Republican or opposition ticket. I will heartily
go for him. But unless he does so place himself, I think it a matter of
perfect nonsense to attempt to bring about a union upon any other basis;
that if a union be made, the elements will scatter so that there can be no
success for such a ticket, nor anything like success. The good old maxims
of the Bible axe applicable, and truly applicable, to human affairs, and
in this, as in other things, we may say here that he who is not for us is
against us; he who gathereth not with us, scattereth. I should be glad to
have some of the many good and able and noble men of the South to place
themselves where we can confer upon them the high honor of an election
upon one or the other end of our ticket. It would do my soul good to do
that thing. It would enable us to teach them that, inasmuch as we select
one of their own number to carry out our principles, we are free from the
charge that we mean more than we say.

But, my friends, I have detained you much longer than I expected to do.
I believe I may do myself the compliment to say that you have stayed
and heard me with great patience, for which I return you my most sincere
thanks.

ON PROTECTIVE TARIFFS

TO EDWARD WALLACE.

CLINTON, October 11, 1859

Dr. EDWARD WALLACE.

MY DEAR SIR:--I am here just now attending court. Yesterday, before I left
Springfield, your brother, Dr. William S. Wallace, showed me a letter of
yours, in which you kindly mention my name, inquiring for my tariff views,
and suggest the propriety of my writing a letter upon the subject. I was
an old Henry-Clay-Tariff Whig. In old times I made more speeches on that
subject than any other.

I have not since changed my views. I believe yet, if we could have a
moderate, carefully adjusted protective tariff, so far acquiesced in as
not to be a perpetual subject of political strife, squabbles changes, and
uncertainties, it would be better for us. Still it is my opinion that just
now the revival of that question will not advance the cause itself, or the
man who revives it.

I have not thought much on the subject recently, but my general impression
is that the necessity for a protective tariff will ere long force its
old opponents to take it up; and then its old friends can join in and
establish it on a more firm and durable basis. We, the Old Whigs, have
been entirely beaten out on the tariff question, and we shall not be able
to re-establish the policy