Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-09-13
LATE AND INTERESTING LETTER,
FROM HENRY CLAY ON THE COMPRO
MISE AND TARIFF.

LATE AND INTERESTING LETTER,
FROM HENRY CLAY ON THE COMPRO-
MISE AND TARIFF
The Hon. John NJ Clayton, of Delaware, in the
course of speech delivered by him, few days
SINCE in Lancuster Pa. at great Wing Conven-
ton, took occasion to read the following letter:-
BLUE LIcKs AususT %, 1914
My DEAN SIR,-Your supposition is right as to
the oppressive extent Of my correspondence. IL IS
utterly impossible TO answer all the letters which
.rece&e. | am afraid that | cannot reply to many
that deserve it. Mr. Madison once remarked to
ethat Mr.. Jeiersons correspondents were killing
him; but they were furnished by a population of
,abeut ten millions. Mine are supplied by popu.
lation of near twenty millions. ! can feel and con
.ceive the possibility of homicide, committed in
r;ho mode which Mr.. Madison suggested.
request you to attribute to the above cause my
omission to express to you before the satisfaction
derived from the perusal Of your admirable speech
on the Compromise law. No man knew better the
motives and considerations which prompted It's pas
sage than you did, and you have ably and truly eX-
posed them. We were upon terms Of the most
confidential intimacy and friendship. You daily
in the Senate, sat near me- You knew of my con-
situations with the practical manufacturers, and
their coincidence in opinion with u.s. believe it
was upon your invitation that the lnmented Dupont
came from Delaware and conferred with us. Up
on more occasions than one, whilst gazing upon
the care worn countenances and haggard looks of
some of the delegates in Congress from South
Carolina, you said to me, "Clay, these are fine fell
lows. 1t won't do TO let old Jackson hang them.
We must save them" You lived in mess ofsome
seven or eight Senators, and 1t was your that
insisted upon the Home valunton,as sine qua non.
Mr. Calhoun opposed it. Your mess persevered.
The fate of the bill threatened but lie, 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
10 be accomplished One was to avert civil war.
The other was to preserve the policy of protection.
1t was threatened by MrVcrpanck'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 con-
dition when that period arrived. We replied that
there were the home valuation, cash duties, long
list of free articles, sc. But said ALSO let us take
care Of ourselves now the people of 1912 may be
trusted TO take care of themselves. Public opn-
ion, in the meantime, may become more enlight-
encd 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 ma
ny 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 Tariff for Revenue, with dis
examinations for protection. Every where the pres
ervation of the Tariff of lS42, which has worked
80 well, and is delivering us from embarassments,
is loudly demanded.
The circumstances which led to or attended the
enactment of the Compromise, may be curious and
interesting matters Of history but in respect to
the policy of protection the great practical, alb
sorbing question is shall the tariff of 1912 be pre-
served or repealed? That question is to be solv-
ed in November next. have repeatedly express
ed my opinion UNEQUlVOCALLY IN FAVOR
OF IT.
| thought we achieved great triumph in pla-
cling 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 were 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 pitied-
Shrinking from all the issues arising out of the
great questions of national policy, which have hith-
erto divided the country, they have no other ref
uge left but in personal abuse, deracton, and def
amation have lived down these attacks hereto.
FORE and with the blessing of Providence, | hope
to survive those which they are directing a
gainst me- Most certainly my surprise at the at
tempt to make me ont u friend af free trade with
foreign countries, and an opponent of the Protec-
tive policy, ought not to be greater than that Of
my competitor at the effort to establish his friend
ship to the Protective policy.
/ remain always trily,and faithfully, your friend
ii. CLAY.