The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-10-16
For the Valley virginian.l
The Tariffs Past and Present
Opponents.

| While looking over the files of the Ma
tlonal Leteligencer, published ffty-two
years ago, have become much interested
| in reading the communications, reports
and speeches then published on the tariff
question. An interesting feature in the
then discussions. for and against the tariff,
| is the similarity of arguments used by the
advocates.of free trade in 1882, compared
with the arguments Of the same party in
1884. The free-trade orators fifty years
ago reSorted to the most bare-faced false
hoods and Inconsistencies to convince the
farmers and labOring part of community
that on every yard of cotton cloth they
paid a tax OF 'eiglt cents per yard for the
exclusive benefit of the yankee manufac-
turer." Such statements were widely cir
culated, Notwithstanding all over the
country, at that time, the goods referred
could be bought for sic and seUen cents per
yard, fact which gave the direct lie to all
such random statements. Even at tie
present day the Democratic orators who
believe their hearers are only half civilized
and grossly Ignorant. make use of the same
arguments advanced fifty years ago. For
instance, here is fair specimen of Demo-
cratic argument and inconsistency in dis
cussing the tariff question. On the 18th
OF October, 1871, the editor of the AleXan-
drla Standard, then a free-trade sheet, de-
voted twOrOlumns of his paper denouneing
the American tariff to be system of
matchmaking for the interest of the yam
kee manufacturer. On the following
first day of November, just fifteen days
after said editors wholesale abuse of the
tariff that gave protection to American in
duStry, he expressed decided preference
for Horace Greeley as the next Democratic
candidate for the Presidency; the great
and constant champion of protection to the
American manufacturer. Here is what
the Standards editor said of Mr.. Greeley's
nomination andhis superior qualifications
I'VE notice that many Northern and
Western Democratic papers are speaking
most favorably of Mr.. Greeley as the Dem
ocratic candidate for the presidency. If
we can't have a thorough out-and-out
Democratic president, we are candid
enough to say that we prefer Horace
Greeley, because we know that he is honest,
competent. and capable of filling the office
with ability
Two days after the above appeared in
the Standard, Mr.. Greeley, through the
columns of the Tribune. expressed his
i'honest" opinion of Southern loyalty, as
follows:
''Some of the people down south still
hate us, and will have it that the rebellion
left the United States mlserably insolvent.
while the Union, restored as it seems to be,
continues hopelessly shaky but for all this,
nobody there has any objection to drawing
a few of the gold bonds put forth jy the
accused Washington Government. Their
hearts are still rebellious, but their breaches
pockets are exquisitely loyal
The nomination by the Standard of Hor-
ace Greeley, the greatest American de-
fender of a tariff for protection, is a fair
specimen of Democratic argument and in
consistency on the great political question
of the day.
Now permit me to give you the main
substance of letter written fifty-two years
ago by VIM. Lee, Esq, "a good Virginia
nancy ex-Auditor of the United States
Treasury, to friend in New York city.
on the subject of a tariff for protection
Mr.. Lees letter was originally published
in the New Y ork American Advocate, -
and from that paper published in the Ma
tional hatelligeneer. d. 7.