole rich realm to the strength
of our Union, and to the blessings Of our constitu
ton; and which thus involved, as no other question
has done Of late, the growth and the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
of our republic On the naked question between
the United States and Texas the hand Of the Intel
gencer was against Texas and against its own
country.
Then Mexico thrust herself into the controversy
wholly without Just preext, and to scsndalous is
sues Of perfdy, and dishonesty, and contumely,
and violence. And then the Intelligencer took the
side of M.rieo, clamored out for Mexican rights,
and palated Mexican measures, and heaped OBJ
oauy on the administration when it took up Its po-
sition of defence agans; Mexican aggression.
Then England and France interfered openly and
intrigued secretly to prevent the annexation. And
who hut the Intelligencer should be found to stand
forth az their defender, and to proclaim that this
country had no right to take offence at British or
French diplomacy" in the matter! And finally, by
the madness of Mexico, the war broke out-our
little army was supposed to be in great danger-the
President appealed 10 the volunteer patriotism Of the
country-Congress seconded his appeal, and then
shame that we should be compelled to write this
of any American journaD the lneligencer saw fit to
utter its croakng notes Of encouragement, to tell the
volunteer that he was armng in substantial violation
of the constitution, and so to hold back the arm
which patriotism was putting forth There was an
American side to spouse in this popular excite
ment. How the lntelligencer chose its side the
country knows, and will not soon forget.
Again: the European powers interfered in the
La Plata and proclaimed the doctrine of the balance
Of power in America. There some ''excite-
ment of opinion" upon these subjects, but the In
teligencer has yet to speak its first word Of dsap
proval.
Then the Oregon question arose, and by quota
ton and endorsement at least, the Inelligencer
willing to hold up our American claim "hum
bug"
1t needless to detail other instances in which
the InteIligencer has systematically arrayed itself
against the American people in their struggle with
privileged classes corporations, and so resisted
opinions which have now become the established
political creed of the country. The idea of "tax'
ing for protection" which is fast becoming obsolete
throughout the world, is not the only "obsolett
idea" in defence Of which the Intelligencer has
made a stand. That such a journal, so marked
Il. ;zaI ,hronub LAS all he
wears Of its course will find out the anti-Amercar
side Of any question, if such a side car
be found-wil set itself up in favor of the
few and against the many, as often as 1t ind:
opportunty-will hold justice and equality to be OF
little account so long it sustain privilege OF
protected nerests-ths is Of course to be expected
Its resort to the "panic' tactics upon the tariff
which we have quoted above, i, altogether il char
aetsr, and it is to prove this that we have given the
above review of the course of the In,eligenccr on
other questions involving the rights and the interests
of the American people.
word now about its misrepresentation, and We
have done. Finding that the whig orators, during
the first three days Of debate in the Senate, had moi
touched upon the principle Of protection, but had
conented themselves with saying that the new
tariff bill would certainly make deficit in the rev.
enue and cause frauds in its collection, wrote
follows:
"The eist and burden Of the whole attack upon
IN, nav tariff bill hitherto is summed up in the gen
eral and sweeping assertion that the administration
in bringing forward this BILL is NOT taking proper
ofitseB"
We said this upon the distinct statement made in
the same paragraph, that the Wing orators had KEEP
the country, and the state Of labor in the country
and indeed their whole beautiful protective system
thus far entirely out Of sight They had talked o.
nothing but revenue and frauds upon the revenu,
We said this was matter for the administration tc
look to through the proper department, and through
the appropriate committees, in itS estimates and ia