Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-10-10

q, 80 Inc pressing dangers incident notification
by South Carolina and other Southern States, which
i WA auprehended would join South Carolina. BY
that bill according to the universal understanding q
,be nation at The tne according 10 the planest read
inc of the letter, the doctrine projecting manuiac
tnres wa. abandoned: the Tariff to be- gradually
brought down 10 a reuenue standard Of 20 per cent
on the kinds Of imported goods that were taxed; aud
the long list Of free articles not taxed by the act oil
1892 were remain free, unless It should afterwards
turn out necessary TO tax them too; IN which event
with some specified EXCEPTIONS they were 10 De taxed
also as high 90 per cent? like other goods On these
terms, the South agreed to bear the farm about ten
wears longer or until Goth June, lS42 After that time
the Tariff was to stand at 90 per cent, or mere re
psnuc rate. Protection gone, we of the South
fondly dreamed. But how have been disap
pointed. On the Odd February, 1912, Mr. Clay intro
duced ten resolutions before the Senate The Sd reads
follows:
"Resotred. That the rate of duties on foreign i'm
ports ought TO be augmented beyond the rate OF q
per cent, to produce net, revenue OF twenty
six millions of dollars twenty two tor the ordinary
expenses Of Government; two for payment OF the ex
sting debt; and two millions reserved fund for con-
Iingencies.
In the debate on these resolutions, Mr.. Calhoun OBJ
ecied to Mr.. Clay's plan, as violation OF the com
promise In reply 10 this objection, and IN defence Of
his course, Mr.. Clay used the following emphatic Ian
guage:
.sThe Senator from South Carolina prefaced the emu
meraton Of his objections the resolutions submitted
by me, with declaring, that they violated that act-and
he said that it perfectly well known, that he never
would have consented the act, but for the convc
ton, that it involved a complete abandonment of the
objective policy of the country Now, Mr. Clay
must say, reply to thus, that, tor one ne knew no
such thing-but, on the contrary, he knew directly The
reverse. 1t did not abandon the Protective Polcy-iar
from tit embodied the principle of protection al
though it modified and restrained it, 1t embraced the
provision Of home valuation of our imports, which
was avowedy placed there for the protection OF the
manufacturers and IT was part and parcel OF the FRO
tec,ve system. In regard 10 that measure, MI Clay
could not agree with his friend from Maine, (Mr.
Evans in the opinion, that would operate, pract'
cally 10 diminish the amount of revenue He admit
ted that it would lessen the amount Of imports, but not
in a degree to counervai the benefit derived from the
augmentation 1t would effect IN the rate OF duties re
ceived To one who should take mere superficial
view Of the subject it might appear 10 be matter Of
course, that a dm,nutIon of imports involved pro.
portional dminution of revenue-aDd so there would
be- if the duties renamed the same-but more than a
compensation might be found the increased OF
duties Be this as It might, the home valuation clause
was not the only point IN which the Compromise Act
recognised and actually embodied the doctrine OF pro
lection II required also, the payment of duties IN
cash, which was always favorIte point with the
friends of the manufacturers, and The advocates of
protection still, more, the act prescribed long list
of articles, which TO remain free duty, after
Both June 1912 which provision had been inserted
pressly for the benefit of manufacturers Here, then,
in three several particulars, all Of them highly mpor-
tant the principle of protection was confessrdy, and
of deliberate design, engrafted IN the Compromise Bill
So far from involving any abandonment Of that pin
cple II would have been utterly impossible, the Sc
nator must know, to have carried the bill through
Congress, with such an avowa from its friends. IL
very true, that the act did modify the Protective
policy-but, in that modified form, it recognised, pro
claimed, and perpetuaed that policy.
Again, in the same speech, MIR. Clay said
81 have lived, and shall die in the conviction of the
wisdom Of the Protective policy have regretted dn
ring le and shall when die, the prevalence Of those
causes, respectfully believe mistaken causes, which
make some Of my fellow citizens unwilling TO adhere
believe the day not far distant, when great
majority Of the whole nation will call upon this Gene
raj Government for protection
One remark just here Mr.. Clay knows well he
strength of the Tariff party, and he knows too what he
means by asserting his belief that ''lhe day not far
distant, when great majority vi the whole nation will
call for protection" But remember, felow-ctzens
not part of thus "great majority the inha-
bitants of the cotton country not Of this majority
This "grea. majority composed OF cur ancient and
present adversars and It IS Tor their comfort, that
Mr. Clay, their leader makes this prophecy Let the
South ponder we'll these alarming words for they speak
not TO US, or to children, the voice oil peace.
Mr.. Clay, IN the speech, says:
"But at the same l,ne have ever believed stability
with moderate amnunt OF protection, better than
very high Tariff without II.
"Even were high Tariff desirable, it would be i'm.
possible to get it, the present state OF parties this
country. | mean of parties in Congress. would sag
TO all friends, let US look TO what practical look
the state of parties Congress- and consent TO take
q majority
10 the course Of the speech, Mr.. Clay goes on TO
lament tender terms, that all he Democratic party,
and especially the Democrats of Pennsylvania, are
opposed TO the protection Of the Tariff system, and
adds:
"Who are opposed to III The Wing members of
Congress opposed TO it, opposed TO II, they say,
and have doubt sincerely believe, from CONVICTION
and principle; opposed most respectfully think,
from prejudice and mtScOneePtt0n. Here, thea, we
have two entire classes OF politicians, utterly opposed
to all encouragement of our own domestic industry by
any direct protection against foreign legisalion.-
These classes, both agreeing in tins, however they
may differ on other points of national policy, compose
SO large moorty to render II impossible, 1t
desirable, (Which think it is noO TO pass high pro-
tective tariff.
[Mr. Buchanan (speaking across,) said to Mr.. Clay,
"then You have changed your opinlon:
Mr.. Clay replied, "ihape changed my opinion at
ALL am sill for protection; such can be obtained
under all natural circumstances"
In accordance with these opinions, Mr. Clay urged
the Senate raise The Tariff from twenty per cent
settled by the Compromise Act, up to average rate
of thirty per cent and hc SAID he chopped the Senator
from Pennsylvania (Mr Buchanan) wouiI 70 thus far
and eren il by continuing tea and coffee free, should
become necessary as dno
cent"
In previous speech on The same resolutions, deli
yered the Senate, LIST March, 1872,
Mr.. Clay explained, THAT his proposition to
fix maximum rate Of duty. and discriminate below
that rate. He took thirty per cent as the maximum.
But he afterwards explained further, that there were
many articles which could not be manufactured IN
this country under so low OF duty as thirty per
cent particularly hats, shoss, ready made clothing,
sugar and iron but he left It to the representatives oil
those States interested in these articles TO move a
higher rate Of duty He would toiioc and not lead
in this matter The States interested most, had repre-
seniaives here who Will take of their interests
These, feow-cit,zens, ure the present opinions OF
MIR. Clay expressed IN the Senate March, lSil
on this vital subject. In the first part of this paper,
we have presented you with the long cherished OPP
Mons Of Georgia and Of The whole South on the same
subject, and have shown you tina, our own State
has gone far 10 have her testimony against
the protective Tariff, recorded among the archives of
the u States Senate, in perpetual, solemn proof, of
our hostility. You judge fairly, whether
Mr. Clay and the people of Georgia differ, or agree;
and whether the honor and The interests Of our State
s cotton prowpr agricultural country will be bsst