Year: 1860

/ of Good Hope and Australia for our wool
and, therefore, these articles must come il
free of duty"


Then. we pray you, how are we to be bene-
fitted by tariff if you go abroad ard i'm
port products that are to regulate the price
of the products of our laborf


! have always been an ardent and unhinch-
ing supporter of q protective tariff. and have
always been ready to afford direct protection
/ to the manufacturers of every commodity that
was adapted to our soil and climate, and that
could be produced here with as little labor as
any where else.


| But will never support one that is partial
and unequal in its operation, and seeks to af-
ford incidental protection to one branch of in
dustry, by cheapening the production of an-
other of equal, or greater Importance. And
is it not the most extraordinary thing in the
world, that in Congress where nine-tenths
of the members were the representatives of
agricultural constituencies, such q policy
should have found q moments countenance OF
support.


But the fact is nevertheless so, beyond all
doubt or controversy. The explanation is to
be found in the fact that the manufacturing
interest is in the hands of comparatively
small number of persons, owning large masses
of capital, who watch their interest with the
most untiring and sleepless vigilance, and are
able always to act in perfect concert and har-
mony. They seize bold of all the avenues of
intelligenee-the press. the rostrum, political
Conventions. the lobby, and every other in
strumentality through which legislation can
be influenced and controlled. They are
smooth, oily, and fairspoken, and, to all ap-
pearance, the most honest and harmless men
alive. A green country member of Congress
must keep very wide awake if he does not be-
come entangled in their meshes. He is dined
and caressed, and it is said in the newspaper
that he is a gentleman of broad, statesman
like, and comprehensive views that is able to
rise above the little local prejudices of the
neighborhood from which he comes, and look
to the interest of the whole country.


And it must be admitted that some who
are not so green as might be supposed, are
seduced from their allegiance to the people
who elect them by the promise and hope of
promotion and distinction through the aid of
this subtle and unseen power. In times of
high party excitement, members are very apt
to think that if they only keep right on the
goose" their course on other matters will nev-
er be inquired into.


/ once heard member say, when he was
asked il he did not apprehend trouble at
home on account of his course on certain
questions, "If / only vote right on the nigger,
they don't care d-m how I vote on any
thing else


There is, unfortunately too much truth in
this. The people should keep an ever watch
full eye upon the whole course of their repre-
sentative, and any attempt to sacrifice their
interests or honor. or to barter them for his
own personal aggrandizenent or promotion,
should be visited with the most exemplary and
condign punishment Fidelity to bis consti-
tuents is the essential virtue of representa-
tive's calling, which is no more to be dispens-
ed with than chastity in a woman or courage
in soldier.


am charged with entertaining feeling
of hostility to the Committee Of Ways and
Means, and this is insinuated to be the reason
of my hostility to the Tariff bill reported by
the Committee. This is simply mistake.


1 think that Committee is in some respects
unfortunately constituted. The New Eng
land States have two members on it, Penn
sylvania one, and New York one while the
whole West, from the Allegheny Mountains
to the Mississippi, has but ore.


Personally the Committee is very strong
one. And if I were selecting a man to pre-
pare tariff bill. and had the whole nation to
choose from. 1 would select Justin S. Morrill,.
And know that Mr.. Morrill, is not satisfied
with the bill as it now stands, in relation to
the duties on wool, and that he yielded to the
obstinacy of the New England or rather
from an apprehension that if he did not, they
might defeat the bill. 1 think he did wrong
in yielding to this pressure. And if the rep
resentatives from Ohio alone had presented
bold front, and demanded something that
would secure fair and honest execution of
the law of 1857, they would have secured it
without in the least endangering the passage
of the bill. Yours, &C., B. STANTON.
WASHINGTON, MAY IL, 1860.


P. S. 1 understand that since the publica-
tion of the foregoing article in the Tribune,
it is construed into a sweeping censure of the
entire delegation from Ohio for having op-
posed my amendment. 1t was not so intended.
My amendment was prepared ON consultation
With my colleagues, Messrs Blake, Cary.
Edgerton, and Theacker, and was supported
by them in committee of the whole.
1 think Messrs. Ashley, Helmick and Trim
Bile, also supported my amendment in the
House. My recollection is that the othor Re
publican members from Ohio opposed it.
B. STANTON.