The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1844-10-17

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could be afforded to domestic industry, wa
to admit free of duty every article whicl
aided the operation Of the manufacturers.
And yet in the face of hese facts, thi
was the only tariff bill offered or passed b,
the wing Congress with Mr. Clay at its hea'
at its first session or until more than 81,
months of the second had expired.
Among the free articles we're two tina
Mr. Clay seemed particularly anxious tC
tax. but failed, though supported by {
large number of his wings friends; these
were Ira and cGGie, articles used as ncces
saries of life, and coming into competition
with none produced in the country. On hi,
subject | will let him speak fo. himself
September 1871, he said,
lie should vote for the tax on tea and
coffee 1t was necessary under his calcu-
latons, and as he found he was to be de-
serted by aporlion of his friends, he trust.
ed that some oflhose opposed to him would
vote for this tax, IT they did not, the re.
snl, would inevitably be that at the next
session the tax would be certainly imposed
or higher duty than is authorized BY the
compromise ac, levied on oiher articles.
"ITe thought tea and coffee the most
desirable things on which to raise reve-
nue."
On motion of Mr. Woodbury., to insert
in the lis, of FIRE articles tea and coffee, Mr.
Clay and other wings, September, lS4l,
voted no.
Though Mr. Clay and his friends fall ed
in lS4l to impose the tax on tea aud coffee
the latter succeeded in 1912 in inserting i,
in the tariff and land distribution hill We
toed by Mr. Tyler, How does Clay, or
any hur friend OF the protective policy thus
imposes taxes on articles use by the man
ufaclurers or the industrial classes of the
country, and not produced by them; and
TO bring thereby into the treasury some
fire millions Of dollars, or more, annually.
that ought tn he collected according to
their own shelving from the protected art-
cIes aonel Let them answer it if they can.
Mr. Polk stands charged with no such an
'l-proleCtlvc votes or speeches.
But we are told, no, bv Mr. CLAYTON, hn,
by Others, that Mr. Polk is opposed to the
present tariff, and Mr. Clay is in favor Of
it, No doubt MIR Clay is in favor oft. If
he thinks it will help his election: but
that be was in favor of its passage or even
gave 1t his appreciation until very recently. I
do not positively deny, aud call any and
all his friends To the proof 1t was openly
proclaimed at Washington, when the sub
ject was under consideration, that he was
opposed to TIE passage of any bill unless
the land distribution was in it. and the
speeches and the votes Of his Kentucky
and other particular friends gave strength
to the report. Certain it is there is not
on record any thing said or done bv them
10 give color of belief that he was friend.
ly to its passage. Nor does there appear
any where any thing from him in its favor
that | have seen, earlier than September
lSd3, more than year after its passage,
and then such as approval! He says, in his
letter to Mr. Bronson.
! had esigned NY seat in the Senate
when the act Of Is42 passed Gcurrnlg
the duties which it imposes are lower than
those in the act Of 1882 And wiHouiin
tend'ngfo express ann opinion upon erery
item ofMis last tariff l would say that
think the provisions, in the main, are
wise and proper If,here he any ercessrs
or dcfrcis in it, (of mhich I hare not hc
mans here Gfjudgins) they ought to be
corrected"
Alas, alas Tor the open, daring Henry
Clay
"UilIom expressing any opinion"--
II mo"ld sag that ! Think" IT hare mol
The means IF Judging." "Exccsses or
"defects Fought to be corrected" Call
YOU this Standing up to the rack, fodder
or no foddcr!" And yet this was the first
in'ima'ion we have Of Mr. Claws approval
of the present tariff, and that too, as have
said, not expressed for more than year
after it had been the law Of the land. Very
recently, | understand, he has come our
unqaiiedIy at the north in its fcvor. but
with all honorable men such qnibhlinr
ought TO 90 for noihing-it is unworthy a
statesman, and particularly acandid ate for
the Presidency of The United States.
His first lore, or rather his present real
lore is for the compromise act, suppose,
because 1t is his own offspring. In his
speech Of September 1871, he urges the
friends Of the compromise act to vote for
the tax on tea and coffee. or he says if
they do not, it will inevitably be imposed
at the next session. "Or, higher duty
than is authorized by the compromise act
would be levied on other articles" And
again in the same debate he says:
lie was DESTROYS to maintain the com.
promise act invlolate, and his hope and be.
lief was that they might by economy be
able 10 do So"
And again, in January, 1912, he says.
Garry out then, the spirit of the com.
promise act. Look to revenue alone for
the support OF government Do not raise
the question OF protection, which ! had
hoped had been put at rest. There is no
necessity of protection for protection"
And yet again to Mr. Merriwe,her, DC.
tober lS43, subsequently TO his letter to
Mr. Bronson, in which is first found his