New-York tribune., 1868-05-01
PARTIES AND PROTECTION.


elected on the Union War issue-frOm two
thirds to three fOurths of it by the Republicans.
| Nothing was said or thought. in the great ma
jority of the districts, of Protection or Free
! Trade. When the Tariff question came before
the House, it was found that majority of
the whole body, and of course about three
fourths of the Republicans, were Protec-
tionists. This was not wholly due to the fact
that they had formerly been Wings, since a
good proportion of these Protectionists Cinclu-
ding Messrs. Griswold, Hulburd and IIotchkiss
of our State, as well as Kelley, Moorhead and
Mercur of Pa. had been Democrats. Their
Republicanism nOwise constrained them to
! take one side OF the other of this question: but
each voted as he saw fit, with the result above
stated.
! The EreRing Post thereupOn assailed the Re-
publican party which it processes to support,
while we firmly believe it intent on that party s
overthrow. In the very agony of our doubtful
struggle of 1866 against JohnsOn's usurpatons,
it declared that there could be no proper ad-
justment of the Tariff question till the Repub-
lcans were driven from power. From the day
that Johnson's supporters met in Convention at
Philadelphia to this hour, The Post has spoken
and acted as if intent on prostrating the Re-
publcans. And now, after calling that inn
mense majority of Republicans who are Pro-
teCtOniSts all the hard names it can think of
it deals with them as follows
"The Republican party is to enter upon ardu-
ous political campaign We have said on former occa
sion, that regard the predOmnance Of that party for
the next four years matter Of very great Importance
Because @ We MINK mus We see WIN alarm tnat IL mas s
policy which. have shown from official reports IS
wantony injurious TO the industrious poorthat Is to
to the great mass OF the American people Can me Re
pubcans before the country bearing the burden and
laws made to benefit the few at the expense Of the mass
1T win not do 20 that the tariff is not issue OF
every poor dollar of less worth makes house
higher building dearer living more costly lessons the
poor mans comforts. compels him 10 deny his wife
dress, his children the schooling and the harmless enjoy
coat adds hour TO his daily tolls and after all leaves
! hn OFF than he was before.
"To saw that matter which thus touches and with so
harsh hand the daily lives OF millions of voters is not
ISSUE to shut our eyes and declare there no sun
Parties may make Platforms but the wants the necess
ties of the people make the true issues Of political can
in free country and popular as It's success In the
war has made the Republican party OdOus as the Demo
cratic leaders the OF the loyal people,
fearful risk for the Republicans TO before the country
in important political canvass. where the most search
ing exposition Of It's faults may be expected bnrdened
poor for the aggrlndizement OF a few rich men,"
Comments by The Tribune.
We who are Republicans and also PrOtectionists
are not merely required by The Post to surren
der our convictions ana act in opposition there
to-we are required to do this under the pres
sure of menace, cOntumely, insult. We do not
question the sincerity of The Post in asserting
that Protection "btnefts the few at the expense
" of the mass"-does The Post doubt the sincerity
of our conviction that the effect of Protection
is exactly the opposite of what it asserts We
have met one of the editors of The Post in pub
lie oral debate on this pOint-Others shall say
which had the advantage in the argument-but
we will venture the assertion that no listener to
that debate doubted that either disputant advo-
Gated that policy which he undOubtingly beliered
to be best calculated to promote the we'll
being of the American People. We claim no
superiority; but we insist that Gen. Jackson as
honestly sought the general well-being when
he urged the transfer of six or seven hundred
thousand of our people from Agriculture to
Manufactures as the readest and best way of
securing markets for our produce, as in any
act or suggestion of his life. And Alexander
Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison,
Matthew Carey, John Quincy Adams, Henry
Clay, Hezekiah Niles, ROllin C.. NAL
larry, and their hundreds of eminent COM
patriots III the advocacy of Protection, were at
least as sincere and upright in their champion
ship of Protection as the true policy for the
masses, as were the pro-Slavery fanatics who
were the most conspicuous and able champions
of the opposite policy We claim no superior
ity in earnestness for the men of our own faith;
we ask only to be Judged and treated as patri
OTIS who have meant to serve their country if
this be denied, the discussion is closed.
We say to those Republicans who are also
Free Traders, You have your undoubted
rights: they are exactly equal to Ours-no less,
no greater. We concede your sinceIity-yOu
will do as you think fit as to conceding ours !;
but, if your premise insults us, we have no
more debate with YOU Where You are ma
iority in the Republican ranks, nominate your
candidates, and we will help electing them,
asking no questions, providing you do
likewise where those who think as we do are
majority and name the candidates We do
not ask of you surrender of your convic-
tions-you must accord like respect to ours.
We shall not attempt to bully yOu and you
will not succeed if you attempt to bully us. If
there be those who consider Free Trade
more important than Free Labor, and insist on
forcing this conviction upon others, We know
that we cannot restrain them from gravitating,
like The Post, toward the Copperhead DemOc-
racy. Those who are willing to cooperate with
Protectionists on a footing of mutual Difference
and regard will find, as they have ever found,
ample room and hospitality within the Repub-
! lcan ranks.
i. S-We spoke at recent meeting OF conversation
on Protection with Representative from Missouri. but
reporter gave the State AissspP We e0rreeted