The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-05-03


FACES-ONE FOR THE NORTH, THE
OTHER FOR THE SOUTH. A VIEW OF
HIS SOUTHERN FACE.
We have already shown Mr.. Clay
and his followers guilty of the grossest
duplicity on the subject of Slavery:
that he had two faces, one of which he
exhibits at the North, the other at the
South; end that the wings Of this sec
ton were In the daily habit of pointing
to his Northern face to convince the
people that he was opposed to Slavery.
while his Southern face, and the fact
that he is now the owner Of 60 slaves,
told quitea different tale.
What we have proved Mr.. Clay and
his party guilty ofconcerning Slavery,
we shall now we think be able to prove
them guilty of concerning the Tariff.
And we will here state at the outset,
what we think no candid man of any
party will deny, viz: that hypocrisy is
sin for which there is no just palIia-
tion; and that the practice oft can nev-
er be INDUCED in by man who is
worthy of the sull'rages of a free peo-
pie. Such being the case, let us lpok
at the evidence that Mr.. Clay and his
friends are not what they represent
themselves to be on the Tariff question.
We quote. remember, their own words:
In a letter to Messrs. Branham and
Bledsoe, of Eatonvile, Georgia, dated
"July 28th, ls49," Mr.. Clay uses hi s
language:
81 NEVER WAS IN FAVOR OF DUTIES
BEING so HIGH AS TO AMOUNT TO A
PROHIBITION OF ARTICLES ON WHICH
THEY WERE LAID. l HAVE THOUGHT
IT BEST FOR ALL INTERESTS THAT
THERE SHOULD BE COMPETITION."-
Again: "A Tariff for that purpose [revenue] ought
to be so adjusted to afford reasonable encourage
ment to our domestic manufactures" "To i'm
part to it that character, it should be MODE
RATE" 81 was not in Congress in 1928, and
therefore DID NOT VOTE For THE TARIFF
OF THAT YEAR. The duties in many instances
imposed by that Tariff were EXTRAVAGANT-
LY HIGH"
Mr.. Clay here speaks of high duties
as extravFgant, and thinks it best for
all interests, that they should be'mode :
rate. And yet in the face of this dec
Iaration, we hear the wings complain
ing because portion of the democrat
ic party contend for a modification OF
the present Tariff, on the ground that
it is unequal, because it affords great
er protection to The manufacturing than
to all other interests. The democrat
ic party believe that no interest orsec-
ton of the country should be promoted
at the expense Of another interest or
section, but that all inter ests should be
protected alike.
Now mark the hypocrisy of this pas
sage. 1t is from a letter written by
Mr.. C. to Mr.. Merriwether, of Gcor-
gia, dated October Cd, 184S:"
81 did not vote for the Tariff ofIs2s, for which
however, MR.. VAN BUREN,, COL Benton,
Col, Johnson, Mr.. Wright, and others of our op-
ponents DID VOTE. AND 1T IS REMARKABLE,
THAT FROM THAT PERIOD, MY EXERTIONS
IN CONGRESS HAVE BEEN DIRECTED
TO THE REDUCTION AND MODERATION
OF TARIFFS. Thus, in 1882, supported that
Tariff which GREATLY MODIFIED AND
REDUCED the Tariff of 1928, insomuch that it
was supposed by reasonable men that it would or
ought to SATISFY THE NULLIFIERS OF
SOUTH CAROLINA. The next year, 1888, /
BROUGHT FORW.ARD THE COJNPRO.M-
ISE. l NEVER WASH FAVOR OF WHAT
REGARDED AS A HIGH T.4RLFF NO
MORE REVENUE SHOULD BE LEVIED
THAN is NECESSARY TO AN ECONOAI-
GIL ADMINISTRATIONS of the government" !"
fSz-sI SHOULD HAVE PREFERRED THAT
THE COMPROMISE IN ALL ITS PARTS
uniform duties of20 per cent? COULD H.4VE
BEEN ADHERED TO-"
Here strenuous effort is made not
only to convince the South that the
writer is strongly in favor of uniform
low duties, but that his opponents, Mr..
Van Buren,, Wright and others are in
favor ofhigh duties. Mr.. G. tells the
South that his exertions in Congress
were directed to reducing and modify
ing the Tariff, and so far did be carry
his point that he supposed even the
Nullifers would be satis6ed.-We sup
pose that whig eyes can see no truck
ling in this to the South.
Again, in a letter to S. F. Bronson,
of Georgia, dated "Oct. Is, 1843," Mr..
Clay remarks: [The first paragraph
is the doctrine held by a majority Of
the democratic party, and is expressed
in similar language to that put forth
by the Democratic State Convention,
held in this place in September last.
''In conformity with the principle announced in
the Compromise act, | think that whatever revenue
is necessary economical and honest admins
tration ofthe General Government ought to be de-
rived from duties imposed on foreign imports -
And believe that, in establishing Tariff of those
duties, such discrimination ought to be made, as
will INCIDENTALLY afford reasonable protection
to our national interests.
"After my return to Congress in 1881, my eff
forts were directed to the modification and RE-
DUCTION of the rates of duty contained in the
act of 1928. The act OF 1882, greatly reduced and
modified them; and the act of 1888, commonly cal
led the Compromise Act, still further reduced and
modified them. The act which passed at the Ex-
ira Session OF lS41, which supported, was con-
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