The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-21

nal. MI WAftc"SvS 49, -. 49,. :, Il
himself ga bigger mao than Old GRANT
shonch the General once did him the hono'
- dine with hin; bu, he hssrespect enough
sor himself 10 induce him to veni''a'e '''
vtsws 81 public affairs whenever properly
therc,o requested. whether be supposes
these views will meet with the approval "
MunAr Hn.sr.Ap and Deacon SMITH OF nov. |
Mr.. WArrERsoN thinks that Mr.. hAfhss
standardization will be recorded 10 history
:. ss 4 very weak one, full OF vacilla'ion anu
Llupdcrs,v but predicts that Mr. 'As
r,xs.p's will be "a wise and 1udicious ao'
min,stration." We are hopeiui ourselves
that such will prove to be the fact. hesays
BLAINE will undoubtedly be Secretary %
Sta,e In the new administration. III So nc
will, not allow the ship OF State 10 run upon
the rocks Of sectionalis,n, we prea'c'. MI
w.rrsssox saws the votes OF the negroes
are slways for sale; which we are not pre-
,.red 70 accept as true OF the virginia
negroes. But all this by the way. we
meant TO quote only the following:
.po you think the Democratic party VIII
continue TO exist upon It's present OASIS Us
pariyS nc
:. The Democratic party must continue as
q party merely by force OF conesion u "o.
thing else. The Democratic party pohs "
many votes as the Republican party, uu.H
have no doubt that the issues 'n,. alsn7
the two pr,ncjpal parties to-day Will chapgG
The Democratic party can well afford TO
s,aoa mon the platform OF free trade"
"That plank OF tariff for revenue only
In the Democratic platform iswbat defeated
tho Democrats in the last presidential cam
pa,qn. Mr.. Watterson, and they say you are
responsible for itp"
.Yes. sir; wrote that plank, ana am
willing TO stand the responsibility iof doiDg
500
We are fully prepared to credit this last
ut,erance. We stood not far from MI.
WATrgRsoN when he read TO the C'nclnnat'
Convention the platform soon Afterwards
adopted by that body. We remember 100
that although there was request on the
mart OF some of the delegates that the plat
form should be read by one OF the secre'a'
rles OF the Convention having lungs
stronger than those OF Mr.. WAITER
sox, he proceeded, with great COM
posure and what we interpreted TO be
a manifest contempt for the voclierous
crowd. TO read the same himself. We don't
know bow many delegates heard him EN-
pbasize the words ga tariff for revenue
oplyv: for we have no idea that Que IN nVe
OF them ever heard read a dozen words OF
the pls,form: but we well remember
do a
and, turning his head sidewise IN very
striking manner, seemed to challenge the
approbation of the ten thousand people con-
erega,ed in the vast ball in which the Con-
yention was held. We are under the i'm
pression that we had foreboding at the
time that NJ. WATfERSoN was making an
issue that might result TO the detriment OF
the Democratic party; but we are not qulle
sure as to this. II may be that we were en-
lightened by subsequent events. But let
this be as 1t may, there is no DOUBT that Mr.
WATTERsON thought he had the making OF
a triumph" in that concise declaration. lie
made a woful mistake. 1t is hardly too
much to say that those few words cost
General HANCOCK the presidency Of the
United States.
Undoubtedly q powerful party could be
organized in this country in opposition to
tariff for protection. A number OF tie lead
ing Republican Journals OF the West, as
well as many Republicans in public life, are
opposed to the doctrine and practice OF pro-
lection. We doubt, however, whether such
a party could command majority OF the
votes OF the people OF even the western
States. The men who are damaged by
btective tariff are generally not aware Of
the fact, whilst those whose business is pro
tected, benefited, and built up by 1t, arc
alive 10 this fact. The former, therefore
do net concern themselves upon the sublec'
whilst the latter engage actively in the bust
ness OF eectioneering for their friend anC
against their enemy.
A division OF the voters into new partie'
would result IL they were required to ARA!
themselves for and against tariff for pro
feciiou. Before the war, for illustration
this city OF Richmond always east majorlt!
Of It's votes in favor of candidates who wer
advocates of protective tariff. We know
OF no reason for supposing that the peopl
htre would not vote the same way now
that were the test question. Since the clos
Of the war between the States the peopl
here and elsewhere in the South have bee
compelled by outside pressure to vote tb
Democratic ticket whether they were Demo
Gratis or not. Other questions more press
ing than those concerning banks, tarifi'
&C., have commanded their attention
1t has taken all their time and thei
best efforts to protect themselves from th
schemes OF the Republican party. Tn
southern people, therefore. would have Ia
to vote for General HANCOCK If he had com
ont for protective tariff, whether they wer
favorable to such measure or net. Mi
WArTERsoN's declaration, therefore, in tn
Cincinnati platform, was unwisely made
The manufacturers OF the North made a
issue on the tariff question, as they woul
moi have done il that declaration had bee
omitted. They voted for Mr.. GARFIELD
and induced all their employees to do s.
The stalwarts rallied the Republicans
waving the bloody shirt; and they and II
protectionists swept away The Democrat
msiorities In New York and Indiana; no
we repeat, because majority OF the vote
are protectionists, but because the prote'
tfonists made an Issue OF the tariff question
whilst the ti-protectio2ists paid no attel
tlou to the subject, but voted with the