rprises were at a stand-still.

It soon became evident that this condition of affairs would carry
the tariff questions once more into the political arena, as an
active issue between parties. Thus far, the new Republican
organization had passively acquiesced in existing laws on the
subject; but the general distress caused great bodies of men, as
is always the case, to look to the action of the Government for
relief. The Republicans found therefore a new ground for attacking
the Democracy,--holding them responsible for the financial depression,
initiating a movement for returning to the principle and practice
of protection, and artfully identifying the struggle against slavery
with the efforts of the workingmen throughout the North to be freed
from injurious competition with the cheapened labor of Europe.
This phase of the question was presented with great force in certain
States, and the industrial classes, by a sort of instinct of self-
preservation as it seemed to them, began to consolidate their votes
in favor of the Republican party. They were made to see, by clever
and persuasive speakers, that the slave labor of the South and the
ill-paid labor of Europe were both hostile to the prosperity of
the workingman in the free States of America, and that the Republican
party was of necessity his friend, by its opposition to all the
forms of labor which stood in the wy of his better remuneration
and advancement.

REPUBLICAN PARTY FAVORS PROTECTION.

The convention which nominated Mr. Lincoln met when the feeling
against free-trade was growing, and in many States already deep-
rooted. A majority of those who composed that convention had
inherited their political creed from the Whig party, and were
profound believers in the protective teachings of Mr. Clay. But
a strong minority came from the radical school of Democrats, and,
in joining the Republican party on the anti-slavery issue, had
retained their ancient creed on financial and industrial questions.
Care was for that reason necessary in the introduction of new issues
and the imposition of new tests of party fellowship. The convention
therefore avoided the use of the word "protection," and was contented
with the moderate declaration that "sound policy requires such an
adjustment of imposts as will encourage the development of the
industrial interests of the whole country." A more emphatic
declaration might have provoked r