The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-04-25
Correspondence of the Bait. Patriot.
THE TARIFF-A CLAY SONG-NOM-
INSTRUMENTATION NILES.
WASHINGTON, April 8, 1874.

E
the present session of Congress. The pro-
ceedings in both houses, to-day, tend greatly
to strengthen that opinion. Many were ap-
prehensive that the Wing Senators from the
Southern States, would go for repeating the
Act of ls42, and would support the bill re-
Gently reported from the committee of Ways
and Means, which greatly reduces the duties
and entirely destroys the protective charac-
ter of the measure. Mr.. Berrien, a Wing
Senator from Georgia, to-day removed all
these doubts, by making a speech in favor
of the present law, and in opposition to its
repeal. 1t is not unfair TO presume that his
own course on this subject is a safe index
to the feelings of the Wing party generally
in the South, in reference to it; and if so, it
may be considered settled that the actof 1912
which has so greatly benefited the country,
will not be interfered with, at leastduring this
session of Congress.
There now begins to be some doubt about
the passage of the bill reported by MIR. Nc
Kay, the chairman of the Locofoco Commit
tee of Ways and Means, evenly the House
itself. The recent special election in Penn
s%ylvanta, and that in Connecticut, which
turned mainly on the issue that was made
upon the Tariff question, together with the
floods of Tariff petitions that are daily pour
ing into the House, have considerably en-
barrassed many of the Locofocos, who, no
doubt, had made up their minds TO go for the
"new bill Of determinations" They evidently
begin 10 waver, and | would not be at all
surprised, when the crisis comes on, if it
should be found that the influence of the
drill officers ofthe party was insufficient 10
induce them to vote for it. For two weeks
past, to-day has been looked forward TO as
the time when the bill would be taken up
and the debate upon it commenced. But
when a motion was made to 60 into COM
mittee Of the whole, for the purpose of Ia
king it up, a majority voted against the prop
%osition. All tits is significant of the feel
ing of the House upon the subject general
", and renders the fate of the bill even in
that body uncertain.
An incident occurred to-day in the House,
which proves how much the Locofocos are
annoyed at the enthusiasm, with which the
Wings are about TO enter upon the Presiden-
tial oampaisnA They can't boar to uitnoss
the cheerful spirits and hilirity displayed by
their opponents, and the singing of a good
Clay song is death to them. A bill was I'M
der consideration making appropriations for
certain Harbors and Rivers, when Mr.. Payne.
of Alabama, a Locofoco, gave the House a
second edition Of the political speech he
made one day last week. In the course of
his remarks he said the Wing party did not
intend to carry the election by discussing
important principles, but by singing songs.
He endeavored 10 ridicule them, on account
ofthe practice that was common among the
party, of singing these unmeaning songs (as
he called them) on all occasions. In order
to let the House see what sort of means they
relied upon, TO elect their candidate, he
would get the Clerk to read one of the songs.
He accordingly sent TO the Clerks desk a
copy of the Clay Songster, and marked one
of the most animating songs in it TO be read.
Il was the one headed "Our Candidate"
! and sung to the hurrah tune. The Clerk
commenced reading, when DIR. Duncan
charged him TO give it the proper emphasis,
and to observe the ~poetical measure. The
locofocos were all grinning with delight, at
the fun that was anticipated, and were pre-
pairing TO enjoy the modification they had no
doubt the Wings would display. AS the
Clerk went on, the sentiments of the song
and the recollection of the result of the
| election in Pennsylvania and Connecticut,
put the wings in the best hunor possible
And when he came 10 the last verse, which
begins HNov boys, three cheers for Harry
Clay they became perfectly electrified, and
when the Clerk repeated the chorus which
follows this line, and which runs thus, "hmr5
raA!i hmrah :! hurrah!!!m they could con-
tain themselves no longer, and many o them
joined in most heartily, ''hurrah! hurrah!!
hurrah!!!!!" Tap, tap, went the Speakers
hammer, and s'order, y 1sorder," was called
Il HMt III rur +. ~ 4 "a ~ L---