Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-10-11
SYNOPSIS OF THE SPEECH
mr. THE HON. JOHN NJ CLAYTON.


D.irsrsd at hs IMsss Meeting, in front Of the
srArE Houst, at Philadelphia, on Wsdnssdsy
Ercriss, October S.
The Hon. JoHs NJ. CLArros having been called
upon by Mr. Sergeant, President OF the meeting, to
rive statement OF the circumstances attending thu
p,ssase Of the Compromise Act, and other political
iaeidents with which he was familiar, and which
would be Interesting to the meeting, and being in
trodueed by the President to the multitude who bad
assembled to hear him, roso and observed, that II
was said by the distineuishe citizen who addressed
the m.etiny at Fsnsui Hall. in Boston, few days
ago that he never appeared in that Hall that he did
no, feel that there something in the place that
excited him strongly, deeply, toe deeply to allow
.aeoua,e EXPRESSION to his emotions. This, said MIR
CAyton, is the fret time have had the honor TO
spoak from the place where now stand, and there
Is something in this birth place OF my eountfy-th's
soot from whence was proclaimed the freedom eno
inIoendence OF these United States, that Inspires
m, with emotions which language Is inadequate to
express. n in some future day. long, long distant
may il be, some shaft moro deadly than the rest
should be hurled at the American Eagle, and she
.honld fall beneath the fatal blow, here even
here shall she breathe her last sigh, and on this spot
shall be uttered the last shout for liberty lGreai
cheering.
OF ,u-iec,s treated Of by the distinguished gentle.
man 10 whom l have before alluded. IN tanuei
Hal. In doing this shall endeavo' to place iairy
and impartaliy before you the acts and motives, IN
references to the Compromise, OF that eminent states
man whom you delight TO honor. AIN, fellow
citizens. but a private individual; neither hod nor
desire TO hold office; hut humble rs am, lee u an
Incumbent duty to defend an absent friend whenever
and BY whomsoever m represented.
The speech OF tho Secretary OF state treated oil
ev,n,s and circumstances that related TO the Com
promise Act of 1888. MIR Webster has ven:ursc
not only attack the act ITSELF but the motives OF
the men who were The authors OF 1t. ask you, my
fellow citizens, 10 notice the time when this attack
is made II Is at a moment when elections are about
10 take plsce in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Delaware, &c; when II was Impossible Tor
MIR Clay to receive notice IN time, even were he at
bom- much less being absent. as he was known TO
be to prevent its influence upon those elections by
areply.
Mr. Clayton said be should not in the prcsen,
Of his health, have ven!ured to contend against
so gigantic a man as Daniel Webster, but for the
SAX. OF truth and justice; and Tor those, even he,
humble as he was, feared not to stand up IN defence
OF an esteemed and absent friend.
Mr C. remarked that he served in the Senate with
Henry Clay aud Daniel Webster Tor seven years
He was in the national councils at the Tina the
Compromise Act was passed; had an intimate
knowledge Of the circumstances attending the origin
and passage of that act. knew well the motives
which actuated Henry Clay 10 the distinguished
part he took that occasion, and he could OF, nor
would he, stand in silence and hear the motives Of
the man who stood n head and shoulders taller than
any other statesman in III, country impugned.-
Fellow citizens, am Of those who voted for the
Compromise Act, aud look upon that vote as one
Of the proudsst acts OF my life.
MIR Clayton was member Of the committee TO
whom the subject was referred in the Senate and
fully conversant with the reasons Tor introdue-
ing the bill into that body. These reasons he brief
y stated. In the early part Of tina. session the Pre-
sident Secretary OF the Treasury offered his pro-
ject OF a Tariff bill which was 10 raise but twelve
LII IL raA 10 h.
Committee of Ways and Means in the House OF
Representatives Of which MIR Verplanck, man Of
great ability, chairman. There could be no
doubt but this bill met the hearty appreciation of
the President, Gen. Jackson, who we all know then
exercised almost unlimited, aud irresistible nla-
over his party in Congress, ard with the peo-
pie. Mr Verplanek took the bill; it was considered
in Committee and reported to the House. |! iclpos
I'd duties upon foreign merchandise not exceeding
- per cent, upon ths foreign valuation, and going
"a some instances low as 10 per cent. forming
average, perhaps, Of per cent and this be II oh.
served, upon the foreign valuation. IL was debated
in the House Of Representatives for some time, and
nothing was more apparent than that, without some
extraordinary effort, the bill would become the law
Of the land; in which every American manu-
facturer would have been compelled to close the
doors OF his factory, and send his wotkmen 10 get
employment and bread where they could hnd them.
Henry Clay, the American statesman;- loud
aud repeated che erins) he who had during his whole
public life stood up as the friend and advocate OF
American labor and OF American n eres,s (en,husi-
aslc eheers) the father of The American system, with
the eagle eye Of o wAtchful guardian OF the public
veal, saw the danger that threatened the existence
ofhi favoriis system, and determined TO stretch
forth his arm 10 save It. With thst keen sagaeiiy
which characteristics him, and W it'll that tact and ta-
lent which so eminently distinguish him, he looked
around him for the means OF ayerting the threatened
fate OF the Protective Policy. He the Pres-
dent arrayed against notification, ard South Caro-
lima IN arms against The Federal Government. There
urit en- betW he IA
fers and Gen. Jackson. he saw this and he sought
TO turn II 10 tn. advantage OF his country. lie saw
that II he could get bill allowing the duties gra-
dual descent, through a period Of rine and half
years, down TO 90 per cent on the home valuation,
II would be infinitely bet-or fer the country lhnn
Mr. Verpaneks bill which was 10 reduce them at
once, down to an average Of Is per cent, ard would
save the manufacturer and operative hom imne /
date, utter, and hopeless ruin.
MIR Clay communicated his views TO MIR Clayton /
ana other friends Of the Protective Policy; he had
nothing 10 conceal his object was the coed Of the /
country, and his motives honest and patriotic
No man is mofs frank and undsguised than Henry
Clay. Honest and single hearted, he has no con-
cealnents from his friends, scarcely from his ene-
mics. IL was with no view 10 crafty his own nm
bilion thbt he brought forward this measure, (the
Compromise Aet) but solely with view 10 pre-
serve the American system; TO sustain the Ameri
can manufacturer. the American mechanic, and the
American fnmer; and TO save the American LAHORE
er from the ruinous competition OF the six pence
day labor OF Europe. NChcers.D
Now know that IL that act, tthe Compromlse,)
had not passed, Mr. Verplanck's bill would-a bill,
as have before said, that would have reduced the
duties at 10 fifteen per cent. will not stop TO
point out WIN must have been the ruinous conse-
quences OF the passage Of this bill upon the country.
You. my fellow citizens are intelligent enough to
perceive what they must have been without my tel
ing you. Bot whatever might have heen the evils,
and the long tram cf bitter consequences attendant
upon the passage OF that bill you were saved from
Them By Henry Cay, and by no other man. Ere
mendous cheering
Fe low citizsns-Who ia II that has dared TO bold
up the great statesman having been nimcl to
the interests Of the mRnufacturer-tO nrr1ign him
before the bar Of the public as the enemy OF The
Americon System, thst system, Of which he is Justly
cons dered the fa,heT2 do not come here 10 attack
Mr Webster, but when he stands Up and inpeaches
the motives Of Mr. Clay, ! will venture % inquire
who it Is that prefers he charge, and examine what
pretensOns he has 10 set himself up as the special
champion of the American Systen7 Why | viii
tell YOU fellow citizens. IL is the very man who
stood up, in 1924, as the advocate Of what We con
sder British iniersss. He j. was who, at that time
was the champion q free trade; while Henry Clay
was 40 he has always been, the champ on OF tho
protective policy. They stood a. Fox and PIT, had
stood IN tbs British Parliament, the grelt and elo
quent advocates OF their respective doctrines.
Mr Clayton would not do MIR Webster injustice
Whatever doctrines he had entertained, he main
tanned with extraordinary powers Of elouuence and
reasoning. BUTT did not become him 10 attempt %
arraisn Henry Cay before the American teop,e the
man, around the edges Of whose shining bUckier the
noble spirits Of the land and the en- smnons nj A.. n,o