The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-09-14
MULTIPLICATION DOCTRINES.

The Democratic Tariff Plank Copy of
the South Carolina Modification Ordi.
nance of 1882.
Sixty years ago next November
general convention was in session in
South Carolina. Its members repre-
scented the sentiments of that arrogant
slaveholding oligarchy whose influence
q few years later induced the southern
states to attempt the dissolution of
this republic by armed force. They
were by birth, training and interest OPP
posed to the elevation of worltingmen
and women and viewed with alarm the
growth of the army of intelligent free
labor in the northern states under the
shelter of the protective system. So
they hated protection with an all-con-
suming hate, and had called this con-
vention for the purpose of formally
serving notice on the president and con-
gress that the protective tariff of 1928
must be repealed, so far as South Caro-
lima was concerned, or South Carolina
would secede from the Union. The
convention passed an ordinance" of
notification, of which the gist is con-
tanned in the following extracts:
| Whereas, the congress OF the United States
by various acts, purporting to be acts laying
duties and imposts on foreign imports, but in
reality intended for the protection of, domestic
manufactures etc. hath exceeded its
| just powers under the constitution,
We, therefore, the people Of the state Of
| South Carolina, in convention assembled, do
| declare and ordain, and it is hereby declared
| and ordained that the several acts and part of
acts Of the congress Of the United States, pur-
| porting to be laws for the imposing of duties
| and imposts on the importation of foreign COM
modities, etc, are unauthorized by
the constitution of the United States and vic.
late the true me aning and intent thereof, and
| are null, void and no law.-Ordinance Of Nullif-
| cation passed by South Carolina, through dele
| gates assembled in general convention, Novem.
| Der 81 1892
The answer of that great democrat,
| Andrew Jackson, who was then presi-
dent, was to order South Carolina to
submit to the tariff, and he dispatched
troops and gunboats to see that his
orders were complied with. Congress-
however, saw fit to modify the tariff
sufficiently to appease the South Caro-
lima nullitiers, they receded from their
position and bloodshed was postponed
till twenty-eight years later, when the
pretensions of South Carolina was
stamped upon by the American people
| for good, and all at a cost of half mil
lion precious lives and untold sufferings
They hoped that they had heard the
| last of notification and the absurd
tariff views of Calhoun and his fellow
nullifers. But they were mistaken.
Just about twenty-eight years after the
closing scenes of the tremendous strug-
gle in which it was believed the princi-
pies of the nullifers were buried for
ever, another convention was held, not
in South Carolina this time, but in the
native state of Abraham Lincoln, which
has reasserted the teachings of Calhoun,
Here is its pronunciamento:
We denounce republican protection as fraud
y robbery of the great majority of the Ameri
| canpeople for the benefit Of the few. We declare
it to be fundamental principle of the demo
| cratic party that the federal government has
no constitutional power to impose and collect
PP'N
only, and we demand that the collection of such
taxes shall be limited to the necessities Of the
government when honestly and economically
admins. cred. Democratic Platform o.
1892
For the first time since the civil wal
political party has dared to incor
porate into its platform the utterance.
of the ordinance of notification, and tc
declare that the tariff laws supported
and advocated by Washington, Jeffer
son, Hamilton, Adams Madison, Clay
Webster, jackson and Lincoln We're un
constitutional and mere Legislative rob
berry of the people.
There is no installing the meaning o
the democratic tariff plank, and we arr
glad of it.