Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-03-16


gave his promise to support the Consti'
tuition and execute the laws OF his coun'
try. as he found them His first act was
to demand the repeal Of Q law, ola as sne
Government itself, because 1t exciuoeu =
money changer and a plelhorlc oouu'
holder from his Cabinet. The argum ent
was that Stewart was an advoca.e OF 70"
tariff, and that he was conscienuousiy IN
| favor of restoring economy ana stric'
frugality in the administration OF the
Goyernment. and lift, as rapidly as prac-
ticable from the people, the great bur-
dens of taxation, debt and extravagance
rest;ng mon them" Very good a,gu-
ment. hut let us look at the facts. Low
tariff. ma take it, means as small tax
as practicable on home manufacturers
al Iight that capitalists could not exer--
else absolute sway in the markets., ana
TINS Cypress small traders and the pro-
ducing classes. We will suppose such
case, that Stewart, with his $l20, OO0, QUO,
should invest a twentieth part OF that
amount in goods. manufactured at home,
under the low tariff system. Then being
made Secretary OF the Treasury, he could
connive with Congress and In days
time increase the tariff to the highest
figure; and thus, while running traders
of smaller means, would increase his own
profits to fabulous amounts. This idea IS
not chimerical, but would be as certaih
to be acted upon as that there was cor
rupt Congress, and a "Shylock IN the
Treasury Department.
Then the proposition OF economy and
strict frugality" is as equally absurd,
and IS opposed to the real facts as the
low tariff idea. There is no man in the
United States who has fostered and en-
couraged extravaganza among the peo-
ple more than Stewart himself. He has
been conspicuous above all others in cul'
tiyating tastes and habits of extrava-
gapce among the masses. His immense
wealth has grown from this morbid and
thriftless appetite he has engendered 1t
has been his study for years--the busi--
ness Of his life-how to engender the taste
and cultivate the appetite OF women and
the votaries Of fashion for the devotion OF
money to extravaganza and profusion OF
dress and ornamentstioD. He suggested
new patterns and designs, and excited RI
yalry among manufactures in the pro-
duction Of costly fabrics, and imported
the richest goods that could be had 10
Europe aud Asia. As another writer has
said, MANY q husband and father have
become bankrupt through the extrava-
gance begotten by Stewards efforts. 1t
whisky shops have beggared families, so
has Stewards store, which lived, flour
ished aud grew by pandering to morbid
appetite for extrsvagant dressing, as
whisky shops live, flourish and grow by
wandering to morbid appetite for in
toxiceting drinks" Stewart is not so
anxious to relieve the people of taxation
as he is to render certain the psyment OF
the bonds, principal and interest, in gold
of which be himself is one of the
largest holders.
cite these facts to prove the utter TO-
tility and absurdity of the argument
used to justify the appointment of Stew
art, and to bring into clear relief the
bunder and stupidity Of Grant in max
ing the appointment, and his arrogance
and despotlsm in demanding the repeal
Of the law of 1889, 80 as to legaiize his
blunder. 1t also shows the obseauious-
ness and stupidity of the Southern press
which propose to support bis administra-
ton.
More anon.
NORTHERN DEMoCRAT.