The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-07-31
THETARIFF-MR. CLAY's NEW posi-.
TT0N.

THETARIFF-MR.C CLAY's NEW POSI-
TION.
Never did Harlequin twist his mouth into
more iyimaces, to draw forth applause from an
audience, than Henry Clay has expressed opin-
Ons on the Tariff question, TO please the various
sections of the " Universal Wing party" through
out the country. One day we find him side by
side with the Free Traders of the South, quite
las ultra as John c. Calhoun--t the next we find
him cheek by iowl with the great body of the
democratic party, for Revenue TariG,-and a
third day, tete-a-teie with the great manufactu-
rers of the North advocating Protective Ia
riff. If all that Henry Clay has written and spo-
ken on the Tariff question for the last twenty
five years, were collected in a book, it would
present an odd medley surely!
We published week before last, an extract
from Mr. Clay's speech at Raleigh, ~ c., in
which he said, "we must reject both the doc
trines Of Free Trade, and high and exorbi-
tant Tariff" In his speech at Charlestown, s..
! c., January Sth, 1874, he said +" brought for
ward the Compromise Act, and aided in its pas
sage. In my subsequent life | adhered TO its
provisions, AND SHALL Do SO IN FU-
TURE!" In his speech in the Senate of the
United States, in lS42, he exclaimed, "Do not
raise the question Of Protection, which had ho-
ped had been put to rest. THERE is NO
NECESSITY OF PROTECTION FOR PRO
ITECTION." And in his letter to Mr. Merri-
weather of Georgia, he expressed himself thus:
"lnever was in favor ofa high Tariff: No more
money should be raised than is necessary to an
economical support Of the Goprnmeat'
Now, to show the double-dealing inconsistent
cy of this Janus-hced demagogue, we will pub
lish his last letter on this subject, which may be
found in the columns of any of the Federal
newspapers. 1t is as follows:
ASHLAND, 29th June, 1874
DEAR SIR-1 have received your letter. stating that
our political opponents represent me as being friend
of protection at the North, and for free trade at the
South; and you desire expression of my opinion,
under my own hand for the purpose of correcting this
Misrepresentation. am afraid that you will find the
effort vain to correct misrepresentation of me- Those
who choose to understand my opinions can have mo-
difficulty in clearly comprchending them. / have re-
peaedy expressed them late this spring. and sew
eral times in answer to letters from Pennsylvania NV
opinions such as they are have been recently oue as
freely expressed at the South ever uttered them att
the North. hare eUerycdere maintained that in ad-
uhng Tariff for reCenle, determinations oght to be
made for Protection THAT THE TARIFF 1912 oPE-
RATED MOST BENEFIcIALLY, and that AM UTTERLY
OPPOSED TO IT'S REPEAL. These opinions were
announced by me at public meetings in Alabama Geor-
gia, Charleston, South Carolina, North Carolina and
Virginia.
Your friend and obedient servant,
II. CLAY.
Mr.. FnED J. Corr
Now, we wish our readers to peruse this let
ter with care, as it is the last thing, we believe,
that Mr.. Clay has written on the subject of the
Tariff for the public eye. Here he says that
the Tariff of l842 has operated most beneficial
Ily, and that he is utterly opposed to its repeal.
Any person who has ever examined that act
carefully, could not but perceive the unjust dis
examinations, and palpable lavortism, that char
Iacterize it Yet Mr.. Clay says it has "operatedI
most bonefcially" Yes, bonefcially to theI
privileged classes, the wealthy manufacturers,
while it has increased the already burthonsomeI
taxes of the farmer, mechanic and laborer.
1t is a well established axiom in political
economy, that when more revenue is collected
by reason Of tariffs, than is necessary TO defray
the expenses Of an economical Government
the surplus SO collected beyond the expenses is
just so much flched from the pockets of the
people. Mr. Clay in his letter to Meriweather
says: "No more money should be raised than
is necessary to an economical support of the
Government" and in his last Tariff speech in
the Senate, in 1912, he declared most solemnly
that $22,000,000 would be sufficient for an
economical support of the Goyemment-No
let US see how these opinions will correspond
with his letter to Mr.. Cope, quoted above.
Under the Tariff act Of lS42, during the first
air months of the present year, the sum of
2O,OO0,O0O has been produced, and it is ad-
mitted on all hands that S4O,0O0,OO0 will be
raised under that law by the expiration of the
current fiscal year.
This act of l842, then, will produce $4O,-
oOO,O0O of revenue annually, and Mr. Clay says
he is "utterly opposed 10 its repeal" Let the
people bear this ia mind and let them also re-
member that the same consistent gentleman
avows that $22,O0O00O is quite sufficient TO de-
fray the expcnsee of Government, and that no
more money should be raised than is necessary
TO defray those expenses!
Would it not be advisable for the Federal
party TO appoint a committee to revise Clay's
letter before he permits them to be made pub