The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-01-16
Cleveland VS.. Jackson.

In his speech on Jackson day at Phila-
delphia, Mr.. Cleveland referred to the
hero as an apostle Of true democracy, and
SO he was. But to remind Mr.. Cleveland
of the difference between Jackson's de-
mocracy and his own, we beg leave to call
his attention to the following declaration
made by jackson little over sixty years
ago in which he defined the position OF
the party on the tariff
''The power TO impose duties on imports originally
belonged TO the several States. The right to ADJUST
these duties with view 10 the encouragement OF 40
nestle branches Of industry Is SO completely Identical
with tina, power that It is difficult TO suppose
the existence Of the without the other The States
have delegated their whole authority over imports to
the general government without limitation or restTic-
,iou saving the very uncomfortable reservation re-
spec;ing their inspection laws This authority having
thus entirely passed from the States, The rsht 10 eS
ercise the purpose Of protection does not exist In
them and, consequently, Il il be not possessed by the
general government, it must be extinct Our political
system would thus present the anomaly 0. a people
stripped OF the right foster their own industry, and
counteract the mos; selfish and destructive policy
that might be adopted by foreign nations This surely
cannot be the case; this indispensable power thus sur
rendered by the States, must be within tie authority
expressly delegated TO Congress.
Sin this conclusion am confirmed az well by the
opinions Of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and
Monroe, who have each repeatedly recommended the
exercise Of the RICH; under the Constitution, by the
uniform practice OF Congress, the continued acquies-
ccncc OF the States and the general understanding OF
the people.
ssThat our deliberations on this interesting subject
should be unnuenced by those partisan conflicts that
are incident 10 free Institutions Is the fervent wish OF
my heart To make this great question, which unhap-
PLY so much divides and exces the public mind, sub
servient 10 the short.sghted views of faction must
destroy all hope of settling it satisfactorily to the
great body Of the people, and for the general interest
cannot therefore, taking leave Of this subject,
too earnestly, for my own feelings or for the common
good, warn you against the consequences OF auch
course.''
Contrast this declaration with the doc
trine laid down in Mr.. Cleveland's famous
and disastrous free trade message and we
may readily discern the difference between
true democracy and spurious democracy.
We may also learn from repeated expert
ments that it is the true democracy that
commands the confidence of the country
and wins victories at the polls and not the
false kind. The platform on which Mr..
Cleveland was elected, framed by the
lamented Randall, had the true Jacksonian
ring about it and it won. The platform
framed under the inspiration of Mr.. Clcve-
lands message and bottle of whisky
did not have the true democracy in it and
it lost. Mr. Cleveland should observe
that it is only the genuine article that wins
victories while the false article, no matter
what the label may be, invariably brings
disaster