Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-07-04
The Cincinnati Tariff Plank.

On Monday letter was published, adj
dressed to the editor of THE HERALD,
in view of recent editorial on the tariff
position of the Cincinnati Convention
and its candidate. The letter came at
time when it was impossible to give it
prompt attention, hence the delay. Our
acknowledgements are due the honorable
gentleman for his kind expression in ref
erence to our former political relations
and the wide difference in the political
paths we are now travelling. We shall
have no disturbance of our personal re-
lation, however much our ways may be
apart in our several views of political
platforms. He criticizes our article on
political Platforms" in an earnest and
honorable manner, with adroitness and
ability worthy of the man and the cause he
advocates, though mistaken he may be-
There is much in the Cincinnati platform
liable to criticism from a Republican
standpoint, which it is not our purpose
to review. The particular point to which
this discussion is german, is the tariff
resolution embodied in the Cincinnati
platform. Many Objectionable features
in ii are patent to all who advocate a
protective policy. In the first place, let
us look at the record of the men and the
s..:~it that pervaded the convention that
framed its policy. The Cincinnati Con-
vention was organized and promoted by
gentlemen who advocate revenue reform,
which is but another name for F'free
Schurz and Trumbull, and other out
spoken revenue reformers, who went to
Cincinnati with the expressed and avow-
ed purpose of making free trade an open
plank of the platform. Had the current
ran in the direction of the nomination of
Charles Francis Adams, the country
would have heard nothing of referring
the tariff question to congressional dis
tricts. As soon as it became apparent
that Mr.. Greeley was to be nominated,
the spirit of their dream began to change.
A platform must be framed upon which
he could easily slide. He had been a
lifelong advocate of protective tariff
a principle in direct antagonism to the
one which large majority of their lead
inc politicians advocated aud expected
to be adopted Mr., Greeley was to be
the candidate, and they knew he never
could or would step upon an open free
trade platform and meet with success.
So Horace White, the head and front of
free tradeism at the West, was set at
work to tinker up plank that would
tit in the platform by subterfuge of
democracy in principle to leave the
whole question of the tariff to the con-
gressional districts, but not even daring
to trust the matter then, they 90 farther
and announce that if any free trade or
revenue bills come to the President, he
shall quietly sign them, whatever his
own opinions may be-whether the
measure is in the interests or antagonis-
tic to the financial policy Of the country.
Surely this is stultifying a President, say
ing to him: you shall have no voice in
running this machine, we are ready to
he swallowed up by the democracy and
sell out, body and soul, if they will only
come to our help and save a sinking
ship,
Now, Mr. Dorr, this is the spirit and
Che interest Of the men who framed this
wonderful plank of the Cincinnati plat
form; and, should your party be tri
umphant, you will find yourselves and
your President as helpless as babies in
the hands of free traders and democrats
This is surely the result, and this par
ticular point you are desired to mark in
your memory Against such miserable
subterfuge, we desire to warn all Re
publicans, especially those who desire
the prevalence of the doctrines of the
tariff, not to sell themselves out to
set of unprincipled demagogues who
would thus demolish the financial basis
Of the prosperity of the country.
Mr.. Dorr calls attention to the New
York conference of June Goth, which he
says was San assemblage of some two
hundred men of pronounced free trade
proclivities;" and yet majority favor
ed the election of Horace Greeley And
why? Because they have tied him up
to a post, where he can have no voice
aud they can run the free trade machine
as they please, to use the language of
the Cincinnati platform, "acdolly free
from e.recltige Interference" They are
perfectly safe. They can manipulate
the western and southern congressional
districts to their liking, pass what they |
please, and however much Mr.. Greeley |
may dislike the free trade bills they lay
before him, although he may see the |
financial ruin of the country as the legi-
mate result of such legislation, his mouth |
is sealed be has accepted q platform
ruled by the democracy, he cannot inter
fere or interpose his objections thereto. |
The democratic element will be in the |
ascendant, if he is elected, and they can
cram down the philosopher such distate-
full doctrines as they please. We ask |
our friend if this is not the legitimate
result of freedom from executive inter- |
ference or dictation? Is there not liz
congruity and inconsistency in such
position? Would Mr. Dorr, if nomi
mated for the Presidency of this great
republic, submit to be hampered by such
a halter around his neck? We think no
man would protest and dissent from
such a position quicker than he. We
see both c01aceGlment, incongruity and /
Inconsistency about the whole thing. He
says, 81 can see it only as sincere and
truthful expression of the honest con-
yiction that controlled the convention"
so it was paltry subterfuge, cover of
free trade, with candidate standing up
On it manacled hand and foot.
We are asked to construe plank No. Z