New-York daily tribune., 1842-08-05
THE TRIBUNE
VIZ. Clay and s,o Compromise Act.

made an able spccch, in which he attacked MIR.
Clay with much severity for his support Of the
Compromise Act OF 1888. He was promptly AN
swered by Hon. Henry Shaw of Mass. to the en-
tire satisfaction of the Convention but the at
tack has since been renewed at different times in
various quarters. Very recently, the american
Mcciosaic, professediy neutral paper, assaicd
Mr.. Clay with much bitterness OH this ground,
and hoped tina, no Laboring Man would give his
vote to one who had been potcntly instrumental
in breaking down the Protection of Home lndus-
try. And thus Mr.. Clay, while encoun'crins on
one side the whole artillery of Free Trade, ia
met on the other by a heavy broadsdc from pro-
fessed advocates Of Protection, Is this just p
Certainly not.
Mr.. Clay was the early, ardent powerful, con-
sistent advocate of the Protection of Home In
dustry. To the cause he has dcvoled his lofty
talents, his best exertions. 1t trumphed through
his efforts and the asccndancy Of his genius; and
il tottered to its fall when that ascendancy was
for time overborne. -Jacksonsm and Nullifca-
,on-two baleful meteors-reddened the sky of
1928, and threatened between them the utter
prostration of the Protective System Then
the great powers Of Mr.. Clay put forth to pre-
serue, so fal as possible, what he had long labored
to construct; and here he again
cessful than any other man could have been. We
could wish he had judged otherwise-that he
had decided to let the adverse powers which had
gained fatal ascendency over the land do their
worst, and in their own way. overthrowing the
immediately protected interests and bringing dis
harsh medicine, but it would have cured the pa
tent, instead of leaving him to lingering
sumption But the other course the more
natural, the more bcnefcent in its immediate ef
fects, and gave room for hope of averting alto
gether the evils impending Who shall blame
Mr. Clay for choosing the more hopeful alterna-
tive?-But we had intended only to introduce to
our readers the following extract Of recent speech
Of Hon. H. A. S. DEARgoRN of Mass, who was
in Congress in 1883 as the Representative of
Manufacturing District, and who Gas we find re-
ported in The Daily American, new and spir-
tied Wing journal at Boston,) thus testihes, from
personal knowledge, to the patriotic and magnani-
nous course of Mr.. Clay:
"The bill for an amicable adjustment of the Ia
riff, was drawn up by MIR. Clay, previous to his
leaving Ashland for Washington, and was freely
submitted to many Of his friends, in the Senate
and the House, for their consideration, as well
to some Of the most intelligent and active agents
Of the numerous manufacturing establishments
throughout the country, who were in attendance
before the various committees Of congress, during
that most gloomy and critical period of our National
existence. Amendments were earnestly solicited
for the purpose oe obvatng objections, and num-
Der were suggested and introduced to render the
bill as pnexceptionabe as possible, and at the same
time leave it available for the great purposes 1t
was intended to accomplish viz: The prevention
of q threatened insurrecton in the South, and to
save the industrial institutions of the country from
imminent destruction, which ne feared would be
eventually realised, ualess such compromise, as
had been thus presented, was promptly carried
into effect.
tariff bill based on the enlarged and liberal
principles of giving adequate encouragement and
desired protection to American labor, had been de-
bated for many weeks in the House of Represent
atyes, and SO adverse the votes, III the various
stages Of its progress, that there did not appear TO
be left any ground for hope, that law could be
matured which would satisfy those numerous
classes of the population which were concerned in
the various branches of agricultural, mechanical,
manufacturing and mining industry, and which
were threatened with destruction by importations
from foreign nations.
Under these embarrassing circumstances, Mr..
Clay at last determined to introduce the bill, WHICH
had been prepared with SO much intelligence and
circumspectsn, and such deep and anxious solici-
tude for the speedy restoration of domestic tran
guilty and the welfare of the whole country Some
Of his political friends, although they approved of
the principles of the bill, and were very desirous
that i. should become law, still thought that 1t
would be imprudent for him to take upon his own
shoulders the responsibility Of originating such an
important measure as it might jeopardize his Po-
sition, as candidate of the National Republican
party for the Office of President of the United States
They accordingly urged upon him the exrediency
Of its being presented to the Senate by some other
member, or that i, be first offered in the House, by
one Of the Union party, such other person,
he mig deem best qualified. to undertake the man
egemen, of such an important affair
was present ut an interview with Mr.. Clay on
the morning of the day that the bill was submitted
TO the Senate where heard such reasons as have
been named with Others of like import, earnestly
addressed to him, for the purpose of dissuadins
him from entering on the course, which he appear
ed disposed and was most anxious to pursue. he
listened attentiyely to the variou. arguments which
We're employed, to indnce a change in his plan OF
operations; and after they adconcluded he calm
ly yet decidedly and firmly replied: 4" am ex-
tremely obliged you, gentlemen, for the generous
and kind interest you have evinced On this occasion;
bur have, for months, sedulousl investigated, and
warly considered this subject in all its bearings
both it respects the various sections of the coun
try which are to be most Immediately affected by
it, and the consequences to myself personally; and
as Isincerely beisepe it-sp be The only mode an
ssaich the terrible consequences ofa cirl Tar can
6e acerte9, and our farmers, mechanics ana
naaafaeturers scared against immediate injnry