Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1844-05-11

Senate, or swelled the enthusiasm of the
popular assembly. ...
Mr.. CLAY began with grateful and
happy allusion to the manner of his recep-
tion--to the grateful and honorary well
come accorded him, without distinction of
party, and attributed it not TO any personal
favor towards him, but rather to the cour-
tesy and hospitality for which our ancient
city had been always distinguished. He
returned his thanks to the various commit
tees, to the throng of citizens, especially
to the assemblage of fair ladies', who had
united to greet him. His qualification at
his reception was greatly enhanced by the
organ selected TO express the general feel
ing--the gallant soldier of the revolution
who had Just so eloquently addressed him,
and who had bestowed on him need so
far beyond his merits. In relation to the
Missouri question, he had been greatly
assisted by others in its happy adjustment
by none more efficiently than by his per-
sonal friend the lamented William Lowndes,
whose known wisdom, bland and amiable
manners, and spotless virtue did wonders
in the work of Cancellation and peace-and
he declared that in the long course of his
own public service, of all the statesmen
with whom he had mingled in the councils
of the country, he had found that illustrious
and departed worthy TO be "the wisest, the
purest, the best" So too in reference to
the Tariff Compromise of 1888, there
were others largely entitled TO share in
| whatever credit it conferred on its authors
but this he would say that on both occa-
sons he was actuated only by the desire
to harmonic and perpetuate our political
union, without which our liberties, our
inevitably destroyed. Mr.. Clay then allu-
ded to the occasion ard the motives of his
present tour. He knew that he was &C.
cused, by the selfish and ungenerous, of
making an electioneering tour--but he at
once denied and despised the imputation.
He had visited the city of New Orleans
purely on a matter of business; and his
return home furnished him, he thought, a
favorable opportunity, to visit the four
Southern States of the confederacy, Ala
bama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North
Carolina, in neither of which with the ex-
ception of visit 10 Mobile, last year, had
he ever been before, and which in the ord-
nary course of nature and affairs, he was
never likely TO see again. On his progress
hitherto, in every city, town, village, ham,
let and cross.road on his route, he had
been generously and Hospitality welcomed,
without distinction of party. Under such
circumstances, he thought he might venture
without harm to visit the land Of Marion,
of Sumpter, Of Pickens-that he might
without blame come to the home of the
Rutledges, the Pinckneys, and the Middle
nj 60 no
his opportunities would allow him, the
ground and the scenes where the venerable
and gallant Chairman of the committee
and his compatriots had fought the battles
of the revolution. 1t was said he was a
candidate for the Presidency. He coulc
not deny that from the St. Johns TO the
Sabine, spontaneous demonstrations, un
sought and unprompted by him, had been
: made in his favor; but he had never yet
consented or declared to any one that he
was a candidate for the Presidency--ai
present he was plain farmer, earning hi!
labor by the sweat of his brow, or rather
by the joint sweat. of himself and those
who labored with him--and however neal
the period of final decision might be, he
had reserved the right of such decision fol
the proper moment and the proper occa
sion.
Mr.. Clay then entered into frank and
fearless exposition of his views on the
great questions of the tariff and the cur
rency. He said he came here to flatter nc
man or set of men--that what he would
dare say on the banks of the Elkhorn he
would dare say in the Palmetto State. He
had ever been in favor of the protective
policy to a certain extent. To preserve
at once the peace and the great interests Of
the country, he had been active in effect
ing the Compromise of 1888, and although
he was far from maintaining the doctrine
that any Congress could bind its success
sors, the extraordinary exigencies and state
of the country which led to the passage O.
that compromise made him feel it an obi
; CATION of honor to adhere to it in gooC
.. faith; and he challenged the most diligen
search of the record to shew that he haC
ever countenanced its violation in tht
slightest particular-nay more, he was bolt
to say that during his entire service in Con
gress since, there never had been an effor
to violate it which had not met with hi
prompt and earnest resistance. 1t was i'm
portant 10 understand the true character o
that compromise. 1t provided for grad
ual reduction of duties down to 30 pei
: cent, at given time, and after that 70
I the raising of such a revenue, by duties oil
! imports exclusively, as was necessary TO
: an economical administration of the gov
ernment But the principle of the HON
valuation was an essential and indsDensibl