Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-07-12
Mr.. CLAYTON'S SPEECH.

speech delivered by JOHN M. CLAYTON, at the
mass meeting in Delaware, on Saturday last
We copy from the Philadelphia United States
Gazette:
FELLOW CITIZENS The chief object have
in view, in this day addressing you, is to call
back your attention, and that of the country a,
large, from the many distractng topics which
now ayltaie the public mind, to the greatest Of
all the issues involved in the Presidential Fec.
ton. The great question to be decided by that
election is question Of BREAD,-a question
whether we shall abandon the whole principles
OF protection extended to the laboring classes of
tins country by the Tariff Act of 1912, and adopt
IN leu of it, tariff discriminating for revenue
and against protection; a question whether we
snail 80 back, by our own voluntary act. to that
state OF colonial vassalage which existed in this
country while England held us in subsection, and
her statesmen boasted that they would not per.
init us TO manufacture a hob-nail for ourselves,
"A question whether We shall now surrender to
England one of the most essential blessings re.
sulng from that independence for which the
Wings nj the Revolution successfully con,en.
ded. To every rejecting mind it must be ap
parent, that but f!wsubec's can be decided to The
satisfaction Of m,joriiy of the people, at a sin.
gle election; and 1t is the old trick of designing
politicians, to escape defeat upon subjects in
controversy. vitality affecting the country, BY
multiplying the issue to be decided, dls'ractinr
the attention OF the people. and dividing the ma.
JorIty on the dreaded question, by others of infe.
rlor Importance. These are the tricks of all the
enemies OF Wing principles of the present day
Those gentlemen are well aware that vast
al'rIfy OF the lrecmen of this country are deci-
dediy hostile to the modern Free trade doctrines
aud as decidedly friendly to the Wing Tariff of
1872 embra ing the Wing principle of protec-
ton t. honn-laho". With their new De nocrat.
&c doctrines OF Free. trade. all the leaders among
mem are conscious that they cannot 20 to trial
before the country without mourning inevitable
deiea'. WITHIN the past year, the friends of the
protective policy have, every where, routed their
opponents when this question has been raised in
the elections. Oar friends have unfrocked the
par'lzans and advocates of British interests
in this nation. They have torn the masks from
all the faces of those who prefer English to A.
m"rlc n labor The sheepskns have been strir.
ped from their backs: and the wolves, now stand
ont IN their naked deformiiy. 10 insure our
triumph IN this great question, our friends have
at last adopted determination. upon which our
welfare emlnen'ly denends, to reject with scorn,
alliance with. or assistance from. all con.Jops,
and snrh as pretend to occupy neutral position
between the ron'endng parties on this olestion.
This is snhjec' upon which the American peo
pe can no longer be deceived BY pretended
friends or b. enemies. And. at this moment,
you see the foes Of the American system, con-
sclonS of their approaching destiny, if the two
issues shall be submitted TO the people, are,
every tehcr', I'D hsuiir. - I,.-,t public dtl-u.
ton from it 10 oiher subjects, presented for the
purpose of exciting popular feeling. Let us
guard against the wes of our adversaries. Our
situation, nj this time, may be compared 10 that
o. large family about Ia emgra,e to the West
we have one wagon belonging to our concern,
with an excellent team attached to il. We can
carr" in it all that is really necessary for our
safety and our happiness. Bat we cannot carry
every thing which the caprice or fancy of every
member of the family may induce him to throw
into il. II we suffer every one 10 pile in, AMONG
our neccssares Of life all the trumpery which
he may have purchased to carry with him, we
shall soon find that there is not room enough
Tor hundred'h par' Of it, and that one team is
utterly un1bieko haul il. IN this state of things
me only course lett U.s. as sensible men, is to re-
street the freight in the wagon to such things
necessary TO our safety and comfort, AS we can
certanl y:ransport. But we will leave every
one, who thinks he has got the means of trans.
portation, Independently of us, to lug along what
he pleases: AM! we will promise not to fall out
by the way or quarrel with any friend who NAV
choose to go the journey with u.s. because he
he thinks proper 10 load himself down with ar.
tlces which we are unable or unwilling TO car.
ry. The wagon and the whole cavalcade are
nov before me. about to start for the West
Henry Clay the driver knows the road we'll and
by his side sits J. Theodore Frelinghuvsen, who is
a 90 ID guido and experienced traveller himself
Inside of the wagon see the Proceeds of The
Sa!es u The Public Lands, muh DUTIES Mid for
Protection 10 home laJor, sound Currencu an
fcon"mical Administration ofhe Government, and
d vers other good articles, necessary for our
safety and prosperity. Bat there goes a fellow
he ind, Gr ing an unbrokcn colt in cart of his
own, filled M with reras Bonds and Teras Land
scrip AS he wishes to 20 along with us, we
shat! not dispute with hm about his freight
though think he will not drive his cart over
The mountains THIS year! There comes another
man, Juggling in the rear with wheel barrow,
loaded down wlthtwo hundred millions of Coz
er"n'eM Scrip Ia pay ri he Sac Debt
lie is good fellow in the main, and decided
~ IN favor OF our taking along every article in
the wagon but will Insist o his peculiar notion
that these State Debts mus, 20 in company with
us f; and while lie works on MS own hook at his
own barrow, shall never quarrel with him or
attempt to drive hun back though, if must ex.
press my opinion. think MS freight will be
swamped among the lens OF Salt river. There
comes another fellow, with horses attached to
cumbrous machine, moving on skids, outside of
which you may see the prolruding muzzes of a
whole battery of cannon, and the inside OF which
is hlled with ammunition, guns, drums and
trumpets, and all the paraphernala OF War.
That fellov is full of fight and wants to 90 to
war with either Mexico or England, or some.
body else, he is not very particular with whom
lie wishes TO put ali that freight inside our wag-
on: but when we satisfied hun we had not !
room for the fifteenth part of ii, he agreed to
bring It himself, with his own force, and | am
not willing to drive him back, or quarrel with
nm about his whms for although he like the |
others, has peculiar notions. yet he as well
as they'is N favor OF our carrying every article
we have in our wagon and desires to accom-
pany us as lar as he can to defend and protect it
ionder comes another fellow, lettering under
The weight of a knap.sack, filled with treatses
on Pefemical Diriaiy and thousand Ssctarian
Controversies. lie ardently mpored u, 10 give
room in the wagon for all that luggage but lie
was assured that if one half his tracts should be
read on the road, instead OF proceeding in har'
mony together, there would be general fight
among the whole company; after which, when