Richmond Enquirer

Mr. Vanderpoel's Speech.

We have commenced this masterly and eloquent Speech of the Representative of the State of New York. We render him every tribute which is due to his fine talents and his powerful views. It is an admirable Speech: has some fine hits, and is piquant enough upon the Bellwether of the little White Party in the House. We differ with him, however, on his first proposition. We should touch the Tariff, and expunge all those insidious schemes for the distribution of the surplus revenue.—They are all dangerous. They contain the seeds of mortality to our free institutions. We protest, too, against the inviolability of the Tariff compromise. We had no lot or part in it, to that extent—and if the public interests demand it, sooner than accumulate a disastrous surplus, by means of which new powers may be bought for the Federal Government, it becomes our duty to cut it down. If we are either to unsettle the Constitution or the Compromise, as it is called, we say at once, let it be the latter.