Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-08-27
HEAR THE FATHERS.

When the Constitution adopted, the power
conferred upon Congress to protect America against
the arrressions of foreign commerce and manuiac-
lures, was conceived to be the one thing needfll to
secure AMERICAN INDEP We
quote from petition from Boston, presented to the
frs. Congress on the 9Th of June, 1889:
"Your petitioners need inform Congress that on the ovi-
val mechanical arts and manufactures depend te wealth
and the Northern States can we iorOear men
The OBJECT Q Independence h obtained till these nation
al established o %na '''
The FIRST measure of public policy adopted
by the first Congress, composed in great measure
of the Fathers of the Republic, was PROTEC-
TIVE TARIFF beginning with these words:
ported into the United States.
"Whereas is for the support of government for
o CO SlUsS AND rRorEcTIoN OF MANUFA
TURES that duties be laid goods and merchandises
imported. Section |, Be it enacted &c.
On the 4lh Of July, 1889, this bill was signed by
GEORGE WASHINGTON, and thus on the thirteenth
anniversary of the first Declaration of Indepen.
dence of British laws, the work of independence
was extended to British products.
In his address to the next Congress- on the 9Th
of January, 1890, WAsBINdroN said.
"Thc safety people require they 1.-THE
them INDEPENDENT OF OTHERS for essential, particularly
military supplies"
And in accordance with this advice the House
resolved,
That he referred the Secretary of the Treasury, to pro-
pose and to this House plan or plans onomnp
the % @ f f a
MOTION MANuEA ,r As NJ
In '9l the Secretary made his report, and in 'ao
Congress raised distinct standing committee on
this subject which has been continued to this day,
and until the advent of Polk has been an effective
committee. The now PoLKo BRITIsH TARIFF
emanated not from that committee, but from the
Committee of Ways and Means.
In '96 WASHINGTON repeated his views, and
THOMAS JEFFERSON followed in his footsteps by
saying that to "PROTECT THE MANUFAC-
TURES adapted to our circumstances" was one
of "TEE LANDMARKS by which we are to
guide ourselves in all our proceedings" In 1906
he repeated this doctrine, and in 1903 he specified
the process of protection: he went for 10 such
humbug as the exclusive ad valorem system Of
Polk-no such doctrine as duties for revenue mere
ly-but for PERMANENT PROTECTING
DUTIES AND PROHIBITIONS" it was in
answer to this that an old fashioned Democratic
committee of an old fashioned Democratic Con-
gress replied in these remarkable words-words
worthy, as Mr.. SLADE once well declared, to be
placed in letters of massive gold over every en-
trance 10 the halls of legislation:
".s nation effects a solid basis for Tho SUPP
f D%.vG a." .a %G"s"sf ~Rose poii
ey is 10 dran from lis mafiro sources All ar.
sicIes Offhe first HecfssffD."
GALLATIy, MADISON, Monroe and ADAMS al
followed in the footsteps Of their illusrious prede
cessors-but we will not stop to quote them Here
is enough to show that the PROTECTIVE SYS
TEN was regarded by our honored Fathers as the
main pillar of American independence. They
thought we ought to draw from our own native
all articles Of prime necessity; they though
that in order to do this, we must tax foreign pro
ducts, and, if necessary, absolutely PROHIBIT
their importation. Now just bring the principle!
of Locofocoism to this test: behold it rejecting th(
doctrine of Protection; behold it stgmatizing thu
very specific duties minimums and prohibition
which the old veterans of the Revolution adoptc
in order to stop British frauds and protect agains
British manufactures; behold it crying for REEVE
NUE. only--for money to spend upon prohigat
politicians, and abomnable wars for the extensio
of Slavery; behold it REDUCING the duty o
foreign products, and encouraging INCREASED
IMPORTATIONS OF FOREIGN GOODS t
compete with the farmers, the mechanics the mar
ufacturers and the merchants of the United States
and to impoverish the land by drawing America
gold into British pockets. Such is the contrast pre-
scented. The Wings to-day stand on the platforl
of WASHINGTON and JEFFERSON and the othe
venerable patriots of the country-on the BRIT
ISH SIDE stand Polk ard his supporters. Free
men, choose ye, on Tuesday next, which policy 20
will sustain
THE BEST JOKE,
In quoting Folks old eectioneering letters, t