The Tariff

2io IHSl'ORY OF AMERICAN CURRENCY. history ; but their sacrifices were abused on the one hand by interested parties, so that the taxes were paid without accomplishing the object, and, on the other hand, their sacrifices were wasted by unscientific taxation. The increase of internal taxation was made a pretext for increase of duties, but when, under Mr. Wells' recommendations, internal taxes were gradually abolished, no reduction of duties followed. After 1870 some reductions were made, but now, in 1874, with a threatened deficit of revenue, the great need of the country is for some man to introduce thorough and comprehensive reforms in the interest of revenue—to perform the role of Sir Robert Peel in the early forties. The people of the United States have a patriotic attachment to the "greenback," because they think that it " saved the country." A gallant Senator, who is an advocate of inflation, recently grew indignant at the opponents of paper money for reflecting on the " blood-stained greenback." Under the contagion of the poetry, one might reply that the fear now is, lest, if the SenHISTORY OF AMERICAN CURRENCY. 2II ator has his way, the greenback may not yet also be stained with tears.