The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-02-20

lfnot the saddest, certainly the most Notifying
spectacle with which, as people, we have been
Inundated during the past three months is the
exhibition of himself which is now being made
by the PRESIDENT elect. Disown him as we may,
as the representative of our opinions he is still
the choice of a majority of tho States Of the Con-
federacy, and the people of the UNITED STATES are
responsible for his election as their CHIEF MAGIs.
TRATE. When we reflect that the speeches
which he is now making, crude in senti-
ment and utterance, and extraordinary in
the amount of ignorance which they dis
play, will shortly be reproduced in the public
journals of Europe we feel that they cannot fail
to excite such an universal expression of de-
rision as may well cause every American cit
izen to bow his head in mingled sorrow and
shame. For Mr.. LINCOLN to intimate that
he is nobody, argues e knowledge of
himself which very few who have read his
speeches will be inclined to dispute; and when
he also gives to understand that he was elected as
nobody, we are perfectly willing to leave that point
to be decided between him and the section that
voted for him. But when in the midst of a terri
BILE political CONFUSION, and the almost total ruin
OF our industrial interests he pleasantly informs us
that "the crisis is altogether an artificial one
that there is nobody hurt" ''nobody suffering"
that the country is not in danger and that nobody is
called upon to save it, what wonder is it that the
merchants who see ruin staring them in the face
ana the mechanics and workingmen whose
families are furnishing for want of the com
monest necessities OF life should characterize such
EXPRESSIONS wicked 70 i
posed to be more charitable We simply regard
them as evincing the total inability of Mr.. LIN
COLIN to comprehend the great questions
at issue and with which he will shortly
have to deal. This view is sustained by
his speech at Pittsburg on the Tariff; in speak
ing of which lie shows an ignorance so gross that
school-boys might laugh at him. 1t might rea-
sonably be supposed that every one who takes an
interest in questions of political economy as APP
picable to this country, or who mingles at all in
public life, must necessarily form some idea of
the leading questions which have for years constu-
ted the distinctive landmarks of parties Chief
among them is this question of Tariff, which was
the very basis of the American system nearly fifty
years ago; was, at later day, one of the
most important of the doctrines advocated by the
Wings, and has recently been incorporated
into the Republican platform. Without entering
infinitely into the merits of the question: it is suf-
hcient to say that the principles that have al
ways been commended for by the advocates of a
Tariff, are-to provide revenue for the support
of the government in an indirect manner
winch, while more easily collected, would be less
GENEROUSLY felt by the people than direct taxation;
to give support and encouragement to the indus
trial Interests of the country; to render the nation
as far as possible, independent in its own re-
sources to secure remunerative prices 10 labor
and, eventually, by the judicous development of
nome wealth, to enable our artisans and manufac-
turers to compete with those of other nations in
foreign markets. Familiar as these plain prnci-
pies are to every thinking man, Mr.. LINCOLN evil
IDENTIFY has not yet even begun to master them
He, indeed, ad mits that he does not know much
about the matter; but Immediately afterwards
undertakes to show that he understands very tho
roughly how tariff operates. The consequence
is, that his gross ignorance becomes at once most
painfully apparent. He speaks of English bar
iron being shipped from Manchester to Pittsburg
Manchester being the very centre of the Eng
lish trade in cotton fabrics, and in no
wise concerned in the man ufacture or sale
OF bar-iron. He condescends to inform us
that if we had no iron here we should
encourage the shipment of it from abroad: which
is SO true that our only marvel is that it should
have been the custom of all nations from time i'm
memorial to act upon the suggestion without be-
ing conscious of the wisdom of what they wer
doing. His notion of protective tariff is that i
is the meal tub of the family; which is certainly
homely and, 1t may be, pertinent illustration
though it sadly needs explanatory notes; unles
indeed we treat 1t as derived from the we'll known
tahle Of Rsop, and suppose a ''catin the meal tub
70 be understood. He proceeds, however, to ex
plain II In such way that 1t is perfectly
eylaent ne was right in saying be does not "unde
staho 'ne subject In all its mutiform bearings -
de would have been far nearer to the trutb i'll
had admitted at once his entire ignorance. HI,
opinion on the tariff on level with his opinior
on the national crisis, and perhaps, after all II :;
unreasonable in us to expect any knowledce -
political economy from man who sees in the die
ruphon of the UNION nothing but the wort
OF few political demagogues, and who is happ,
In the "consoling circumstance, that our trouble
are all Imaginary" and the Southern Confeder
acy 'ausrsly difference Of OPINION T