The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-07-02
POLITICAL.
MR.. CLAYToN's SPEECH AT WILMINGTON.
IcoNTINUED.l.

MR.. CLAYTON'S SPEECH AT WILMINGTON
| aAg aaos-se.3 [coNTINuED.1 tasq ,,to Mi ss
| But the Compromise Act caused gradual re-
ducton Of duties until the 30th Of June, 1912,
when the question remains to be answered,
T" Why did the friends of protection to home labor
consent to such reduction even for a limited
period On gu ta3 3.345i.e7 t'a -t- s'sv t'..1 y
The answer might be very short one. Under
the circumstances in which we were then placed,
it was palpsble to the minds Of those who voted
for the Compromise that, unless we accepted that,
we should have to submit to the speedy destruc-
ton Of the whole manufacturing interest. But It
is due to the subject that in the answer to this
question the circumstances to which have 'alu-
ded should be briefly explained. At the time Of
the passage Of this law the violent opposition OF
many of our fellow citizens In the South, and OF
not few elsewhere, to the whole protective poll
cy, was unparalleled in the history of this coun-
try. South Carolina, by her ordinance of nullif-
cation, had openly defed the General Govern
nlent, and resolved that no duties should be col
ected within her limits. 1t is easy, at this day.
after the storm has passed over, to speak OF her
resistance as thing which could have been
easily crushed by the exhibition Of q little frm-
ness never doubted, nor do believe that Mr.
CLAY or any Of his friends ever doubted, that the
power Of this Government was amply sufficient
to enforce for the time the collection Of the du.
ties on imports, in despite Of all the threatened
hostility of South Carolina, and all other enemies
| of the protective policy. But it is due to truth
to say that, at that time, South Carolina had many
lsympathisers, and not a few adherents, IN otner
parts Of the country. We We're every oayAn uan-
ger Of a collision, which might terminate in blood
shed; and, in that event, any man toieraby ac-
louanted with the American character could an
lticipate, quite as well as can now describe, the
imminent danger Of a protracted contest, which,
lift did not endanger the Union as hrmly pc
jlieve it would nave done, must have rendered the
protective system hateful TO oaF countryMens 49,
the exciting cause Of civil war, and incapable OF
being maintained, except by the hatchery OF Amc-
rican citizens by American hands, never dlo,
and do not now believe, that any such system
can be long maintained in Government hKe
ours, if it cannot be- upheld without civil war.
The friends of the Compromise, IN the iirm De-
lief that the protective policy was entitled TO the
confidence and support Of the American people,
and would grow up and establish itself in their
affections, If violent civil strife could be avoid
ed, desired, Of all things, tinne-time for reason to
resume her empire--tme for the violent passions
of men, then inhamed to the very verge OF iisan-
ity, to subsde !; and they consented to a gradual
reduction Of duties for a limited period, with
view to the ultimate safety Of the protective prin,
ciple ITSELF az well as TO avert the horrors OF civil
conflict, and to save the excited and deluded men
who were rushing into these extremities. from
the consequences of their own folly In the
midst Of all these considerations, then pressing
upon the attention Of the friends Of projections
there was another staring us in the face, which Is
4 too often forgot or oyerooke1. AT the very COM
lmencenent Of the session Of that Congress- which
passed the act, President Jackson, in his annual
message, threw off the cloak of "judcious, Ia
riff and openly arrayed the whole power q the
4 Executive against the protective system. linen,
for the first time, we heard from him the declare
rion, that experience. our best guide on this, as
on other subjects, made it doubtful whether the
advantages Of this system are not counterDai.
anced bv MANY evils and whether it did not tend
to beget, in the minds Of a large portion Of our
countrymen, spirit of discomfort and jealousy.
dungerous to the stability of the Union that
a tariff designed for perpetual protection had ca
tered into the minds Of but few Of our statesmen,
and that the most they had anticipated was atein-
porary protection" and |" that those who took an
enlarged view Of the condition Of our country,
must be satisfied that the policy Of protection
must be ultimately limited to those articles OF
domestic manufacture which ateindispe nsable to
| our safety in time OF war" ~ 49, ~ s3ie
These and many other declarations against the
existing tariff in the Presidents Annual Message.
almost nstantaneonsly arrayed the mass Of he
party against the protective policy throughout the
ahoe country. trequred no gifted seer 70 pre-
dict it's fate, If some eoncliatory measure were
not speedily adopted by it's friends TO al!ay the
existing excitement The Presidents Message
40 ainst the tariff was communicated 10 Congsess
at that session on the 4th of December ana Win
such expedition aid his party in the HOUSE =.
resentatives act on that OCCASION IN Pufsua"ce =
his suuuestons, that, on the 2Sth Of the same
month"; the Committee of Ways and Means re- /.
nar,sd hin TO repeal the existing tafiM, and in
len thereof, to collect a revenue Of but $tR,-S
sod 600 BY an impost on foreign merchand'se,
the average duty on which as proposeu n me
hin was about Is per cent, and tl1sA 70 be -
sessed on the foreign vdlaGtson This blk which
xas sometimes called M. Vsrplenck's bnl but
which was really measure ema1asiSk from the
Executive, was actually far advanced on Its pas
sage in the House. at the time tho Compromise
was under consideration Ia The Senate ana -
final passage in the HOUSE was NJ longer psoo.
enatical Il VISA 4 measure which, Z suSescsssh
could not failtc prove an in'rnecam ~