The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-07-19
VOL. Vino. IL.
SPEECH OF HENRY CLAY
AT THE GREAT BARBAcUE AT LExlNGTos,
JUNE g.
CONTINUED.

CONTINUED.
Now LET US see what was our real condi-
ton only the short time of ten years ago.
! had occasion. in FEBRUARY 1882. in the
Senate of the United States, when was
defending the American System against tn"
I late Col. Hayne of South Carolina, TO de-
scribe 1t; and refer to this description as
evidence of what believed to be The state Of
the country a, that lime. Thai it conformed
10 The truth of the case, appeal with conf
dence 10 those now present. On that occa-
sion. among other things. | said:
Il have now TO perform the more pleasing
task of exhibiting an imperfect ske'ch Of
the existing stale of the unparalleled pros
perity OF the country On a general survey
we behold cultivation extended, the arts
hourishihg. the face of the country improv'
ed, our people fully and pro6tably employ
ed, the public countenance exhi' ting iran
guilty, contenlmeht and happiness. AID. if
We descend into particulars, we have the "a
greeabe contemplation Of a people out Of
debt, and rising slowly in value, but in Sc
cure and salutary degree, ready, though
not extravaganza, market for all the surplus
productions Of our industry; iuuunerable
flOcks and herds browsing and gamboliny
on ten thousand hills and plains, covered
with rich and verdant grasses; our cities
explnsed, and whole villages springiLg up.
as 1t were, BY encha,ment; orr exports aad
our imports increased and increasing; our
Tonnage, foreign and coastwise, swelling and
fully occupied; the rivers ef our interior an
inated by the perpetual thunder and ligh''
ming of our countless steamboats,; the cur
, rency sound and abundant; the public drbt
Of the wars nearly redeemed; and, TO crown
all. The public treasury ovcrhowing, embaf-
RAISING Cong -ess,no, to find subjects Of tau
alton, hut TO select The objects which shall be
liberated f ON the imposi. IF the term Of
seven years were 10 be selected, of the great
est prosperity which this people have en-
joyed, since the establishment Of their pre-.
sent Constitution, il would be exactly That
period Of seven years which Immediately
| followed the passage ofthe Tariff of 1924"
And tina, period embraced the whole term
oftfe administration Of MIR. John Q. Adj
ans, which has been so unjtIstly abused!
The contrast in the state of the country.
al the Two periods of 1892 and Az, is most
remarkable and startling. What has pre-.
cipIlatcd US from that great hight of envra-
bic prosperity down to the lowest depths uf
pecuuiary embarrassment What has occa-
stoned the wonderful changed No foreign
| foe has invaded and desolated the country
We have not had famine nor earthquakes.
That there exists a cause there can be no
doubt; and think it equally clear that the
Cause, whatever IL NAV be, must be a gen.
eral one, for nothing but general cause
could have produced such wide spread ruin;
and every where we behold the same or
similar effects, every interest affected. every
sectiOn Of the Union suffering, all descrip-
lions of produce and property depressed in
value. And whilst | endeavor TO find out
that cause. and to trace to their true source
! the disastrous effects which we witness aud
f,lls and lament, entreat the Democratic
portion Of my audience, especially, To listen
with patience and candor. and dismssiLg
for inoment party bases and PreJudices,
to decide with impariialty and in sPiri, of
genuine patriotism.
Ii has been said by those in high authori-
". tina, the People are to blame and not the
! Government; and that the dlsiresses of the
country have proceeded from speculation
and overirading. The people have bean e.
ven reproached for expecting too much from
Government, and not relying sufficiently
upon their own rxerions And they have
been reminded that the highes, duty Of the
Government is to take care of itself, l2av-
ing the the People to shift for Themselves as
well as they can. Accordingly We have
seen the Government retreating from the
storm which, it will be see in the sequel,
itself created, and taking shelter under the
Sub Treasury.
That there have been some speculation
and overriding, may be true; but all have
no. speculated and overtraded; whilst the
distress reaches If not in the same degree.
the cautious and The prudent, as well as the
enterprising and adventurous. The error
of the Argument consists in nistaking tho
effect for the cause. What produced the
overtradingl What was the cause of spec
ulalion2 How werethe people tempted to
abandon the industrious and secure pursuits
of life, and embark in doubtful al d perious,
but seducing enterprizes' That is the i'm
portant question.
Now, fellow citizens, take " on myself
~ SlOW tIldt INC pcOiIlc Hdfc OSO' '"' iOo' "
blame than the General Government. and
that whatever Of error they committed, was
the natural and inevitable cons quence Of
the unwse policy of their rulers. To the
action of Government is mainly TO be ascrI-
bed the disorders, embarrassment and distress
which all have now 50 much reason to de-
pore. And, 10 be yet more specific, think
they are fairly attributed to the action of tho
Executive branches Of the Federal Govern.
meni.
Three facts or events, all happening pbou,
the same time, if their immediate effects are
duly considered. will afford clear and sat.
isfactory solution Of all the pecuniary evils
which now unhappIly affic this country.
The first was the veto of the re-chaner Of
the Bank of the Uniled States from that
Bank to local banks. And the third was
the refusal Of the President of the U, States.
nv an arbitrary stretch of power, TO sauction