Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-02-18

President : recommendation IN this matter, an,
the great mass of the Virginia Democracy TN
dorse the disapproval. Before the Opposition
war-making power had become Democratic
thunder. But the Opposition platform goes or
to exhibit an instance Of historical ignorance
almost as glarlng az the example of ConStitu
tional ignorance which We have just exposed
1t is not true that these recommendations o.
the President" ARE the most astounding thai
have been ever submitted TO the consideration
Of the American people"
Recommendation Of eractly the same Mten
seere .tally endorsed and aeqnieseed ~ 6y III.
old Whig party, t'eenty gears ago.
On the 2nd March, 1889, bill was brought
forward, in the House of Representatives
placing the army and navy Of the Unite,
States at the disposal of President Van Buren,
to be employed, at his discretion during tht
recess Of Congress, in open hostilities will
Great Britain; and appropriating $lO,O0O,0Ol
to be placed at the disposal Of the President
for the purpose "f executing the provisions o
the act
The bill passed the IIouse-"aly SIR me-,
roting agaist its incl paxsagt. Among ,hc>,
six negative votes was that Of the present Go
vernon of Virginia
On the same day the bill passed the Scna,,
and became law eihom single Ja~,atia.
rot..
Mr. Thomas II. Benton. although lie vote,
for the bill, afterwards denounced it, and ex
pressed the opinion that the six members o
the House who opposed its passage, deserved
each an enduring monument Of grateful com
inemoration.
Decidedly, the leaders Of the newly organi
zed Opposition. have become very rusty du
ring their long seclusion from public life.
No. ?, second clause. Excellent Democratic
doctrine Of the purest stamp.
No s. \ palpablc dodge. An attempt tC
depfeciate the doctrine of free trade" by cou
pling it with the chimera Of direct taxation.
thing almost if not entirely, as inconsistent
with free trade. as are specific duties them
selves Another dodge. The prctencc thai
specific duties are desired only for the pur
pose of "meiirataF' advantages to peculiar
intcrests-when every child may know thai
the whole end and object Of specific duties is
nothing more nor less than to establish, in al
its bold iniquity, the rrotcctionSt system. pure
and simple.
1t is evident, that on this point. the 0pposi
tion have merely transferred to their platform
a very Objectionable paragraph contained in the
Presidents message. nopen denial Of the sen
timcnt Of both documents We make bold tC
put forward the following embodiment Of true
Democratic doctrine.
That we are opposed to the doctrines o
Specific duties and direct taxation, main
tanning that revenue sufficient for an economi
cal administration Of the Government ought tc
be raised by all ralorem duties on foreign i'm
portations; that these duties ought to be adjust
| ed in such manner rs will secure the lowest
rates Of taxation sufficient to supply the neces
sites Of government; that this can only be et
fected by graduation Of duties, in such man
ner that very low duties shall be placed on ar
ticlcs which would otherwise be prohibited
from our ports, and that the higher rates O
duties shall be placed where higher rates will
not become prohibitory; that this is the only
practicable means by which to secure free
trade in every species of importatons ant
that this system is, Of itself, sufficient to afford
to American industry those incidental advanta
ges which it never can acquire or maintain
under system of specific duties.
There's the Democratic doctrine, gentlemen
of the Opposition; meet it fairly and squarely
and don't keep dodging and shirkins on your
prctcnses about 'tlrect taxation and most
transcendental ineidentalism.
! No. 4. Ohio. That same old federalist her
esy Of Dls1MBr1roS Hammer away, there
gentlemen You are only kicking against the
pricks. So far as this matter is concerned, We
have standing monument before US, Of the
sovereignty. the dignity, the integrity Of 'ir
! rinia, which alone will suffice to Illustrate all
your efforts.
! No j. ABoLrrIoNIsx AvowED. Mark the
words "7Aat IN re.peet to the territories, "'
/ ndheye 10 the PRINCIPLES cf' the Compromise
measures Of 1850" Now there were but two
principles" set forth by this compromise, Sc
far as the territories are concerned, and mos
malignant principles they are. The one was
acted out in the case Of CALIFORNIA; precc
dent covering the other was set up i'll the cast
,f the District of Columbia. The one princi
,,Lc was this: 1t is not only the right. but th'
luty Of Congress. to force new State into th'
Union, BY resort to military dictatlon' for TIN
sole PURPOSE Of preventing the introduction
negro slavery into such new state. The "the'
Dr;;oc;Dle is no better: It's not only the right
but the duty of Congress, to abolish the pnF
chase and, sale of slaves. in territory '"'"'""'
to all the States. and subject t" '"ngr"->'"na
legislation.
We accept the issue. gentlemen oi the op
position. We utterly den"ucce your ana
ltion prihcip'rs
And then comes the only poor little plaii'
allowed to the Know -Nothings. New STATE
are to be restrained from toleratins "alie
suffrage" Where is the constitutions
right to he found. by which Congress can III
dertake to dictate to any sovereign State OF
or new, who shall, OF who shall not vote within
her limits: The new sister State OF orego
smiles disdainfully at the prctence. in the tu
.o,. or bor aovcreion uriyileee This ilttl