Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-09-03
From the New York Evening Post.
Mr.. CLAY ACCUSED-MR. WEBSTER THE
ACCUSER


Some remarkable exposures have latel,
been made of Mr.. Clay's zigzag course OF
the subject of protection. The speech o
Hweod Fisher contains several of these
but the Madsonan, in its sheet of Wednes
day evening, brings forward new, and Ger
tainiy the most remarkable one of all.
The charge of the Madisonian is, thai
MIR. Clay at one time made a specific pro
posaf 10 abandon all protection on articles
manufactured in the United States. The
witness is one of the great leaders of the
party which supports Mr.. Clay. Here is the
statement of the Madsonan, with the ac-
companying testimony:
"About the time, indeed at the time,
| (lS42,) bitter controversy was going on
between the Hon. Henry Clay and the Hon.
Henry A. Wise, in relation TO the unfortu-
nate Clley duel, Mr.. Wise being prevented
from expressing his views on the Tariff, by
some rule of the House, announced his
purpose TO imbody them in an Address to
his constituents, which would be published
in The newspapers.
s. Immediately after the announcement
was made, Mr.. Webster, being then Secre-
tary of State under Mr.. Tyler, and taking a
most active part in the vindication of the
Administration, and in opposition to the as
sauls of Mr.. Clay and his friends on it, sent
10 the Madisonian office, where it was un.
dersiood the Address of Mr.. Wise would be
published, the following note, desiring it to
be inserted in the Address, as a separate
and distinct paragraph, which was according
ly done.
"'i am informed and authorized, by one
who saw the manuscript draught of the act
of 1888 before it was offered, to state that
when Mr. Clay drew the act of 1888, and
showed it to his friends in his own hand
writing, after the clause which provides that
only such daties shall be laid as are neces-
sary for an economical administration of the
government, after the 30ih of June, 1912,
the following words, or other words precise
ly equivalent were added, to wit: And
such duties shall be laid without reference
to the protection Of any domestic articles
Whatever 1t may fairly, therefore, be
claimed that the great ashor of what is
called the American system himself has, in
the most direct manner, acceded TO this
principle at least, the duties must be laid
primarily for revenue and not for protection
alone. This is the leading principle TO
which the faith of the nation has been sol
emnly pledged, and one from which it will
never be for the great protected interests
themselves TO Depart
On the margin of Mr.. Websterss note
there was p. 5. in pencil mark, which ran
as follows The words quoted beginning
at And and ending at whateyer,' are a
literal copy from the original draft in Mr..
Clay's handwriting. ID. W.
- 1t may be remembered that the Hon.
Z. }. lngersoll stated last spring, in the
House, that he had heard that Mr.. Clay had
once agreed 10 yield the principle of pro-
lection and that Mr.. Clay accosted him,
when in Washington, last May, on the SUBJ
lect, and pronounced the statement false
hood, and the one who had communicated
to him the information calumniator.
Willie pronounce Mr.. Webster calum-
niatorf
This statement has an air efauthentic;t.y !,
and although it will dcv4c,iess give rise to
Apologies, twill not, we presume, be denied
1t places in an unfavorable light all the par
ties concerned in it.
1t fully substantates the fact which Mr.,
Clay has so solemnly denied, that he had
not only abandoned the principle of pro,ec-
ton, but even proposed to enact law OF
Congress excluding that principle from fu-
ture legislatsop.
1t shows that one Of the most distinguish
ed of MIR. Clay's present supporters, was sc
we'll convinced of the obligation into which
Mr.. Clay and his friends had entered, by
passing the compromise act, to abstain from
all future attempts to lay duties on import:
for the sake of protection, that he vounta
lily furnished evidence, previously unknown
10 the public, of the extent 10 which Mr.
Clay was then ready to pledge himself, his
party and the country, TO the Gulhlment o.
that obligation.
II shows Mr.. Webster in the light of one
who in the first place attempted to expose
the faithlessncss of Mr.. Clay in this mat
ae!, with view of making him odious te
the American people, and then. guilty n.
he knew him 10 be of double treachery
rst to his friends and the manufacturers
and then TO the enemies ola protective Arr
if, conscnting 10 support him as candidate
for the presidency.