Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-06-08
GENERAL GARFIELD
AND DAVID A. WELLS.
Philadelphia Bulletin.


Philadelphia Bulletin.
Mr.. Wells has Just written a let
ter, which has been read in the
tariff debate at Washington, In
which the charge is made against
the memory of General Garfield
that he was in sympathy with the
principles OF the Golden Club as
late as 1869, when he was elected
a member of that British Free
Trade organization. Concerning
this charge it may be said that it
is fatty contradicted by General
Garfeld's public record as Pro-
tectionlst for many years before
1869 and during the remainder OF
his life. His first tariff speech in
Congress was made in 1866, and in
this speech he defined his position
on the tariff question in the follow
ing words:
81 hold that a properly adjusted
competition between home and
foreign products is the best gauge
by which to regulate international
trade. Duties should be so high that
our manufacturers can fairly com
pete loitk the foreign product, but
not so high as to enable them to
drive out the foreign article, ENJOY
monopoly of the trade, and reg
ulate The price as they please.
This IS my doctrine of Protec-
tIon.o
Considering the undeveloDed
condition of many of our manufac.
turing industries in 1866 this dec
laration by General Garfield con-
tAins no word or letter that Pro-
tectionists could then object to.
General Garfield never subsequent
" wavered from the convictions
he then expressed, and in many
able speeches In the House, as well
as by his votes, he steadily sup
ported the cause Of Protection to
the day of his death. His tariff
record is before US; we can prove
what we say. If he sometimes diff
fered with other Protectionist lead
ers of his party it was on questions
of expediency, never on the ques-
ton of principle. Thus in 1872 he
voted to reduce duties ten per
cent, but in 1876 he voted to re-
store this reduction. Protection
has not always been so strong in
this country as it is to-day, and
General Garfield was a politician
and studied the public temper.
When he differed with his col
leagues he did not stand alone, for
many good Protectionlsts kept him
company. Good Protectionists
voted with him in 1872 and good
Protectionists voted against him
in 1875. With regard to his hon
orary mot regular) membership in
the Golden Club he gave the fol-
lowing information in 1873 to G.
NJ. Shinn, Esq, editor of the CLIP
per, published at Brownsville, Pa.
"WAsHINGToN, d. G., !
Jan. 2lst, 1878. !
"C. NJ. Shinn, Esqr. Brownsville, Pa.
"DEAR SIR: Yours of the 18th
inst, came duly to hand. In an
swer l send copy of my speech
delivered in 1870 on the tariff.
have marked o passage IN which
you can see my position on the
tariff question. A few extreme
men have for years sought to mis-
represent my position on the sub
iect. In 1865 / made a speech in
favor of sound currency, several
copies of which we're sent to ouI
| Minister in England, and by him
| given to prominent persons there
in the belief that it would aid to
strengthen our credit abroad. II
related lchOlly to the currency ana
the public credit. AS a compliment
for that speech | was made ar
honorary member of the Cobdeu
Club, OF London, of which at that
time Charles Summer, William
Lloyd Garrison, Henry Ward
Beecher, and three or four other
prominent Americans were mem
bers. II had no relation to my riecl
on the tariff, and it is a gross iIyuS
tice to imply any such meaning from
| it.