Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-11-30

posed 10 direct taxes and internal duties, except
In time OF war, when they may he necessary to
give vigor and success to arms. Lam opposed to
the doctrines Of free trade with foreign powers, all
oil whom subject our commerce with them, to re-
strlction, often very great and burthensome.
These opinions l have always entertained, and
still entertain. never was in favor of duties be-
ing so high as to amount TO Il prohibition Of art-
c'es on which they were laid. | have thought it
best for all interests, that there should be compe-
tit,on think 1t OF great Importance, that Ia
rlti should possess stability, frequent changes
affect injuriously all great interests. TO inn
part to 1t that character, it should be moderate,
reasonable and certain.
voted for the Tariffs Of 1916, 1924 and 1882.
think they were all reasonable and moderate, at
the times they were respectively passed. In the
infancy OF manufactures, the object being to ac-
quire the skill and accumulate the capital neces-
sary to their successful establishment, a greater
degree OF protection is eXpedient than is requisite
alter they have made considerable progress.
The difficulty lies in fixing tina, degree. In 1916,
we were without much experience, and failed to
make, in all cases, proper adjustment of the
measure OF protection. Fight years experience
In 1924 enabled Congress to fix il with more equi-
ty 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 more moderate than that OF 1892. AS our
manufactures advance and become perfected, less
and less protection will be needed, until many
articles will be able TO compete with the foreign
rival articles, without any protection at all in the
! form of Duties
| Twas not in Congress in 1929, and therefore
did not vote for the Tariff of that year. The
duties i'll many instances imposed by tbas Tariff
were eXtravagantly high, and, in others, dates
were imposed which were not called for by any
interest. That Tariff was fraudulent produce
tion 1t was framed by combination of some
members from the South, and some from the
North, who were afraid openly to vote against a
iarili and yet wished TO obtain credit for being
favorable to supposed Southern interests. 1t was
SO shaped, with the design of defeating the pas
sage OF any tariff; because it believed that,
1t was so injurious to the manufacturing interests
In many respects, that the honest and true friends
. of that interest would not vote for it. Had it
been defeated those Northe IN members, who uni
led In connecting it, would have returned home
and asserted that they were the true friends OF
protection, and that its really honest friends were
lnmical TO 1t. But it was not defeated. The ge-
nuine friends OF manufactures resolved not TO be
cheated by such combination, and determined
to take the bill for the sake of the good that
: in 1t, Notwithstanding the bad, which was put
there against their consent. The scheme moi
having succeeded designed, the Southern
members, who were concerned in il, afterwards
bitterly reproached their northern conederates for
. the disappointment.
have more than half dozen times expressed
within the last two or three years public oc-
casionS, the opinion which now communicate
, as to combination of the principles of Revenue
and Protection in Tariff. send you herewith
the last speech on that subject which made in
: the Senate of the United States, and also brie
= sketch OF the principles Of the Wing party, as
understand them, which prepared.
have no other objection to the publication o
this letter but tina, it would imply sensitiveness
! in regard to my opinion which do not feel, and
think it has been already sufficiently promu
gated.
am your friend and ob't serv't.
III. CLAY.
Messrs. JOEL BRANHAM and RoBT. BLEDsoE