Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-03-04

the young republic for the defense OF it's
independence by making its people self.de-
pendent. Societies for the promotion of
home manufactures and for encouraging the
use of domestics in the dress of the people
were organized in many of the States. The
revival at the end Of the century of the
same patriotic interest in the preservation
and development of domestic industries,
and the defense of our working people
against injurious foreign competition, Is an
incident worthy of attention. 1t is not
departure, but return, that We have wit
messed. The protective policy had then its
opponents. The argument was made as
now that its benefits enured to particular
classes or sections. If the question became
in any sense or at any time sectional, it was
only because slavery existed in some of the
/ States. But for this, there was 20
reason why the cotton producing
States should not have led or walk
ed abreast with the New England
States in the production of cotton fabrics.
There was this reason only why the States
that divide with Pennsylvania the mineral
treasures Of the great southeastern and cen
| trail mountain ranges should have been so
tardy in Urging to the smelling furnace
and 10 the mill the coal and iron from their
near opposing hill sides. Mill fires were
lighted at the funeral pile of slavery. The
enamel patton proclamation was heard in tee
| depths of the earth es we'll as in the sky
men were made free and material things be-
came eur better servants. The sectional ell
ement has happily been eliminated from the
| a:ilf discussion. We have no longer States
that are necessarily only planting States.
None are excluded from achieving that di-
versfication of pursuit among the people
which brings wealth and contentment. The
cotton plantation will not be less valuable
when the product ia spun in the country
town by operatives whose necessities call for
diversified crops and create home demand
for garden and agricultural products. Every
new mine, furnace and factory is an extern
sion Of the productive capacity of the State
more real and valuable than added territory.
"Shall the prejudices and paralysis of
| slavery continue to hang upon the skirts OF
progress? How long will those who rejoice
that slavery no longer exists cherish or tol-
crate the iucapacties it put upon their COM
munities? look hopefully to the cOntinu-
ance of our protective system, and to the
consequent development OF manufacturing
and mining enterprises in the States hther.
to wholly given to agriculture as a potent
| influence in the perfect unlhcaton OF our
people. The men who have invested their
capital in these enterprises, the farmers who
have felt the benefit of their neighborhood,
and the men who work in shop or field will
not fail to find and to defend community
of interest. Is it not quite possible that the
| farmers and the promoters Of the great min.
ing and manufacturing enterprises which
have recently been established in the South
NAV vet find that the free ballot of the
| yrithout distinction 0f ropa ia
needed for their defense as well as for his
own? ] do not doubt that if those men in
the South who now accept the tariff views
Of Clay and the constitutional expostions of
Webster would courageously avow and de-
fend their real convictions they would not
! find it difficult, by friendly instruction and
cooperation, to make the black man their
efficient and safe ally, not only in establish.
ing correct principles in our national admin
istration but in preserving, for their local
communities, the benefits of social order and
economical aud honest government. At
| least, until he good offices Of kindness and
education have been fairly tried the con
trary conclusion cannot be plausiby urged
II have altogether rejected thesuegesion
OF special executive policy for any section
of our country. II is the duty OF the execu
tive to administer and enforce, 10 the meth
| DDS and by the inslrumente'itie point Ell ont
and provided by the Constitution, all the
laws enacted by Congress. These laws are
general and their administration should be
uniform and equal As d citizen may not
elect what laws be will obey, neither may
the executive elect which ne will enforce.
| The duty TO obey and TO execute embraces
the Constitution in its entirety and the
whole code of laws enacted under it, The
evil example of permitting individuals, cor
porations or communities 10 nullify the laws
because they cross some selfish or local in
teresis or preudices is full Of danger, not
only to the nation at large but much
more to those who use this pernicious
expedient to escape their just o0iga
tions or to obtain an unjust advantage over
others. They will presently themselves be
compelled to appeal TO the law for protec
ton, and those who would use the law RS
defense must not deny that use OF it to
others. If our great corporations would
more scrupulously observe their legal limi
tations and duties, they would have less
cause to complain of the unlawful limita
tons OF their rights or OF violent interference
with their operations. The community that
by concert, op or secret, among it's oiti
zens, denies to..a portion OF its members their
plain rights under the law, has severed the
only safe body Of social order ami prospect
ty. The evil works, from bad csnLre, both
ways. 1t demoralizes those who practice il,
and destroys the faith of those who sufi'-T
by il in the efficiency OF the law, as a safe
protector. The man in whose breast that
faith has been darkened, is naturally the
subj Act of dangerous and uucanny sugges
tons Those who use unlawful methods, il
moved by no higher motive than the selfish
ness that prompted them, may We'll stop and
inquire what Is to be the end Of THE An
unlawful expedient cannot become per-
manent condition of government If the
educated and influential classes in a COM
munity either practice or connve at the
systematic violation of laws that seem to
them to cross their convenience, what ca0
they expect when the lesson, that convent
ence or supposed class interest is sutii
Gent cause for lawlessness, has been well