Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-10-29
Gen. Leslie Combs, of kentucky.


Seldom have our citizens been more perfectly en-
tertained and instructed than they were on Tues
day and Wednesday evenings at the Court House,
by the able addresses of this talented and popular
son of Kentucky. His manner is the most inter-
esting, and his power andswit instructed and de-
lighted his audience.
He commenced by a friendly appeal TO all parties
TO discuss in the spirit of candor the men and mea-
sures now before the country. He made short
ind hasty examination into the political questions
directing the parties, and showed that the Demo-
cratic party had abandoned their own creed on the
the tariff policy for the first tine in 1916, that prior
to that the tariffs had been approved, voted for,
and advocated by the Democratic party, that they
had been signed by Democratic Presidents. Jack
son had voted for the tariff OF 1924, and had sign
CT that of 1923; that Jefferson had advocated pro-
lection in its broadcast sense and that the tariff
policy had been advocated by Americans as the
American and national policy. The tariff of 1882
was a compromise for the sake of peace and I'm
ion. That the Democrats had voted for Mr.. Polk
in Pennsylvania on the express ground that he was
better tariff man than Mr. Clay. Mr.. Clay had
voted against tariff on tea and coffee, &C., while
Mr. Polk had voted to tax them, too and, therefore
he was sounder than Mr.. Clay. He had been in
Pennsylvania during the canvass in 1874, and had
seen throughout the length and breadth of the
State, "Polk, Dallas and the Tariff of '42." Even
when the news of Clay's defeat by the vote of N
York reached Philadelphia, he had nine
tcnths of the transpareuces which illuminated the
Democratic procession which went up to cheer Mr..
Dallas, had on them "Polk, Dallas and the Tariff
of 49," What was the result? In 1916, Mr.
Polk had opened the eyes of the people of Penn
sylvania and now, where once had arisen the smoke
Of her foundries, where had been heard the clank
of her hammers, and the ring of her anvils, where
once all had been Joy. gladneSs, and prosperity,
where every valley had its forge even in her noun
tain gorges, all was silence and gloom, and the
mouldering ruins of her FORCES, and the appraised
cries of poverty stricken workmen, now out of
employment, constitute the melancholy monument
of Democratic deception in 1914. Pennsylvania
had been taught by the sad lessons of experience
and she would be caught no more by such clap
trap. She had spoken her condemnation in 1913
and she would again do so in 1852. Pierce was
the incorporating and avowed opponent of pro-
lection in every shape and he would be under
TODD. Pierce was also opposed TO the interests
of the West. He was the snag and stern wheel
and fiat boat candidate, opposing that improvement
of our rivers which was in accordance with the
advanced and advancing spirit of the age, and
would the West support such man, dramatically
opposed to our best and most vital interests.
Pierce was also opposed to Land reform, and
advocated the absorption of the proceeds of our
IIrids, in the Federal Treasury. Would our men
sanction this +? Did our people advocate this s
Scotts position was clearly defined as the advo-
cate of discriminating protection in revenue
tariff, he also advocated the improvement of rivers
and harbors, and advocated such disposition of
the Public Lands as would bring to the owners, the
whole people. such fund rs would enable them
to feel that the public lands were really useful.
and not merely nominal in the administration of
the government. These were affirmative measures,
n nd such was the Wing Platform. We were for
progress by action, while the other party had no.
thing ofpemanent good in its peryisw. They had
a Platform witch amounted to nothing, and like
Gen. Piece. was wholly negative, and proposed
nothing. sHE,t r ri.s. ,.r;te.41