The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-07-24
THE DEMOCRACY OF OTHER
DAYS

James Buchanan was inaugurated
President thirty yeas ago the Attn of
March last. In his inaugural address
he said:
Our present financial condition IL without
parallel in history. No nation has ever
before been embarrassed from too large
surplus In its treasury. This almost nee
essarily gives birth To- extrayagant legisla-
ton. 1t produces wild schemes OF expend-
iture, and begets race of spectators and
jobbors, whose ingenuity is exerted in con-
irving and promoting expedients to obtain
public money. Tho purity of official agents,
whether rRhtfully or wrOngfully, is sus-
pectsd, and the character Of the government
suffers In tho Estimation of the people. This
is in itself very Great evil. The natural
mode of relief from this embarrassment Is
to appropriate the surplus in the Treasury to
great natural objects for which clear war
rant can b, found in the constitution.
Among ESQ l might mention tho OK
tingushment Of tho public debt; rea-
s0nable increase Of tho navy, which is
at present inadequate to the protection Of
our vast tonnage nilOat, now greater than
that OF any other nation, as we'll as TO the
defense of our extended seacoast. II is be-
yond all question the true principle that no
more revenue ought to BIO collected from the
people than the amount necessary to defray
the expenses of n wise, economical and eff
ciont administration Of the government. 70
reach this point IL was necessary to resort to
a modification of tho tariff; and this has,
trust, been accomplished in such manner
as TO do as little injury as may have been
practicable to our domestic manufactures,
especially those necessary for the defense of
the country. Any discrimination against
particular branch, for tho purpose Of beno-
1ting favored corporations, individuals, or
interests, would have been unjust to the rest
of the immunity and inconsistent with that
spirit Of fairness and equality which ought
20 govern in the adjustment Of rovenu,
tariff.
The Democrats who have stood firm
ly by the record and pledges Of the
party, have for the last six months
been influenced by the advice Of James
Buchanan, given thirty years ago,
when there WAS, as now, a surplus in
the Treasury. Mr.. Buchanan thought
superabundance of revenue was
corruptng force. 1t is certainly so
now, rs members of Congre.s have
taxed their ingenuity, laid awake at
night concocting schemes to squander
the surplus revenue. Mr.. Buchanan
congratulated the country that the
tariff had been 80 modified that mo
more revenue would ba collected from
the people than the amount necessary
to defraV the expenses of wise, eco
nomioal and efficient administration
of the government" But the country
cannot now be congratulated on sim
liar achievement, for the revenues col
lected under the pretext that the necss.
sites Of the war period imposed are still
collected after more than twenty
years OF peace, tending to wasteful-
ness, extravaganza and demoralza-
ton in the legislation Of Congress.
The farmer, upon whom these war
taxes fall most heavily, is the one man
in all the community who 10 out OF
the reach OF protection, and no Won
der they complain and feel outraged
and oppressed by useless tariff duties
levied to protect other industries at
their expense. The proposition Of
Mr.. Morrison to appropriate the sur
plus in the Treasury to the extin-
0uishment of the public debt is moth
iug new, as II will be seen Mr.. Blu
chanan made the ZANE recommends
ton thirty years ago.