Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-02-02
THE TARIFF.
GEN. JACKSON TO DIR. COLEMAN.


SIR have had the honor this day to
receive your letter Of the 2lst inst, and
with candor shall reply to it. My name
has been brought before the nation by the
people themselves without any agency of
mine; for | wish itnot tn be forgotten that /
have never solicited Office, nor when called
called upon by the constituted authorities
have ever declined where | 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 people, it is incumbent on me, when
asked, frankly to declare my opinion upon
any political or national question pending
before and about which the country feels an
interest.
You ask me my opinion on the tariff l
answer that | am in favor of a iuaicious ex-
animation and revision of it; and so far as
the tariff before us embraces the design Of
fostering, protecting, and preserving within
ourselves the means of national defence and
Independence, particularly in a state of war,
| would advocate and support it. The ex-
pedlence OF the late war ought to teach US
a lesson, and one never to be forgotten IF
our liberty and republican form of govern
ment, procured for US by our revolutionary
fathers are worth the blood and treasure
IL
our duty to protect and defend them. Can
there be an American patriot who saw the
prlvations, dangers, and difficulties expert
enced for the want of proper means Of de
tense during the last war who would be will
ing again to hazard the safety of our coun-
try IT embrolled, or rest it for defense on
the precarious means of national resources
to be derived from commerce, in state of
war with maritime power which might de-
stroy that commerce to prevent our obtain
ing the means Of defence and thereby sub
due us? hope there is not; and if there
IS, | am sure he does not deserve to enjoy
the blessing of freedom.
Heaven smiled upon and gave us liberty
and independence. That same providence
has blessed us with the means of national
independence and national defense If we
omit or refuse to use the gifts which He has
extended to US, we deserve not the continu-
alton of His blessings. He has filed our
mountains and our plains with minerals
with lead, iron and copper-aad given us
climate and soil for the growing of hemp and
wool. These being the grand materials of
our national defense, they onght to have ex-
tended to them adequate and fair protection.
that our own manufactures and lahorers
may be placed on a fair competition with
those of Europe, and that we NAV have
within our own country a 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 a view to dis
charge our national debt [ am one Of
those who do not believe that a national
debt is a national blessing, but rather
curse to republic, inasmuch as it is calcu-
lated to raise around the administration a
moneyed aristocracy dangerous to the Hber-
ties Of the country.
This tariff mean judicious one pos
sesses more fanciful than real dangers. I
will ask what is the real situation of the ag-
riculturist? Where has the American
farmer market for his surplus products
Except for cotton he has neither a foreign
nor home market. Does not this clearly
prove, when there is no market, either at
home or abroad, that there is too much la
Dor employed in agriculture, and that the
channels of labor should be multiplied
Common sense points out at once the rene
dy. Draw from agriculture the superabun
dant labor, employ it in mechanism and
manufactures, thereby creating home mar
ket for your bread stuffs and distributing
labor to a most profitable account, and bene-
fits to the country will result. Take from
agriculture in the United States 600, ,00U
men, women, and children, and you at once
give home market for more breadstuffs
than all Europe now furnishes us. In short.
sir, we have been too long subject to the
policy of the British merchants. 1t is time
we should become little more .Amerfcani--
ed, and, instead of feeding the paupers and
laborers of Europe, feed our own, or else in
a short time, by continuing our present poll
cy, we shall allbe pauperS ourselves.
It is, therefore, my opinion that careful
tariff is much wanted to pay our national
debt and afford us the means of that de-
tense Within ourselves on which the safety
and liberty of our country depend; and last,
though not least, gives a proper distribu-
tion to our labor, which must prove benef-
cial to the happiness, independence and
wealth of the community.
This isa short outline of my opinions gen
orally on the subject of your inquiry, and
believing them correct and calculated to fur
ther the prosperity and happiness of my
country, declare to you | would not barter
them for any Office or situation of a tempo
raj character that could be given me-
| have presented you my opinions freely.
because am without cencealment, and
should, indeed, despise myself if could
believe myself capable of acquiring the con-
hdence of any by means So ignoble
am, sir, very respectfully, your obedi-
ent servant.
ANnDExV T6QLSnN