Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-11-24

WV tne TO deny; that there
never was the time, when the public tranquility
more earnestly, moro unfortunately, invoked the
help of the patriot and the wisc will DO still more
universally conceded What then arc Mr. Claws |
views, and what stand will he take upon the prom
inent topics which aghate the country?
These Questions believe ourselves ablo to |
answer. We do not correspond with Mr.. Clay. for |
we detest the miserable vanity which is graticd by
writing to or getting letter from great man-but
from sentiments which VIC have heard him express
years back, from circumstances, and from circuit
information, of later date, We feel authori-
sed to form and express opinion of the course
he is prepared to follow in Congress If we are
challenged for moro explicit authority, shall |
refer the catcchist to that which will briefly deter
mine our correctness incorrectness-thc history
of the next session of Congressman that must
suffice him.
We avorred during the last spring, that Mr..
Clay's disposition with regard to tho Tariff, was
wilfully misunderstood by his enemies, and mali
ciously msrepresented. Those cnomios had re-
presented him rs disposod to carry tho Tariff yet
hisher-ns having sakod his political fortunes upon
tho American System, which as it suited their pur
poses to interpret it, laid the South at the feet Of
the Tariff States, proposed an increase of the Ia
10 OF import, and rejected
NIL concession to the demands of the enemies of
the System. Where the evidence of their as
sertions' 1t did not exist. That spirit of msre-
presentation, fear and malignity, which had long
logged tho heels of Henry Clay, dictated the accu.
sation, and relied for credbility, upon the prcudi
ces it had already excited against him, not upon
| any evidence it was able to exhibit. We knew that
in 1897, Mr.. Clay had privately declared the most
| rf9o,t .t,t al.
which would restore national cordially; VIC knew
that in 1923, he had avowed u similar wish at Co
lumbus or Cincinnati: knew that if he was a
Patriot, he must prefer the continuance of the
Union, to the Tariff, however right in principle,
| or TO its benefits. however considerable in amount
Upon these declarations Of Mr.. Clay, made witha
at time and place, when he could not be suspect
ed of design to produce political effect, and
which were therefore obliged to be received sim
cere-upon these data, repealed the charge of
his enemies, and announced him to be animated
with the most conciliatory spirit towards the South
and anxiously solicitous to model the Tariff in
such way, while the principle of protection
| should be recognized and preserved, such conces-
sions should be made to tho South as their wishes
interests prejudces, Tor whatsoever prompted
them) required and which the approaching liberia
ton of the Exchequer from the pressure of the
| National Debt, permitted. We felt some delicacy
at this step, for we had authority from Mr. Clay
for it, and knew its hazard TO him and to ourselves
Ito him committing him in degree, to senti-
ments which might inure him: to ourselves, as ex-
posing TO be rebuked meddIesome. How was
this annunciation received by Mr.. Clay's cnemies7
Did venerable neighbor rejoice at the accession
of such help Mr.. Clay's, to effect his darling
wish of getting rid of the oppression of the Tariff
Far from it. He hated the Tariff much, but Henry
Clay more, and he infinitely preferred, and would
now prefer, to bear the burthens of the Tariff,
CALLING he to feel them, TO the
removal of the unworthy prejudices enter
tanned of Mr.. Clay in the South, which he has
so diligently fostered, and the removal of which
would be the necessary effect of Mr. Clay's assist
ance in bringing down the Tariff to the standard
of the popular wish in Yirginia.-He did not
degn to notice us directly, to be surc-but he talk
ed at us he sometimes eondescends when his
dignity is momentary relaxed or forgottcn-and
| in that way, he and his friend the Globe, repre-
sented Mr.. Clay offering the Tariff at political
auction They were eternally approaching him for
the American System-they were pouring upon
him unintcrmitted torrents of denuncation for
pushing that system to allcdged extremes in fur
thorancs of his own ambtion-thcy were COM
planning grievously Of the mseries and expressions
in which that ambition had involved ono portion
of the country. Ono would have imagined, that
so deadly foe Of the Tariff as our contemporary
of this city, would have received with especial
satisfaction, the intelligence that Mr.. Clay, pow
erful he is, disposed to cooperate with him,
to reduce the Tariff TO n point which would con-
tent the South-that he had been altogether msap.
pretended iii relation to that sulject-that he me-
| ditated of the exreme designs which his
enemies had imputed to him-that there was in
truth, a coincidsnco of " sh between the South
and him. though produced by different causes; on
their part by opposition to the Tariff principle, on
his by a. jealous and patriotic desire to heal the
unhappy distractions Of the country. One 1oould
have thought, repeat, that the discovery VIC
made of Mr.. Clay's compromising spirit ought to
have filed our noighbor, expiring he appeared
under the oppression of the Tariff, with Joy, with
transport. Not so-The politician was too hard
! for the patriot His Jacksonism, upon the ascend
oncy of which oil his personal hopes and expccta-
tions depended, took the alarm. Such course
would relieve the country it might be- from the
odious Tariff; but pcrchnnce it might have another
consequence, namely, the restoration Of Henry
Clay, the long slardcfcd, the sorcy tried, to the
love aud confidence Of his native State.
What allcdged last spring in relation to Mr..
Clay's sentiments the subject of tho Tariff, we
now rcitcratc. Wo have not seen his letter TO Mr..
| Randall nor any nrec;Sp dissertation Of con