Vraigoro Mporttr
Towanda, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 1816.
Democratic County Nominations.
I=
FRANCIS 11. SHUNK;
(Subject to the cleeilon of the 13cluocraCe State Conveutian.]
=l=
•
FRANCIS smrrii, of Troy Borough.
(To Gu the rarnerr oresioneti by the death of Joe L. We
Gal.—. The dey of eh ccioo yr: to bfl
-----
itloob ant) 03rain, -
tUanteb at ibis Office,
On Accounts six yairs old
Nest Governor.
We this week place at our mast head, the name of
resale's It Stirs a, our present excellent Chief Magis
trate for remomination--subject, of course, to the decis
ion of the 4th of March Convention. We do this in
obedience to the resolution passed in our County Con
vention last evening—instructing our delegates to use
their exertions to secure that result. The name of
Francis R. Shunk is a talisman to the Democracy of
Bradford—they feel and know that in him they have a
chief magistrate of signal integrity and devotion to their
bestrinterests, and to the interests of the whole Common.
wealth. It can hardly be said that two opinions prevail
in this county as to who should be ocr swat candidate.
so unanimous is the 'eelines in fav-r of the re-nomina
tion of Gov. Shank ;—and, in acronlance with that feel
ing, were the resolutions passed instructing our delegates .
in his favor. The delegates chosen were known to be
his decided and warm friends. and if left without in.
strtietions would have carried nut faithfully the wi-h of
the party on this subject, Yet the Convention desired
to make a public declaration in favor of the man of their
choice; and the most effectual and impressive manner
in which this could be done was through the resolution
they adopted with so much unanimity. We entertain
no doubt that "old Frank Shunk" will be the choice of
eur_party as a standard bearer in the approaching contest
with federalism. Flushed with their accidental success,
the enemies of Democratic principles will make a most
desperate effort to retain and increase their power.—
With FranCis R. Shunk we have once driven them to the
wall and foiled them to unconditional surrender! with
him as our 'leader, victory will again perch upon our
banner.
The Convention—Candidate for Re
presentative.
Our paper to-day contains the proceedings of the
Convention held last evening. Its action was harmon
ious, and resulted entirely satisfactory to the Republican
party of the County.
Mr. Stsrrit, the nominee for Representative, is every
way worthy the confidence reposed in him, and if elec.
ted, will reflect credit upon his constituents. He has
ever been an unwavering, active and clfizient supporter
of Democratic principles and democratic measures. His
ability as a public debater, and his bold, fearless and
manly advocacy of the principles or the Democracy, will
place him in the front rank of the faithful, who are to
battle in a minority, in our legislative Halls against the
enemies of Republicanism and equal rights. Our De
mocratic friends will rally around his standard and elect
him despite the cohorts of federalism.
" Old Federalists."
The Philadelphia Ledger of the :6th Nov., contains
the following excellent remarks in relation to the opin
ions of " The old Fedxals." Although applied to a
partienlax school of politicians, the portrait is so well
drawn that it might easily be mistaken for the federalists
efthe present day. There ir, at least, • strong family re
semblance. The prominent linesmen's and marks are
well defined, and our Democratic friends by taking •
careful survey of them may see not only what the form
den of`our party had to contend against, but that the
spirit of these enemies of our country has descended un
impaired to their sons—the federalists of present day.
"The "Old Federalists" of Massachusetts, who
strenuoudy opposed the purchase of Louisiana, because
extension would weaken our confederacy, have trans
mitted dheir political doctrines to some portions of the
Present generations, in the same region. We have of
ten recurred to this onposiiion, in contrast with the pro.
phetic sagacity of Mr. Jefferson in purchasing that re
gion, which will soon give us the command of the Pa
cific, and have asked the sons of these wise fathers, 1.4
what they would secede Louisiana, including Oregon,
or without it, to France. We now ask them to reflect
upon the prophecies of their wise fathers, and their ex
traordinary accomplishment, as elements fur an opinion
upon the present war with Mexico.
The manufacturing interest of Barton, who seem to
have adopted the political dogmas of these "Old Feder
alists," now oppose the war with Mexico, and seem ter
rified at our acquisition of new temtory from that no
And they repeat, in this opposizion, thosi argu
ments of their wise predecessors, which time and ex
perience have so triumphantly refuted. Can they ne
ver learn that every inch of ground gained on this c .mi
nent by our confederacy, binds it more firmly together,
enlarges the field for their own navigation and manufae.
tures, and diminishes that fur the navigation and manu
factures of England 1 - When will they cease to cut
their own throats, as an expedient for saving their own
lives? What • market for American manufactures
would be presented by Mexico, under our government
and our tariff! And what a demand would this market
make upon the mills of Lowell and ships of Burton !
But in political economy, these " wise men of the Esq . '
never think fur themselves, but always surrender that
important function to their - ; leaders. Mr. W. hmer, on
•• old Federalist" in the last. war, will take the putiwn
field against the present, and will probably offer, at the
ensuing public dinner in this city, Ilia •• numerous and
substantial reasons" for forcing the government. by de
ntal of supplies, into surrendering all projects of con
quest, into the abandonment of New Mexico and Cali
fornia. and into peace with Mexico upon the boundary
of the Nuoces. By following similar counsels from the
urns source, did Mr. Webster's constiturnii oppose the
last war, when they might have not only captured Hali
fax, that fortress ever frowning up m Bost-m, but have
conquered and have annexed the whole British Ameri.
can colonies. As Louisiana and Texas haveiwen great
auxiliaries to the pickets of these .• wise men of the
East," we advise them to "look era they leap" into a
f act i t i ous , ignorant, suicidal opposition to the war with
Mexico. If they do, we trust that Pennsylvania rota
treat them as she did when they devised that monument
of their political blindness, the Hartford Convention.
A SOTZLII R4ILROAD Arc' DENT.—We learn that an
accident of a fatal character occurred on Monday week,
no the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The morning
train of can fur Cumberland. which left Baltimore on
Monday morning, was detained by some alight accident
to the engine, four miles beyond the Frederick junction.
The regular train from Cumberrland waited 'at Harper's
Ferry for them to pus, considerably over their regular
time, and then proceeded towards Baltimore, keeping a
sharp look out for the. other train, but it seems they came
on them too sudden to prevent a collision, which threw
several of the can ore the track, and crushed a man to'
death by the name of Hackett, belonging to Ellicott's
Mills, who was standing on the platform of the foremost
,ear. He was in the employ of the company, tlroggh, not
•,,irr•erl wirb the train.
The War.
There has not been a time probably, sloes dot, -leak
war, when reify patririgind friend his cottony war
I:non:loyally called uponli laye thepetty'ie'd titi . etio4
of party, and come forward's* men and owlet . in defend: .
ing their country ispind . : . the
. irggressions Of a foreign,
foe. Hut inateid of dieheingthe cue, we have unfot.
tunately among us • class of men calling themselves
Whigs," who are so regardless of the rights of their
country, and care so little 'for its welfare, that while we
are actually engaged in • war with Mexico, instead of
bringing all their energies to bear in sustaining thou
rights, are actually engaged in a crusade against the go.
vernment of our country, and doing every thing they can
to embarrass and distract her councils, and palsy and
prostrate her efforts. Not a sheet issue' from the Feder
al press but is filled with the most gross misrepresents.
tion and abuse of the President and his cabinet, for the
prompt and active measures they have taken to being
this war to • favorable termination without abandoning
our rights. From the Tribune down to the Argus, the
burthen of their song is, the wrongs of Mexico.—
Not one wort is theta to be found shout our country's
wrongs. If we are to judge from their conduct we twee
no rights to maintain—nooronp to redress. We were
led to make these observations not only from the general
tenor of the articles issued from that press, but our at
tention has lately been called to a series of articles pub.
lushest in the Bradford Argus, over the H. 11;"
and although these articles are in perfect keeping with
the course pursued by the Federal party generally, yet
.re must confess that vie were a little suprised and
cliagriord to find that we have any person among us,
who for the mere purpose of advancing the interests of a
party, would go so far as this writer has done to show
his inimical feelings towards the government of his .
country, even though a course of policy had been pur
,l eued not strictly conformable to his own peculiar views,
For it is natural, and rather to be expected, that a man
will have SO much attachment to the country where he
lives as not to be overanxious in publishing her disgrace.
But this writer does not 'hesitate to charge the President
with most gross frauds—of endeavoring to palm on
the country caused and facts relating to the war, entire
ly from any thing that really exerts and
while lie thus discredits the government of his own
country, and refuses to give credence to her acts, be
eulogises in the highest terms the conduct of her ene
mies, and makes their allegations the basis of all his ar
guments. Such conduct to say the least of it, is unna
tural, arid nothing but a blind and selfish adherence to
the interests of a party would ever be likely to lead •
mall to pursue such a course of conduct. But we will
hasten to the examination of thesubject under considers.
non.
In the introduction, • reference is made to the just
and bbend principles that are beginning to prevail among
the nations of the earth—the dreams and reveries of
"Plillarithnipists sndehristians"respecting war—its real
horrors and it. cost, are duly exhibited. To all this we
have no objection. We believe in counting the coat at
the beginning; but when he intimates that all these im
portant ainsiderations have so little effect with the Pre
sident and his cabinet, as to permit them to com
mence hostilities with Mexico, "without there being
any deep sense of Injury or of wrong requiring to
he redressed, snit that the people have assented to its
prosecution under an entire migspprehension of its char
acter, and the real objects for which it was commenced."
we mast express our dissent to there views, and requite
some proof at least, to show that our government ever
commenced hostilities. For we have always understood
that Mexico wee the first aggressor—that idler inflicting
injury after injury upon us fur a long series of years,
until the cap of forbearance had been exhausted, she
finished her coarse of aggression by shedding American
blood upon our own soil. Bo far have the people been
from assenting to this war under an entire misapprehen
sion of its character, that they have understood the mat
ter perfectly well from the beginning—all the material
facts having taken place within our own borders. But
this writer alleges that " the immediate cause of the
collision between this country and Mexico was the march
of Gen. Taylor under the direction of the President to
the Rio Grande."
This writer says " Some monthaprevions to this, that
officer received orders from the Executive to repair to
the frontier of Texas for the purpose of defence; and
about the middle of August, in pursuance of those or
ders, had taken his position on the right bank of the
Neuces, at Cokes Christi. The army had then ad
vanced to the extreme lunit of the Territory which Tex
as could with any reasonable show of tile, claim as her
own. Corpus Christi and the narrow strip of country
on the right nr west hank of the Neuces, between that
river and the desert, hal participated with Texas in the
revolution and her. forces were under the jurisdiction of
her laws. Out beyond this strip of country across the
desert towards the Rio Grande, Texan authority had
never been extended. Texan troopi had never pene
trated. except to be defeated and become the prisoners
of Mexico. The country between the desert and the
Rio Grande had been settled by a population different
from the Texan descendants, from the Spanish stock,
who felt no sympathy in their ambitions achemes of in
dependence, and who remained firm. in their adhe
rence to the Mexican government."
The desert occupying the middle region between these
two rivers, in the language of a distinguished member of
Congress from this State seemed to form a natural bar
rier be ween the Anglo-Saxon and Spanish races. nil..
country constituted portions of several departments of
Mexico; among which were Tamaulipas, San Luis and
New Mexico, all of them lying upon the Rio Grande, and
including terrieory on both sides of that river, Over
this country the rule of Mexico had never fur one mo.
ment been interrupted. Our army in its advance, found
the Mexican authorities then in the quiet exercise of
their approp iate functions of government. We are
justified," says the writer, in saying that the march of
our army under Gen. Taylor from Corpus Christi to the
Rio Grande, was the cease of the bloodshed from the
fact, that during the whole period while therarmy occu
pied the former position no hostile demonstration what
even took place on the part of Mexico." In another part
of his communication, after having laid 'clown the rule
that Arvid govern in fixing the boundaries of Tons.,
and which we shall examine when we come to refer to
the facts, he sap,: u We charge therefore upon the
President, theyespousibility of havingdirected the march
of Gen. Taylor to Maismoras with the full knowleige
that it would be a hostile-invasion of Mexican territory,
and that the unavoidable results would be thecommence
ment of ■ protracted, open war. On this point, mis
take or miupprehension was impossible. The President
knew that the territory in question belonged to Mexico,
and that this government did not possess a shadow of a
claim or title whatever to occupy it.
We leave the subject thus abruptly, as we shall con
tinue our remarks from week I. week."
Gcn. Scorn;—The Hero of the war of 1812 has been
ordered to Aleiioo. He and his staff have left for the
seat of war. Commodore stewart, it is said, is to take
command of the Gulf Squadron. These old veterans
are the right kind of metal .for• any emergency—give
them the tools to work with, and ws so= hear
thtunkr tiara that quarter.
DemocraUc County Convention.
The Delegates from , the several election districts
of Bradford Caunty;uonvened at the Cecil House,
in this baronet, on Tuesday evening las?, agitieabli
to the call'of use'Statiding Committee, Tor the pur
posd of Plachig in domination a candidate for the
°lice of Repreientailve, in the place of 3.l.Mrsas,
deceased; and also to elect Delegates for the Demo
cratic State Convention, to be held at Barrisburg,
on the Fourth of March next.
The Convention was organized by electing JOHN
ELLIOTT, President, Ht LAWILLIICI &ore, and H.
L. &law, Secretaries.
The following Delegates presented their creden-
tials and took their seats:
Albany--M. A. Ladd, Benjamin Wilcox ;
Armenia—L. W. Gardner, E. Kir:
Asylnen—Elmar Horton. Jacob Fruchey;
Athens tp.—C. Mathewson, S. W. Park;
Athens borough—J. E. Canfield. Gen. Park;
Burlington—W. F, M'Kean, J. V. Daniels;
Canton--John Vandyke, E. tSellard:
Columbia—P. WeleHand. C. Furman ;
Durell—A. V. Hurlburt, W. M. Decker;
Granville—Luman Putnam, Charles Drake;
Herrick—George Elliott, A. Taylor;
Litchfield—E. Wolcott, D. B. Cotton ;
Leroy—John Kelly, M. Wooster;
Monroe—B. Coolbaugh, Geo. Bull;
Orwell—C. G. Gridley, James Chubbuck ;
Pike—Wilson Canfield, Shelden Payne ;
Ridgberry—J. N. Sherman. A. Colburn ;
Home—M. C. Cannon, A. P. Hicks;
Shesheqoin—E. Horton, Daniel Brink;
Smithfield—David Hill. 0. Spencer;
South Creek—S. H. Smith, D. H.. Moores;
Springfield—T. Smead, A. Knapp;
Standing Stone—F. S. Whitman. A. Ennis;
Towanda tp.—H. L. Scott, D. Magill ;
Towanda bomugh—H. L. Shaw, L W. Tiffany;
Springhill—L. Keeler, W. L. Claggett;
tilster—D. Waltman, C. EL Kitchen ;
Wells—E. Aspenwall, Wm. Shuart ;
Windham—A. Dunham. jr., Peter Albright;
Wyalbsing—John Elliott, A. P. Biles;
Wysoz—E. W. Morgan, D. J. Beardsly.
On motion. the Convention proceeded to the no-
mination of a candidate for Representative with the
following result:
Ovid:date.
Francis Smith,
J. IL Coolhaugh,
Myron Da!lard,
COI. W. E. Barton,
Truman M. Beach,
Whereupon, FRANCIS SMITH was, upon the
second ballot, declared duly nominated as a candi
date for Representative.
Gronss SANIMISON and E. W. theism were then
elected Representative Delegates to the Democratic
Fourth of March Convention; and U Mtacca
and H. J.. LOWMAN, elected Senatorial Conferees to
meet Conferees from Ttoga.
The following gentlemen were appointed a com
mittee to draft resolutions, viz ;—E. W. Morgan,
H. Lawrence Scott, J. E. Canfield, F. S. Whitman,
and Edson Aspenwall, who reported through their
chairman, the following resolutions, which were
unanimously adopted :
By the unexpected demise ofJoax L. Wsts. Esq.
Representative elect of this county, democracy has
lost one of its steadiest supporters and ablest cham
pions, society one of its most able and valued citi
zens and the state one of its best officers. His pub
lic position may be replaced, if not filled; but what
can we offer to the void in his domestic circlet—
While; therefore, regrettinn." the mournful occasion,
which calls us together, and unable to soften to oth
ers this wide-felt blow, let us heed the solemn mo
nition to moderate the zeal of party contests and tri
umphs; for in the moment of victory, we learn, a
greater victor may appear, shrivelling with one bale
ful breath the freshest and brightest laurels of earth
ly ambition; and thus warned, it behooves us to
reserve from such struggles enough of energy for
the promised final triumph over man's constant and
last enemy—Death !
Resolved. That the chair appoint a committee on
behalf of this Convention:to communicate to the fa
mily of our Representative, the public condolence
in this loss, to them and to us irreparable. He had
served us in many stations ; in all, faithfully and
well. Firm on the rock of right, against the blan- -
dishments of expediency and the menaces of power,
he presented the same calm brow to the wooing
breeze and the pelting storm.
Resolved. That turning, from a contemplation so
melancholy, we find occasion to congratulate our
own democracy on the unswerving stand it main
tained in the recent elections while federal cohorts
were makirg a temporary breach in our defences,
and apparently swaying the destinies of the Kestshme
Empire. Placed in the thickest of the fight, we have
triumphantly sustained our Wtwitor in the citadel
of liberal principles, and now present him again to
the nation u with impressive and redoubled sanc
tion."
Resolved, That Fasticia R. SFICSR, Governor of
the Commonwealth, has occupied the true demo
cratic ground of thorough and relentless antimo
nopoly; and having administered the government
so far, as we trust he will throughout, on frugal,
republican principles, applied with undeviating in
tegrity and an eye si• gle to the rights of ALL, the
democratic usage of a re-n, mination is eminently
his due as the seal of our approbation. He bears
our flag; it is for democrats to defend it where
borne by their will.
Our delegates to the 4th of March Convention are
accordingly instructed to use all proper means for
his re-nomination which we should proudly sustain
at the polls.
Resolved, That the National Administration con
tinues to merit our hearty approbation for its Re
publican policy, and fur the energy with which it
has pushed the army of the Republic on to victo
ries unparalleled against the arms of a country that
dared to invade our soil when thought defenceless
and now in turn loses courage to defend its own.
when the tide of invasion is rolled back on itself
with the force doe to national perfidy in attempting
to wrest by surprise what belonged to adjustment
by the negotiations it had invited.
Resolved, That the nominee of this Convention
for Representative in Assembly receive our cordial
support.
Resolved, That the democracy cif Bradford has
neither affinity nor sympathy with the time-serving
political hucksters who hang, to our skirts. profes-
sing one thing and doing another. "Party lines
should he clearly defined; and he that is not with os
in heart and praci lee, should be disowned and sent
elsewhere to seek for principles and practice for
which the democratic party will not be responsible."
Resolved, That the attempts made at the late
election in thiacounty by a few unstable, disaffected
spirits to defeat the unanimous nominee of our par
ty for Congress, receive our unqualified reproba
lion.
Resolved, that the head and tail of that faction,
Gen. Wm. Patton, has, by his vascillating and equi
vocal course fur years, and his recent violent and
fraudful opposition to our ticket, which ha partici
pated in forming, forfeited all claim to consideration
for the well-paid services of a "democrat of a quar
ter of a century's standing," and justified the re
flection that he does not expect the next ginner of
a century's services to be paid as well. Holding
now, as for many years, an appointment of trust and
profit under the . general government (the only one
from the district) we had an additional right to ex
pect better things at his hands; but he has proved
himself ungrateful for past favors.as well as treach
erous to our principles. If justice be meted out to
him and the democracy of this district, he will be
instantly dismissed from a station which alone gives
him position and power to injure those who have
warned him into life.
E. W. Morgan, T. M. Beach, and E. 8. Goodrich
were appointed a committee to address a let cf
condolence to the. bereaved family of the late John
L. Webb Esq.
The Convention was addressed by George San
derson, Esq. and Hon. D. Wilmot, and on motion
adjourned.
New Your. AND ERIK RAILROAD...4Ii' said that all
the contracts for completing this road to Binghamton
are taken at a million of dollar.. less than the estimates
of the Engineers. The aggregate amount of the con
traete is $1,9V0,000.
Letter from Hon. deorge M. Dallas,
01 TIE susliter GI TOE •
, . 7
itCASTING VOTE ."
Tbi fo lowingiitter fronit Mon. Vice Piesidentilie las
in reply a eomminicstiOn n from is coMinittes oil beheif
of the Iteptiblicart:party of Washington mount,, ttis beep
on otir- filar - for publicuicel for esters{' weekati but wir
have been prevented by a press of other nutter from
spreading it before our readers until the resent time.—
Althotigh it comes at • later hour than we wished, we
invite the particular attention of our readers to its care
ful and candid examination. Mr. Dallas' vote on the
Tea' Bill has been made the subject of many unkind,
intemperate and unehairitable comments from the federal
press, We hope this letter will be read and candidly
considennl by every freeman in the commonwealth; and
we feel certain that no impartial man can rise from its
perusal with one vestige of prejudice left against its au
thor, fur this faithful exercise of his official prerogative.
GENTLENEie :—The animated and.energetie
letter I have just received from you calls for an
immediate reply. I cannot allow you, for a
moment. to suppose me insensible to,the appro
bation you so eloquently express of-my recent
eonduct in the Senate . of the United States.—
The comprehensive view which you have la•
ken of the subject givis greater value to your
judgment. and entitles you as well to my
thanks, as to a frank reciprocation of senti
ment.
An equal system of taxation, and as mild a
one as a purePand economical administration ol
their pittlic concerns will justify, is the de
mand of the American people. It is their
right, resting on a fundamental principle of
their social structure, and guarantied by the
whole tennrul their Conatitution. Why ehould
they not have it ? Why should their repre
sentative agents obstruct its enjoyment? Why
skull.] we persevere in enforcing a mode ol
obtaining treasure to •, eet the national expen
ses which works unfairly—kindly on the east
and cruelly on 'the west and south—which
gathers waetend and prenicinus surplus, and
gradually gives unwieldy and dangerous pow
er to a single class of capitalists ? Answers to
these questions might be easy as long as the
majority of the people. sensible of an unripe
organization. volunteered to sacrifice larg•ly
in order to drive deep into their soil the roots
of social independetire and safety ; but an
ewers become difficult. if not impreisible.whee
that majority. con-rioua of matured slimier
and prepared to cope with every a..rt of antag.
°main, avow a change of purpose, or rather a
recurrence to the justice
. and freedom from
which they diverged under the belief that it
was at least prudent it not necessary iu do so.
They have now called for a reduction of the
duties on imports to the measure of revenue
want : for an abandonment of all legislative
favoritism : for an equalization of the burthens
which thee know should he borne by all alike:
and they have insisted, with emphasis, that in
direct but , eopious tribute shall no longer be ex
acted from the agricultural, commercial, and
mechanical masses under pretence of protect
ing where protection is obviously and notnri
ously mere pampering. Calls such as these,
from such a coerce, it is as wise, as it is in
wholesome conformity with the spirit of our
institutions, to obey with as little delay or op
pugnatinn as possible.
thy faith in the intelligence and patriotism
of die people is habitual. The democracy
never fail, sooner or later, to understand and
pursue their true policy and interest. On the
??object of a Tariff. however, MTh-utiles exist
ed. at nitre complex and covert, by which they
were liable to be einharraosed and deceived.--
It is indirect and unseen taxation on all but the
importing merchants ; and impoverishes with
out its agency being preceived. Incomes nr
wages become inadequate, and it is not Pnme
diately discovered that this inadequacy is cans
ell by the swollen prices which men are &dig
ed to pay for their iron implements. their cloth
ing. their household utensils, their groceries
and their comforts. The demand of the tax
collector who visits them for the ordinary rates
and levies is distinct enough. and if that be ex
orbitant they redress themselves by electing
snore economical County Commissioners :
the grievance is direct and undisguised—and
they know their remedy. Not an with the
taxation whieli takes the shape of duties on
imparts. The ploughman is unconscious of
having paid any rate or levy upon the machine
with which lie is furrowing the soil—so is die
blacksmith as to his anvil—and the family ma
tron as to her blankets. her eugar, and her salt :
they bought the articles at a neighboring store
for the same money that others paid, and noth
ing intimate:l that a part of the money which
they gave was the reimbursement nr final pay
ment of a public tax. -We of Pennsylvania.
who can scarcely continue quiet under the
position of three mills per dollar to meet the
interest nn our debt. have actually heroine ac
customed to contribute from our means. with
out the slightest murmur. fifty, nay, a hundred
times as much, in as many 41E-remise motley,
miller the operations of the rarifr of 1842.-
IVe not only pay nor share inward supporting
the general gAierninent, but we also pay that
portion of the price of every article we tiny
over and above what it would have coat if the
Tariff had tint he-nn enamel. %Yaw:then. won
der that the laboring classes of our population
were late in attending to, and show in itiormiali-
I y appreciating. the oppressive draining fl-sumae
quent upon an exorbitant Tariff ? Like Ilank•
ing, there is a mystery in it tylime solution
Ina at the close of protracted ili•ciisaion, en
quiry. vigilence and thought. Yet, the aaine
people that gradually mastered the operatims•
and tendencies of the one, and vesolittelt arres
ted them, have now, with the prneresaive opir
it which characterises them and their epoch.
pusliedlorward 4h check the other.
lit Balta. 2nd.
29 43
4 2
The veil by which the evils of indirect taxa
tion are concealed fruit the eye of the people
should be deft-rim:lately lifted by thine who
IWO at heart the happiness of masses sod seek
to ameliorate their c . This is a high
obligation of democratic representation. legis•
laiive or executive :--ot is the higher. herause
easily evaded or plausihly left undone. Let
the wrongs of a confiding and toihng constim•
al l ey be studied by the agents whi iiii they bon•
or with their suffrages. and let the real simmers
of those wrongs he laid bare. If harsh. unfair
or unnecessary demands upon their substance
have been made, they ought not to he consid
ered sanctified and unassailable because long
and patiently endured. On the contiary. the
faithful sentinel should cry aloud and spare
not," the more zealously when the opportuni
ties of his elevated position enable him to see
what is hidden from !there. A strong and
gratifying illustration presents itself in a recent
ly distributed document addressed by the Sec
retary of the Treasury to Congress and receiv
ed at the close of the late session. Our coun
trymen should hare their attention invoked to
PHILADELPHIA. Sept. 20. 1846
wards this remarkable paper-4emarkable in
654.000,000 (TIFTT•70011 MILLIONS 1) ore an
nually paid 10 thF : prOteded clangs. (MOT TO'
Tit NaTioNit/ TUMMY I ) by eihanci4 the .
price of the dinneitic articles, and the littinunt:
sesplid on each article," under the Tariff ril
1842,—sinnd by accurately formed tabulaestatei-,
mints it establishes the annual aggregate of in•
direct taxation imposed by that law—seen and
unseen—for government and for favorite clam-
Seh.4o exceed ZIOUTT-TWO MILLIONS CT DOL.
? Were the American people sensible
that this Tariff, which ostensibly lanced but a
single vein, practically made them bleed at eve
ry pore I—which prolessed to collect for pub
lic uses twenty-eight millions, yet silently and
imperceptibly drew also for private monopoly
almost twice that great sum ? .Aid we of this
Commonwealth realize the extraordinary jug-
every aspectits broad bearing, its precision.
its cogency - . its authentic facts and its striking
results. No development of which I MX
aware has been made equally lucid & impress
ire. It purports to bell Report in compli•
ance with a resolution of the Senate, exhibit
ing a list of manufactured artides upon which
gig by which the federal legislature. seeming
to seek from a duty on iron alime a gross rev
enue of but $2.236.427, actually extorted a
total tax of 626.815.847 I seeming to seek
from a duty on coal alone the sum of 8130.221.
extorted a tax of $6.P69.002 I and seeming to
seek from a- duty on manufactures of wool
alone the sum of $3.731.005. extorted a tax of.
610.487,145 ? Some few 'financial students
may have early detected these latent vices of
the system ; but our farmers and yeomanry.
our working producers and toiling poor. our
men of the axe and the snail. the scythe and
the saw, they have not the means nor the time
for such investigations :—they could take no
nine of n but by its loss ;"—they suffered lone
under the weig ht of the burden. and dreamed
not that it was the invisible and insatiate vain
pyre of indirect taxation which exhausted their
strength.
I wish not to be understood to prefer the
substitution of excise for impost. There are
asperities in the former which render it almost
intolerable among 2 people peculiarly sensitive
as to d iciliary visits ;—and it is abuse only
that makes the latter misrlsi. yous. Certainly
our liberties would be safer under a system of
open and direct taxation with all its roughness.
than under a prolongetl f adentnistiratioa of such
furtive oppression. gross inequality and nu
• I deception as characterise the Tariff of
1842. But reduce the duties one half, take
from them their tendency to nurse and rear
monopolies, adopt value instead of name or
f inn as the controlling standard, drop the false
by pneri c y of minimums. end the thing,essen
tialle democratized, becomes at least harmless.
Such, in plain truth, is the law which " THE
GRRAT CONGRESS " has passed, to COMMe••Ce
operating on the first of December. next.—
That law may contain errors of detail, amen
dable as developed by experience ; but com
paratively, its traits are equality, justice, mod
eration and candor. While the necessary rev
enue is sought at Custom Houses. we shall ex
perience less wrong and incur less risk, from
a Tariff founded on its principles than from
any other mode of taxing. If I am not mista
ken in the pervading spirit oh that law; politi
cal economists will hereafter say that its re
forms gave Security to the earnings of Labor
and Limits to the power of Capital.
The home operation of the Tariff of 1846
promises to be genial and salutary ; I mean in
regard to the great industrial masses. Its re
duction of taxes one half is immediate relief :
its indirect abatement of prices and the general
expenses of comfortable living awakens hope
in the breasts of all whose wages or means are
low and precarious ; and its tendency to oblige
capitalists to seek the success of their invest
menus rather in a fair and generous. than in an
arrogant and ivarktions treatment of their work
men. yields a protection to the moral indepen•
-deuce and dignity of labor far worthier of at
taininent than that which the manufacturer de
mands fur his wares. There is much more to
protect in the citizen of a republic than his op.
portunities to work. He is not merely to de
vote his days unceasingly to acquire bread and
raiment. 'The *- rights of man," rights tad,
readily ridiculed or forgotten, are his :—the
yearnings of mind and of heart are his ;—the
pride of character, the sense of natural equalt
ty, the spirit of independence, are his ;—the
ennobling relations and duties of domestic life
are his ;—and the law which would sacrifice
all these upon the wretched pretext of secur
ing to him a market where he can sell the
strength of his sinews or the dexterity of his
fingers. is a law for the gradual establishment
of slavery on the basis of animal necessities.
The Tariff of 1846 recommends itsetino
less by certain cohsiderations connected with
its external bearing or aspect. It is in greater
liarinntiv than its predecessors with the liberal
ideas of international commerce prevailit
througl ;;;;; t the world. Retaliatory restrictions
on trade are uttealled for. The vista of gener
al peace stretches far into futurity. and invites
us to mingle 011 terms of reel prority and fear
less friendship with our fellow men every
where. Even now Agriculture exults in the
liberty of sending her surplus fond, over tl
-
sandsh of index of land and thousands of miles
of water, to the famishing sons of Ireland.—
Our crops of wheat and Indian corn arc sud
denly augmented in value upwards offorty Intl
lions of dollars ; an efreet of opening the gates
in_ a single channel. which will carry gladness
to the family fireside of every farmer. Assu
redly this Tariff is far from Free Trade ; that
of course cannot he pretended while the revrn•
ups necessary to maintain the vvernment, say
twenty-right millions of dollars• are erected
from l'or import. alone :---but it meets modern
enlightenment half way; and. though discrimi
nating in favor of tier MVO industry, it gives
11111101 broader welconie than was. heretofore
given to the industry and enterprizo of nutter
countries.
In referring will' such extremek kind and
emnplunentary language to the decision !Lip ,
by the Vice President when Senators were
eqoally divided. in favor of the new Tartfr. you
teem. gentlemen. warmed op by the shameless
exeesses of slander and outrage, with which
cupidity and faction attempted. as it were at
once and by storm, to overwheltn'the Casting
vote. I fear you do me more than justier.and
that I am hound to thank my defami.rs for a
large share of vont animated applause. It was
the duty of office and the peremptory law oqp.
shim'. The citizen—l care not whether whip
or demorrat--who can deliberately inculcate
that under the circumstances. political or per
sonal, which surrounded me. I should have
voted against the hill.-- hie niger eat ;—hung
tit, Romane, eaveto r—he is radically and
incurably insensible to the obligations of pub
lic trust. and his instincts utterly rickety and
unsound. I pretend. then, only not to 'have
been recreant, not to hare preyed false to my
morals or my mission, not to have soak to
haves and standard of my asiailants. , , I
ascinc4'intleett. the ehauce,or t h e d esign :se.
devolved upOn me the necessity hfint eneniu c h
mantes am:_nriportance and a charm M
I minks s myself - far from insensible. if, :
you' foreibly argue. and as certain advo retel ;*
moneyed interests seem almost to admit, .
Castinvote has disembralled the ptoduei
classes, has dissolved the fetters which boll"
the poor to the ears of the rich . has
s p a t e i mesod ii - ab.
movement of covetous rapacity ,
has
ed labor to the resumption of its natural lade.
pendence and dignity. and has taken evr e
lew feathers from the harks of the overberdir.
ed ; if. I say, the Casting Vote, by chasing ths
of the Tariff of 1842, has led to thes e
results. then I solemnly anti sincerely thee,
my God that it felt to the lot of so humble Ri
instrument as myself, even reluctantly ons mt.
accounts, to strike the final blow in ansehierr.
went so philantropic and substantially glotinmi
Our commonwealth of Pennsylvania, it u
thought, has interests" which may he ini r .
nuttily affected by a diminution of the dotty
nn imports of coal and iron. These ..nu„,
ea r s " e r e , I presume, nothing more than the
profits of such of her capitalists as have e r e,
investments connected with procuring thee
two articles of merchandize. Such profits miy,
fur a season. be impaired : and no one cm be
aecessarv, even when impelled by the.besin a
tires anti aiming at the widest purposes, inde•
feating incidentally the pecuniary imlculatien
of his friends and neighbors. without feeling
pain and repugnance. Such was my mi t t
sentiment when" determining the Senatorial tie.
Still, I cannot refrain from saying that they
• interests" so I Ily trumpeted. are very fir
from being the only or the great public
terests" of Penns:, lvania. 'They are not du. /
which constnute her happioess, her iniths
genes, her character. They are not the "in.
Weals" of her Jurisprudence. Justice. Edon.
. Virtue, or !Ahem. Assuredly, thsy m
not the interests" which create or strengthe n
the roots of patriumns or bind the hearts of her
sons. as mine has been hound, inseparably to
her purity and honor. May we nut he permit.
led to think s thing more 'tithe - interests"
of her pour. as the many. than of the rich, it
the few ? More of her moral than of her ma.
serial .• interests" t More of the tree,.upright
and manly souls of her population, than oldie
chests nf her ciirporatinns
All who have weathered the storms of the
last twelve years ran remember how the • in.
lerests" of the State were represented as cent*
ing at a green hoard, whereon paper•credia
were matinfartered with wonderful .factliiy,
within the white walls of a Chesnut sweeties.
gile—w hen our internal improvements 21111%11w
avails. our public schools, our commerce. and
our currency were said to radiate from an 'Gla
tt/Ma which wielded the force of hundreds of
millions of dollars, and lifted or lowered then.
lue of everything around us at its pleasure— The
same debasing and stale•pieture is nowdrawing
by the same class of men—only the idol with
Which thee at present identify our • interests"
is the Tariff of 1842. placed on the pedestal
whence the National Bank ages crumbled is
ruins ! They summon us to pray fur monk.
!treats " at the old shrine, with all the super.
mitions observances and rites formerly 'stab.
fished. and really make no change but in the
figure of their Jos. May we not doubt whstli
er these ministers of the Protean Mammon
have juster conceptions of the enlarged, lasting
and solid ••interesis" of our people, than they
conceived in 1836 ? Is it not excusable toted
them that this notate community has much mare
to he proud of and rely upon. as means of pro.
perity, order, and renown, than what they us
pleased to label as her vital interests."
It would he well and wise were these" intr.
rests" to take warning from the past, and r.
solutely dec'tne being placed by party ram
cism in a position antagonistic to toe social and
political reforms of progressive democracy.—
Within their proper sphere, no one eau deers
that they whould cease to thrive. But if they
quit that sphere, and blindly rush forward te
domineer over the mass.—to assume to he the
• an ars all," highest greatest. best—to marshal,
exhort, and subsidize or coerce partizans—to
corrupt or overawe legislation—an.l to dictate
what shall he. instead of what is. the law; thee
it is but deduction of uniform and yesterday's
experience, to say that they must hecome
ous or intolerable to a free and proud people.
by whom. at any seeming sacrifice, they will
be disowned, prostrated and proscribed. Let
'us. gentlemen, endeavor, while yet we hot
time and temper left• by inculcations of troth,
forbearance and moderation. to avert the neeea•
oily of such courses : hot if the necessity bt
forced upon us. as a similar necessity Wm for.
ced upon us in 1836. your letter distinctly let,
where, in that conjecture, the honest repohb
rails of Washington county will he found. sad
I hope this sneerer was not necessary to let yor
know where to look for me.
Accept the renewed thanks and warm o nlici
'anon, of visor °Mitred fellow citizen S friend,
GEORGE M. DALLAS.
To Thomas Morgan and 'others, Washing!!
county. Pa.
Trrrible Reardon Vaster
A slip from the N. 0. Picayune reports ate•
able steamboat arcident which orcured on
iM
; Val Novenilwr, about seven miles helot ,
;Na!chez. ill the brad of the river, by o ' 4
'some 20 or .30 lives were lost. and a hi e '
o her of persons were severely scalded , "
Ttie steamboat Sultana, bound d o wn the Wet.
name in rotor net with the Pleallaboal Maria heasJ
tip. striking her just forte tril of the wheel•lsaw
:'ti b y the vmlenee of the sh t ock broke the ers•
itectimi pipe of the Maria, by which Wren
25 and 30 deck hands and deck Newsgi rl
were scalded. many of them so severely the
Metes was ins
.pnispect of tneit recovery. T le
Vial-in sunk to within about to feet of the csbt'..
tioori within fire minuets after the collMe t '
drowning between 25 and 30 persons who were
On the lower deck. The cabin passenr
were all saved. The steamboat Talina. C s p
IFt, came down the river-soon alter the accid ent
and took on hoard the wounded and ecinfeY et
them bark to Natchez. The Sultana remains/
by the stile of the wreck till sunrise the set t
morning. The Maria will be a total loss ii ls
thought.
The Hearld , says Gen. Scott sailed yeste°
in the packet ship union for New Orleans."
He contemplates being at Onmargo in thrl
weeks. On his arrival in Maramnras
Camargo he will. we learn, assume the cc'
3
mand of the forces on this side the paint. !os
organize them for a forward movement tO
Luis Potosi. where he may form a junction s "
Maj. Gen. Taylor.
•
Darmactsmess.—'Them is a •olomer oeni
ed in a few words of Shakspeare when hoo'
Drunkenneu is an egg from which ' II lirt
ros♦ he hatched."