Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-17
.xu,l,ncation Rrdl,l,u..v

To the Editor OF the Dispatch
In your editorial OF the above title
in your paper Of some days ago DIS
cussing the advice OF the editor or the
New York Sun to President Cleveland 10
'nuillfy" the existing income-tax law
occurs the following paragraph:
General jackson was President OF the
United States when South Carolina was
hesitating as to whether TO go out OF the
Union or not, or rather whether she
should remain In the Union. and yet
nullify the acts OF Congress. The old
General soon put an end to tnat sort
OF foolishness. The proposed nuiIiiiers
had to take water"
| think the writer failed to acquit him.
self with his usual accuracy. The origi-
nal subject Of controversy between South
Carolina and General Jackson was the
tariff law. President Adams and Henry
Clay, his Secretary OF State, had caused
Congress to pass in 1873 protective
tariff, denounced by the whole south as
the tariff Of abomnaiions.' south
Carolina protested against this tarih In
common with Virginia and all the other
Southern States. These States assisted
In the election OF Andrew Jackson to
the presidency in 1928, but Jackson's ad-
ministratlon was run by the high-tarin
Democrats of New York. PENNSYLVANIA,
and Missouri. represented by Marcy
Dallas. and Benton, and instead OF the
tarin Of 1892 proving a reduction on tnat
OF the tariff Of 1929 the rates on the
protected articles were higher than even
Benton. Marcy. Van Buren,, and all the
other peculiar friends OF Jackson voted
for the tariff Of 1892, but all the southern
Democrats voted against II.
II was after Jackson had signally failed
to afford any relief that south Caro-
lima called her qualification convention
and passed an ordinance that the tarin
law should not be in force beyond GER
tain date. THE old General ISSUED his
proclamation OF December TO- 1882. but
you are mistaken In supposng that 1t
scared anybody. ''rhe proposed NULL
ners" did not take water" On the
contrary, the South Carolina convention
rapidly passed ordinances calling out the
militia to repe force by force. The SYM
patty with her spread throughout the
South. John Floyd. the Governor OF our
State. issued counter proclamation that
no United States troops should pass
through Virginia. and all the leading
States rights men of Virginia, including
the two Democratic senator's took
ground at once against Jackson's pro-
clamation, which, in their opinion, con-
NGIltO lDt ibtO ~ NcbSpii-
dated, military despotism."
Virginia. acting the part of peace
maker, sent Benjamin Watkins Leigh TO
South Carolina and instructed her sena-
tors to procure. by all means In their
power. modification Of the tariff.
bill. whose outlines were suggested by
one Of the Virginia senators--John Tyler
was offered by Mr.. Clay. and passed Con-
gress in February, 1888, and received the
approval OF President Jackson. This bill
provided for a reduction of the tariff TO
the horizontal level of 20 per cent. and
IL was enacted that thereafter the duties
should be laid for revenue only. After the
of this act and not before. the
South Carolinians repealed their NULL
fcation ordinance. AS Professor Sum-
ner of Yale College, (who wrote the
life Of Andrew JacksonD, says, the
and not South Carolina,
took water" That South Carolina was
prepared to dare all consequences Is
shown by her action In 1861, when the
odds against her were so much greater.
] never could understand how Demo-
Gratis of the South could hold jackson up
as an exemplar OF Democratic principles
as tested by the doctrine OF States rights.
He announced in his messages that he
considered the Union a people In the ag-
gregate, and he and all his leading friends
voted for and approved high tariffs ard
sectional Improvement bills. The effect
was to drive off all the leading southern
Democrats and vast numbers OF the rank
and file, who. united with the National
their old adversaries. FORM
ed the Wing party in 1884 The southern
Wings were Wings because the Iemo-
cratic party. as led by Jackson, was not
enough. In the State OF Geor-
yia everybody was Democrat TIL jack
sons proclamation In December, 1882.
There was not a single Clay and Adams
man in its whole limits. There was not
single National Republican. by which
name their followers were known. But In
less than two years--in lS3i-the State
went overwhelmingly for the new party
called WING" and throughout the South
leading Democrats took the ground that
Jackson had proved false to the doctrines
II jefferson. In conclusion, Mr.. Editor,
you must allow me to say that l nave
read Just such remarks as yours In north
ern books and northern newspapers, but
| have attributed them to prejudice and
Ill-feeling, which blind men TO facts. But
surely no virginian should entertain such
A feeling as prejudice against state
which for four years suffered with ours
N a common cause
While agree with you In your construc-
ion of President Cleveland's duty to see
hat the income-tax law. as well as all
other laws. are properly executed, 1 think
your illustration an unfortunate one. the
charge of nullifyirg the law might De
appropriately brought against President
Jackson himself. The law vested the
power In the Secretary Of the Treasury
10 remove the deposits from the oio
United States Bank. But Jackson. In
ha hecanSa he
would not remove the deposits, and by
another appointment secured his designs.
thus manifestly multiplying the intention
OF the law. which proposed expressly to
leave the power OF removal to the Sec
rotary In the first instance.
l have no other object In writing ths
than to set history right.
LYON G. TYLER.