Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-08-20

i
Firmly impressed with the truth Of these
suggestions, the convention which we rep
resent, has recommended man, TO whom
more than any other now living, this ma
ton is indebted for its greatness. AS
Speaker ofthe House of Representatives
during the last war with Great Britain
as supporter of the interests of the west IN
the negotiation at Ghent-as the able de-
fender of southern rights 10 the Missouri
l.difficuIty--as the author of the compro
mise bin in I633-and more recently, as
the master spirit who quelIed the spirit of
Abolition IN .ongress-Henry Clay has
been pre-eminen. in usefulness.
The whole country can hear witness,
with what Lntiring perseverance, the trieuds
| of Mr.. Van Buren, have endeavor d TO de-
stroy Mr. Claws popularity, by ascribiDg
10 him opinions at war with the rights and
interests of the south. OftheSe. his sup
rort of the tariff has furnished The most
plausible, ard, for several years, the most
prominent topic of denunciation. We
have no wish TO disguise the truth on
any point connected with his history. We
readily admit that Mr. Clay was the advo-
cate Of this policy TO the full extent of the
tariff of 1924 "a measure which received
the votes of Gen. jackson and Mr.. Van
Buren,, then members of the Senate.
Whether that measure was right or wrong,
il is not material to inquire-its most decl'
ded enemies must admit. that it raised
great market for the consumption of our
cotton. But right or wrong, II sinks into
nothing, when pared with the tariff of
1928. II was this which was Familiarity
known as the "f3iil of examinations -
which created universal dissatisfaction IN
the south, and placed one Sts'e in the atti-
tude of open resistance TO the power OF
the general government. And for this
bill Mr. Van Ruren voted: not on its final
passage only, but for the s::minimuss," prin-
ciple, which constituted the worst feature
of its details. We are aware that the le-
gislature of New York had passed soma
resolutions instructing the Senators from
that state to support a protecting tariff;
but they were too indefinite in their char
acter. to require such votes as those which
Mr.. Van Buren, gave. And it should ever
be remembered, that Mr.. Clay never de-
signed that tariff should be more than
mporsry-proposing merely, TO estab.
lish manufactures, and to leave them to
sustain themselves.
We know not Mr.. Van Buren's precise
position on this subject now. But the act
of 1892 was passed by his friends, having
malorities in both houses of Congress, a.
vowedly as final settlement of the ques.
tion-and far fron-quieting the agitation
produced by the act of 1928, instead of
checking South Carolina, it rather hurried
her into the extreme remedy OF nulli6ca.
lion.
II was less than one year afterwards,
when the braveSt looked withterror on the
prospect of civil war, and seryile insurrec-
ton, which, if commenced, could not cease
before the whole South should be involved
in its calamites, that Mr. CLAY submitted
his celebrated bill for the gradual diminu-
ton Of the Tariff The South was salts.
fed with its provisions, and the North saw
the necessity of acquiescence IN this meas
ure of Cancellation. It passed-and by It
the ordinance of notification was neutral
iZed the Proclamation and Force Bill
were disarmed; the horror of civil war
was avertcd; the South and the North a.
gain met a. brothers; and our extended
country once more presented the magni-
fcent spectacle ola great, happy, and
u tied people. Mr.. Van Buren, had no
part o. lot n THIS mater.
And yet it has been often and grayely
urged, that the election Of Mr.. Clay would
revived the Tariff policy. No well inform
ed man can belis ve this. Tie act of 1888
was the result of mutual concessions by The
North and South, and has ever been re-
gardcd by Mr.. Clay as solemn contr ct,
rather than an &C, of ordinary legislation.
Such Was his exposition of the bill when he
presented ii, and such have been his uui.
form declarations since.
He has been charged, also, with favor.
ing the designs of the Abolitionisls 1t is
difficult to conceive a more conclusive an.
swer to this, than statement of his own
situation. He is a large slave older-he
was born and reared among slave-holders
and his home, his connections and inter.
ests are permanently fixed among such a
population. But We have other evidence
of his sentiments On abolition, in the re-.
solutions which he int oduced into The Sen.
ate in 1888, and more recently, his speech
on that subject during the last session.
Well did M. Calhoun remark, at the con-
clusion Of Mr.. Clay's argument, that the
quest on of abolition was now settled.
It is among the strange things of these
disjolnted times, that such an accusation
should be made by the friends of Mr.. Van
Buren,. 1t m ght be doing this gentleman
injustice, to charge him with desiring tho
success of the aboitlonists. He has no
interest, and, We presume, no feeling, either
IN their success or failure. But if the time
shall arrive, as we have reason 10 fear that
II will, when this unhoIy fanaticism shall
control elections inthe North, what securi.
tv have we that he will not barter Southern
rights for Northern suffrages This past
history offers none. He was an active
promoter of the Missouri controversy,
which Mr.. Clay had the CORY of settling
He was the most efficient supporter Of
Rufus King, the prime mover IN that diff
Guilty aud ne voted, in the Senate of New
York, for resolution, instructlng their
Senators in Congress ito oppose the ad.
mission, as State Ia tile Union, of any
Territory not comprised within the origins
al boundary of the United States, without
making the prohibition Of slavery therein