Hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1843-1845, 1844-04-04
Henry Clay's Inconsistencies.

tin Van Buren,, than attack Mr. Clay
with no effect and to no purpose. If; how.
ever, it's editor thinks he can effect more by
breaking his pledge, than by attempting its
fulhlment. let him persevcre in his course.
we are ready and prepared to meet him.
We shall shrink from no duty, nor shall we
,acitly admit that Henry Clay is like Mar
tin Van Buren,, indefensble. He is easily
defended from any and all assaults the Ga
zette, backed BY the whole loco foco press Of
the country, may make upon him. His
principles are without reproach, for he
stands upon the platform of the Constitu-
ton, and is justified in the knowledge and
conviction, that they are identical with the
principles Of the old democratic party. His
public conduct is inyulnerable; for he has
always, with one exception. advocated the
same policy and the same measures, and
that too with a patriotic devotion, that has
never failed to sacrifice self interest, to the
great and fundamental inter SITS Of his coun-
try. Let the Gazette come on then, we
shall not initiating its example avoid the is
sue; we shall meet it at all times openly
candidly and fairly. we can defend Hen
ry Clay and the wing party from all their
aspersions. and carry the war into Africa
besides. We can both defend and attack
and then not be kept busy. We have the
public record, the Journals and DEPUTIES of
Congress at our hand, and with them we
can knock the Gazette editor down, fas,er
than he can get up. What is more we sha
do it.
! The Gazette has discovered, wonderful to
tell, that Mr. Clay is the most inconsistent
public man that ever lived. We know not
whether this round assertion is more attrib.
utable to folly, or ignorance, they are SO
blended and admixed in its composition
And for the lie Of us, we scarcely know
whether to laugh at the one, or pity the
other, SO emnently and yet SO equally do
they invoke our attention After this, il
would pot surprise US, if its editor should
find out that the wings removed the depos.
ties, or should swear by the moon and seven
stars, that Henry Clay, has been the fast,
unwavering advocate of the Sub Treasury
and the Standing Army projects. To do
either would not display more stupidity, nor
require more temerity, than to the declara-
ton that ''among the many inconsistent
| men OF the age, none are more so than Mr.
Clay Any man must have goody
share Of both, who can charge him with
having been for and against Protection and
for and gainst Distribution. He has always
advocated tariff Of revenue and protection
from his entrance into public life, to this
day. Nor has he hestated at any time or
upon any occasion to avow his anxious so.
licitude for the success of that great, and
above all others, AMERICAN policy. lis
opinions have been given to the North and
to the South, to tie Eust and the West,
every where, from one extremity Of the Tn.
ion to the other. The battle in Maine and
in Massachusetts,, in Georgia, in Tennessee
and in Maryland, was fought, ay, and won,
gloriously won, under the broad banner OF
Clay and Protection. That he was opposed |
to the tariff Of 1928 is true and that he beiev.
ed the duties it levied too high is also true. |
And it is not less true, that Thomas H
benton, Il. NJ johnson and Martin Van BIZ. |
rem - voted for tina: very Tariff because it
was High Protective Tariff. That he ev.
er called it 0bominabie is false. But John C. |
Calhoun and his multiplying adhcrents did
denounce it as the bill Of denominations ~
They christened it anew, and Martin Van
Buren's vote afforded them the privilege
AS to the Distribution policy, Mr. Clay
has been for it from 1882 to 1884, first last
and all the time. He has never faltered in
his course, nor has he changed in the least,
he stands now where he did then. In fine,
Henry Clay never has in the course Of his |
whole public life changed his opinion. in re-
gard to single measure, but one He was
opposed to the Charter of U. S. Bank in
1911, and in 1916 he supported it, for reas-
ons too, Of which experienc has fully vindi.
Gated the correctness. James Madison,
Gov Pieasants and other distinguished Re.
publicans, did the same thing. The Bank
Charter Of 1916 was passed by a vote Of 90
yeas to II nays in the Senate, and BY vote
OF 81 yeas to II nays in the House of Rep.
resentatives. OF the % affirmative votes in
the Senate, II were Republicans and 5 were
Federalists; of the nays 5, were Republicans
and I Federalists. OF the so yeas in the |
House Of Representatives 81 were Repubi- |
cans. and IL were Fedcralists:--of the NAYS
the parties were about equally divided -
1ro thirds Of the Republicans voting for |
the Charter, and t,co thirds of the Federal. |
lists against it. That was the charter Hen.
ry Clay voted for, and his vote was with the |
Republican party.
In our next paper, we shall show up for |
the benefit Of the editor Of the Gazette and
his loco foco friends, the consistency of Mar.
tin Van Buren, and the loco foco leaders, on
the questions of Bank, Tariff and Distribu.
nd han i