New-York daily tribune., 1843-11-21
Mr.. Clay on the Tariff.

fhe Presidential canvass. Mr.. Clay answered
them frankly n.irnating at the close that ne oio
not care to be hung up IN the newspapers every
few days, as such course seemed 20 hi'ii'io'e
that his opinions were subject OF mystery OF
eon;yocation. The gentlemen who had drawn
o,,t this letter writing friends did not publish
ii, but they made great deal worse use OF 1t, by
using its contents, dressed with their own sauce,
TO frighten the Planters of Georgia. This induced
Hon. James A. Meriwether, Wing Member Of
the last Congress, to write to Mr.. Clay, asking
permission to procure and publish the letter so
used, to which Mr.. Clay promptly acceded. But
now one of the gentlemen (Branharn) who had
no scruples as to using private letter to the pre-
iudice of its author, had become all at once
squeamsh as to allowing It's publication! and 1t
was only by the most strenuous exertions on the
part of Mr. Meriwether and Gen. Bedsoe that
DR.. Branham could be induced to give up Mr..
Claws Letter. But it was obtained at last, and
here it is, with the questions which dfew 1t out,
and the relevant portion of Mr.. Clay's letter to
Mr.. Menwether, consentng to It's publication,
viz:
Extract from Mr. Clay to Mr.. Meri,oether.
ASHLAND, I'd Oct, lSi3
.You are right far the record concerned, in your
statement, thai did vote for the Tariff In olo and
1924 bur supported their principles ard have always ad
pit,sd that was III favor OF them
81 did no, vote for the Tariff 1923, for which, how
ever, Mr.. Van Buren,, Col. Benton Col. Johnson, Mr.
Wright and Others Of present opponents did And
that from that period my exertons III Con-
gsss have been directed the reduction and moderation Of
Tariffs. Thus in 1882 supported that Tariff wh'chgreat
ly modified aud reduced the Tariff of 1928 nsomuct that
II was supposed by reasonable that would ought
satisfy Nullers of South Carolina The next year,
tA2ugh forward the compromise In 1871 sup
nsn , r ., fn1t year, which Limited to the free
Ip.yer was in favor Of what regarded high Tariff
And my opinion is in perfect coincidence with hat
G.org;. az understand II, We believe that the Revenue
from The General should be derived from the
imports exclusion Of direct taxes and the pro-
cs.d Of b sales Of public lauds and that more revenue
should be levied than necessary TO an economical
ration of the goverument but that IN ievyng 1t such DIS
ought 20 be made will afford moderate and
foa,opabe proection American interests against the ra
and nrohibitorv policy Of foreign powers
should have preferred that the Compromise IN all It's
parts Including the Home yalua,on could have been ad
hsred TO- But YOU well know from what quarter the oppo-
stion came 10 the valuation without the
of which the Compromise Act that act neyer could have
passed \
think the preseu, Tariff in the main is right and work.
ing much go0a There may be excesses or defects IN H. OF
which have not here the means 70 udss aad ~ there De-
am your friend and obd't servant.
HENRY CLAY. \
The Hon. J. A MERwErHER.
Tie Correspondence referred to-Questions: |
EAroNroN, Geo, July ,lsth lSas.
DEAR sh Conflicting opinions OF tie principles You NOW
e held by many Of the citizens Of this STATE while all
who have acquainted themselves with your public course on
dsosass q nc 'e inc
Many been induced to believe and to assert that you!
The opiaioa we have always entertained oyoar franess
nHAr inIep n
zeal to sSs5 them I - o
the @ SIs
Have your principles in reference this subject undergone
change or modification?
Are 4 reply i; VIII obise Very respectfully, &c.
}9fh kobr! bBhAEhDasaoHE. BhEDsoE.. |
The Hon IiEsRy CLAY Lexington, Kentucky. \
Mr.. Ctay's Prompt Anslcer. \
ASHLAND, 23d Jaly, lS!3 4
GEsrLrMrS: duly your favor Of the INST
which you uform that conflicting opinions prevail in
your State regard opinions the policy OF protect
ag Domestic Manufactures aud you request OF nforma
ton ia relation them take pleasure in complying with
you request
My opinion is that the Revenue necessary to an ecouom
cal administration of the General Government ough, 10 be
derived in OF peace, exclusively from duties
posed foreign imports and that Tariff for that pu
agement 10 our domestic manufactures opposed TO d
aud internal duties except time when
opposed the doctrines Of free trade with foreign
srs, all OF whom subject with Them 70 essTic
sion, often very great and burthensome.
These opinions have always entertained aud still Snter
tain never was favor Of duties being nigh To
to aprohibon of articles wich they were laid
THOUGHT it bes, for all interests that there should be
competition think il of great importance that tariff
should possess stability frequent changes affect nu
oa.y all grea, To mpart it that character
il should be moderate, reasonable and certain
| voted for the Tariff of lso, 1874 and 1882. think
shey al! reasonable and moderate AZ he times they
respectively passed In the infancy OF manufactures
the obec, being acquire the skill aud accumulate ;he
degree OF protection enpeden than requisite after they
have made considerable progress The difficulty lies IN
fixing that degree In 1916, without much eSpe-
rience and failed make in all proper dptuisnt
Of the of protection Eight years experience IN
1924 enabled Congress fix it with equity aud
eson Eight years of progress manufactures In
1882 justified reduction the amount of duties
generally the Tariff of 1912 more moderate than
ous manufactures advance and become perfected
will be able TO compete with the foreign rival articles,
without any protection at all in the form OF duties
was not in Congress in 1929 and therefore did
for the Tar OF that year. The duties many
imposed by that Tariff exsavag high aud other
duties Were imposed which were called FOR BY any
That Tariff fraudulent produ Ii was
framed by combination Of members from the South
and some from the North who afraid openly
against Tariff and wished obtain credi, for being
favorable support Southern interests. Il shaped with
the design OF defeating the passage of Tariff because
it was believed that it injurious the manufacturing
nter. many respects that the honest and true friends OF
that interest would for Had been defeated
those Nor,hern members who united connecting would
have ,etu,ned home and asserted ,ha, they the
feuds of projection and ,ha, really homes, friends
iuimical Blu, defeated The genuine friends
of manufactures resolved be cheated BY such conb
nation and determined take the bill FOR the sake of the
good tina, it, Notwithstanding the bad which put
thaye against their The scheme NOT having
ceeded designed the Southern members, who
concerned IL afterwards bitterly repEoaehed hsi: Northern
confedera;es for the disappointment,
have more than half dozen times expressed wi,hn the
las, tw, or three years pube OCCASIONS the opinion
which now communicate combination Of the pri
ciples oe Revenue and Protection IN Tariff send YOU
herewith the speech ,ha, which made in the
S.nste of the U s. and also brief sketch OF the principles
Of the Wing p,.,y understand them which prepared
.L. n,