The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-05-03
From the (Pa } Democratic Union.
A DozEN SOLID REASONS WHY HENRY
CLAY SHOULD NOT ELECTE PRES
IDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

A DOZEN SOLID REASONS WHY HENRY
Clay SHOULD DNOTBEELECTEDP PRES
IDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
/. Because he is ambitious ofagaln
fastening upon the country dan,
perous and irresponsible moneyed
corporation. Time and experience
have conolusively demonstrated that q
national bank is not required by the
public exigencies, The country has
no need whatever fsuch an institution
For the last eight years we have done
without one, and suffered no pubic IN
convenience in consequence. Tx
changes are as low or lower than they
were under bank dominion. Inc
last national bank entaIled ruin upon
thousand and tens of thousands; open
ed the flood-gates Of demoralIzatlon,
corrupted statesmen and politicians,
and periled the very existence OF pub
lie virtue and liberty. In l81l' Mr.
CLAY himself pronounced the power to
establish bank sa aconde,.tut Po0er,
which had no resting pace in any part
ofthe constitution, and denounced IT rs
hostile to the spirit and genius OF our
free institutions. The constitution has
not changed, but Mr.. Clay has. With
a view Of ministering to his own un-
controlled ambition, he is now labor
ing once more to tasten such money
ed incubus upon the country. :.
Q. Because he is in favor OF the as
tribution of the proceeds of the public
lands-a source of revenue oFlgihaii,y
ceded to defray the common eXpend!!-
lures of the nation. The revenue arl-
sinc from the land sales is now ndis-
pensably needed by the general gov
ernment; and, ifsquandered among the
States, will have to be supplied by d.
rect taxation. No longer back than
1882, Mr.. Clay himself opposed, IN the
Senate of the United States, the poll
cv of distribution, and pronounced 1t
both unwise and unconstitutional. In
this respect, too, the constitution has
not changed, but Mr.. Clay has.
8. Because he is pledged to the dan
gerous and alarming heresy OF the as
Sumption ofState debts: Tins meas
ure IS advocated chiefly by the agents
of European sharpers and specula-
tors. who expect that thereby they
NAV realize over FIFTY MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS upon the advance OF
stock, which they have purchased at
hali.price from insolvent banks and
bankers. Whilst assumption would
certainly enrich them,it would lnevl-
taby entail upon as a NAIlONAh SS5, !,
DEBT of over TWO HUNDRED
MILLIONS, from which our latest pos
terity could never escape, except by
the odious process ofrepudiation. The
doctrine of the federalists has uniform
" been that "a national debt Is ma
,ional blessing and Mr.. Clay's cleo
ton would 90 far towards bringing
such a "dlcsSing" upon the American
people.
Janus on the tariff question, display
ing high tariff face to the North and
a tariff face to the South. His equiv
oca,,on of this subject, is dishonest
disreputabIe, and unworthy the charac'
ter of a frank and fearless statesman
He has different doctrine for each dis,
tnct latitude, and blows hot and colo
bv the same breath. To US in Pennsyl
vania he breaches protection, whilst al
the South he says the county "needs
no protection and the southern wing
journals are portraying him as an avow
ed advocate of FREE TRADE. Are
the enlightened yeomanry of Pennsyl
yanja. and of the Union, content to b'
thus "bamboozled" +,
s. Because, after pledging bimseil
in ls4o, that his party would conduc
the operations ofgovernment with les
than thirteen millions, he proposed IL
the Senate an annual expenditure O
over twety-sir millions. And the par
~ he controls have plunged the coun
tyy into debt in a period OF protoun
,eace. Of more than twenty millions {
lollars. the interest upon which amour
tino 10 more than million annually,
ala out of the hard earnings OF the ial
ner. the mechanic, and workingman.
G. Because he was the .'finlshera an
u,her,, Of the late odious bankruI
aw. This was one ofhis ''rellelmea
uesr Of the extra session. He pr
ured its passage, and boasted OF II