Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-09-20
From the N. Y. Express
INTERESTING LETTER FROM
HENRY CLAY.

The Hon. John NJ. Clayton, of DE- laware,
IN the course of a speech delivered by him,
few days since, in Lancaster, Pa, a, q
great Wing Convention, took occasion 10
read the following letter -
BLUE LIcKs, August 90, 1874.
My Dear Sir-lonr supposon is right as TO
the progressive extent Of my correspondence
1t is utterly impossible to answer all the letters
which receive. ] am afraid that cannot re.
ply to mary that deserve il. Mr. Mad son once
remarked to me that Mr.. Jefferson's correspon.
dents were killing him; but they were furnish.
ed by population OF about ten millions. Nine
are supplied by population of near twenty
millions. can feel and conceive the possible.
t. OF homicide, committed in the mode which
Mr.. Madison suggested.
request you to attribute to the above cause
my omission TO express to you before, the salts.
faction derived from the perusal OF your ADM.
rable speech on the Compromise law. No man
knew better the motives and consde ratlons
which prompted its passage than you did, and
you have ably and truly exposed ihem. We
were upon terms Of the most confidential init.
mac and friendship. You, daily, in The Senate,
sat near me. You knew of my consultations
with the practical manufacturers, and their coin.
cdence IN opinion with us. ] believe It was
upon your invitation that the lamenied Dupont
came from Delaware and conferred with u.s.
Upon more occasions than one, whist gazing
upon the care.w C 'unienance and hayard
looks Of some OF the delegation in Congress
from South Carolina, you said TO me, "Clay,
ilesr are Fl fellows. 1t won't do 10 let old
Jackson hang them. We must :; " them" You
lived in mess OF some seven or eight Senators,
and il was your mess that insisted upon the
Hume valuation as sine qua man, Mr.. Cal.
hnun opposed It. Your mess perse,ered. Tho
fate of The bill was threatened but he, at tho
last moment, Withdrew his opposition, and the
bill finally passed.
have again and again asserted, on the floor
of the Senate, that two principal objects we're
aimed to be accomplished. One Was 10 avert
civil war. The other was to preserve tho
policy of protection. Ii was threatened by Mr..
Nerplanck's bill with total subverslon; but !
believed then, and believe now, that il tho
compromise had not passed, al tine next session
OF Congress, all traces OF that policy would have
been etfared from The statute book.
You and both maintained that the measure
Of protection preserved by the Compromise
would be sufficient until about 1912 But We
were tannIed by our opponents, 10 know what
would he its condition when that period arrived.
we replied, there were the home valuation,
cash duties. long list of free articles, &c. But
SAID, a's", let us take care of ourselves now
the penp'e of 1912 may be trusted to take care
OF themselves Public opinion, in the mean.
time, may become more enlightened; and tho
wisdom OF the protective policy may lie demon.
sirated have not been Disappointed. NV
predictions have been fulfilled The pcnple Of
isl2, the Wings, at least, everywhere, and ma.
ny OF The Democrats. are now fully persuaded
mat The industry OF this great country ought not
10 be pros'ra'ed at The ieet Of lore gn pow rs.
Every where the cry is for a Tar Fl Tor Revenue
WIN determinations for protection. Every
where the preservation of the Tariff Of 1879,
winch has worked so well, and is delivering us
IRON embarrassments, is loudly demanded.
The circumstances which led to ur attended
the enactment of the Compromise, may be GU.
rious and interesting as matte rs Of history but,
10 respect to the policy OF protection, The great,
practical, absorbing question il, shall the Tariff
Of 1912 be preserved or repealed! That ques.
ton is 10 be solved in November next I have
repeatedly expressed my opinion UNEQUlv-
OCALLi IN FAVOR OF 1T.
thought we achieved a great triumph in
placing me protective policy. by the ComProm'
Use Act without the reach and beyond the term
oil Zen. Jackson's administrator. And We
ava'led ourselves OF the TACT that the South Car.
DINA delegation were much more anxious that
The difficulty should be settled by us than bv
Gen. Jackson.
You tell me that ] am accused Of having
abandoned the protective policy. That would
distress me exceedingly, il were not accused
Of al sorts OF crimes and misdeineanors. b.