The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-01-31

/ Q breath.
There was low rumbling beneath their
set, and the ponderous mass passed slowly
rom under them as the spectral boat gradual
7 melted into moonlight. w
Mfr. Clay on the Tar6.--Mr. Clay opened
lie Tariff budget on Wednesday last in the
senate. He complains Of an -"oid feel" as
3yron calls it--of twenty five years of service
of what he was and how he thought and
.cted formerly. These well timed apologies
or tho weakness and feebleress Of his argu-
nents and his once much Wanted eloquence,
We have no doubt will be candidly weighed
,y every liberal and generous man in the ma
ion. A manly generosity will overlook his
imsey reasoning his weak points--his con.
fused views-his embarrassing position--and
his unfortunate ambition. If it can crafty |
his wounded feelings to be considered the |
mediator" of the conflicting interests Of the
nation, there would have been no harm in in |
dulging him in that innocent whim had he not
upset his own dish by speech
which is far more calculated to widen than to
heal the breach.
Mr.. Clay takes up several singular positions
in his new confession of faith. He is decid-
edly opposed to the present liquidation Of the
national debt. On this great measure Mr..
Clay fulfls Syery engagement he may have
made with the federal party, by this open a
vowal of his adhesion to the principle that
national debt is national blessing. At the
present day, il 10 the opinion of Mr.. Webster
and the old federal party, that debt is an
advantage and bond TO the Union. Mr..
Clay goes tho whole, and will be received in
to favor. On internal imprcvements--the
public lands, Sc. he is equally curious IN his
ysrr <<<ts tsnen Isvv.pp luc.
ments is thrown overboard-he has abandon.
ed it completely and, so far, has been CON-
PEELED to modify his views according to the
veto message Of General Jackson. He is q.
gainst any changes in the present public land
system, and is desirous Of constituting the
proceeds Of the sales into q fund for internal
improvements. Mr., Clay denounces the
project for dividing the surplus revenue a.
mong the states T; but, inconsistently enough,
advocates the same principle in relation to the
appropriation of the proceeds arising from the
sales Of the public land.
We pass by all those strange points--ar.
guments-views and projects to reach the gil
! Of the whole--the modification of the Tariff
Here Mr.. Clay after a good deal Of parade
about the various modes Of reducing the rev
enue, announces his plaH of notifications -tc
| be repeal of the duties on all unprotected
articles, but continuance of those on wha
he calls protected. In his details he devel
opes his policy somewhat obscurely, but we
/ find enough to convince us that the greaI
American system is merely system Of mo
nopoly to few Woollen manufacturers scat
| tered over the eastern and middle states
He has thrown himself entirely into thei
arms, and has abandoned the interests of thu
/ great mass Of the people. To fence rount
the existing monopoly Of woollen manufac
lures, he recommends the abolition OF th,
credit system Of dutes--a project whicl
would throw the whole foreign trade Of tn,
country into the hands of few large capital
lists and dc2ress and keep down the younI
enterprising merchant who 10 just startihI
into existence. The present arrangement o
!, the duties has at least some pretentions 4
equality--some equal bearing upon all sec
|. tions Of the country--but the new American
,, system boldly cuts adrift from all such moor
ings-it pretends to care for the interest Q
, none save the large capitalist--to disregar
, the feelings of every state, save the corpors
!, tons for the manufacture of woollens and
. few other interests.
Mr.. Clays speech is indeed singular al
: fair. Judging from its material parts, on
would suppose the points had been made U
!, by conclsve Of woollen manufacturer sde
putcd by the late Tariff Convention. Il ha
all the fnesse-the hiding of the princips
> questionable touching slightly other inter
ests--ihe great sensibility to the wccc.,ens in
: tcrest--the starting from and the spproachin
: E to the main point which the woollens part
zans display in all their reports and memoir
z ais. Not word is said ofthe wool grower
!. although the manufacturers receive sixt
times az much protection.
Fl Mr.. Clay unfortunately adopts the nonsens
: which those men have uttered about th
. frauds on the revenue. This is the meres
;, cant that ever came from human lips. Ca
: Mr.. Clay tell how the revenue could hav
, been 90 prosperous, so overfowing, if thes
!. allegations Of fraud be true? The thing
: !. utterly impossible. Mr.. Clay of 1912 woul
Z Z never have adopted such absurdities--but M
! Clay Of 1882 is quite q different man. o
! the whole, it is very evident !hst Mr.. Clay
!. ). in the "eear and yellow leaf" Mr.. Websts
has evidently put him forward with view Z
|, contrasting his powers with bis own, now
!. = their meridian, and notifying the Orator
3 the West. In spite of the Inconsistencies
: the Massachusetts Orator, we have no doul
: he intends to outstrip Mr.. Clay in his ell,
" quence, argument, knowledge and claims uI
!, on the National Republican party. Mr.. Cls
= has only adopted Mr.. Webster's woolleI
manufacturing system-he is ,hs instrume
Of the great federal leader Of the east--tf
e junior counsel--and has accordingly opens
m his case and taken his points according to Il
= suggestions of his senior in reputation al
, knowledge. We shall see what will come
o il. N. Y. Courier.
II CrnEupuw Ouu.