The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-20
Lines to a Misguided Friend.


Lines to a Misguided Friend.
Esteemed Register:
You do not like to have your party
called free trade party. Then why
did you vote in the convention for the
free trade plank in your platform?
Why did you vote to insert the declar-
alton that protection is unconstitu-
tional2 Here is what you voted for:
1--WE declare it to be fundamental
principle OF the Democratic party that
the federal government has no consti-
tutional power to enforce and collect
duties, except for the purpose Of rev.
enue only"
This was the position of John O. Cal
houn and his fellow South Carolina
Nullifers. You remember. of course,
the South Carolina Notification ordi-
nancein 1882, but you may not have it
handy, so here is enough of it to refresh
your memory:
Whereas, the Congress OF the United
States, by various acts, purporting to be
acts laying duties and imports on foreign
imports, but in reality for the protec-
ton Of domestic manufactures : .
hath exceeded lite just powers underline
constitution.
eve, therefore, the people Of South
oarolina, in convention assembled, do
declare and ordain, and it ID hereby de-
elarea apdordainOd, that the several
acts aud parta of Rcts Of the Congress
of the United States purporting to BIO
laws for the imposing of duties and i'm
posts on the importation OF foreign
commodities are unauthorized
by the constitution OF the United
States, and violate the true meaning
ann intent thereof, and are null, void
and no law"
You remember, doubtless, that Presi-
dent Andrew Jackson, a Democrats of
Democrats, did not agree with Mr.. Cal
houn and the rest of the Nulli6ers, and
you may recall that in message to
Congress he said:
"The object of the tariff is objected
to by some as unconstitutional. .
This authority having entirely passed
from the states, the right to exercise it
for the purpose of protection does not
exist in them, and consequently, if it
be not possessed by the general govern
ment, it must be extinct Our political
system would thus present the anomaly
Of people stripped of the right to fos-
ter their own industry, and to counter
act the most selfish and destructive pol
icy which might be adopted by foreign
nations. This surely cannot be the
case; this indispensable power, thus
surrendered by the states, must be
within the scope OF the authority on
the subject expressly delegated to Con-
gress. In this view I am confirmed as
we'll by the opinions of Presidents
Washington, jefferson, Madison and
Monroe, who have each repeatedly rec
commended the exercise OF this right,
under the constitution, as by the uni
form practice OF Congress, the con-
tinued acquiescence Of the states, aud
the general understanding OF the peo-
pie"
Andrew Jackson's opinion on the
constitutionality of protective tariff is
not new but it is good and should COM
mand your respect. Take the trouble
now, if you please. to compare the
plank you voted for at Chicago with
that provision of the Confederate con-
stitutlon covering this point:
"The Congress shall have power to
lay and collect taxes. duties and excuses
for revenue only, necessary to pay the
debts, provide for the common defense
and carry on the government of the
Confederate States; but no bounties
shall be granted from the treasury; nor
shall any duties or taxes on importa-
tons from foreign nations be laid to
promote or foster any branch OF indus
try"
Il, now, you have little more valua-
BILE time to spare, compare this, Mr..
Register, with what you voted for at
Chicago and the declaration of 1.-The
South Carolina Nullifers, and say
whether you can with good conscience
ask your readers to 90 to the polls and
vote for what you voted for in the Chi
cago convention.
Don't you think it is rather strong
dose for Americans who believe they
have a country, and that their country
has at least the power to defend itself
which Andrew Jackson thought it had ?
Don't you think it rather late to re-
vive the doctrine of the NuuiGers and
OF their successors who set up the Con-
federate States Of America?
Isn't it probable that'something has
been settled in the course of the fieeting
years2 Or must it all be gone over as
though this.country had no history2
An early answer that doesn't dodge
will oblige yours truly.
A Hideous scheme Uncovered.
Last Saturday a few West Virginia
Republicans representing themselves