The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-01-12
JACKSON VS.. CLEYELANn.

Old HiekOry's Ghost Answers CIeve-
lands Message--A Letter which An
drew Jackson Wrote In 1924 which
Exactly shows the Folly OfIhe Pres.
Idenrs Tariff Position.
SEPTEMBER "a, 1924 DR.. COLEMAN,
DEAR SIR Il have bad the honor this
lay to receive your letter of the 21st
INST, and with candor shall reply to it..
My name has been brought before the
nation by the people themselves without
any agency of mine, for | wish it not to
he forgotten that have never solicited
Office, nor when called upon by the con-
stituted authorities have ever declined
where conceived my services would be
beneficial to my country. But as my
name has been brought before the ma
ton for the first Office in the gift of the
people, it is incumbent on me, when
asked, frankly to declare my opinion
upon any political or national question
pending before and about which the
country feels an interest.
You ask me my opinion on the tariff.
answer that am in favor of a judi
cious examination and revision of it
and so far as the tariff before us EN-
braces the design of fostering. protect
ing and preserving within ourselves the
means of natural defense and independ-
ence, particularly in state of war,
would advocate and support it. The e1
perience of the late war ought to teach
us lesson, and one never to be forgot
ten. If our liberty and Republican 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 experI
enced for want of a proper means of de
fence during the last war who would be
willing again to hazard the safety Of our
country if embroiled, or rest it for de-
Tense on the pI ecarious means of nation.
al resources to be derived from COM
merce in a state of war with Il maratine
power which might destroy that COM
merce to prevent our obtaining the
means of defense aud thereby subdue
us2 l hope there is not; and if there is.
l 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 ma,
tional defense. If we omit or refuse to
use the gifts which He has extended to
us, we deserve not the continuation of
His blessings. He has filled our noun
tains and our plains with minerals
with lead, iron and copper-and given
us climate and soil for the growing of
hemp and wool. These being the grand
material of our national defense they
ought to have extended to them ade-
quate and fair projection, that our man
ufactores and laborers may be placed
on fair competition with those of Eu-
rope. aud that we may have within our
own country supply of those leading
and import articles SO essential to war.
Bepond this look at the tariff with an
eye to the proper distribution of labor
and revenue, and with a view to DIS
charge our national debt. l am one of
those who do not believe that national
debt is a national blessing, but rather
curse to republic, inasmuch as it is
calculated to raise (0 around the admin
istation moneyed aristocracy danger
GUS to the liberties of the country.
This Tariff mean a judicious one
possesses more fancIful than real dan
gers. will ask what is the real situa-
ton of the agricuIturists Where has the
American farmer market for his sur
plus products? Except for cotton he
has neither foreign nor home market.
Does not this clearly prove, when there
is no market, either at home or abroad.
that there is too much labor employed
in agriculture, and that the channel Of
labor should be multiplied !? Common
sense points out at once the remedy
Draw from agriculture the superabund-
ant labor, employ it in mechanism and
manufactures, thereby creating a home
market for your breadstuffs and distrib'
uting labor to a most profitable account,
and benefits to the country will result.
Take from agriculture in the United
States 600 900 men women and children,
and you at once give home market for
more breadstuffs than all Europe now
furnishes US. In short, sir, we have
been too long subject to the policy Of
the British merchants. 1t is time we
should become little more American
lied, and instead of feeding the paupers
and laborers of Europe, feed our own, or
else in short time, by continuing our
present policy, we shall be paupers our
selves. (Signed) ANDREW JACKSON.