The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-04-22
The Old Whig Doctrine.

The Old Wing Doctrine.
The Vmdicatoy of last week published
an interesting and entertaining interview
with Hon. A. Fl. II. Stuart, of this place.
Mr.. Stuart represented the Congressional
district of which Augusta was then part
in 1s41-42, the last representative in Con-
gress that Augusta has had. It was to as
certain the political condition of that Pc
Rod and the influences which operated in
sending to Congress Wing from DIS
trict which had almost invariably elected a
Democrat, and which was generally DEM
ocratic on full vote, that the in
terview was sought. In defining the
creed of the Wing party at that date,
Mr.. Stuart says: 1.-THE canvass was con-
Quoted on plane of high courtesy and at
its close we were even better friends than
at the beginning" (Gov. James Mcdowell
was the Democratic candidate. "The
public questions of 1S41 which divided
parties, may be stated by saying that the
tariff for revenue only, and opposed
internal improvements by the general
government, and the distribution of
the public lands under Mr.. Clay's bill j;
| while the Wings favored United States
Bank, protective tariff, a liberal system
of internal improvements by the govern
ment, and the distribution of the public
lands for educational purposes"
| This formulation of the issues of that
day expresses the differences which exist
between the Democrats of this day and
the Republicans. The Democratic party
is the same old party it was fifty years
ago. 1t is true that it has been driven to
accept the Wing doctrine of 1841 as en-
braced in the Republican creed Of Nation
al Banks, 1.-THE security for the issue of
which is the bonds of the government,) a
protective tariff, internal improvements
by the government and the donation of the
public lands for educational purposes, as
embraced in the land grants to many of
the States. But it is merely acquiescence.
If the Democracy had the power the old
State bank system would be revived, and a
tariff for revenue only would be the pol
icy of the government. That it is merely
acquiescent is sustained by the opposition
that party has, until very recently, manifest
ed to the present unequalled banking sys-
tenn; to the Blair Educational Bill and in
it's support Of the Morrison tariff bill. On all
these cardinal questions the two parties OF
the present day maintain substantially the
same relations they did at the time to which
Mr.. Stuart refers. The singular fact is pre-.
scented. however, ef old Wings. like Mr.. Stu
art, who advocated the American System Of
Mr.. Clay, rejecting almost identically the
views of the Republican party of this
time, voting for and giving their mora,
support to the Democratic party. EN-
phasis is. givento this surprise in the fact
that the doctrines of the old Wing party
then mere theory, without the power il
the party to test them practically, have
been enforced by the Republicans ani
all the benefcent results predicted o.
them by tie old Wings, fully realized; while
the States Rights notions Of the Demo
Gratis wrought out all the dire consequences
that the old Wings foretold Of them.-
Had the Democratic theory been practi
cally sustained, the Union would not be il
existence now, our industrial wealth ant
activity would never have been known
our homestead laws would not have beer
, enacted: the application of the public
lands and the proceeds of their sale to ed
vocational purposes and internal improve
ments would never have become part O
the policy of the government. It impresse
itself as remarkably singular that whel
the fruitions of the old Wing doctrine ar,
being so abundantly realized, when every
, thing foretold Of them has been verified
tenn has been fully indicated, that ole
Wings should disown all these results an(
surrender their convictions in the sup
port of the Democratic party. At thu
, time when Mr.. Clay formulated hi
American System, the Industrial condi
tion, as well as system, of the South, wa
not such as to invite its practical applica
tion. In forecasting the future--lookinf
way down the vista of time-Mr. Clay los
: sight of cotemporaneous surroundings
The system of slavery was in itself an OBJ
struction. 1t was the labor of the South
and where it prevailed there was no open
ing for skilled labor and manufacturing
industries. The economy Of that system
was to exchange its products for the.man
ufactured articles, and as Europe thel
was the seat of manufacturing industries
it was policy to trade tobacco, cotton, rice
i, &c., directly with countries across thu
!, waters. There was some reason and de
fence then for the tariff idea of ''revenu
only" or free trade and direct tax
alton, as some desired, for the Soutl
, had no industries that wanted protec
tection-so long as the slave system
continued, and ''cotton was king" Their
was no room for manufacturing enter
prises, and consequently the old Whil
idea of protective tariff was in advance
, of the time when it's application was ne
cessary and practical, 80 far as the Slay
States were concerned. For that reason
, the South was mocratic-believed il
Free trade and sailors rights,' and wa
Indifferent to the condition and wants o
the other sections of the Union. Thes
things were changed in the destruction O
the slave system and the change has ne
cessitated the adoption of a different pol
icy, the operation of which encourage
home industries, gives. employment t.
free labor, end builds up home en-
terprise. il is Bourbonism that does no
recognize these new conditions. 1t doe
not seem to realize that the slave system
does not now exist-that the ideas cotem
poraneous with and growing out of it, ar,
not practical or applicable now, but thai