The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1844-09-19

CLAY AND the FARMERS
AND WORKTNGNEETg,


AND woRKT1GGNEE1T.
Bitter and conlemmous as have been the expressions
of many Of the leading federal statesman towards the
toiug producers Of wealth. none have been more reck
less in offering their insults than Henry Clay the whg
candidate for the Presidency While he watched with
jealous eye over the interests of the capitalists the
speculaor and stock gambler, he was never found ma
king any effort for the benefit .of the working people
but on the contrary always foremost in opposing
airy measure that would tend 10 make them less de-
pendent on the favor of the rich While he declared
that the occupation OF the honest farmer did not require
protection, he used all the eot in his power to pro-
ect mere capitalists and to give to the rich mans
purse more than he would 10 the farmers honest la
Dor.
The reckless specuator also shared in his kind con-
sideration. He labored with all the energy of his
mind to give this class of his friends Bank, to aid
them in their schemes of aggrahdzement without toll
and al the same time endeavored to preserve the Bank
rupt Law on the statute Books so that if they should
be unfortunate in their plans of speculation they could
by an easy process discharge all liabilities
But while he was struggling to serve these classes of
nonproducers we search the public records m vain to
find any effort that he made for the benefit of the work
lngmen OF the country. His days and nights were
spent IN endeavoring to pass Bank bills and preserve
Bankrupt laws but wedO not find him making the slight
est effort to give adequate protection to tho industrial
portion OF the people. He can speak day in favor
ofand "old fashioned United States Bank" ,"-such as
the Pennsylvania institution that closed its carer by
robbng the public of thiry-sx millions-but he has
not one word to say in favor Of Tariff He did not
hesitate to propose to violate the Constitution to carry
his tavorite Bank schemes, but when the Tariff BILL
which was to benefit the people at large was about be-
ing brought before Congress- he uttered his maedctiohs
upon those who had hwared his schemes and fed from
the State.
His efforts have been alike directed agansthe labor
ers employed in manufacturing and the efforts of the
hardy agrcuusts whose enterprisng spirits led them
10 the forest to find themselves home on the unsettled
lands Of the Government The Democratic statesmen
advocated the wise policy Of holding out advantages
sufficient to induce settlers to improve the public do
main, and thus make it source of wealth to the coun-
try. But Henry Clay's feelings towards the poor
would not permit him to favor measure that would
lend to elevate them above the position of the slaves
that chop his wood and black his Shoes and he accord
ngy opposed every proposition to give the poor settler
privileges equal 10 those that were granted to ihe veal
EIhy land speeulator.
In his opposition to granting pre-emption rights to
Settlers his denu1ciations were principally hurled a.
gans lie poor emgrants, and he called up all the pow
erot malignant invective to induce Congress to pro-
.scribe them. The following extract from one of his
speeches the subject will show what Kind of feelings
he entertained for then1i
"But the honorable Senator from Pennsylvania has
alluded euogisticay 10 foreigners Does he mean t.
compare the De Kalbs the Steubens he Lafayetts th
Puasks, with the hordes OF foreign paupers that arr
constantly flooding our shores2 There were other for
eigners who mingled in our Revolutionary struggle but
on the other side the Hessians, can they be com
pared with those gallant men who came here to aid il
the cause of struggling liberyl He thought his gov
eminent had been quite as liberal in its policy toward.
foreigners, as was proper desirable and no Senator
would vote against the proposition Of the Senator from
Maryland with mole pleasure than that with which hi
would vote frit."
Such is his opinion of the poor but honest emlgran
who seek gain an honorable livelihood by cuivalns
our wild lands and by their improvements to add 10 the
wealth OF the country and the settlers in general ma
tive and adoped, he denounced as laurIss robble"
Such is the candidate that the wkig party wish the
wokngmen ofthe county to place in the Presidential
Chair!--PiHS Post.