Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-11-01
OF State.
SLAVERY VS.. TARIFF.

SLAVERY VS.. TARiff.
But now came change of policy
wrought by the influence of that
peculiar institution of the South,
which solves all tue future move
ments Of the Democratic party, and
which arose during the first term of
General jackson. African slavery
is the key which unlocks the tariff
question, and exhibits the fundamen.
tai principle and ruling element OF
that party. Slavery was essential
to the production Of cotton, the lead
ing export of the South. Tobacco
and rice, the products OF slave labor,
added, though in a minor degree, to
the list of Southern exports. Mr..
Calhoun had been an advocate OF
protection, but with other statesmen
of the South began to see the chang
ed interest of his section. 1t be.
came their policy to sell the staple
products of Southern agriculture in
highest foreign market, aud draw
thence in return, at the lowest prices,
the manufactures which were need
ed for Southern use. Low duties
and small charges became their de.
mand.
SLAVERY AND POLITICS.
1t was under the influence of this
changed condition the importance
of slavery became supreme factor
in Southern politics. This was man.
ifested at once upon the change OF
administration from Adams to Jack
sons, and was strengthened by the
intense bitterness of jackson toward
Mr.. Clay, caused by the alleged bar
gam and sale between Adams and
Clay, by which Jackson failed to
reach the Presidency in 1S24-5.--
Beginning with the veto of the May,
esyille road bill in 1880 by General
jackson, the whole series of meas.
ures called the American system was
overturned. This included the pro.
tective system, which the South OPP
posed even to the notification OF
the tariff law III South Carolina
reasonable act which the patrio.
tism of Jackson would not tolerate,
and which he suppressed by his
northumberland the Force BILL
Though at first favorable to protec-
ton, influenced by the strong feel
ing of the Sonth and his opposition
to Clay, jackson finally cast the
weight OF his administration against
the system a position he sustained
by an elaborate statement in his
fourth annual message in December,
1882, and his subsequent endorse.
ment of the Compromise act of 1888,
in his annual message in December,
1888.
THE FIRST TARIFF TINKERS.
The first reduction of the tariff OF
1923 was accomplished by the act OF
1882. But slavery was not content
with this reduction and the agitation
became so great III the South, Mr..
Clay. alarmed at the turbulent spirit
and fearing insurrectisn, came into
the Senate with his Compromise bill
of 1888 reducing the duties of the
act of 1882 by sliding scale, until
in 1841 they fell to general duty of
only 20 percent. The result was per
fectly natural as well as disastrous.
Before 1871 arrived the suspension
OF 1887 had occurred, American man
ufactures were trodden down, and a
season of general bankruptcy ensu-
ed, calling into being the bankrupt
law of 1S41.
This state of the country brought
on a change of administration by
the election of General Harrison,
and the Wings came into power in
1841. This was followed by the pas
sage Of the tariff act of 1841, and
the country rose from its depression,
prosperity revived, and the Nation
was on the highway to wealth and
happiness. But the Democrats rally.
ing in force in 1874, y change of ad-
ministration took place again blythe
defeat of Mr.. Clay. Again the pro.
lection given by the act of 1912 was
reduced by the Democrats In 1916,
followed again by depression. This
downward tendency was measure
bly, checked by the election of Cen
eral TAYLOR in 1848. Again a change
to the Democratic side came by the
election of Mr.. Pierce in 1852, fol.
lowed By that of Buchanan in 1856,
and again by the suspension of
specie payments in 1857, another
period of general depression.
BIRTH OF THE REPUBLIcAN PARTY.
In the meantime slavery had
made advances in the acquisition of
Texas and the purchase of Mexican
territory for the avowed purpose
of keeping up the equipoise between
the free and the slave States. By
this new party 1.-THE Republican,
arose out of the ashes of the North
ern wing Of the Wing party, grow
ing out of the determination Of the
South to nationalize slavery and
force it into the new Territories and
States, through the popular sover.
eighty dogma of the Kansas and
Nebraska bill, which was carried in
May, 1854, by the solid vote Of the
Southern Democrats, one-lalf Of the
Northern Democrats and the South
ern Wings. This purpose was fur
ther carried out by the bred Scott
decision of the Democratic majority
of the Supreme Court made in 1856,
but withheld until after Buchansn's
Inauguration in 1857. This deter
mination to give slavery a national
status ended in the division of the
Democratic party in 1860 between
the Douglass and Breckenridge
wings, the election of Mr.. Lincoln
and the insurrection OF the South.
As consequence, the war brought
into existence new laws passed by
the Republicans for rnveuue and