New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-11-23
PARTIES AND PUBLIC MEASURES.

PARTIES AND PUBLIC MEASURES.
We meet almost daily the assertion, in some
form or other, that the principles of the self
styled Democracy are ultimately victorious
in every contest, and that the Country is prac
tically governed in accordance with its distinc-
tive ideas. And this assertion has been the
staple of many Pierce-and-King addresses and
harangues through the late Political contest
We propose to confront this Wanting with
series of undeniable facts.
The Independent Treasury has now been for
seven years the undisturbed and unquestioned
law OF the land and its operation is Wanted
by all its advocates as having triumphantly
indicated their championship and rewarded
their efforts. The essence Of that system is
the collection retention, transfer and dis
bursement of the public revenues in gold aud
silver. Now no man has ever deliberately
contended that any valid reason exists for the
management of the Federal revenues in this
fashion which is not equally pertinent and
cogent in favor of like policy with regard to
the State finances. Is the object OF the indie
pendent Treasury security from Bank frauds
and defalcations Surely no one need be told
that such mischances and misdemeanors are
quite as likely to occur in State as in Federal
finance, and actually do so occur to this day
Or is the object restriction of the Currency,
the limitation of Paper and security from ex-
pansions We all know that State banks
and State fnanciering operate precisely like
those of Federal origin, and yet the advocates
of the hard-money system for the Federal
Government cannot be cOaxed, nor argued,
nor shamed nor kicked into logical and con-
sistent application of their Wanted principles
TO the finances of the States. With nearly all
the State Governments now completely under
their control, there is no one State in which
Paper Money circulates which collects, re-
tains, and disburses its own revenue exclu-
sively in coin. New-Hampshire and South
Carolina, Michigan and Alabama, enforce the
Independent Treasury Oh the Federal Gov
eminent, but keep very clear Of it them
selves. Our own State backs up the Sub
Treasury at Washington, but at home bOrrOws
ofbanks, lends to banks, deposites with banks
and so mixes up her cash with that of banks
that il is hard to tell which is which; and the
very men who are so shy of putting their own
doctrines in practice, boast confidently Of the
benefcent working of the Sub-Treasury
scheme If they believe what they assert, why
are they SO fearful of putting that scheme into
full operation
So of the Tariff question. There are indi-
vidual ard local exceptions, but ifthe Democ-
racy have any common principle, il is that of
Free Trade. All their current ideas and
axoms with respect TO the nature, purpose
and legitimate sphere of Government, aver or
imply the policy Of having every man buy
where he can buy cheapest; and yet the Tariff
OF their enactment levies Duties on Imports
ranging from FIVE to one hundred per cent. and
imposing, according to the logic of the party
indirect taxes to the amount of az least
Two Hundred Millions upon the laboring popu-
latiOn Of this country, in order 70 raise an
annual revenue of Fifty Millions. They charge
us with legislating immense sums from the
pockets Of the poor into those of the rich, and
to prove il they turn States evidence and
convict themselves Of that very thing; for no
man can deny that if q duty Of Fifty per cent.
enhances the price of a product, duty of
Twenty per cent. has the same tendency And
If, as the electioneerers for Pierce aud King