Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1844-06-13
W. ]. BROWN.

course. hs speeches. by Richard Chambers, no doubt
published Tor the especial bencf, of Mr. Clay. in 1911
aud his i'fr hy Geo. ID Prentice. written for his e.necta
benefit in 1892 have been before me. / send YOU a few
extracts Tor publication, many Of which. 1t IS true. hav,
from time to time appeared in your paper. I live in The
country and know there are many whig-. who MAKE
some Pre'ensions to political knowledge. who deny that
Mr. Clay has so much "a changed his political views ON
the eonst'tutionali'y of a Bank-but let HIM speak for
himself:
1.-The power TO charter companies is not specified in The
grant (c"nshiution) and ! contend IL Of a nature not trans
ferahlc 10y mere implication" . " rouc.ive
then. SIR. that We are not empowered by the constitution.
nor bound hy any pr 'ctIce under ~ to- renew the hsuer
of this bank.-C Gays SPEECH an 1911.
Mr.. clay was charged. when be- opposed the rc-chaiter
Of the bank in 1911. with Inconsistency, because he had
so'ed for On act to punish eonnterferers of L.. =. Bank
paper. Hear his justification, not of himself alone, but
II crery member who voted for il:
"N"- The acts Of 1904 and z relied upon a. pledges
dor sr-chs'ering this company. passed. not only without
sny d..ccs~1n whatever Of The constitutional Lower Of
Congress to establish n bank, bu' venture to say. without
a s.gk mend'er having had his attention drawn to this
subject ] hsG IN honor Of a -eat IL the senate when
the latter law passed. probably voted for IT., and I declare
with the utmost sincerity tina, ! never once thought of
that point. aud appeal TO every member who wa then
p~~-nt 10 saw II that was not his sItuation."-Sam
SPEECH IN 1911.
Now hear this great man charge Mr.. jefferson with in
consistency for the sIme act:
President jefferson a. oroved acts 10 extend branches
into other parts 1T the ". =. 10 punish counterfeifcrs If
The notes Of the bdnE-acfs WI. ich were drv"td of all JUS
thcation whichever. upon the asst npton the uncons'i-
tutionaIi'v Of the bank. For how could The branches he
extended, or punishment lawfully infl ID upon the coun-
terieters of The p,rer Of a corporation, whirh came into
existence without any aufh"ri'v. and in Vi" 'ation of the
constitution of The land l"-Chy's Speech On yeto Of
Bank ~. s.. .iug. o. 1871.
In 1892. Mr Clay declared in his speech on til, U.S :
Bank Veto. ina, :" the President IL a coordinate branci: Of
the legislative department" In 1910. he eats his "
words and shows his consistency as he has done in the
several instances just quoted Hear him,
In assuming 10 he a par, of the legislative power as
the President recently did, contrary 70 NE consf tuition. he
would have been nearer tie actual fact if h. had alleiged
that he was the sole legislative power Of the Union
Speerh at Uano1er. Va. 1910.
In this last instance this :. embody mcnt Of Wing prin-
r'pics" has changed his constitutional views as he did on
the bank question. The constitution never changes"
said M.. Clsy. IN his address TO his constituents in 1916.
n" wonder the federal party change : o frequently when
they look to Mr.. Clay for their principles. Hold hold,
M clay a federalist did You insinuate, Yes, l will
Introduce Mr. Clay as a witness:
IL has been said by The gentleman from Georgia (Mr.
Crswfnrd) that Tins has been made a party question: &c.
1T Is iru. this law (ihe first hank charter) was not the
effect. Juf IL is no less true that II was one Of Tie couses
Of The Pohfta al nIfsiOnS an fhis country Aud IL. during
the agitation If the present question. the renewal has on
one side been opposed (hy the democrats surely on party
principles. let me ak II, on the other il has not been advo-
Gated (by the fsderaists surel,) on similar principles y
Here Mr.. Clay declares that the bank question was one
Of The causes which had divided he people into the fede-
raj and democratic parties. But we will Introduce Geo.
d.. Prentice who wrote the Biography of Mr.. Clay urder
his nose, in 1892. in order to help him beat Old IIicko-
ry."
To re charter the bank lin lslI) was a frderei meas
ure. and would place a vast engine of power IN fe;eral
hands. II (the frs, United States Bank showed the un-
popularity # the party which had brought it into exist
ence and sustained its operations Page ll9.
Now il the first bank was brought into existence and
sustained by the federal party for a period Of twenty years
IL it was one Of the causes of the division of The people
into parties. if its renewal in 1911 was a federal measure.
Is 1t not therefore undeniahlc that he who now believes IN
a bank. is in deed, aud in truth. according to the use f
the term for twenty years. a frderalist! Blu, Harry now
claims To be a Republican. Well, IT he b. one. ancient
federalism has now become modern Republican Whigse-
~
Mr.. Clay in 1920 wns in favor of direct taxation. and
Tor the ~prohibitory feature Of all whlg or federal tanft-.
conclude that he is yet in favor of prohIhiiIon and direct
ssxarion. Hold. SAYS some wing. the q Lokee F"kees
are in favor OF direct taxation Let Us hear Mr. Clay on
The subject:
.c., +, one doubt the impolicy Of Government rest
ing SOLELY on the precariaus resource OF su'h a revenue
fumus.N IL t. cons,aa,lv huctuariG-. utemp's u Nv
its enormous ana ,unt. at one time. INTO es'rascs-n' 'Np'"'
A,urc: aud we ,re then driven hy ITS sudden aud unis'
xec~d Depression into the Opposite extreme We are
sr3ucrJ nv ITS Il ,trrIny promises into expenses which we
might avoid , aud we re Afterwards constrained by is
t,c,rhrry. TO avoid expenses which We ought Ia make. IL
- q svs,en. under which ,her" : a SORT oi perpetual waf'
between the interests Of the Government. aud the inter
ests NJ tbr people.
Large ,mporta,ions I'll the c"ff RS Of the Government,
.nd empty the packets of the pr"ple. Small imp rita
t,sns IN ,y prudence on the part Ut the people. and leave
the tre ,surv empty. Ia var the revenue di>ap ears. In
pcsrr IL - unsteady. On such a system The Gore'HHenf
.riH moi BE- abe much longer erci.sireig 10 reiy. We all
a,rc,pate that - sL1f hare shortly 10 resort 10 some
adLn,nai supply II rereHue WITHIN OURSELVES
w opp.srd 10 he total repeal 1T the internal revenue :;
woxii have preserved certain parts Of 1t al least. To I've
ready f,r emergencies such rs n'w exists. And am. for
ready TO exclude f,reign spirits altogether. AMI sub
stint. l,r the revenue levied on them. a tax upon the
spir,t- m ale in this country. No other nation lets IN 20
much Il foreign spirits a we dn. By the encourage
ment Of home Industry you 'riH lay a BASIS u I>rEu>sL
r.x.rrox.u -hen AZ gets strong. that rtH be steady and
un;f,rm. uiekAny alike ia pecce and .-gr. We do not
derive our anIily from abroad To pay taxes. That de-
mend. upon our wealth and industry and II Is the same
wh.,.ver may be the form of isvviug the public contrI-
buttons Gays Speech on the IarF. :6fh .iprii 1890.
Here. then. we have Clay in 1870 advocating a pro.
hib,,srv tarfT and Direct Taxation in a : PLAIN language As
could b. used.
am a farmer. and will defend the exalted standing and
intelligence Of farmers generally but ii. Clay has spoken
in the most degrading terms of them. Like many of his
federal friends, he looks upon them a : vicious. ignorant
and incapable Of self government. Hear him. farmers.
and then Judge for yourselves
"In one re-pec, uhs, Of improvement there is a grra,
-