Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 20.djvu/285

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Unveiling of the Hoiuitzer Monument.

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Nevertheless in the same year in which Virginia emancipation was receiving such cold comfort in Ohio, on all other questions finan- cial, economic, and constructive the mind of Thomas Jefferson had become the governing mind of the country. The principle of "jus- tice to all and special privileges to none" became in this year the unmistakable choice of the States and of the people, and was de- throned only by the civil war. The tariff of this year had restored the revenue standard, which four years earlier had been displaced. It was soon made manifest that this tariff could only be criticised as being too high, and that the welfare of the country called for still further reduction, which in 1857 was ended.

MASSACHUSETTS WITH VIRGINIA.

Upon this, the only important financial issue of the time, Massa- chusetts was seen side by side with Virginia the State of the Adamses with the State of Jefferson. The country was thriving, and the one problem was to guide the natural flow of prosperity within natural bounds. The type of government which bases its appeal for support upon governmental aids to special interests, and alliance, if not partnership with them; upon bounties to favored classes and the influence purchased by such favor; had received a complete, and, had it not been for the passions of the anti-slavery agitation, there is every reason to believe a final defeat. From the time of the decisive overthrow of this class legislation in 1846, and because of such overthrow the country had prospered.*

No party appeared in any force from 1846 to 1860 to dispute the salutary tendency of this legislation. It was " a condition and not a theory," which was thus impregnable. The just reward of the gen- eral industry did not stagger under burdens imposed for the creation of excessive dividends to a few. On every legitimate subject of debate the State's-rights administration of affair had extorted the acquiescence if not the welcome of traditional foes. Government was honestly administered and not honeycombed by the corruption which is to-day referred to as the necessity of politics. There was

"Take the decade from 1870 to 1880, our increase in general prosperity under Republican high tariff was about twenty per cent., while during the decade from 1850 to 1860, under the Democratic revenue tariff, our general prosperity increased nearly one hundred per cent." Speech of Hon. H. G. Davis, of West Virginia.