Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-10-20
Judge Blair's Letter of Acceptance.

as Democratic candidate for Congress in the
Sixth District. | feel greatly honored by
this nomination and deeply grateful to the
Democracy for it, and in accepting it beg
leave to thank you for the too fiattering
terms used in announcing it TO me.
l participate thoroughly in the desire
which animates the Democratic party and
a large portion Of those acting with the Re-
publicans to arrest the wild and profigate
extravaganza and the ruinous taxation
which now characterizes the administra-
ton of the Federal government, and If
elected i will cooperate TO the utmost OF
my ability with all who share that feeling
to accomplish the result
There is no installing the cause Of the
revolt of the people against the present con-
duct OF the government manifested in the
recent elections..and in the demoralized con-
dition of that party, not only in the great
States of New York and Pennsylvania,
where its existence is recognized, but in its
strongholds throughout the country. NO
rejecting mind can fail to see that con-
t!nuance of the enormous appropriations
which marks the return OF that party 10
the control OF Congress and the exhaustlng
taxation now imposed will soon precipltate
q crash upon US similar TO that which these
causes brought upon the country in 1875.
Grants eight years of profound peace cost
81. 376, 498 $50 40, almost as much as the
government had cost for II years from l789
to 1850, which preceded the advent OF the
Republican party to power, which amounted
to $l,A45, 1876, 7S5 10. And out OF that sum
we paid for the war with England, Mexico
and Tripoli, and the many wars with the
Indian tribes, and for Louisiana, Florida and
California.
More than half of Grants expenditures
was extracted from the people by the tariff,
which took at the same time much larger
sum from them as bounties TO the manufac-
turers. Prof Perry, OF Williams College,
Garfeld's alma mater, estimates that for
every dollar of revenue received by the gov
eminent the tariff exacts four as bounties
TO the manufacturers from the people. In
some instances, as upon steel rails, it is dou-
| Bile that amount This is shown by the
census report prepared by Mr.. Swank, who
was at the same time an officer OF that
bureau and an employe Of the Iron and
| Steel Association; hence on their own show
| ing the manufacturers of steel rails received
| in 1880 the sum of $12,497, 157 as bounties,
while the government received but $1,41S,-
$50 under II as revenue. The natural effect
of this extravaganza and extortion was wit
messed in 1878. The few were enriched, the
many impoverished. Their farms and tene-
ments were mortgaged. They could not
buy the manufactured articles, and the manu-
factories had to be closed. Many of the en-
ployes became tramps, and this while the
tariff was so protective as to give our lac
tories the monopoly of the market. II was
this monopoly which closed them, for the
exactions 1t enabled them to make, added
to the heavy taxes levied by the govern
| 4 al To- trnll n
articles at any price.
Not satisfied with the protection given by
the rates of the Morrill, tariff OF 1861, which
that redoubtable champion of protection de-
clared to be ample, the war rates were CON
tinued and even greatly increased, and on
Prof Perrys basis the people were made tc
pay US bounties to the manufacturers 81,
542 600 900 during GRANTS term, in addition
| to the enormous sum collected from then
by the government Such extortion would
have crushed any other people. But sever
years of economy and hard wark by on
people and the partial control Of the gov
ernment by the Democracy revived thei
prosperity.
The Democratic party attained control o
the House in 1876 and held it for four years
and two years afterwards acquired control 0
the Senate and held it for two years. Thi
gave that party partial control Of the ex
penditures of the government, and it Gu
them down about thirty millions dollars II
the first year OF its power and more tina
one hundred million whilst it held this con
troll.
This materially added to the credit of tn
government, and with the great crops mad
by the people and largely sold abroa
brought the money to the country whic
J loh m In
payments and put us on a new career {
, prosperity. But the restoration of the RI
publicans To power in Congress has n
opened the sluices of expenditures, and I'll
appropriations for 1882, which were inel
cusably great, are exceeded by those Il
, 1883 by 43i millions, and exclusive OF pei
sions and deficiencies, exceed those Of Grant
last year by more than 20 millions of do
: lars.
Unfortunately the Democrats in Congrei
allowed the plunderers TO dcfraud the PEI
pie of the President they elected in 1876.
Deprived Of their great leader, the Dem,
Gratis have been bafiled in their attempts
reduce taxation; the Republicans have thu
, been supplied with the means by which the
carried the election Of 1880, and they no
seek to perpetuate their power and harve
4 the industry OF the people till another craS
D comes. When that comes the capitals
will again save themselves by shutting l
their factories and turning their employ,
out Of doors until another harvest can
. prepared for them by the untiring energ
and industry of our people.
The distress which this system period
, cally visits upon the labor and business
! the country is not its only evil 1t HI
: created in the United States during the la
twenty years the richest aristocracy in Il
world and invested it with full power ov
the government. President Arthur himse
. declaredIat public dinner given In hon
!, Of ex-senator Dorsey, OF star-route celebrit
, then and still secretary of the Republic,
executive committe, that Dorsey had carrie
the election in INDIANA in 1880 which d
a cided the presidential contest, by the u
v OF money. IL is therefore recognized ia
that the system which have been consi
ering has completely revolutionzed our p
litical and social condition. This fact, viii,
. the passions growing out of the war ha
d enabled the Republican leaders to conce,
n is now becoming obvious To the lovers
:, pure and representative government even
the strongholds OF Republicanism. Nor W
n the efforts Of the Republican leaders to alar
II capital and pour its millions into the co
troversy avail
Inc DcinOCTutiC party IL u OonstINdtl'
!, party. Its opponents know that it conter
plates no rash legislation which will affe
e injuriously any great interest created
G existing legislation. But these opponent
a while forced TO admit ON the floor of Co
= gress that the existing tariff was indefen,
u BILE and ought to be reformed, wish TO co
tinue its burdens beyond what they ther
selves have heretofore admitted TO be niece
3 sary. Mr.. Morrison, the Democratic Chai
n man OF the Committee Of Ways and Mea
: in the Forty-fiith Congress, and the mt
"a pronounced free trader in that body, said
/. the 4th of May last that "the friends of Il
e tariff reform now demand such reducti,
as will leave the average rates as high
those fixed by the Morrill, tariff"
), Senator Morrill, said in 1861 that this
~ forded ample protection. Such rapid stride
, he said, had even then been made in cheape
3 ing manufactures that the duties fixed upo
!. and which shave been so fixed more with
:, view 10 revenue than TO protection, won
II place our people on level Of fair compe
ton with the rest OF the world"
Yours truly,
In MONTGOMERY BLAIR.
e Sligo, Montgomery Co., Md, Oct 10, 49,