Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-04-09

by Jackson, explaining nis attitude or
the subject of projections The letter was
written TO a personal friend when Jack
son was a United States senator from
Tennessee, and a candidate for the presi-
depcy, TO which he was elected four years
later:
SEPTEMBER "a, 1924.
DIR. CoLEMAN-DEAR SIR: ] have had
the honor this day to receive your lntser OF
the 21st instant, and with candcr shall re-
ply TO il. My name has been brought be-
fore the nation by the people themselves
without any agency Of mine, for I wish it
not to be forgotten that | have never
solicited office, nor when called upon by
the constituted authorities have ever de
/ clined where / conceived my services
would be beneficial to my country. But
as my nalne has been brought before the
nation for the first Office in the gift of the
people, it is incumbent on me, when
asked, frankly to declare my opinion ups
on any political or national question pend
ing before and about which the country
feels an interest.
You ask me my opinion on the tariff. I
answer that I am in favor of q %judicious
examination and revision Of it; and so far
as the tariff before US embraces the de-
I. sign Of fostering, protecting and preserv-
ing within ourselves the means of natural
defense and independence, particularly in
"a state of war, / would advocate and sup
port it. The experience OF the late war
ought to teach us q lesson, and one never
to be forgotten. II our liberty and re-
publican form of government, procured
for us by our revolutionary fathers, are
worth the blood and treasure at which
they were obtained it is surely our duty
to protect and defend them. Can there be
an American patriot who saw the priva-
tions, dangers and difficulties experienced
for want of q proper means of defense
during the last war who would be willing
again to hazard the safety Of u country
if embroiled, or rest it for defense on the
precarious means of national resources to
be derived from m in a state of
war with a maritime power which might
destroy that to prevent our OBJ
tanning the means of defense and thereby
subdue us? I hope there is not; and if
there is / am. sure he does not deserve to
enjoy the blessings of freedom.
Heaven smiled upon us and gave us
liberty and Independence. The same
Providence has blessed us with the means
of national independence and national de-
Tense. If we omit or refuse to use the
gifts which he has extended to us, we
deserve not the continuation of his bless.
ings. He has filed our mountains and
our plains with minerals-with lead, iron
and ~copper-and given us a climate and
soil for the growing of hemp and wool
These being the grand materials of oul
national defense they ought to have ex
: tended to them adequate and fair protec
ton, that GU own manufactures ant
. laborers may be placed on q fair com
natiJip, with fbocaT Of T1uroyn md tho.
we may have within our own country /
| supply of those leading and imrortan
articles so essential to war. Beyond thii
: / look at the tariff with an eye to tn,
r proper distribution of labor and revenue
and with a view to discharge our ~nationa
{ debt. am one of those who do not be
| 1ieYe that q national debt is a nationa
i blessing, but rather a curse to a republic
{ inasmuch al it is calculated to rails
n around the administration a moneys
Il aristecracy dangerous to the liberties 0
the country
This Tariff mean the iudicious one
possesses more fancifuI than real dangers
/ will ask what is the real situation of tn
G agriculturist? Where has the American
farmer a market for his surplus products
Except for cotton he has neither a foreigl
nor a home market. Does this not clearl
pFONe. WneH tnere Is no maTheU, eltnef Il
S home or abroad, that there is too mucl
labor employed in agriculture, and tina
II the channels of labor should be multi
" plied9 Common sense points out at one
y the remedy. Draw from agriculture til
It superintendent labor, employ it in mect
S anism and manufactures, thereby Great
k ing a home market for your breadstuil
n and distributing labor to a most profit
n able account, and benefits to the countr
II will result. Take from agriculture in th
e United States 100000 men, women an
s. children, and you at once give a HON
n market for more breadstuffs than a
le Europe now furnishes us. In short, 81
we have been too long subject to I'll
h policy of the British merchants. 1t
se time we should become a little MOI
l. A~mericanized, and instead of feeding ii
paupers and laborers of Europe, feed oil
own, or else in short time, by continl
ing u present policy, we shall all |
paupers ourselves. (Signed)
!, ANDREW JACKSON.
- Nr5zGaEH