The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-09-19
LETTER R o MIR. CLAY.


The following letter fromMR CLAY is in reply
to one addressed him by the Hon. ROBERT
l.. CARUTHERs, of Tennessee, desiring him
the benefit Of the locopokos in that
State, who are in deep trouble for their can
didate and are daily growing more savage as
the November elections ap%proach-to ode
fine his position" relative to.the "proteciion
of Agricultural interestsn-the BANKRUPT
The ~locopokos have it that MIR.
Clay is opposed to the first and in favor of
the latter, and with their usual honesty are
endeavoring to make great capital out Of it.
Knowing the disposition of Mr.. Clay to az
firm and reafirm his opinions on any and ev-
cry subject to the iaH satisfaction offsiends
and foes, Gen. CaruthoEs, under date Of he
18th August hast, pat to HIN the following
in~terrogatories:
"lst. In making determinations in a rege-
nue. Taritfwith a view TO protection ofAmer-
lean industry would you include the agricul-
tural as well as manufacturing and other in
terests?
send. In case of your success would you
be in favor of the revivalsof the bank
rupt law or any law of a like character, and
when you voted against the repeal of that
law in 1912, before it wen into force, did
you consider yourself instructed by the Lee
gislature of Kentucky to vote diferentlyg"
To which MIR. Clay replied as follows:
ASHLAND, Aug. Goth 1914.
Ny DEAR RI received your letter OF
the 10Th inst. You surprise me by the state
ment of some opinions which are attributed
to me. Nothing can be more ~unfounded
than the assertion that I am unfriendly to the
protection of agriculture. / consider that in.
terest in all its departments as the predomi
nant interest in the United States. Cotton
Hemp, Wool, manufactures ofTobacco, ant
other articles ofagricultural product are now
protected, and If the measure of protection
be inadequate no man in the United States
would be willing 10 60 father than ] woulC
in extending sufficient protection. | have
never held or expressed any other sentl
ments. The substance of what | have SAT-
and which is 10 be found in my publishes
speeches, is that agriculture in the Unite'
| States, owing TO our distance from EuropeaI
countries, needs but little direct protection
But the principal aim in Introducing and pro
tecting manufactures is to benefit sgrlcul
ture by opening a new and home market 70
its surplus productions. Expressions dis
paraging TO agriculture or rather TO the hat
its of those who pursue it have been put in
to my mouth, and paraded at the head eve
ofnewspapers. | never used such expires
sions. They have been forged or fabricat
ed by political enemies. OF ali the puFsui;
of man, l consider the cultivation of tn
earth as the most honorable. 1t is my ow
pursuit, and any rejecting man must at one
perceive that l could say nothing derogator
from it..
! have already stated in a letter which ha
been published that the General Assembl
Of KY, gave me no Instructions to vote &c
, the repeal of the Bankrupt Law. Instruction
we're pending before the Legislature BIT
they fell by a disagreement between the tw
Houses.
| consider that the American people hay
expressed a decided disapprobation of til
late B .nkrupt Law, and for one, in defer
r ence to that opinion, | do not desire to sc
that law revived or any other Bankrupt La
: passed.
L congratulate you on the satisfactory r.
e sultof the August elections, and remain YOU
friend,
Aud obedient servant,
Ii. CLAY.
Gen. r. L. CARuTnERs.