The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-01

principal Wing leaders that PUBLIC DEBT IsA
PUBLIC BLESSING. Hence all the leading Wing pol
iticians opposed 10 direct taxaon and all other
measures which will lead 10 economical admin
istration Of the government, and advocate tariffs
for the purpose of making large revenue, know
ing that il is certain to lead to prodigaty in ex
penditures. MIR. FILLMORE has distinguished him
self az an advocate Of high tariff, and will doubt
less bring all the influence of his administration TO
bear in establishing one, Now. therefore, Is the
time for the friends Of free trade equal taxation,
and economical administration, and the opponents
Of government banking, to rally from every quar-.
ter and unite in opposition to the arisocrat;c ele.
ments which win be arrayed against them.'
(10lsdo Republican.
Ifany such proclamation has been made as
that stated by the Republican, it has escaped
our observation. 1t would doubtless be topic
of consolation for Wings everywhere if they
could persuade themselves that national in
debtedness is a public blessing, for the country
has now fastened upon it an amount sufficiently
large to satisfy a reasonable man. This debt is
the legacy of the preceding administration, and
the consequence of series of measures for
which it and its supporters claim all the glory,
and certainly have all the responsibility. To
defray the interest upon it, and to provide for
the redemption Of the principal, absorb reve-
nues which the Wings covet the ability to de-
vote to the completion of the unfinished river
and harbor improvements which were sus-
pended by the veto of President Polk. If any
Wing can find cause for congratulation in the
circumstance that mpedes his party in the
prosecution of its cherished policy he ought to
be written down one of the most thorough
going political optimists of which these lat
ter days have furnished any example. We
disavow the principle in the abstract, and es-
pecially its application to the present time and
the position in which the Wing party finds
itself.
"Hence, all the leading Wing politicians
are opposed to direct taxation" We should
be glad to see some scintlla of evidence that
the Opposition is in favor of direct taxation
as a measure to be adopted before that mil
lennial era, when those who arrogate the title
of Democracy shall have become Democrats in
reality. We are ready to admit that every
| now and then few Of the most sanguine of
the Opposition prophesy direct taxation, as one
of the achievements Of that happy but remote
period. They even profess that they are long
ing, in a quiet and patient way, for the time to
come when they can show how well direct
taxation would please them. But what we
want is some movement, some little effort,
however faint, to establish the SYSTEM if but
in partial way. When the entire Opposition
can get one representative in either branch of
Congress to bring in a resolution looking to the
levying of direct tax, it will be time enough
for Wings to consider whether it is best to OPP
pose it or not. Until they do, it is sheer gam
mon to be pretending that there is any practi-
cal discrimination between parties on this sub
ject.
tits special dishonesty in the party that has
SO often had the power 70 establish what reve-
nue. system it deemed proper, to endeavor to
conceal the fact that the opinions of its mem
bers compel it to tolerate the protective policy
at all times, and to claim to be its particular
friends in some ATTITUDES and emergencies, as in
the days when its banners in Pennsylvania
bore the words Polk, Dallas, and Skunk, and
the Tariff of 1912.
1t has wisely framed upon this subject, as
upon OtHcTS, a creed 81 convenient NaGueneSS
and generality, that is susceptible, and that de-
signedly, OF great diversities of Interpretation,
according to the exigencies of the professor.
"Justice and sound policy forbid the Federal
government to foster one branch of industry TO
the dctrinlent of another, or TO cherish the in
terests of one portion to the injury of another
portion of our common country" Such is the
article Of faith on this point, as promulgated by
the Baltimore Convention in 1910, and reite-
rated ut each time of its convocation ever since.
We agree to every word of it. 1t is what the
ologians call an article of peace--one that men
can subscribe TO, though entertaining the most
opposite sentiments. Ii is great deal safer to
stick to that-for no course of action can contra
dict THAN it is to be pretending anxiety
for direct taxation that bears no fruits in prac
tice, and serves only to add the stigma Of by
pocrisy to that Of duplicity.
''But," continues the Republican, "leading
Wing politicians advocate tariffs Jor the pun
pose Of making a large repenue." II there is
any thing in which the Wing party has dis
tinguished itself from its opponents, 1t is in It's
advocating protection TO American industry for
the sake of protection, as the principal, and not
the incident If there is any thing upon which
the Opposition plumes itself, it is the enact
ment of the repenue tariff Of $40 Revenue
was the object, and revenue we getting at
such a rate as never before. Mr.. CALHOUN
maintained, that in respect to every commodity
there was certain rate of duty at which the
maximum amount Of revenue might be collect
ed-one which, if reduced, would diminish the
total amount of receipts, because the charge was
too small in each individual case if increased
would also diminish it by reducing the amount of
importation. This rate, he held, was strictly
the only one which Congress could properly
impose. 1t would be saying too much to as
sert that all who went with him in hostility TO
the protective policy limited their notions of