The New York herald., 1844-09-10
SPEECH OF HON. JOHN M. CLAYTON.
At the Whig Mass Meeting, held at Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, September 8, Is44.

lCoScLUDEp
hold document in my hand printed AT the Appeal
office, Memphis, during the last gubernatoral contest
between James H. Polk and Governor Jones-a pamphlet
containing Governor Folks opinions onthe subject Of the
Governor Polk himself in Iss3 and written and published
in pursuance OF agreement between himself and Go.
vernon Joaes. entered into during tho canvass This
pamphlet printed at Mr. Folks instance and by his
party organ contains also articles against the pro
the "Ohio statesman entitled Our trade with Great
Britain aud the other from kendas EXposlor" enti-
tied "A Home Market" II also contains letters Of Gov
Polk, two Of which dated late May 10th, lsi3
and another is dated late May l7h lS43 Each of
these letters contains his opinions against the tariff and
Bile Judgment as he could phrase them He publishes
these opinions for the purpose Of running into office
these memorable words-"All who have observed my
course know that have al times been opposed to the
protective policy also these. am in favor Of
tariff for revenue and opposed to tariff for protection
II there be single Pennsylvania democrat present who
really an honest and sincere friend Of the arff there
De man present OF party who has been led to
believe that Mr. Polk is augh but bitter enemy pro
tection sugh but advocate Of the highest OF the high
toned anfi-proectve doctrines oil the day. let him
come forward and inspect this document have brought
1t hther expressly for the benefit Of all such gsntlemen
freely offer them, if that does them Of the Polk
fever now raging in Pennsylvania why all can Of
them Is that like some Of Fastaas men in buckram,
letter OF MIR Polk to Mr. Kane has been unbushingy pa
raded as evidence OF his friendship protection That
for Pennsylvania market does condescend
in one passage ito paer with in double sense II
prates in single line about "a tariff with Incl
dental protection But eodum fiatu he proves that by
incidental protection he accidental protection
referring to his former opinions, which have already
been completely exposed by Others that is
sary for to notice farther than by saving now
d. that James Polk will not and dare pending the
Presidential contest publish line which reach his
Southern friends before the election avowing friendship
for the protective policy conadicng those his opn
It hardly to be doubted that should he any other
attitude in the South than that of hostility to the tariff Of
of Mason & Dixons line My fellow citizens-we
see what Mr. Polk meant and still means by ar for
re- wh incidental @ we carefully study
bill, which Mr.. Polk, member Of the committee Of
Ways and Means OF the House of Representatives Of the
United States. concurred in reporting that House, the
2Sth Of December 1884, You will find the report Of this
committee in the volume of reports OF committees for
that session, printed document No. Ia now hold il
my hand for the inspection of all those who may desire
to that bill which struck at the of the whole pro-
tectve system ye. carried out Mr. Polks notion OF
"tarif for revenue, with incidental protection I'm
dOubedy it would be said OF this it could Of hor
e n % or s tariff a
that it did furnish incidental protection And yet
how hollow hearted and nsncere would all hold him to
should advocate this bill protective This
the BILL the fatal progress OF which arrested by
@ the rates Of duty appsnax as they sy
by this bill to be after the I'd of March, 35 to enable those
who have no access to this document to learn how tariff
for revenue with incidental protection be framed by
Mr. Polk which would utterly business every
manufacturer and mechanic in the country. That man
who has deliberately proposed duty Of only Is per cent
ad vaorem WOOL yet on another advoca-
ted duty Of 20 per cent tea and Coffee has given you
practical exposition Of what he by his letter Of
May 27th, is4s, when he said II in favor of tariff
for revenue and opposed to tariff for protection Mr.
IN ms ,feT 20 f Kane TO De remG o.
lures Let the farmer read the list of duties TO which
have advered In this bill reported by Mr. verplanck and
Mr. Polk let him see there duty Of 10 per cent on
nearly every article which the agculturist of the mid
die states wheat -four wheat oats potatoes
he will then understand precisely what Mr. Polk meant
by protection to agriculture. Mr.. Clayton here cited
Polk avowng his opposition to the measure Of distrbu
ting the proceeds Of the public lands because that
sure linked with the principle Of protection and forms
my fellowctzens in the opinion expressed by MR. Polk,
that the proposed distribution Of the land fund is
ary to the protective policy" For that he op
poses it, and for that support it. He an enemy
to the tariff, what behold friend that within
the last years these land sales have sometimes fallen
short of per anAum and that one year they
ceeded S25 With these fluctuations in the Trsa
sury it impossible to maintain tariff for revenue with
such incidental protection be OF any permanent
benefit to home labor. Let US collect the revenue
necessary for the support Of Government exclusively
from import duties, agreeably to the spirit and the
letter of the third section Of the compromise act Of
d March, 1898 Let distribute land fund annually
among the States and Peunsy vana does MT want her
share of this land to aid her in the payment of her debts
e, her 50 expend as to increase the number Of her in
egsns citizens who no can ate the blessings Of Gor
to every child within her limits. The
Office OF President of the United States Of the Great Re-
public, as men have already learned to call it--upon
which the nations begin gaze with interest watching
its mighty progress, and anticipating its wondrous des-
tnicss too high and noble to be filled by any who
has not by his talents and public virtues raised himself
above the common level OF mankind In Henry Clay OF
Kentucky we behold man who by his eloquence, would
have cast additional usre on the character Of the Para
ment Of England for exalted talent in the best days of
her Burkes and her shedsns and in those OF her
Chatham himself II will derogate nothing from the cha
rscer of any American statesman whose history have
studied to say that after than thirty years Of public
service Mr. Clay has found to change his opinion
less frequently than any other and has exceed all wao
have honored the councils Of country by the exraor
He wice saved the Union Of these satss when ali
men admitted that il in imminent peril. While
knew him in the Senate of the United States he
knowledged by men Of all parties to be the
Of that body and such he personally beloved by
men Of all parties in the Senate with scarcely solitary
exception His character for chivalrous and manly
timent gained for him an influence which was always
used to aay but never to excite unknd feelings among
others have studied him closely and must say that
met with that whose moral courage exceeded
hiss The maxim which was eternaly his lips in the
Of times was, despair OF the Republic All
the tendencies Of his nature seemed TO be in
their character His unceasing efforts seemed to be dir
ected to strengthen tho works Of the fathers Of the Repub
ic rebuild such of their nobest institutions had
fallen beneath the destructive hands Of Others His ambi
ton led him to tear down demosh the insttu
in the discharge OF his public duties and he could per-
form intellectual labor within the period Of
others happy while in his society his efforts to please
them the more successful because they evidently
sprang from the native goodness OF his heart His bitter
enemy dared to impeach his integrity in pecu
mary matter and athoug gh he has encountered at differ
periods Of his life all the vicssitudes and emptaons
both of poverty and afuence, there was business
transaction OF that life which left stain upon his
fame Always obetient to the dictates OF public duty he
fearessy babe consequences take OF themselves,
whenever the interests honor Of his country requir
ed personal sacrifices OF himself It was upon such
occasions that his character displayed itself with the
brilliant lustrc. Then II that his patriotism
burned with intensity unsurpassed by that OF the
ancient Roman, who devoted himself to the inier-
nal GODS TO insure victory to the Republic. Then
II that reckless alike OF the shaft Of personal and
party malice he barred his own bosom to the Storm and
dared every thing for his country Then was that the
arrows OF caumny flew thickest around him. and that
noble bosom gored with many wound inflicted by
the felon blows OF his assaants. During the war with
Great Britain he stood at the head Of the great democratic
party ofhis countfya party the proudet boast OF which
was that ii fostered the industry of the people, and
ayen ged the and insults thew suffered from their