Jeffersonian Republican

Southern Locofoco Insolence.

What a pitiable, humiliating spectacle, says the Berks and Schuylkill Journal, does the democracy of Pennsylvania present to their party friends in the Southern and Western States. Cheated and betrayed into the support of a man pledged to the destruction of their interests, they are now ridiculed and abused for the confidence they reposed in their leaders. The very editors who gave countenance to the great swindle that was perpetrated against the whole North, are now the most malicious in their abuse of those who were so wickedly deceived. The following article which we cut from the "Hickory Herald," published in Jonesborough, Ten., will show what the neighbors of Jimmy Polk think of us.

"Much has been said about Pennsylvania and Pennsylvanians in connection with the Tariff. From the beginning of the Presidential canvass to the present hour the whig press has asserted that Col. Polk practised a fraud upon the people of that State on the subject of protection. Now in the face of Mr. Polk's speeches, votes and acts against the Protective system throughout a long and brilliant Congressional career—in the teeth of his letter to Kane, advocating the revenue principle—of his Inaugural, and finally of his Message to Congress—the men or set of men, the State or part of a State, who could still be so ignorant of his views as to think him a friend of a Protective and not a Revenue Tariff, are so grossly stupid—so destitute of common sense, so perfectly full of all the qualities of an ASS, that they are incapable of self-government."

The Charleston (S. C.) Mercury, an out and out Locofoco Free Trade paper, has the same exalted opinion of the 'Democracy' of Pennsylvania. The Mercury says:

"It is indeed a notable pretension to set up that because Pennsylvanians were too IGNORANT AND STUPID to know what were the ISSUES INVOLVED in the Presidential election, it is therefore DISHONEST and TREACHEROUS for Congress to adopt any measures but such as their IGNORANCE or STUPIDITY may dictate or approve."

And again, in the same paper of a later date the following paragraph appears:

"It is stated that the Democratic party of Pennsylvania really did believe that the surest way to preserve the Tariff of '42 was to vote for the Democratic candidates. The thing is almost incredible; but when we see the confidence with which the press of that State relies ON THE STUPIDITY OF ITS READERS, WE CAN believe almost any thing in that way."

The Philadelphia Times, which was one of the dupes, comments on the above as follows:

"Alas! poor, despised, betrayed, down-trodden and insulted Pennsylvania! What! even South Carolina making game of us? And has it been for this that she has labored so long and successfully in the ranks of Democracy? What! taunted by South Carolina!—the land of Buzzards and Bowie Knives—nullification and ignorance—the abode of cotton lords and slavery—where white men are sold for debt and slaves hung for defending themselves against the unprovoked and deadly assaults of their masters? Must we submit any longer to the dictation of such monsters? As freemen—as Americans—as producers and not drones upon society, we say no! no!! We are able to govern ourselves, and we shall for the future do it. We will not allow the Southern lord with Bowie knife in hand and dagger drawn, to first injure and then insult us. Forbearance any longer will cease to be a virtue, and for the future we shall so act as to be able to protect ourselves from aggression and injury, no matter from what source it may come."