The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-09-10
INTERESTING LETTER.

INTERESTING LETTER.
The Hon. John M. Clayton, OF Delaware, in
the course of speech delivered by him few
days since in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, at great
Wing Convention, took occasion to read the fol-
lowing letter:
BLUE LIcKs, August %, 1874
My Dear Sir: Your suopositon is right as to
the oppressive extent of my correspondence. 1t
Is utterly impossible to answer all the letters
which receive. | am afraid that can not reply
to many that deserve it. Mr.. Madison once re-
marked to me that Mr.. Jefferson's corresponds ats
were killing him but they were furnished by
population of about ten millions. Mine are sup
Piled by population of near twenty millions |
can feel and conceive the possibility of homicide,
committed in the mode which Mr.. Madison sug-
gested.
request you TO attribute to the above cause
my omission to express to you before the salts
faction derived from the perusal of your adm-
rable speech on the Compromise law. No man
knew better the motives and considerations which
prompted its passage than you did, and you have
ably and truly exposed them. We were upon
terms the most confidential intimacy and friend
ship. You daily, in the Senate sat near me.
You knew of my consultations with the practical
manufacturers, and their coincidence in opinion
with u.s. believe it was upon your invitation
that the lamented Dupont came from Delaware
and conferred with us Upon more occasions
than one, whilst gazing upon the careworn coun-
tenances and haggard looks of some Of the dele
CATION in Congress from South Carolina, you said
to me, "sClay, these are fine fellows. 1t won't
do to let old Jackson hang them. We must save
them" You lived in mess of some seven or
eight Senators, and it was your mess that insist
ed upon the Home valuation, as a sine qua non.
Mr.. Calhoun opposed it. Your mess persevered.
The fate of the bill was threatened but he, at
the last moment, withdrew his opposition, and
the bill finally passed.
have again and again asserted, on the floor of
the Senate, that two principal objects were aimed
to be accomplished. One was to avert civil
war. The other was to preserve the policy of
protection. 1t was threatened by Mr.. Verplanck s
bill with total subversion and believed then,
and believe now, that if the compromise had not
passed, at the next session of Congress, all traces
OF that policy would have been effaced from the
statute book
You and both maintained that the measure
| of protection preserved by the Compromise would
| be sufficient until about 1912. But we were
tainted by our opponents, to know what would
be Its condition when that period arrived. We
replied that there were the home valuation, cash
duties, long list of free articles, &c. But | said,
also, let US take care of ourselves now the peo-
pie OF 1912 may be trusted 10 take care of them
selves. Public opinion, in the mean time, may
become more enlightened, and the wisdom Of the
protective policy may be demonstrated have
not been disappointed. MY predictions have been
fulfilled. The people Of 1912, the Wings, at
least, every where, and many of the Democrats,
are now fully persuaded that the industry of this
great country ought not to be Frustrated at the
| feet of foreign powers. Every where the cry is
for a tariff for revenue, with determinations for
protection. Every where, the preservation of the
tariff of 1912, which has worked so well, and is
delivering us from embarrassments, is loudly de-
manded. s
enactment of the Compromise, may be curious
and interesting as matters Of history but, in re-
spect to the policy of protection the great, prac
teal, absorbing question is, shall the tariff of 1912
be preserved or repealed! That question is to
be solved in November next. have repeatedly
expressed my opinion unequiuocallyin faror Of it,.
thought we achieved great triumph in plac-
ing the protective policy, by the Compromise act,
without the reach and beyond the term of Gen.
Jackson's administration. And we availed our
selves OF the fact that the South Carolina delega-
ton were much more anxious that the difficulty
should be settled by Us than by Gen. Jackson.
You tell me that am accused Of having aban-
doned the protective policy. That would distress
me exceedingly, if | we're not accused of all sorts
of crimes and misdemeanors. / believe have
been charged with every crime enumerated in the
Decalogue. | laugh at the straits to which my
opponents are driven They are to be pited.-
Shrinking from all the issues arising out of the
great questions of national policy which have
hitherto divided the country, they have no other
refuge left, but in personal abuse, detracton, and
defamation have lived down these attacks,
heretofore, and, with the blessing of Providence,
| hope to survive those which they are now d.
recting against me. Most certainly my surprise
at the attempt to make me out friend of free
trade with foreign countries, and an opponent of
the protective policy, ought not to be greater than
that OF my competitor at the effort to establish his
friendship to the protective policy.
remain, always truly and faithfully,
/ Your friend, II. CLAY.
J. NJ CLAYTON, Esq
Binghamton, Broome Co, New York, elected
! Wing charter officers on the Sd inst in all the
wards but the 18th, where the Locos succeeded by