Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-01-01
FoR THE ENQUIRER.

| 10 receive the salary attached 10 IL Du' '"e
., The President in 1871, and The succession VI
,be Vice P:esiden, to that elevated s'a''oi' eo"
nec,ed with the acts and responsibilities OIL MS au
,n;nis,ra,ion of the Executive Department. nave
anneared 10 force upon the minds oil The peoP'e
The proprieiy of selecting no man Tor the secono
Office within their gin in whom 'ney mauu I hu
confd. heir highest and dearest Interests, ~
nlsc;oo him in The FIRST; and they have prachca'.
~ carried GU, this principle, in The iulI force ~
heir sovereign power, by awaiting themselves .,
he 6,st opporunily, succeeding that prelehueu
democratic administration, which terminated 10
March l845, by placing in tina, elevated sla'ion
ono nj tho most firm and independent statesmen
NJ tho countty. His acts sufficiently prove inns
fact without leaving any thing oePenGen! upon
enoeisric efforts. Those acts have e1nlo'lcu %
strong a degree OF moral courage as u aIuse
patriotism, involving sacrihccs Oh l,eison n ,,.'
inc Ia The will of The American people. Inc Po-
LOU nj an individuals giving an attentive ear 10
,bc wishes and instructions OF The people, Whiie
candidate for their sufrrages, and disregarcinS
those instructions, when they have bestowed con
6dence and power upon him, would ne'Iay ah ~
consistency if not duplicily, that would ue uh-
wor,bv he character OF an American statesman.
Such no,icy does not accord with Inc lhne1,oie
devotion 10 duty OF the present incumbent VI 'nal
high office. ,.oo - no,
Distinguished, in an eminent degree as mar
public funcionary is, in all The rehnemen'S OF
6ourresv and Difference OF demeanor towards ms
E,low.c;,izens of all parties and persuasions, yet
Il we're as difficult 10 induce him TO sweTve from
HI. ,rnst as il would have been 10 drive Arisldes
from his honesty.
George M. Dallas accepted Of this high and re-
sponsible trust under an injunction from The ma
ioriy OF the American people, regarding certain
high and paramount considerations OF Stale poll
CIV among which was tina. relating TO modIhca-
lion of The tariff Mr.. Dallas's position upon The
subject generally, as judicious friend OF AmeIl'
ga n industry. was too well known 10 be misun-
ders,ood, as may be established by reference 10
the journal of the Senate OF The United States o.
the session OF 1912, where he was found sup
porting The great American interests embraced IN
the Tariff &C, of 1882. A period Of fourteen
years had elapsed, and many changes had taken
place in the relations of trade and Commerce,
and Mr.. Dallas, 10 common with many other
OF the warmesl friends of our American Interests,
seeing pervading feeling of hostility 10 what
was considered exorbiiant exactions IN favor u
particular branches ofinterest, and experimenting
The bIishling influence OF a growing excitement,
against what was considered monopoies, al the
expense Of other equally important interests,
ueld,ng at discretion 10 public opinion believing,
with The frmes friends ofdcmesic manufactures,
that system which, from its moderation. would
secure uniformity and permanence, although al
lording but moderate profits TO manufactures,
would in the long run establish them upon
more solid basis, resting as they would do, upon
The moderate expectations OF The manufacturers
themselves, and the general appreciation Of The
people of all paris OF the country. tie was The
more confirmed in The safety OF this course, from
review OF The state Of American trade abroad,
seeing that our manufactures Of particular de
scrip'ions on an equal footing, were successful
~ competing with, and supplanting those OF OH
er countries This view OF the subject concerns
The abstract question OF protection Of particular
classes If interest al The expense OF others, anu
does not affect The question ola Tariff expressly
for revenue, where The question OF incidental pro.
lection 10 domestic interests scarcely admits oi
debate in the minds OF The people, where il can
he extended without detiiment 10 other paramount
interests.
As Senator in 1882, Mr.. Dallas faithfully and
ably supported and maintained The peculiar IN
teresls OF his native Stale, Pennsylvania, but, as
Vice President in 1916, his position was essen
TALLY different. He was then The representative
of The reople of The whole country 10 The Senate,
aaa he would have been failhess To his high
trust. had he, under The pressing emergency oftha
case abandoned his CONSCIENTIOUS duty to them,
according TO his understanding OF their expressed
will, ana supported the peculiar views oil his ma
live STATE which, as their Senator, ne had pre-
yiousiy, so firmly and ably maintained. Had he
acted as the representatives 0f Pennsylvania IN The
Senate on this occasion, he would have violated
the Constitution which declares, that the Senate
of the United States shall be composed oil iwo
Senator'S from each State" as he would, in that
case. have made The M,,d-Pennsylvania being
k,,h ftI,n tai
Senators. Ii would, also, have produced an on,
equal suffrage in the Senate, which is prohibited
by The fnh article OF the Constitution de
might certainly have voted with The Senators from
PENNSYLVANIA, without violating The Constitution,
or his own conscience, had he believed that such
was the will of his constituents, the good people Gl
the United States; but not believing lhi' TO be The
ease Mr.. Dallas could not feel himself al liberty
10 disregard the wishes OF those who had reposed
so much confidence in him, and placed so much
power in his hands. Hs would moi consider II
meriorious act 10 Iepudiate the instructions, or 10
refuse TO obey the will Of his constituents, be
lieving that The genius OF our institutions ioroade
such abandonment OF contracted obligations and
duty.
There is a conservative principle in our 60
vernment. which doubt not finds practical ad-
yoca,e in Mr.. Dallas, as il really ought TO do 10
every enlightened friend Of his country. This IS
the bona fde spirit OF compromise, upon which
the foundation Of our Government was laid. It's
tie sheet anchor-lhe sustaining principle oil our
extensive Union, and should il ever be discarded
in practice, as governing princiPte-melancho.
". indeed, will be The consequences resulting
from such dangerous inauaion.
II would REQUIRE but moderate degree OF pene-
,ralion 10 toresee what would be the inevab bic
and ouickenng tendency of an obdurale and an
compromising spirit in one section OF our extern
.iye and happy union, against the peculiar ins'i.
tntions and interests of The other sections and
hence. i, is The part Of all good and enlightened
citizens and patriot statesmen, whenever the &C.
casion may require it, TO give practical exam
pies Of their devotion 10 the cardinal repuo !.
can as well as christian virtues, OF concession and
COMPROMISE even al the expense OF personal sa-
crifce.
Deprived as MIR. Dallas was OF the privilege OF
a Senator, which won.d have enabled him 10 pro-
pose amendments, aud, perhaps, 10 have been IN,
strumenlal in 50 modifying the Iarllf acl ol io4o
as 10 have made il acceptable 10 a larger portion
of The people, he found himself confined 10 very
arrow sphere, and limited 10 The use OF The
monosylable "yea" or "nay;" he independently
pursued that course which propriely and con
science, in his judgment, demanded, and which
course, was in fact, so plain and palpable, as IL
have been confidently anticipated, even by ms
political opponents, as we'll as ty the friends OF
ihe measure in all parts of the country, aud he
shrinks no. from the responsibility Of the act, be-
lieying that he has obeyed the will of The naJo-
rily, which will expressed in accordance with the
Constitution, is the supreme aw OF The land..-
When This will ceases 10 be regarded by men in
power, then, indeed, we may have The forms and
appearances OF Republic, bat the reality will
have been lost, The servants OF The people will
have become Their masters, and The sovereign peo-
pie themselves, the real masters, will have be-
come passais and slarts.
That the American people will never submit
TO This state oi things, is a guaranty Of the con-
linuance OF our Republican form OF government,
and that they resard as their best friends, those
statesmen who have proved faithful 10 their lrus'
and oheiient TO The Constitution, is proof OF the
capacity of The people Tor sei-soveInment, and
Of the validity OF the claims OF those statesmen
for continuance Of their confidence and favor
Dscemher 0Sih iSi6 VIRGINIA.