M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1861-02-21


uent by duties upon imports, sound
policy requires such an adjustment Of
the industrial interests Of the whole
country, and we commend that policy
OF national exchanges which secure
tU the wOrking.men liberal wages; to
agricuIturalists renumsrating prices;
to mechanics and manufacturers an
adequate reward Tor their skill, labor
and enterprise, and to the nation COM
mercial prosperity and independence. y
Mr.. Lincoln continued:
Now, fellow citizens, must confess
that there are shades of difference in
constituting even this platform; but
am not now intending to discuss these
differences, but merely to give you
soms general idea upon the subject.
haye thought that ifthere be any
article Of necessity which can be pro
duced at home. with as little or nearly
the same la per as abroad, 1t would bt
better to protect Aat article.
Labor is the htS Standard Of value
If a bar Of iron got Odt Of the mines o.
England, and a bar Of iron taken from
the mines Of Psnnsylvania, be pro.
duced at tho same cost, it follows thai
if the English bar be shipped from
Manchester to Pittsburg, and the
American bar from Pittsburg to Man.
chester, the cost of carriage is appro
ciably lost. If we had no iron here
then wa should encourage its ship.
ment from foreign countries, but moi
when we can make it as cbeaply in
our own. This brings us back to our
first proposition: that if any article
can be produced at home with nearly
the same cost as abroad, the carriage
is lost labor.
The treasury of the nation is in such
a low condition at present, that this
subject now demands the attention oil
Congress; and will demand the imme.
diate consideration ofthe new Admin
istration.
The Tariff Bill now before Congress
may or may not pass at the present
session. confess do not understand
the precise provisions Of the bill, and
/ do not know whether it can be
passed by the present Congress or not.
It may or it may not become the
law of the land, but if it does, that will
be an end OF the matter, until modi.
fcation can bo effected, should it be
deemed necessary.
If it does not pass, and the latest
advices | have are to the effect that il
is still pending, the next Congress will
have to give it their earliest attention.
According to my political education,
| am inclined to believe that the peo-
pie in various sections Of the country
should have their own views carried
out through their representatives in
Congress, and if the consideration Of
the Tariff Bill should be postponed
until the next session of the National
Legislature, no subject should engage
your representatives more closely than
that Of tariff.
And if | have any recommendation
to make it will be that every man who
is called upoa to servo that people in
a representative capacity should study
this whole subject thoroughly, as |
intended to myself, looking to all the
varied interests of our common coun.
try, so that when the time for action
arrives, adequate protection can he
extended to the ceal and iron Of Penn.
sylvania, the corn Of Illinois, and the
reaperS of Chicago.
Permit nae to express The hope that
this important subject may receive
such consideration at the hands Of
your representatives that the interests
of no part Of the country may be over
looked, but that all sections may have
in common. the benefits Of just and
equitable tariff. Applause.
But am trespassing upon your pa.
!ience, and must bring my remarks
to a close.
Thanking yOu most cordially fer the
kind reception which you have ex-
tended to me, bid you all ad:eu.