Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-02-15

Gan make, Tor they have never boen united II
favor of purely revenue tariff. No protec
tive bin ever passed without southern support
and that of 1912, which had majority Of bu
one vote in each House, received thirteen south
efn votes 10 the House and five in the Senate
The tariff policy was inauguratod under Wash
ington, and has continued with various modi6
cations up TO the present time; and j! is a re-
markable, and for the authors of the address a
humiliating fact, that the present tariff law was
voted for by The whole South Carolina delega-
tIon in Congress, of whom one is known to have
declared himself opposed to all tariffs, revenue
or protective, aud in favor of direct taxation.
Furthermore, for the last fourteen years, the
changes in our tariff system have been from one
reduction to another, and complaint is less JUS
tilted on this point now than at any former
period. Besides, it is not true that northern
interests have teen solely protected by our
tariffs, for in all, the southern interests Of sugar.
tobacco, and hemp, to say nothing of the iron
interest of the South, have been largely pro-
teeted. Thus this petulant complaint disap-
pears being, if an offence, not exclusively a
Rorthern one; if q benefit to any interests, not
exclusively to nothern
Eourth-It is complained that the taxes col
leeted among them are t.ut expended among
them. have no means of knowing what amount
Of money has been expended by Government
for various purposes in the Southern States; but
do not recall single instance in which aid
was refused TO an important work because loca-
ted in southern State. As to the forti6ca-
tions erected by Government, most of which
arc DOW in the possession of seeding States, a
report made few years ago showed that Sl3,-
366,000 had been expended upon them, aud it
Is known that these works we're completed aud
strengthened, others commenced; aud that in
the last three yeaEs large sums have been spent
upon public buildings in Charleston, NcR Or
leans, and other southern cities. As to the
other phases of this petty complaint, commend
attention to the subjoined extract from a
speech made in the convention of South Caro-.
lima:
"When We complain 10 the aggregate, or IN
general terms when We say that the grievances
of South Carolina arc found in the fact that
the Treasury has been depleted By Illegal
means, and IN undue proportion administered
to the North, question whether we are gpise
safe 10 alleging that as grievance of South
Carolina, without qualification. There has
been an unfaithful execution of the Constitu-
ton on the part of Its own general agent in
that respect. But let US not forgot to confess
tho truth under any and all circumstances
What have We ourselves been doingl And 10
the city of Charleston, too, where have you
brought your supplies, and with whom dc you
trade2 Where has the great surplus of your
money been necessarily spent2 Where has it
gono to2 Has it not gono to these people who
have received the Federal money! Govern
mont and individuals have sought the same
market. Whyi Because nobody else could
furnish the articles each wanted. Can you say,
therefore, that the Federal Government is to
be blamed for spending q large amount of
money in the non-slaveholding Statesl Where
was the Federal Government obliged to get its
necessary support for the Army and Navy?-
Where could the Federal Government fill up
tho ranks of its Army and Navyl Will you
not allow the Government to buy Of its own
citizens, as We have all donea If By the cum
ming of these men in tho non-slaveholding
States they have been able to present TO the
Government inducements to obtain their sup
plies, can We complains Where else could
they have been procurcd1 so far, the Govern
ment has been obliged to spend its money
among the people of the North and Northwest
for bacon, lard, and all the supplies OF the
Army and Navy. submit these views for
the purpose of drawing the attention of the
convention to the fact that We may 90 TOO far
in this document, and use assertions too
streng."
Their last grievance has reference to the
slave question. While complaining of the con-
gressional prohibition of slavery from the Ter
ritories-a policy inaugurated by the consent
of Virginia aud other slaveholding States, at
the beginning of the Government, and now only
contemplated to limited extent by any party
tho address charges that the purpose of the
Republican party is, the interference With sla.
very in the slaveholding States; a complaint.
also prospective, but made IN spite of the dis
tinet and emphatic declaration to the contrary,
in the Chicago platform, and by Republicans
everywhere. Indeed, it is safe to say, tha, the
Republican members of Congress viii conseLt.
With substantial unanimity to initiate proceed
ings by which such prohibition shall be insert
ed 10 the Constitution, should it appear that
this complaint is sincerely, and not hypoeriti-
cally made. The declaration of independence
of South Carolina touches this subject in detail,
alleging:
First-That the laws of the General Gov
ernment fail to make effective and valuable
the fugitive clause Of the Constitution.
Second That fifteen States have enacted
laws which either nullify the laws of Congress
or prevent their execution.
Thrd--That Mr. Lincoln has been chosen
President
Fourth-That certain States have elevated
to citizenship certain persons who, by the SUI
preme Law of the land, are incapable of be-
coming citizens.1
Fifth-That after the 4th of March next
the equal rights of tho States will be lost, and
the slayeLolding States will no longer have tho
power of self preservation.
To all these it is easily answered:
l0 not single case has the Fugitive slave