The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-05-17
Gen. Chalmers Departure.


The address Of Gen. Chalmers to the
voters of the I'd District announcing
that he is an Independent candidate for
Congress. on the platform therein set
forth, IS published for information, in
another column. On the questions Of
the,currency; the maintenance of the
standard silver dollar opposition to the
continuation Of the national banking
system which depends upon the perpet-
uation Of the national debt; and a protee-
tive tarif,-we do not dissent from the
position Of Gen. Chalmers only we
disagree with him entirely in the sug-
gestion that a protective tariff would
operate to build up Southern manufac-
lures. Its effect is directly the oppo-
site. The way to encourage manufac-
turing in the South is to repeal the duty
imposed on machinery for the benefit OF
the monopolists who manufacture it
and who own the materials with which
it is constructed. Remove the tariff so
as to enable the South to supply herself
with machinery at reasonable rates, and
she can compete with any other people
on the globe in manufacturing. She
has all the elements that enter into the
economy of manufacturing and only
wants free trade and sailors rights to
compete with all corners in that line.
She does not ask laws legalizing robbery,
and accumulating wealth in the pockets
/ Of the many for the benefit of the few.
/ We do not understand that Gen. Chal-
mers goes to that extent, but he sug-
gests Willingness to tolerate the present
iniquit0us system for limited time to
build up our ''infant" manutac tories
and pay off the national debt. The in
FAINT" argument, Is as old as the govern
ment. As to the debt it can be paid with
la tariff for revenue only. On the Mis-
sissippi river question We can find no oc-
casion for difference with Gen. Chalmers,
except that We do see necessity for
postponing other important questions
( in order to give it the attention which
/ il deserves. Let Us have Mississippi
river improvement and due attention to
economic reforms at the same time.
Touching the Congressional appor-
tionment bill, as we have before said,
it is question on which the Dem
ocrats in the Legislature differed. The
Democrats refused to consider it in eau
Gus. and therefore left it an open ques-
ton, on the one side or the other Of
which Democrats could range them
selves without subjeeting to suspicion
their fyalty to their party.
! Upon the observations Of Gen. Chal-
mers on the Senatorial election, we have
no comments to offer. When it was an
open question, we adhered to the deter
mination, we had formed for reasons
satisfactory to ourselves, not to enter
upon It's discussion. And now, since il
has been closed, we can s6e 10 sufficient
ground for re-opening it, preferring &c
look ahead and devote ourselves to
practical issues. That Gen. Chalmers
has been an able and useful member ;
that he has served his constituency we'll
and faithfully, has been too often testi-
fed in these columns to deny. The
very statement of the fact attests our
deep regret at the course he has now
taken in making war upon the organiza-
ton Of the Democratic party, to which
he owes his promotion in political life.