Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-08-31
SECRET HIsToRY---THE PROOF AT

very curious and interesting, as throwing light
upon several points 1t seems to bear out the
Madisonian in its assertion that Mr. Webster,
while in the Cabinet, was by no means unwilling
to lend Mr. Clay an ugly thrust or two under the
fifth rib and thereabouts, whenever opportunity |
offered itself 1t appears to prove also, that Mr.. |
Clay did actually give up the principle of protec
ton in 1888, and propose "horizontal tariff" |
notwithstanding his declaration while on the
floor of the House of Representatives last session.
that it was a Gle" to say SO, accompanied by
certain expletves which it is unnecessary and
impolte to quote. The reader will also discover
other remarkable statements in this article,
which is needless to particularize
MESSRS. WEBSTER AND CLAY.
1--WE take the following from the last New York
Courier and Enquirer:
The editor of the Madsonian ntimated few
days since, that he would do something dreadful
if Mr.. Webster should venture to advocate the
election of Henry Clay on the ground of his
friendship to the Tariff, and we were Cofcour.e y
exceedingly solicitious to ascertain what sort of
thunderbolt was to fall upon the head of Mr.
Webster, if he should dare to say anything in
favor Of the Whig candidate for the Presidency
But IT seems we mistook the meaning of the
Madisonan man entirely. He was not going to
do anything with Mr.. Webster; it is Mr. Clay
that he is going to blow into the seven stars, if
Mr.. Webster dares to open his mouth for him.
| The Madsonian is going TO prove that Mr.. Clay
has at one time proposed toabandon all protec-
tion on articles manufactured in the L States
Suppose we prove it nctc and by Mr. Webster.
About the time, indeed at the time, (s42)
when bitter controversy was going between
the Hon. Henry Clay and the Hon Henry A.
WISE in relation to the unfortunate Cillcy duel,
Mr.. Wise being prevented from expressing his
views on the Tariff, by some rule Of the House,
announced his purpose to employ them in an ad.
dress to his constituents, which would be pub
! lshed in the newspapers.
! Immediately after the announcement was made
Mr. Webster, being then Secretary of State un-
der Mr. Tyler, and taking most active part in
| the vindication of the Administration, and in
| opposition to the assaults of Mr.. Clay and his
friends on it, sent to the Madisonian Office where
il was known the address of Mr.. Wise would be
published, the following note, desiring it to be
inserted in the Address, as a separate and dis
tinct paragraph which was accordingly done:
Il am informed and authorized, by one who
saw the manuscript draught of the act of 1888
before it was offered, to state that ''when Mr.
Clay drew the act of 1888, and showed it to his
friends in his own handwriting, after the clause
which provides that only such duties shall be
laid necessary for an economical admins
tratlon of the Government, after the 30th of June
lSi2, the following words, or other words pre-
cisely equivalent, were added, to wit And such
duties shall be laid withoa reference 10 tie pro.
lection Of any domestic articles Whaterer. 1t may
fairly, therefore, be claimed that the great author
of what is called the American System himself
has, i'll the most direct manner, acceded TO this
principle at least, that duties must be laid pri
marily for REVENUE, and not for PROTECTION a
lone. This is the leading principle TO which the
faith ofthe nation has been solemnly pledged, and
one from which il will never be safe for the
great protected interests themselves to depart
On the margin of Mr.. Webster's note there
was a p. S. in pencil mark, which ran as fol
lows: The words quoted, beginning at And,
and ending at whatever are a literal copy from
the original draft in Mr.. Clay's handwriting. d
w
1t may be remembered that the Hon. c. j. In
gersol stated last spring in the House, that h
had heard that Mr. Clay had once agreed TO yielC
the principles of protecton-and that Mr. Cla!
accosted him, when in Washington, last May oI
the subject, and pronounced the statement
'ialsehood, and the one who had communicate
, TO him the information 'calumniator.'
Will he pronounce Mr.. Webster 'calumnia
tor ??
, We have more than once demonstrated tina
some fifty of Mr.. Clays nearest and deares
friends opposed, directly and indirectly, the pas
sage of the existing tariff act; aud have asserted
on tenable grounds, that the Clay party in Cor
gress were opposed to its passage. Mr.. Webste
, was, undoubtedly in favor of the act, and Will
striving TO array the manufacturers against NJ
Clay, lost no opportunity 10 reconcile them I
Nj Tyler, Some of the seeds he sowed hav
taken root
Was it not too much for patient endurance
: for Mr. Webster, after providing for his family
and his friends, by his labors in behalf of the AZ
ministration, 10 turn round and denounce il, an
e to become the advocate of Mr.. Clay because
his advocacy of the Tariff?
a But we have other witnesses, and among theI
- is Mr. Marshall, of Kentucky with whose te
!. timony we will pause for the present