The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-01

the message it does not expect TO stand at all
IDAxIxL wxBsrER's Letter to the Union Meeting
at JTesschester.
The Tariff and tho ..Union."
Some months since, on the occasion of pub
fishing Mr.. CAREY's letter to Mr.. WALKER,
the late Secretary Of the Treasury, inviting that
gentleman to an examination Of the question
whether the true road to perfect freedom of
trade lay through perfect protection, or through
the total abandonment Of protection, we stated
our willingness to repubIish also Mr.. WALKER's
reply should one be made, in order that our
readers might see both sides of the question and
Judge for themselves. Mr.. WALKER. how
ever, never accepted theinvitation, being unwil-
ling, probably, to make himself responsible for
any contradiction Of the facts adduced by Mr..
CAREY for the purpose of showing the great
advance in the productive power of the country
under the tariff of 1912, and the great diminu-
ton in that power than has taken place under
that of 1916. Some answer, nevertheless, was
needed, and an irresponsible person, writing
over the signature Of Pennsylvania, /" was put
forward for the purpose Of asserting that Mr..
CAREY had misstated the facts, and that every
thing was directly the reverse of what he had
represented it to be. This was not the answer
we had pledged ourselves to publish. We had
looked for responsible name, and had hoped to
see Mr.. WALKER take up Mr.. CAREY's glove.
As that. however, was not to be expected, we
some days since proposed to the Union to lay
before our readers the whole Of that long series
of articles, on the simple condition that they
would do the same by their readers in regard
to "such reply as Mr.. CAREY might see fit to
make to it," The result they have seen. Our
proposition was declined.
The position now occupied by the Union in
relation to this important question is, we think,
worthy the attention of our readers. Its editors
have published, as they seem to think, a powerful
argumentin favor of the tariff of lS46, calculated
to confirm its friends and convert its enemies, and
this powerful argument we have offered to lay
before the great body of the WnIc party, on the
simple condition that they will permit their
readers to see the opposite side of the question !;
but they refuse to do this, on the ground that
they cannot accord to Mr.. CAREY's views "the
dignity Of an argument" Now this, as it seems
to us, is the very reason why they should un-
hesitatingly have accepted our proposition. If
Mr.. CAREY's arguments are weak, how i'm
portant would it not be to expose that weak
ness by reprinting and commenting upon them.
If their own arguments be really strong, how
important would it not be to have them
reprinted in paper, read by the Wines Of
every State In the Union. Challenged to this,
however. they fly the field, thus proving their
belief that knowledge Of the real facts of the
case would be more likely to result in the loss.
Of friends than in gain from the ranks of their
opponents.
In all this there is not, however, much that
should surprise us. With all the journals that
advocate the maintenance of British control over
the trade and manufactures Of the world, it ap-
pears 10 be standing rule never to permit
their readers to see more than one side Of the
question; and in this they certainly are wise;
for, If the whole people could see and read both
sides, there would be a speedy end to Locofo-
coisns. We had, however, we must confess,
hoped better things of the Union. For weeks
past the columns Of that paper have been occu-
pied with articles, addressed by an irresponsi-
BILE person to one who is known to be response
BILE, in which the latter is charged with sys-
tematic attempt TO deceive his fellow citizens;
and when it is proposed that his reply shall be
laid before the same persons who have read the
attack upon him, the proposition is rejected.
This may be chivalrous, but to us it seems more
like the fashion Of Italy, where it is deemed
safer to stab an adversary in the back than to
meet him boldly face to face.
Ii is not, as we conceive, difficult to divine
the cause Of this course Of conduct We have
looked through the facts and figures Of 'sPenn-
sylvania," and the result has been to satisfy US
Of the wisdom OF the refusal of our neighbors
to permit an examination of them. We have
rarely seen misrepresentation carried so far as
is there done. Were any merchant to lay be-
fore his creditors statement Of his business
similar to that which pennsylvania" has
made of the affairs of the country at large, the
would be that he was either deranged, and
therefore unfit to manage his business, or dis
honest, and determined SO to manage it as to
defr.ud them Of their dues--in short, that he
was . fit candidate for a lunaiic asylum a
penitentiary In which category "Pennsylva-
niao would find himself placed we do not I'M
dertake to say, being totally at loss, after a
careful perusal Of his papers, to determine
whether he is one Of The deceivers or Of the de
ceived, though rather inclined to place him