Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-12-01
ROB'T BLEDSOE.
To the Hon. HENRY CLAY, Lexington, Ky.

JOEL BRANHAM.
ROBT BLEDSOE.
To the Hon. HENRY CLAY, Lexington, Ky.
ASHLAND, 2sth July, 1913.
Gentlemen I'll duly received your favor of the
18th inst. in which you inform me that conflicting
opinions prevail in your State in regard to my o.
pinons on the policy OF protecting domestic man
uiactures, and you request OF me information in
relation to them. | take pleasure in complying
with your request.
My opinion is, that the revenue necessary to an
economical administration of the General Gov
eminent ought 10 he derived, in season of peace,
exclusively from duties imposed on our foreign i'm
ports, and that tariff for that purpose, ought TO
be so adjusted as to afford reasonable encourage
ment TO our domestic manufactures. am oppos
ed 10 direct taxes and internal duties, except in
time OF war, when they may lie necessary to give
vlgor and success TO arms. | am opposed 10 the
doctrines OF free trade with foreign powers, all of
whom subject our commerce with them 10 re-
strctions, oiien very great and burthensome.
These opinions have always entertained and
et entertain. | never was in favor of duties be-
ing so high as TO amount to prohibition of articles
on which they were laid. have thought it best
for all interests that there should be competition.
i think it OF great importance that tariff should
possess stability as frequent changes affect nuri-
ously all our great interests. To lmpart TO il that
character, il should be moderate, reasonable and
certain.
| voted for the Tariff of 1916, 1924 and 1882
l think they were all reasonable and moderate, at
the times they were respectively passed. In the
infancy OF manufactures the object being to ac-
qulre the skill and accumulate the capital necessa-
ny to their successful establishment greater de-
gree OF protection is expedent than is requisite
after they have made considerable progress
The difficulty lies in fixing that degree. In 1916
we were without much cxpeI fence, and failed to
make, IN al cases, Il proper adjustment of the
measure OF protection. Eight yeats experience
III 1924 enabled Congress 10 fix it with more equi-
~ and precision. Eight years of progress in our
manufactures in 1882 justified some reduction in
The amount Of duties, and generally The tariff of
1872 is more moderate than that of 1882. As our
manufactures advance and become perfected, less
and less protection will be needed, until many ar
tcles VIII be able TO compete with the foreign rival
articles, without any protection at a in the form
Of duties.
was not in Congress in 1923, and therefore
did not vote for the tariff oflhat year. The duties,
IN many Instances, imposed by that tariff were ex-
travaganlly high, and in others, duties were i'm
posed which were not called Tor by any interest.
That tarH was fraudulent production. 1t was
formed by combination of some members from
the South and some from the North, who were
AFRAID openly 10 vote against Tariff and yet wish
ed TO obtain credit for being favorable to supposed
southern Interests. Ii was so shaped with the de.
sign to prevent the passage of any tariff; because
II was believed that II wus so Injurious to the man.
ulacturlng interest in many respects that the hon.
est ana true friends ofthat interest would not vote
forit. Had it been defeated, these northern mem.
bers who united in connecting it, would have re.
turned home and asserted that they were the true
friends OF protection and that its really honest
friends were ininIcal TO it, But it was not defeat.
ed. The genune friends of manufactures resoy.
ed not 10 be cheated by such combination, and
determined to take the bill for the suke Of the
good that was in il, Notwithstanding the bad
which wos put there against their consent. The
scheme not having succeeded was designed
the southern members who were concerned Ia it
afterwards bitterly reproached their northern con
iederates Tor their disappointment.
have more than u half dozen times express
ed, within Tho last Two or three years, on publ,
occasions, the opinions which | now communi
cate as TO tue combination of the principles o
Revenue and Protection in :arff / send you
herewith, the last speech on that subject which
delivered IN the Senate Of the u. s., and also
brief sketch of the principles OF tho Wing party
as ! understand Thorn, which prepared.
have no other objection TO the publication @
this letter but that il would imply a sensitiyenes
IN regard 10 my opinions which | do not feel, an.
think ii has already been sufficiently promul
gated.
am your friend and OBJ. Servant.
=, II. CLAY.
Messrs. JOEL BRANHAM, and
koB'r. BLsDsoE.