[Alberta's Child]

I agree with all of those statements, but you have to understand them in the context of their times. Notice that every one of these U.S. Presidents served before the Constitution was amended to permit the government to collect income taxes.

When these quotes were uttered, the tariff was one of the few methods the government had to collect revenue.

[Lazamataz]

When these quotes were uttered, the tariff was one of the few methods the government had to collect revenue.

Yet, they are referring to the economic prosperity of the masses and the results of trade. It is quite clear that theirs is not commentary upon Federal gross revenue receipts.

Teddy Roosevelt lived in a time of income tax, and yet he thanked the Almighty that he had not been so mistaken as to embrace "unequal trade", aka "free trade".