The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-01-07
Communications.
For the Palladium.


"The present Tariff, under
which we now live, is o wholesale
plundering Of the working classes
OF the country"
That I have been misapprehen-
ded by Mr.. Volo, am willing to
attribute to my want Of perspecui-
~ in stating my sentiments, a de-
feet l will endeavor to guard
against repeating. The main ei-
fort Of Volo in his first communi-
cation, Was directed to prove that
. protective Tariff was wrong, be-
cause whenever the whig party |
embodied in its platform this OBJ
noxious plank, defeat was sure to
follow.
The reasoning more fully ex-
pressed, 10, First, that majority
of the voters are opposed to such
Tariff, and Secondly. by implica-
ton, that the people always decide
right. lexcept to both positions.
That "vox populi. vox del" is true.
90 far only as majority verdict by
ballot is binding and decisive for
the time. 1 fully agree. But that
the will Of the majority as express
ed by vote, is the voice of God in
wisdom, I am certainly safe in de-
nying.
Strongly as / am attached to our
form Of government I can not re-
sist the conviction that ignorance,
prejudice, passion and blind devo
ton to party, more frequently de.
termine the result of an election
than correct reasoning, sound
judgment. or superior intelligence.
Mr.. Volo himself, would hardly be
willing to hang his political faith
on the verdict OF the highly intel
ligent[2] Fifty Thousand majority
in that democratic paradise, New
York City, and yet it might easily
happen that this vote would deter
mine the result of . Presidential
election. I took issue with Mr..
Volo, on his unwarrantable infer
ence that the Presidential cam
paigns named by him, turned upon
the Tariff. That the election of
1910 was determined by other con-
siderations, is 60 well known and
90 clear, that he virtually comedies
his error by silence. In 1874 both
parties, as 10 we'll known, were
committed to "protection," there.
fore Volo's theory loses its signifi
cence SO far as the Tariff is in
question, and further, as in New
York at the State election, The
Wings were successful in tina
year. / inferred, and think fair
ly and logically, that the choice o
majority Of tho voters, had they
cast their suffrage on the Tariff
issue, would have fallen ON til,
known champion Of protection t.
home industry. A large majority
Of the fifteen thousand voters il
that State, who cast their ballot
for Birney, were Wings, who's
hatred Of slavery was greater thai
their attachment to Protectiv
Tariff. In ls4s, Taylor was tn
candidate Of the party which al
knew to be the party Of protection
He had the advantage of being
new man, uncomplicated with pc
litical animosities and he succeed
ed against q free trade candidate
Cass-or at least against an ant
protective tariff party.
In 1852, Pierce was the Mexica
hero[?] new man. Scott. as read
ers of history know, had had Bit
ter personal controversy wit
Jackson, and OF course inherite
the vindictive animosity of the ad
herents of the hero Of New Orleanl
this feeling had not died out. an
to my certain recollection was t.
ken advantage Of to the seriou
and fatal prejudice of the Viii
candidate.
This, Mr.. volo, is show it WI
thus" But I am not yet dor
with the untenable CROCHET of VI
10. In 1860 the protective tart
party succeeded. In 1864 an
1868 the same party was success
full, and that too while one Of IL
very highest Of high protect,
tariffs was in fall force and WI
oppressing[l] the laborer ri.
Now suppose, my earnest frier
Volo, were to Offset your reason
ipg[?l on the elections of lS4
IA, '4S and '5a, by those of 1S6
"a and '68, and with grand hou
ish herald the decision of Il
American people as unalterab
committed to q good sound prote
ton to home industry, would ! n
be reasoning just as logically?