New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-16
TURN BACK THE HANDS.

r. is much to the credit of so eminent q Dem
ocrat as George Ticknor Curtis that he re-
fuses. as he says, to unlearn the lessons OF
his whole political life at the bidding OF the
Chicago Convention. The greater part OF that
life has been spent in the study of American
political history and constitutional law. lie
has laboriouSly explored tho sources of inter
probation of the Constitution in the proceedings
of the Ist Congress and in the Administra-
tons of Washington, jefferson, Madison, the
second Adams and Jackson. When, therefore,
he finds the Chicago Convention placing itself
on record as delouncing Republican Protection
as a fraud upon the labor of the great majority
of the people for the benefit OF few, and as
DENYING that the Federal Government has any
constitutional right to impose and collect tariff
duties except for the purpose of revenue only,
he is compelled 10 speak and act in protest
and opposition
The contribution which Mr.. Curtis has prom
iSed 10 make to the literature of the campaign
will be valuable one but We doubt very
much il he can succeed in demonstrating that
the Chicago Convention has rcpudiatcd all the
teachings Of the party's history. 1t is I'M
doubtcdly false TO what is best and brightest
IN tflIt Hl>IoIN, Dui IL - dlNb lIu' ~ NIIh' -
worst and darkest. Tho Slave Power, in It's
desperate struggle TO maintain its ascendancy
in American politics. assumed an attitude OF
fanaiical hostility to Protection. II was the
natural ally Of Frcc-Tradc England. 1t had
IL; slave labor available for few great agri
cultural interests like cotton. sugar and rice
and it had nothing 10 gain from the diversified
ton of home industries by which the free labor
Of the North would be lifted into power and
prosperity. rs antaeoniSm 10 Protection was
carried in South Carolina 10 the extreme length
Of declaring unconstitutional tariff for any
purpose except revenue. Ii is in the nulica-
ton movement headed by Calhoun and sup
pressed by Jackson in 1892 that the original
suggestion for the present tariff plank OF the
Democratic party i ~ be found. That is one
Of the worst traditions of the party, but still
il is 4 Democratic tradition.
After Jack sons time there were Democratic
Administrations controlled by the Slave Power
and one Democratic Congress after another
whose political economy was dictated from the
South low tariff was enacted in the in
tcrc<t Of the slave baronS. who were bent upon
rcpudiating Clay'S famous compromise and eX-
tending their peculiar institution into the Terri
tories 80 complete was their political as
ccndancy that Buchanan Douglas and Brcckin
ridge were nominated on low-tarH platforms
heading in the direction Of what was called
"rrogrcssivc Free Trade" Secession brought
notification to the front in rebellion of the
solid South, and the Confederate Constitution
embodied Calhoun's tariff policy in direct pro-
hibitions Of the lcvying of duties for any pur
poses except revenue
Mr.. Curtis will have no difficulty in proving
that the patriots who framed the Constitution
entered upon their career a. National legis
latorS by cnactng laws for the protection of
American industries and shipping interests. He
can demonstrate that Wa>hingtOnS Jeffcrson's
and MadSon> Administrations supported this
National policy aud that Jackson. while pre-
disposed 10 favor low tariff, threatened 10
hang tho Southern leader who, in the words
of the Democratic party to-day, declared il 10
bo unconstitutional " 10 impose and collect tariff
duties except for the purpose of revenue only"
The Oldest and best prcccdcntS of Democracy
can be arrayed with tremendous force against
the doctrine which it now proclaims. But still
there will remain the magn example of Cal
houn a n warrant for the present tariff plank.
Moreover, the economic teaching OF the slave
barons, who were in the saddle under Pierce
and buchanan and riding roughshod over the
interests of free labor will sustain the same
declaration in favor of ga tariff for revenue
only" The Democratic tariff plank squares
with the Constitution of the Southern Con-
federacv. So true is it that the Democratic
party has forgotten all that is most inspiring
and illustrious in it, history, and remembers
only what is identified with its lost CAUSES
Notification, Secession and Slavery.