Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1842-12-02
MIR, CLAY AND THE COMPROMISE.

The great Democratic Wing meeting III
Philadelphia. held on the 9th OF October was
addressed by the Hon JouN NJ. CLAYTON, OF
Delaware who referring to Mr.. WEpSTERs
late speech at Boston, most nobly and trlum-
nhantIv vindicatcd HENRY CLAY from
the imputations of Mr. Tyler's Secretary of
State. The propriety Of the Compromise
BILL as necessary to save American industry
from immediate and utter ruin and the pat
rotic motives governing MIR. CLAY and those
who acted with him on that occasion arc
faithfully and ably set forth. We cannot re-
frain from copying from the United States
Gazette, this portion of Mr.. Claytons
speech:
"rhe speech Of the Secretary of State
treated of events aud circumstances that re-
lated to the Compromise act OF 1858. Mr..
Webster has ventured not only to attack the
act itself but the motives of the men who
were the authors of it. ask you, my fell
low citizens. to notice the time when the at
tack is made it is at Il moment when cleo
tons are about to take place i'll Maryland,
PENNSYLVANIA, New Jersey, Delaware, &c:
when it was impossible for Mr.. Clay to re-
ceive notice in time, even were he at home,
much less being absent as he was known to
be, to prevent its influence upon those cleo
tons by IA reply.
Mr.. Clayton said he should not, in the
present state Of his health, have ycrturcd to
contend az inst so gigantic man as Dan
iel Webster, but for the sake of truth and
Justice and for those, even he, humble as
he was, feared not TO stand up i'll defence OF
an esteemed and absent friend.
Mr. G. remarked that he served in the
Senate with Henry Clay and Daniel Web
ster for years He was in the National
Councils at the time the Compromise Act
was passed had an intimate knowledge Of
the circumstances attending the origin aud
passage of that act knew well the motives
that actuated Henry Clay in the distinguish
cd part he took on that occasion, and he
could not nor would he, stand in silence
and hear the motives Of the man who stood
n held and shoulders taller than any other
statesman in this country impugned. Eel
low Citizens, | am one of those who voted
for the Compromise Act, and | look upon
that vote as one Of the proudest acts Of my
life
Mr.. Clayton was member of the com
mittee to whom the subject was referred in
the Senate, and was fully conversant with
the reasons for introducing the bill into that
body. These reasons he briefly stated. In
the early part of that session the President
or Secretary of the Treasury offered pro-
iect of Tariff bill, which was to raise but
twelve millions of dollars by duties. 1t was
referred to the Committee of Ways and
Means in the House of Representatives, oil
which Mr.. Verplank, man of grea,
ability, was chairman. There could be nc
doubt that this bill met the hearty approba
ton Of the President, Gen. Jackson, who we
all know then exercised an almost unlimited
and irresistible influence over his party il
Congress, and with the people. Mr.. Yer
plank took the bill. 1t was considered b,
The Committee and reported to the House
1t imposed duties on foreign merchandise
not exceeding 20 per cent upon the foreign
valuation, and going in some instances a:
low as 10 per cent. forming an average per
haps of Is per cent. and this be it observed
upon the foreign valuation. 1t was deba
ted in the House of Representatives for som,
time, and nothing was more apparent thar
that without some extraordinary effort the
bill would become the law of the land il
which case every American manufacture
would have been compelled to close tht
doors of his factory, and send his workmel
to get employment and bread wherever the,
could find them.
Henry Clay, the American statesman
loud and repeated cheeringl he who had du
ring his whole public life stood up as th'
friend and advocate of 1mericn labor AM
american interests, enthusiastic CHEERS tn,
Father of the AMERICAN SYSTEM, with tn,
Eagle eye of a watchfu guardian of the pub
lie veal, saw the danger that threatened thu
existence of his favorlte system, and deter
mined to stretch forth his arm to save it.
With that keen sagacity which character
ises him, and with the tact and talent which
so eminenty distinguish him, he looked
around him for the means Of averting tn,
threatened fate of the Protective Policy
He saw the President arrayed against Null
fcation, and South Carolina in arms agains
the Federal Government There was an il
reconcilable hostility between the Nullifer
and Gen. Jackson. He saw this, and h
sought to turn it to the advantage of hi
country. He saw that if he could get bill
allowing the duties gradual descent, thro
period of nine and half years. down t.
30 per cent on the hOmc valuation, it wouI
be infinitely better for the country than Mr.
Verplanck's bill, which was to reduce then
at once, down to an average Of Is per cent
aud would save the manufacturer and opera
tive from immediate, utter and hopeless ruin
Mr.. Clay communicated his views to Nh
Clayton and other friends of the Protectiy
Policy; he had nothing to conceal his oil
ject was the good Of the country, and hi
motives were honest and patriotic. No ma
is more frank and nndisguised than Herr
Clay. Honest and single hearted he has n
commandments from Lis frinrds ccnrool.. e..