Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-09-25
PoTTsvILLE, Sept 9th, 1858.
WM. HowER, DENNIS Brennan, FELIX MAu
RER, AND OTHERS.

NA' hoWER, DENSls brennan, tELlX hAU
RER, AND OTHERS :.
Gentlemen " our letter of the lst inst,
informing ME Of my nomination as the Demo.
cratic candidate for Congress of the llth
congressional district, is received. You ask
me to answer the following questions:
lst. Ii elected to Congress, what position
will you assume upon the tariff question?
ln answer to this question may say, that
| VII! oppose any system that tends to favor
the idea OF resortlng to direct taxation, to
pay the expenses Of the general government !;
that | will on oil occasions advocate Ii spe.
cihe rate OF duty upon ell articles coming in
competition with our own doEestic msnufsc-
tures, believing that uniformity of revenue
WILL be promoted and encouragement be given
TO diversity of employment Of labor which
diversity Of employment tends TO increase the
wages OF labor and give stability to all bran.
cEes Of Industry. Whenever high rate of
duty will result in enabling any branch Of
business to sustain itEelf so as 10 successfully
compete IN the markets of the world, | will
advocate such rate. For this reason would
II possible, give to the workers in iron and
coal the control OF the markets Of the conn
try. lnasmuch as labor is the source OF all
wealth, national and individual, it is the duty
prominent among the first duties Of govern
meut TO protect as far as possible the labor
OF the people.
70. ln arranging the revenue laws, do you
hold II to be proper, or possible, to prevent
the vast expectation Of specie from the Uni.
ted States?
There is no doubt that under proper sys-
TEN OF trade our exports, exclusive of specie,
would exceed our imports, and that such a
system might be fostered by stimulating
some branches Of production aud manuGac-
ture. l have no doubt but that iron, coal,
cotton goods, and many other products could
after lew years Of protection, be proGtably
! exported IN much larger quantities than they
are now, and that the whole country woUlG
be benelited by such result The resour.
ces aud position Of this Commonwealth make
1t peculiarly the duty Of our representatives
IN Congress to watch with Jealous eyes every
movement calculated to uilect iniuriousy
those interests.
In addition to my views in relation to the
tarlh and the protection of labor, it is propel
for me TO state that | subscribe, in lbs
broadest sense, to the doctrine of popular
sovereignty. fayoriag territorial expansion
and leaving tho people Of the territories free
to settle lor themselves the question Of theil
domestic Institutions; that it is aud mus
always continue to be the predominant prin
cipe of the Union, irrespective Of section
The principle is indestructible, and a vita
necessity to the preservation Of the Union
There is no practical limit to the strength o
the coutederacy SO long as the centralizatio,
Of power in the general government is avoid
ed. The true rule, therefore. is certainly t,
encourage each local community to gove.l
itself, aud never TO interfere in any way ex
cppt when the interest Of the people them
selves, and Of the whole Union, imperatiye
demand such interference.
The circular signed Edward OConnor,
and distributed through hout this congressiona
district, is untrue, so far as its application t
ms is concerned aud | cannot but believ
that the authors of this piece of politics
scandal know il to DO untrue.
Very respectfully
3 Your ob't servant.
j. w. CAKE.