New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-08-22
THE Liberal PLATFORM AND NIX
LINCOLN

The Cincinnati Platform, readOpted at Bal
timore, gave Offense to some inconslderate OF
ill-informed Republicans, because one OF It's
clauses referred the question of tariff legisla-
ton to the people in the Congress Districts.
A great outcry was made about this, and con-
tinues to be made. by people who imagine
that nothing of this kind was ever before
done, and who denOunce such reference to the
people of questions of practical legislation
as fraud" a "cheat." "swlndle,"
&c. Most of these persons would admit
that Abraham Lincoln, though he might
be mistaken in his views, was not capable of
cheating or deluding the people. He was
skillful political manager, as we all know;
but he was not trickster, and he never sacri-
feed principles or attempted to cheat the peo-
pie. Well, Mr.. Lincoln, though by no means
the author or originator of this idea that to
the people in Congress Districts should be re-
ferred such questions of practical legislation,
was one of its most elaborate defenders.
In the Summer Of 1S4S the nomination of
Gen. Taylor for the Presidency was attacked
on the very same grounds on which Mr.. Gree
ley's nomination and the Liberal Platform are
now attacked-namely that Taylor and his
cal legislation-among them the tariff, curiously
enough-tO the people, Gen. Taylor proposing,
as Mr.. Greeley does now, not to Interfere
TO prevent the adoption of such laws on these
matters as Congress, fresh from the people,
should pass. Gen. Taylor had written:
1.-THE power given by the veto is high conservative
power but in my opinion should never be exercised ex
cept in cases Of clear violation Of the Constitution,
atan Mt - hV
This was in the so-caled ALISON letter.
In the same letter Taylor wrote:
upon the subject OF the tariff, the currency, the i'm
proyemeDts of great highways rivers. lakes, and
harbors the will of the people. as expressed through
their Representatives in Congress ought to be respected
and carried out by the Executive"
On this he and his supporters were attacked.
It was charged that no one knew what Taylor
would do if elected that he had concealed or
violated his principles that the country was
cleft in darkness and so on; the same kind
of opposition which is now made in some places
TO the Liberal Platform and candidate Mr..
Lincoln, probably seeing that wel-meaning
but ill-informed men were likely to be deceived
and misled by this plea, chose to expose its
fallacy in a speech in Congress, delivered July
81. 1s4S, and here is what he said:
snow this Ia the whole matter. IN SUBSTANCE IL IL TINS
The people say to Cen Taylor II you elected shall
we have q National Bankp He answers Four will.
gentlemen, not mine what about the tariff Say
yourselves SHALL rivers and harbOr be i'm
proyedP Just you please II you desire bank,
an alteration OF the tariff internal improvements, any
all, will not hinder you; If do not desire them
will not attempt 10 force them you. Send up your
Members Of Congress from the various districts, with
opinions according to your own, and II they for
these measures or any OF them shall have nothing
OPPOSE II they are not for them / shall not. by
any appliances whatever attempt TO dragon
them into their adoption Now can there
be any difficulty In understanding this To you.
Democrats 1t may not seem like principle but surely
Won cannot fail TO perceive the position plain enough.
The distinction between 1t and the position Of your
didate is broad and obvious, and I admit you have
clear right to show IL Is wrong,:h you can but YOU
have no fight to pretend you cannot 500 1t at all We
see IT, and to us appears like principle, and the best
sort OF principle at that-the principle OF allowing the
people 70 do as they please with their own business My
friend from Indiana (Mr c. b. SMITH has APPLY asked,
Are you willing 10 trust the people u Some Of you
answered substantially, We arc wiling to trust
the peope but the President Ia much the
renresentatiye of the people as congress- In
n certain sense, and to q certain extent, he Is tho
representative OF the people He elected by them
well "a Congress h But he In tho nature OF things
know the wants Of the people well three hundred
other men coming from all tho various localities OF the
natout II so. where Is the propriety OF having Con-
eres.i That the Constitution gives the President neg
atye on legislation all know; but that TINS negative
should DO % combined with platforms and other sppi,