THE PRESIDENTS ON PROTECTON-MANUFACTURES. 13 were repeatedly and strongly expressed by each of these Presidents. Lastly, John Tyler, in his Message of December, 1841, favors us with the following: these duties, with a view to the encouragement of domestic branches of industry, is so completely incidental to that power, that it is difficult to suppose the existence of the one without the other. The States! have delegated their whole authority over imports to the General Government, without limitation or restric- "In imposing duties for the purpose of revenue, a tion, saving the very inconsiderable reservation rela- right to discriminate as to the articles on which the ting to their inspection laws. This authority having duty shall be laid, as well as the amount, necessarily thus entirely passed from the States, the right to and properly exists. Otherwise, the Government would exercise it for the purpose of protection does not exist be placed in the condition of having to levy the same in them; and, consequently, if it be not possessed by duties upon all articles--the productive as well as the the General Government, it must be extinct. Our unproductive. The slightest duty upon some might political system would thus present the anomaly of a have the effect of causing their importation to cease; people stripped of the right to foster their own in- whereas others, entering extensively into the condustry, and to counteract the most selfish and destruc- sumption of the country, might bear the heaviest, tive policy which might be adopted by foreign nations. without any sersible diminution in the amount imThis surely cannot be the case. This indispensable ported. power, thus surrendered by the States, must be within "So, also, the Government may be justified in so the scope of the authority on the subject expressly discriminating, by reference to other considerations delegated to Congress. In this conclusion I am con- of domestic policy connected with our manufactures. firmed as well by the opinions of President Washing- So long as the duties shall be laid with distinct referton, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe, who have each ence to the wants of the Treasury, no well-founded repeatedly recommended the exercise of this right objection can be raised against them." under the Constitution, as by the uniform practice of Congress, the continued acquiescence of the States, and the general understanding of the people." The same sentiments, in different language, Manufactures in the United States. STATE. Capital STATE. invested. Pennsylvania...31,815,105 Illinois Ohio 16,905,257 Michigan... Capital invested. .3,731,580 .3,136,512 Who will now assert that Protection is unconstitutional? or that it taxes the other classes of the community for the special benefit of the Manufacturers? Facts for Farmers. While we have for several years down to New York....$55,252,279 North Carolina. $3,838,900 September, 1842 been reducing our duties on Massachusetts..41,774,446 Tennessee.. Imports until they had reached the horizontal .3,112,240 standard of 20 per cent., the following are the Connecticut....13,669,139 South Carolina..3,216,970 rates of duty imposed on the Agricultural New Jersey....11,517,582 Georgia... 2,899,565 .11,360,861 Missouri... 2,704,405 Staples by the country (Great Eritain) which Rhode Island...10,696,136 Alabama........2,130,064 has supplied as with the larger share of our New Hampshire 9,252,448 Mississippi......1,797,727 Manufactures-our own Manufactures having 7,105,620 Delaware.... ..1,589,215 Virginia... Maine.. Maryland... Louisiana.. 6,450,284 Dist. Columbia..1,005,875 no chance at all in her markets-viz. : Kentucky. Vermont 4,326,440 Arkansas Indiana........ 4,132,043 lowa..... Total........ 424,467 199,645 Amt. Agricultura Present Value in $207,726,579 mt. of Britoh Duties thereon. THE ELEMENTS AND NAMES OF PARTIES. THE existence of rival parties is one of the tion to the actual and subsisting differences. necessary results of Political Freedom. Under In a few of the States where the Federalists a Despotism like that of France under Louis were strongest, the old distinctions and warXIV. or Napoleon, or like Russia as she still cries were retained; but in 1824, when five 1s, there are properly no parties. Factions, rival candidates for President, all professed cabals, conspiracies may from time to time be Democrats, appeared in the field, these dishatched by tyranny in the Government or distinctions were utterly annihilated. Massachu content among the People, but they are usu-setts, which had just become a Democratic ally of limited extent and brief duration. The State, took the lead in supporting John Quincy rise and continuance of Parties mark the on- Adams, who was denounced as at heart a Fed gin and progress of essentially Popular insti- eralist; while Delaware, almost or quite the tutions, as their degeneracy into personal fac-only unflinching Federal State then remaining, tions evinces the decline of the spirit of Lib-cast her votes for William H. Crawford, the erty. regularly nominated Democratic caucus candiThe first distinct array of parties in this date. Federalists and Democrats were everycountry, after the achieveinent of our National where intermingled in the support of Adams, Independence, grew out of the successive at Crawford, Jackson; though hardly a Federal tempts to form a Federal Constitution, and ist was found advocating the claims of Mr. their ultimate success. The question of adopt- Clay, who had been the leader of the Demoing or rejecting that Constitution when franied cratic party in Congress, preceding and during was referred to the People of the several a good part of the War with England, and who States, by whom it was successively adopted was supported in New York, as in many other after earnest discussion in all, and some hesi-States, by that portion of the Democrats who tation on the part of many. In this discussion protested against the caucus nomination of Mr. the friends of the Constitution were known as Crawford as absurd and of no possible efficacy. Federalists; its opponents as Anti-Federalists. From that time, the old party designations Gen. Washington having been President of the have been used rather as scare-crows for the Convention which formed the Constitution, timid, and lures for the uninformed, than otherand having exerted his influence to secure its wise. Mr. Adams avowedly disregarded them adoption, was recognised as the head of the entirely throughout his Administration. Gen. Federal party, though never a strong partisan; Jackson had long before urged the propriety Mr. Jefferson, on his return from a long resi- of doing so in a letter to Mr. Monroe on his dence in France as Embassador, became the accession to the Presidency in 1816-17; and chief of the Anti-Federal Party. But new and among his supporters were many of the leadexciting questions rapidly arose, as they will ing Federalists, including Roger B. Taney, his ever arise, which altered essentially the atti- Attorney General and Secretary of the Treas tude and character of the respective parties:ury, now Chief Justice; James Buchanan of the Anti-Federalists, accusing their opponents Pennsylvania, Louis M'Lane of Delaware, of a secret hostility to Popular Institutions, Garrit D. Wall of New Jersey, Reuel Wilassumed the name of Republicans; while liams of Maine, Francis Baylies of Massachu these opponents, claiming to be themselves setts, Martin Chittenden of Vermont, &c. &c. Federal Republicans, stigmatized the Anti- Since then, the resemblances between our exFederalists as Democrats, an appellation as-isting and the old by-gone parties have besumed by the ferocious Jacobins who had so come entirely effaced. New questions relately filled France with phrensy, terror, and garding both ineasures and men, have divided bloodshed. The name thus affixed as a re- and continue to divide the country, but they proach was ultimately adopted by a good por- bear little or no relation to those which divided tion of those to whom the Federalists had ap-our fathers forty or fifty years ago. plied it, when the unpopular Administration of The partisans of Calhoun, Van Buren, BenJohn Adams had repelled many of its former ton, generally assume the name of Democrats, supporters from the Federal standard. The as a passport to popular favor, and endeavor Government passed into the hands of the Re- to brand their opponents as Federalists. The publicans with the elevation of Jefferson to the other party take the name of Democratic Whigs, Presidency in 1800, and the Federalists as a or in some States simply Whigs, and, in referparty never regained their former ascendency. ence to the Destructive measures advocated by New questions, founded on the new measures their opponents, designate them as Loco-Focos. and events of succeeding years--the Wars of But names are nothing; Principles and MeasEurope; the Embargo; the wrongs and insults ures are alone of any real consequence. We received by this country from England and trust every well-meaning citizen will at once from France; our War against the former; the resolve to put names altogether out of the ac Bank, Tariff, Internal Improvements, &c. count, and, looking only to what is done and arose to engross the public mind, until, on the proposed by each party, decide between them, election of James Monroe to the Presidency taking his stand with the one or the other, as in 1816, the questions involved in the old Fed- he shall carnestly believe to be most conducive eral and Democratic controversy had ceased to the perpetuity of Freedom and the welfare ia possess any practical significance or rela-lof the Country. TRESIDENT. VICE PRESIDENT. ......47 .234 W. II. Harrison...234] John Tyler. * At the four first elections, no discrimination was made between votes for President and Vice President : each elector voting for two candidates, and the highest on the poll being President and the next Vice President. Under the Constitution as it then stood, there was no choice for President; the votes for Jefferson and Burr, the Democratic candidates, being equal. The House, after a protracted and most exciting struggle, elected Mr. Jefferson President; whereupon Burr became Vice President. Mr. Ingersoll received only the Federal votes; Mr. Clinton those of New York in addition. Gov. Wm. Plumer, of N. H., voted for J. Q. Adams, who was not a candidate. la the House of Representatives, Adams received the vote of 13 States, Jackson of 7, Crawford of 4. South Carolina voted for Ex-Gov. Floyd of Virginia, and H. Lee of Boston. Pennsylvania voted for Jackson, but eschewed Van Buren, and cast her vote for Wilkins. Vermont voted for Wirt and Ellmaker, (Anti-Masonic.) ** Tennessee and Georgia voted for White and Tyler; Maryland for Harrison and Tyler; South Carolina for Mangum and Tyler; Massachusetts for Webster and Granger. Virginia for Van Buren and Judge Smith of Alabama. Col. R. M. Johnson having just half the votes for Vice-President, the Senate proceeded to elect; whereupon Col. Johnson received 33 votes and Francis Granger 16. adoption of the Federal Constitution. Statement of Votes cast in this State for Governor, at the several Elections of Chief Magistrate, since the Candidates. Robert Yates.. .5,962 429 1792-George Clinton,. 1795--John Jay John Jay................................. 8,332* .8,440 [New Constitution.] Votes. Majority. .128,493 ..125,583 ..103,452 108 Samuel Young........ .87,093 ..16,359 ...... ..13,481 1826-De Witt Clinton ..99,785 Robert Yates ....11,892 ..1,589 William B. Rochester, 96, 135 .3,050 1798-John Jav.. ..16,012 Robert R. Livingston...13,632 .2,380 1801-George Clinton .24,808 Smith Thompson.....106,444 Stephen Van Rensselaer 20,843 1804-Morgan Lewis.. .30,829 ..8,690 Francis Granger.... 120,361 ....8,481 .2,332 1807-Daniel D. Tompkins.. .35,074 Morgan Lewis Francis Granger 156,672 ....9,738 1810-Daniel D. Tompkins.. .43,094 Jonas Platt... A .36,484 William H. Seward..169,008 ...12,892 1913-Daniel D. Tompkins. .43,324 1836-William L. Marcy...... ..166,122 Stephen Van Rensselaer 39,713 1816-Daniel D. Tompkins.. .45,412 Rufus King... .38,647 .3,606 Jesse Buel .... .136,648 .3,496 .192,882 1817-De Witt Clinton 43,310 Peter B. Porter.........1,417 1820-De Witt Clinton.. .47,447 Daniel D. Tompkins....45,990 ....1,457 Votes of Otsego and Tioga Counties rejected, which it is said would have reversed the majority. William L. Marcy....182,461 ...10,421 .222,011 .2,662 ....5,285 THE GROUNDS OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CONTENDING PARTIES. Two great rival hosts now divide the Ame-trine affirms that Government ought to prorican People, and by their struggles for ascen-tect and cherish the Industry of the Country to daney agitate, and, at intervals, convulse the the fullest extent, as a matter of legitimate Nation Each is probably right in many of and necessary concern; and that the People the principles which it aflirms; each is doubt have a right to look to it for all the aid within less wrong in some of the acts which it com- its power. Loco-Focoism, on the other hand, mits or tolerates, and in the extremes to which insists that Protection is at once usurpation its views are sometimes pushed. Each em- and folly; that Industry should look out for bodies a share of the wisdom and folly, hon- itself; and that Government neither can nor esty and knavery, virtue and vice, which che- should do any thing in its behalf, in any conquer human life. Each numbers in its ranks tingency. There are individuals in the Whig stern and lofty patriots, who have no thought party opposed to the policy of Protection, as but for their country's good; each has also its there are in the Loco-Foco who favor that self-seeking demagogues, who regard mainly policy; but the question no less clearly intheir own advantage. He who deems his own volves the radical difference between the two party all good, and his opponents wrong eve-parties. [For the policy of Protection, see the ry way, may be an excellent partisan, but not longer article expressly on that subject.] a very discerning and impartial citizen. Yet, III. Akin to this is the CURRENCY question. while many faults and many virtues are com- The Whigs maintain that it is the duty of the mon to both and to all parties, there are cer- Government to provide, and that the necessithin great leading characteristics which at ties of the People demand, a National Circulathis time draw a broad and distinct line of ting Medium of uniform soundness and value, demarkation between them. These charac- circulating from one end of the Union to the teristics we shall here endeavor to exhibit. other without discount and without cavil, beI. The first is generic or fundamental, influ- ing always redeemed in specie, and everyencing and shaping all the others. It is the where received by the Treasury in all paycardinal conviction of those known as WHIGs, ments thereto. They hold it impossible that (Democratic' or 'Federal' Whigs, as you coin alone shall perform this service, because please,) that Government need not and should of its weight, its bulk, and the difficulty and not be an institution of purely negative, re- cost of its transmission; while they insist that pressive usefulness and value, but that it no paper not possessing a National character, should exert a beneficent, paternal, fostering or not redeemable on demand in specie, can influence upon the Industry and Prosperity of ever be expected to do it. The great advanta the People. It affirms that the People can ges of such a Circulating Medium as the Coun never expect too much from the Government, try enjoyed from 1824 to 1836, and as the when they expect only that which the Govern- Whigs hope to restore, must be evident to all. ment can justly bestow. It affirms that the Suppose that the annual exchanges of products interest of the Government and the interest of between different sections of the Union, so rethe People are or should be identical, and mote as not to possess a uniform local Curought never to be regarded as diverse, and, in rency, now amount to Five Hundred Millions short, that Government was founded, and is per annum, (which it probably exceeds,) and supported, in order that it may promote the that the average cost of difference of Exwelfare and happiness of the People by every change, discount on Bank notes, &c., is but means legitimately within its power. The four per cent, on the amount; here, in the abopposite party (whether termed Democrats,' sence of a National Currency, is an annual tax as they claim to be, or Loco-Focos,' as is less of Twenty Millions per annum levied on the vague and more pertinent) assume that the Productive Industry of the Country for nothing, world is governed too much;' that Govern- or to support an army of Brokers, Traveling ment has properly nothing to do with the con- Agents, &c., who would otherwise be employcerns of the People, except to protect them ed in useful industry. It is the same as though from external or internal aggression; that one twenty-fifth of all the merchantable Prowhen it has provided fully to repel invasion duce and Goods of the Country were annually from without, and to punish crime within the sunk to the bottom of the Sea. Therefore, say Nation, it has performed its whole duty, and, the Whigs, object as you may to the powers should it attempt any thing farther, would be or management of this Bank, or that Fiscal morally certain to do more harm than good. Agency, but do not deprive the Country utterly Such is substantially the radical difference be- of great advantages which it once enjoyed and tween the Whigs and Loco-Focos of this may well enjoy again. To say that we ought not to have a National Currency because Nick country. II. The question of PROTECTION TO HOME Biddle was a rascal, or his Bank corruptly INDUSTRY is the first in importance of those ne-managed, is to trifle with the good sense of cessarily dividing the two parties, in view of the Country. Nobody so acts on such considthe difference above stated. The Whig doc-lerations in his own personal matters. If there were defects or perverted powers in a former works can be carried forward, since individual institution, experience should teach us how to capital, enterprise, and powers, can rarely if amend them; but to argue thence that we ever be equal to the construction of works of should have none, is like insisting that the ex- the highest public utility. Hence Internal Implosion of a boiler should put an end to Steam provement and Loco-Focoism are at deadly navigation. On all this subject, the Loco-Foco variance: they can co-exist only through gross doctrine is the opposite of the Whig, and the inconsistency on the part of those professing instances of individual dissent are on either the latter. side very few. V. Again, there occurs a radical difference IV. On INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT, the funda- on the subject of the PUBLIC LANDS. Locomental principles of the two parties come again Focoism asserts, that whatever may be realin contact. The Whigs maintain that the pri-ized upon the sale of these Lands shall go into mary consideration which should govern the the Federal Treasury, and be used to defray commencement and prosecution of Internal the ordinary and current expenses of the GoImprovements is the largest degree of benefit vernment. But the Whigs insist that these to the whole People, and that, whenever a Ca- Lands are the common property of all the nal or Railroad is clearly proved to be emi-States of the Union; that they were expressly nently calculated to advance the interests of so ceded by the few States in whom the title the community, by cheapening transportation, was vested at the close of the Revolution; and increasing production, and developing resources that the express condition was that their prowhich would else lie dormant-and all this to ceeds were to aid first in extinguishing the an extent vastly surpassing the cost of the Revolutionary debt, and then to belong to the work-then it would be politic and just to con- States-the Federal Union not having then been struct it, if within the ability of the commu- formed. That debt being now extinguished, nity, although it might not at first pay the the Whigs contend that the Land Proceeds interest on the outlay. The Whig party gene- should be fairly and equally distributed to the rally look with favor upon works of Internal several States, to be by them applied to purImprovement, regarding them as calculated poses of Education and Internal Improvement, and intended to give employment to Labor, so that they shall annually add to the enduring secure a market to Produce, and contribute wealth of the country, and to the intellectual generally and vastly to the physical improve- and physical advantages enjoyed by our People. ment of the country, and its advancement in They urge that the proceeds of this vast and Arts, Civilization, and Morality. Loco-Foco-precious Public Domain-the noblest patrimony ism, on the contrary, although its disciples ever yet inherited by any People-ought not to have in other times commenced their full share be frittered away or eaten up from year to year of unprofitable and burdensome, because un-like the estate of a prodigal, but should be completed works, regards with jealousy the husbanded and preserved with care, in such prosecution of Public Works, and sees in them manner that future generations shall not reonly the preludes to taxation, bankruptcy, and proach us with having squandered what was ruin. Its estimate of the utility and policy of justly theirs, and left them penniless. To a proposed Canal or Railroad is based on the these are added many weighty considerations presumption that it will or will not pay readily connected with the danger of an ultimate a good interest on the cost of its construction; alienation of this great domain from the whole unheeding the advantages which may flow from People to the sole use and benefit of the States it through other channels than its toll-houses. which contain them, and of the depreciation But Loco-Focoism in practice is every day be- of the value of lands in the Old States through coming more and more assimilated to what we a graduation or reduction of the price, &c. have seen that it is in principle-hostile to any All these considerations are lost upon Locoaction of the Government designed to promote Focoism, which insists that the Land Proceeds affirmatively the welfare of the People. In shall be thrown into the Treasury and expended New Hampshire, the party has taken decided like any other Revenue of the Federal Governground, not only against any direct aid to Rail-ment. On this point also the fundamental difroads by the State, but also against granting ference between the parties respecting the permission to companies to take the lands over nature and true ends of Government is clearly which their Roads must pass at an impartial manifested. valuation This refusal is fatal to any prose- Such are some of the most important quescution of Improvement. No Company will tions at issue between the two great parties undertake a work which may be stopped mid- which divide the Country. We have aimed to way by a demand of ten thousand dollars a state them temperately, fairly, and justly, foot for land that they must pass over. But without resorting to harsh epithets, or invoking here and everywhere, those who are the genu-blind, unreasoning prejudices. These questions ine disciples of this faith, being alike hostile are about to be settled by the judgement and to the involving States or Communities in Pub action of the People. Let every man delibelic Works, and at the same time hostile to the rately, calmly assume his position on that side incorporation of Companies with capital and which his understanding shall point out as that powers adequate to their construction, in effect of the true principles and best interests of the oppose and deny all the means by which such American Republic. |