Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1866-01-31
Gen, Jackson on Protection.

We reproduce entire the noted letter of General
jackson to Dr. Coleman, of North Carolina, in 1924,
advocating Protective Tariff Gen. Jackson
then a candidate for the Presidency, and was 81
years Old two years older than Napoleon Bonsparte
who had run his remarkable career, and had been
dead three years at the date of Jacksons letter.
jackson had been prisoner Of war 40 years before
the letter was written, and had entered Congress 30
years before. We thus particularize to show that
Gen jackson was of Ia,cfuE age, and that the writ
ing of the letter not youthful iediscreton.-
He was beaten because Adams was better Tariff
man.
The vital matter of Gen. JacksOns letter in his
conviction that protection wanted to pay off
National debt. If wanted for that laudable object
then how much more in demand now, with the great
War Debt upon our shoulders? We were for Jack
sons doctrine of protection then, have been for
it erey since, and we are for it 1sow Clay, Adams
and Webster were always for it, and the Democracy
therefore turned against it Federal measure
But times change, issues change, and men change
with them ...
... GEN. JACKSON TO DIR. COLEMAN.
WASHINGTON CIrY, April 26, 1924.
SIR: have had the honor this day to receive
reply to it. My name has been brought before the
nation by the people themselves without any agency
of mine; for wish tnot to be forgotten that have
| never solicited Office when called upon by the
constituted authorities have ever declined when
! conceived my services would be beneficial to my
/, country. But as my name has been brought before
the nation for the first office in the gift of the PEG
pie it is incumbent on me- when asked, frankly to
declare my opinion upon any political or national
question pending before and about which the coun-
! try feels an interest.
! You ask me my opinion on the tariff. l answer
that l am in favor of judicious examination and
revision of it, and so far the tariff before en-
braces the design of fostering, and preserving with
in ourselves the means of national defense and in
dependence particularly in state of war, would
advocate and supportit The experience of the late
war ought to teach a lesson, and one never to be
forgotten. If our liberty and republican form of
government, procured for us by our revolutionary
| fathers are worth the blood and treasure at which
they obtained, it surely is duty to protect
| and defend them. Can there be American pa
triot who saw the prvations, dangers and Difficult
ties experienced for the want of proper means OF
defense during the last who would be willing
again to hazard the safety of our country if en-
broiled or rest it for defense the precarious
of national resources to be derived from commerce,
| in a state of with maritime power which
might destroy that commerce to prevent obtain
ing the means of defense and thereby subduing US?
! l hope there is not; and if there is l am sure he
does not deserve to enjoy the blessing of freedom
Heaven smiled upon and gave us liberty and in
! dependence. That same providence has blessed US
| with the means of national independence and ma
tiona defense. If omit refuse to the gifts
/ which He has extended to us; we deserve not the
continuation of His blessings. He has filed our
mountains and our plains with minerals-Wth lead
iron and copper-and given a climate and soil for
the growing of hemp and wool. These being the
grand materials of our national defense they ought
to have extended to them adequate and fair protec
ton, that our own manufactures and laborers NAV
be placed on a fair competition with those of Eu-
! rope and that we may have within our own coun-
try supply of those leading and important articles
so essential to war Beyond this look at the tariff
with an eye to the proper distribution of labor and
revenue, and with view to discharge our national
debt. lam one of those who do not believe that 9
national debt is a national blessing, but rather 6
curse to q republic inasmuch as it calculated te
raise around the administration moneyed aristoo-
racy dangerous to the liberties of the country.
This tariff mean a judicious one-possGsse'
more fancfful than real dangers will ask what Ii
the real situation of the agrculturst? where kas
the American farmer market for his surplus Pre-
DUCTS Except for cotton he has neither foregr
nor home market. Does not this clearly prove
when there is no market, either at home or abroad
that there is too mach labor employed in agriculture
and that the channels of labor should be multiplied
Common sense points cut at once the remedy. Draw
from agriculture the superabundant labor, eSa9loy
1t In B1echa8lsm ana
home market for your breaastaHs and dStrl s2Rfss
labor to a most profitable account, and benA4*s. Il
the country will result. Take from agriculture il
the United States 100000 neR woIhen, and chill
dren, and y.u at once give konae market sO< naorS
brsadaufss than all Europe now furnishes ss. IL
short SIR we have haeo too long subject 10 ths pol
icy of the British merchants. 1t is time We s@ouh
become lietle Aore Anaeriednized, and, instead q
feeding the paupers and hborers of Eapope feed ea
OWE, else in short tiBae, by continuing eur pwes
ent policy, we shah all be paWpers ourselves.
1t Is, therefore nay opinion that sarssul tariff i
much wanted to pay national debt and afford u
the meaas of that defense withn ourselves on w1ct
g the safety and liberty Of our country depends aAS
last though net lea. give proper distsibgsioa t.
our labor, which must prove keneficial 70 the kap
piaess, Independence and weakh'of the community
> This is short outline of nay opinions generally
on tie subject of your inquiry, and belieyg then
correct and calculated to further the prespery aqt
harpiness Of my country declare e ysa MssssSsss