7 volved in the pending Presidential election. By these means they secured the election of Mr. Wright as Governor of the State of New York, and the vote of that State for Mr. Polk as President of the United States. Texas is now annexed to the United States, and, in fulfilment of the predictions made by the opponents of that measure, the nation is involved in a war with Mexico as a consequence of that annexation. When the bill now under consideration shall be passed into a law, the people of New York will be very stupid, indeed, if they do not awake to the fact that they have been deceived, cheated, and betrayed. What shall be the mode and measure of their redress, themselves may determine. Tracing this deliberately organized system of falsehood, fraud, and perfidy, we shall find that it becomes yet more glaring and palpable in relation to the State of Pennsylvania. I remember to have read in the newspapers, very soon after the adjournment of the Baltimore convention, that a prominent citizen of Tennessee, a near neighbor and confidential friend of Mr. Polk’s, had assured the Pennsylvanians that Mr. Polk was not hostile to the protective policy ; and that he was particularly in favor of giving ample protection to iron and coal, the great interests of Pennsylvania. It would shed much light dn the subject which I am discussing, if we could know who it was that made this assurance on behalf of Mr. Polk. If 1 might be permitted to indulge in the Yankee privilege of guessing, I think I could identify him ; but I choose to deal in facts which cannot be questioned. The assurance referred to, though it probably quieted in some degree, did not satisfy the anxiety of the Pennsylvanians,for we find that Mr. John K. Kane, of that State, addressed a letter to Mr. Polk, soliciting a declaration of his principles on the subject of giving protection to American manufactures. I will not detain this committee by reading Mr. Polk’s reply, which has become so notorious in the politics of the time. That letter will stand forever, as the unimpeachable witness of the most diabolical conspiracy to defraud a trusting people of their suffrages, which has ever disgraced the political annals of our country. It will stand forever, “ to damn to everlasting fame” the unprincipled authors of a most atrocious fraud. Every gentleman who hears me is familiar with its contents. After referring to various acts of his public life, by which he had sanctioned iC such moderate discriminating duties as would afford reasonable incidental protection to our home industry Mr. Polk proceeds in that letter to say : In my judgment it is the duty of Government to extend, asfar as it may be practicable to do so by its revenue laws, and all other means within its power, fair and just protection to all the great interests of the whole Union, embracing agriculture, manufactures, the mechanic arts, commerce, and navigation P What more could have been desired of him by the most zealous advocate of a protective tariff? This letter was immediately published throughout the length and breadth of Pennsylvania, and the politicians of the Democratic party in that State claimed it as conclusive proof that the interests of that State would be safe under the policy of Mr. Polk’s administration, in the event of his election to the Presidency ; and, with this assurance to the people, they successfully invoked them to confer upon, him their suffrages. Foremost among those who engaged zealously and effectively in this work of deception and fraud, was James Buchanan, the present Secretary of State. I have lately read in the newspapers that Mr. John K. Kane has been appointed by the President
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