Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-07-06
TRUMAN SMITH.
Washington, June goth, 1913.
LETTER FROM HON. JOHN
DAVIS.
WASHINGTON. June %. II

WASHINGTON, June %, 1S4S.
GENTLEMEN Your favor came to me
yesterday; but my duties in the Senate
we're such, that could not reply until to-
day. should be grateful to comply with
your request to be present at the Ratifca-
tion meeting of tomorrow, but it is out of the
question. You will pardon me, neverthe-
less, in expressing my great satisfaction to
observe that the people of Worcester-that
good old Wing town-are not inattentive
to passing events. The crisis is undeniably
eventful, the dangers besetting our path i'm
minent, the prayers of the virtuous and the
cntreaties of the suffering are raised from
all quarters, urging every patriot to make a
serious, an earnest effort to rescue the lib
critics of the people from the perils which
threaten them. Let us look at our posture,
and see what is demanded of us.
| In 1916, when the present administration
entered upon its duties, the republic was in
state of peace with all the world, and the
people enjoying degree of prosperity and
happiness almost unparalleled. What a
change has come over US in this briefsp
of time-brought on either wholly or chief
| ly by the overshadowing influence of the
one man power 1t is a sad but fearful il
lustration ofthe great Affections which may
be brought upon the country by the abuse
of that power, even in feeble hands. The
President has, by his own will and against
the express provisions of the Constitution,
plunged the Union in war with neigh
boring republic by which multitudes of our
citizens have persisted; our revenues, need
ed for domestic purposes, have been wasted,
and great public debt has been created,
to absorb our future resources.
While the Constitution has been thus
wrested for abuse of power, and the reven-
ues have been squandered to acquire terri
tory by conquest, laws made for the benefit
of the people, by large majorities of Con-
gress, have been defeated by perverse use
of the veto, and the people have been denied
the right TO spend dollar of their own
money to repair their highways for trade
and commerce.
Under the revenue law of 1912, 1.-THE black
tariff, as the enemies of American industry
are pleased to call it) our finances become
prosperous-our sunken credit was restored
our business revived, and the hammer and
the shuttle were again heard in unison with
the cheerful songs of the laborer-and light
hearts, with strong arms, gave unexampled
prosperity to our industrial pursuits.
In the judgment of the present admins
traton, policy which produced these ben
Efficient results was inexpedient, and war
for the conquest of territory-and laws
which would encourage foreign labor, while
they bankrupted our own, were more de-
sirabe and better suited to the taste of the
democracy. The law of ls42 was there
fore repealed-and war, sub-treasury and
lree-trade were substituted Thus the labo-
rer has been left to struggle against not only
foreign competition, but tide oil opposi-
ton from his own Government.
In this state of things the Presidential
election returns to us; and shall we now,
by great and united rally, rescue the coun-
try from its perils, and restore the days of
prosperity?
The Democrats have placed before the
people Mr. Cass, who is the avowed expo
nent and who has been the chief advocate
of the present system. His opinions prove
but too clearly that if elected, we have moth
ing to anticipate but an aggravated state OF
the present policy.
The Wing Convention, after fair con-