The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-07-14

5FfelatIous LAS anindicatlon OF POPULAR feel
4 ing in favor Of more LIBERAL system of tarii
1lsghlation than suits the representatives. aht
partisans Of the Middle and Eastern States
I in the halls and lobbies of the National Capi
ttol, it possesses significance. which de
nards for it the attention Of the entire coun
try. The people OF the West and South have
good reason to feel aggrieved at the wrong
and injustice which they have suffered under
q system of pational legislation devised in
the interest of manufacturing monepolies in
the. Middle and; Eastern States as well as
fronla mistaken financial policy which has
led to so unequal and manifestly unfiir dis
tribution Of the currency. To efectualIy op-
pose this disposition OF the part of Congress
to favor system Of sectional legislation
which, under the mistaken suppositior'that
it benefits one part Of the country, impeyer-
ishes all, even that which it seeks to benefit,
is the true object Of the proposed alliance.
Under existing laws, which have practically
destroyed their local banking institutions,
both South and West have been deprived. OF
fair share Of the currency; whilst at the
same time they are burdened with the heavy
and onerous taxation. levied upon consunp-
tion for the benefit OF the protected" mans
featuring interests of the Middle and East
ern. States. Against such legislation, the
South and West must unite in urging their
earnest protest. The rapid increase in the
population and wealth Of the West is steadi-
ly adding to its political and material pow
er, and wrongs that ten years ago, would
have been submitted to in silence, from;
sheer inability to control the policy of Con4
gressional Legislation, may, within a few
years, if not at the present time, be success
fully resisted and as Congress has manifest
ed no disposition to modify the evils and cor
rect the abuses now justly complained of, it
is bat natural that the South and West
should prepare to make common cause in
favor OF tariff reform, and to so employ their
combined strength as to secure rightiul
share of the benefits to be derived from a
common government, to the support OF which
they contribute. Should the proposed allie
ance fail to accomplish the desired result
time will only render more evident the nesss-
sity for the desired reforms, and while
strengthening the union between South and
West, array those sections in an attitude OF
hostility against their more powerful neigh
bors, the Middle and Eastern Statess which
are supposed to menopolize the benefits OF
Congressional legislation. -.
| The Bulleti,,, indeed considers that the
experience OF sectional differences and their
natural results during the past ten years
makes it evident that, unless the cause is re-
moved the feeling which is already mani
testing itself in the desire for the proposed
alliance may soon assume a form that Shalt
eden threaten tie 1'erpetuity Of the Federal
Union. It is useless to assure the discon-
tented people Of those sections that the East
| ern States have the same cause OF complaint
as themselves at the blindness Of Congress
| in refusing attention to the popular demand
for tariff reform. The fact remains that Sec
tional influence has secured the adoption OF
a commercial and financial policy prejudicial
to the interests Of the whole country. and
against the further exercise Of these influ-
ences the movement in the South and West
is; directed. r. a.a, T., -a. ,.'
/
70 avert, says the Bulletin. the dangerous
consequences that may possibly result from
the sectional discontents to which the mark
ed tendency of Congressional legislation has
given rise, will be difficult task If. longer
delayed The remedy for the evils now just
ly complained OF lies with Congress, but SO
long as that body continues to regulate all
matters affecting the commercial and
financial welfare of the country, it is ineri-
! table that, in the conflict OF interests, those
represented by the minority will often suffer
serious injury. The prerogatives OF Con-
Sress must, therefore, be circumscribed with.
| in narrower limits, and its powers restricted
to tile passage Of such laws as are necessary
and beneficial to all sections-other legisla-
tion being left to the States to adjust upon o
basis satisfactory to themselves. The neces'
sary reforms cannot be effected by multiply
ing the evils OF special sectional Legislation
to temporarily satisfy the demands OF sec.
tions now represented in the minorities ol
both houses, since such course would rem
der more imminent the danger which now
| threatens the country. If the people OF the
West and South will unite in demandl ns,
through their representatives, a return on
the part Of Congress to q strictly national
policy of legislation, modification Of taxa
ton and tariff, removal Of oil restrictions
upon. banking, and a Just recognition OF the
right OF the several States to legislate upon
all matters Of local interest, without restrlc-
ton or interference, they will sooner or later
| accomplish the result which 1t is hoped to
reach through defensive alliance between
the two sections; and, while reforming the
evils TO which the present mistaken policy o.
| Congress, has given rise, save the country
from danger that would threaten it in the
event of strife between its different sections
for a monopoly of the fayors which the na'