Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1848-12-01

II We give place with the more checrlulncss to
the letter of our friend, Van Amrngc, as its sen.i
ncnts very fully correspond with our own. The
def CTS of the Buffalo platform manifest to us
from the start. but it had the merit of offering us
very fair insament of truth, when both the othe!
arties proffcred us nothing but black. unmitiga-
ted lie. We are willing to fight with practical
party as long ii will keep Its face towards truth
and give evidence of life and progress but when 1t
turns its back upon truth. and all the evidence o.
progress it gives, in the wrong direction we must
look elsewhere for oar associations, which led as to
the position we occupied in the late contest We
say we recognised the defects of the Buffalo plat
form from the start they were defects III our OPT
nion,-they may not have been in the opinion OF
the great mass of those who sustained it, and pro-
baby those who planned it, believed they were lift
ing it up to the highest practical pefIT But If any
motives ofpolIcy existed TO make that platform what
it was, they have passed away with the contest and
we are all at liberty to strike fer deeper truth
party to be permanent, must have its foundation
deep upon the very rock of truth. We have built
enough upon the quicksands of crror-wc have tot
led, and struggled, aud sweat, and conquered, and
the fruits of orr victory have been but bitter ashes
The evils we sought to extcrminate have been
STRENGTHENING: the great mass of the people whom
we d, sired and designed to benefit, have been sink
M to lower depths, and the few more fully con-
ccntrutng the wealth and power of the country.
We have built fabrics the quicksands OF error
and they have toppIed upon our own heads. We
must strike deeper for our foundation. even to the
very rock of truth. Where is this basis To us
it is clearly in the measHrc of land reform. We
must BERN there if we would secure any lasting be-
ncfts by our abors; to labor honestly elsewhere is
to lose oar toll. For talk as we may of other mca-
surcs of reform. and labor we may Ia bring them
about whilst there is no restriction to capitals pos
s,ssrg itself of the soil, labor and the l3borcr must
be ,nsaved and degraded. Wchavc 70 disposition
to dccrv the Importance Of the non slavery extern
sion principle for which we contcndcd in the cam
pagn just past it was and is lmportant so far as it
goes but important only a step to something
further We firmly believe, that if the policy of
our government is never changed with reference to
the disposition and ownership of the public lands
that the exclusion Of negro slavery from this north
west territory matter of no practical moment,
for under the existing order of things the eventual
accumulation Of the land in q few hands is mcyta.
bic. Such being the case, what accomplished
by the exclusion of cbattc slavery. when we have
ourselves become slaves. We say. il was OF no I'M
portancc if the policy Of orr government is never to
change. But it is Of vast Importance in view of
its direct bearing to produce that change, for before
land monopoly can be securely fastened on US, and
before lis evils are felt in their crushing force the
millions who have found homes on this free soil.
through the instrumcntalsy of those homes, will
have attained moral and intellectual cmncnce
and power. which will crush and eradicate this evil
comparatively in its outset. The non cxtension of
chattcl slavery was of Importance in this view, and
it maintains its importance with reference to new
territories, but it is important only a means and
not as an end of effort. If after have dcbarrcd
chate slavery from the soil. we fail to recognize
and establish the natural right of all men to linn
tied, sufficient quantities of it, what have donc'
Simply showed aside one kind of slavery to make
way for another equally bad. Wemnst arouse then
for the whole work. We know that all Zachary
Taylor andh. administration can do to extend chat
tel slavery to our new territories will be done. bat
We feel that with reasonable degree of vigilance
the part of those opposed to it, it can never be
accomplished. We look upon that battle won ::
but whilst it may NOT be policy to lay down orr arms
with reference to that measure the time has arri
we'd when we may take thus additional and essen
tial scpin the free soil principle. There is no qucs
ton but this part of the Buffalo platform, must have
its foundation little deeper We must recognize
the inherent, God given right Of every man to the
soil. and then labor to rescue that night from the
hands of usurpers and secure it to every man. Then
we have laid the foundation for attaining what
alone is the obebt of action-FREEDOM FOR
THE PEOPLE.
The tariff feature ofthc Buffalo platform was al
WAYS very objectionable to us. We could perceive
ne Their the wisdom or policy of it. If a tariff is
good to raise q revenue to pay of public debt we
do not understand why ii is not equally good for
binary rcvcuvc purposes and should be maintained.
Governments are necessary, and can DC sustained
only at an expense, but there is but ono mode in
which that expense can IL, Justly raised, and that is
by taxing each man in proportion TO the interest he
has in thar government. \ government is not diff
C,rcut from any other association tor mutual benefit
and Il is plain proposition, that each individual
should pay in proportion rs he has interests to he
protected 10y that association. But what Is the case
BY means of tariff. il it be protective, the man of
wealth and extensive interests is not only relieved
from taxation, but receives portion Of the tax
imposed on others. Or if it be not protective, then
hc tax is proportion TO the necessities of food and
c'othng either OF which modes is rnaniC,>ty unjust
ryrrAuy has been driven from direct means to ac-
compish lis ends, to indirect The tariff is trick
Of tyrants t. plumber the masses. and it is one of
he great engines of Tyranny in modern DAYS. 1t is
The business of democracy to correct this eyil-be
time is propitiouS. Let us then have a rcmodclnr
IF the Buffalo platform in this particular and nscrbe
N our banner FREE TRADE.
With these principles we should rest as party
on basis oftruh, and although success for our men
may not Immediately crown our efforts, we shall
ot >trurgl, in vain, butwhcn success does come, Is
ooncr or later il must, We shall have accomplished
permanent work-ShaIl have laid an nnmutabIe
foundation. on which the structure of personal and
taNoual freedom can be securely reared.