Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-08-25
MULTIPLICATION DOCTRINES.

Tho Democratic Tarin Plank q Copy of
the South Carolina Modification Ordi-
nance Of 1889.
Sixty years ago next November a
general convention was In session In
South Carolina. Its members repre-
sented the sentiments OF that arrogant
slaveholding oligarchy whose influence
Few years later induced the southern
states to attempt the dissolution Of
this republic by armed force They
were by birth, training and interest Cd
posed to the elevation Of workingmen
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-
Stunning 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 1898
must be repealed, so far as South Caro-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 tho constitution,
We, therefore, the people OF the state Of
south Carolina in convention assembled do
declare and ordain, and It is hereby declared
una ordained, that the several acts and part OF
acts OF the congress Of the United States, pur.
porting 10 be laws for the imposing Of duties
and imposu on the Importation Of foreign com.
modities, etc, are unauthorized by
the constitution OF the United States and VIC.
late the true meaning and intent thereof, and
are null void and no law. Ordinance OF Nunin.
cation passed. by South Carolina, through dele
gates assembled in general convention, Novem-
Der q, 1872
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 nullifiers, they receded from their
position and bloodshed was postponed
till twcnty-eight years later, when the
pretensions Of South Carolina was
stamped upon by the American people
for good, and all at cost of half a mil
lion precious lives and untold sufferinps
They hoped that they had heard the
last OF notification and the absurd
tariff views Of Calhoun and his fellow
nullihers 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 donounce republican protection as fraud.
robbery Of the great majority Of the Amerl.
oan people for the benefit of the few. We declare
II to be a fundamental principle Of the demo.
cratic party that the federal government has
no constitutional power TO impose and collect
tarin duties, except for the purpose OF revenue
only and We demand that the collection Of such
taxes shall be limited to the necessities OF the
government when honestly and economically
ADMINISTRATION Democratic Platform OF
1897,
For the first time since the civil war
political party has dared 10 incor-
porate into its platform the utterances
Of the ordinance of notification, and 10
declare that the tariff laws supported
and advocated by Washington, Jeffer-
son, Hamilton, Adams, Madison, Clay,
Webster, jackson and Lincoln were un-
constitutional and mere legislative rob
berry Of the people,
There is no MISLEADING the meaning OF
the democratic tariff plank, and we arc
glad Of II.