Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-10-05
FIo@ Tic Republican !Scniinel.
POLITICAL EQUlVOCATION.-[ No. IL
(By TThjg of lsl0)
TIE Coos CArGlrr NAppINt.

He Loon 'JAihIT .NAEPiNis
"Thc Grca, Western" (Henry Claw and one
of his subordinales, Gen Carnther>,) the distin-
guished author OF a series of ''tacts from the Re-
cord" seem 10 have drawn themselves into con-
siderable difficulty with the farmers of Tennessee,
and. in fact. 10; only Of Tennessee, hut also the
arriculturais;S OF every State and section o. our
Union.
It appears that some mcdilcsome Democratic
orators and editors have taken the libcr,y o Pc
rusinu Mir Claws speeches. in which they found
the broad assertion that ~ gricu'iure needed but
lin!c or no protection" This The General knew
10 be too true to Joke about. He therefore, writes
\ letter 10 Mr. CLAY, that in the meantime, the
statement. as h. suggested, was devoid III the
">en,hIance Of trui.:" but rs he (Mr. Clay) was
ready - had been stated, 10 ''aiiirm and rcairpl
his opinions on al and every subject" h. asked
an answer And an answer indeed i; :
No man. at n single glance, can fail 10 disco
yer a, once, that the intcrtogalory is 50 worded
by Gen CarulherS as 10 suggest the most eva
sjvc or plausible, il m.htbc added c!cctionecrins
answer. of which privilege Mr. Clay arails him
self to the utmost The question stands thus: "ln
making determinations in Rcrcnnc I'"tG, with
a view 10 protection of American industry, rond
r0p inci,a'c tic Agricuturnlias as we'll IS tie Ma
nutaclurn. and other interests" To have an
swered No, would have been political death
Now was this requirement of Mr.. Clay 10
rcaffirm wha, he had previously said? No. II
ONLY asks OF him, in the first place 10 sustain 0ntg
"a Reresuc Tariff" and, in Tie second place, 10
cspouse Inc doctrine of discrimination, alike ia
vorabe 10 agriculture as 10 all other pursuits and
interests No thinking man could arrive al any
other conclusion, by barely reading the terms OF
the in,c,rogatory-at least such is the natural
conclusion
In the next place lei us examine the letter Of
Mr.. CLAW and compare it with his speeches. He
commences his reply hy expressing surprise at
being represented as uniriendly TO agriculture
No one charged him as being "unfriendly" al
most. II was but the charge of 4 want Of zeal in
behalf of agricultural production. But he says,
agriculture is pro,ected-but still offers 10 secure
them measures Of higher protection. Still ne en-
ter.ains the opinion, that agriculture needs but
little direct protection Bu', says he "hie pr,nci-
nal aim in introducing and protecting manntac-
lures, is 10 bsalE agriculture, b. opening new
home market for the surplus productions
Great Heaven. What discovery How sub
lime the idea that has recently enlightened the
world, Manufacturers Mechanics and Trades
men-if Mr. Clay has not proiessedly abandoned
your interests, il must be because he never es-
noused them Does he not tacitly confess, that
all his political schemes and arguments were but
disouised effort 10 advance the benefits OF a
class 0he famers) of which he himself was
member2 Let us consider well this subject. What
IS The posiiicn Of Mr. Clav7 Does he wish 10 be
understood that all other interests are but secon-
dary to the agricultural, and that he has all the
time been scheming TO promote that interest, IN.
dsrhandedly,) of which he himself is members
Or is he dealing for one and playing for the other,
in order to secure voles2 His letter lusthes one
conclusion-his speeches, votes and principles
the other But The plain farmers understand TOO