Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-04-19
MR.. CLAY AND THE COMPROMISE.

Mr.. Clay, during his stay at Mobile, received an
invitation from the citizens of Tuscaloosa, to visit
that city before his return to Kentucky. The re-
quest was made by committee who waited upon
him for that purposes and the Chairman of the
committee took occasion to allude in appropriate
terms of eulogy, to Mr.. Clay's agency in the pas
sage of the Compromise Act In replying Mr.
Clay made the following admirable remarks, with
reference to that important measure, and to the
true principles which should govern the adjustment
of the Tariff question, as well to his own public
life we commend them heartily to general peru
sal:
"Accept, gentlemen my cordial thanks for the
liberal estimate you have made, and the fattering
view which you have presented of my public ser
vices. 1t is true as you have justly remarked that
measures to which have given my support, have
often been misrepresented and misunderstood
have, myself too, gentlemen, been the subject Of
msconcepton and detraction. | have confded,
however throughout my whole public career, in the
ultimate justice of the people, and the operations OF
time. have not boon disappointed an their results
| have lived down all calumny and misconception
TO which have been exposed, and enjoy at this
moment the inexpressible qualification Of feeling
that all parties those with whom | agree well
as those with whom it is my misfortune to- differ
mite in awarding me the character which | have
been most ambitious to establish, of an honest man
truly devoted to the welfare of his country.
look back, gentlemen, with conscious satsfac
Use law. The motives which governed me on thai
occasion have been SO often publicly avowed, thai
it is not necessary now to repeat them. A leading
one was the preservation of that Union, which is
once the basis and guarantee of all our rights, pr
yileges and liberties, as nation of freemen. L
was then, as it had long been manifested to me
that the spirit of mutual concession and comprom
Use which presided at the birth of our constitution
should be constantly borne in mind during the ad
ministraton of the government With that spiri
extremes are highly incompatible. Ultraisn
would have prevented the formation of the constl
tuition, as it may in the process of time endange
Its existence Considering the great variety OF IN
terests which abound in our country, each part 0
it ought to reflect that it cannot be gratfed in al
its wants, that other parts have also their jus
claims and expectations, and that the measures o
government should be adapted to the reconcilemen
of the apparently conflicting interests. Take TIN
Tariff as an example. According to one opinio,
held by respectable portion of our fellow citizens
there should be the most perfect freedom of trade
According to the opposite opinion, restriction
ought to be imposed to such an extent as to amour
to absolute prohibition. 1t is manifest that the ex
elusive prevalence of either of these extreme sys
TENS of policy would be unsatisfactory, as ! al
sure it would be injurious to the interests of tn
country What then ought to be done? Can an
thing be more reasonable than to adopt moderate