Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-06-21

Of the support Of the American people, because
of those opinions These opinions are opposed
to direct taxation and 70 prohibi,orv duties, and
in favor of moderate system OF duties accord
ing 10 the principles OF the Compromise aci.-
Because Col. Polk has expressed these opinions,
my colleague considers him unworthy OF popu
lar favor. ! presume my colleague doe. not
/ wish to I've understood as ohjec,ng 10 him be-
cause he is opposed to direct taxation and pro-
! hibitory duties A system OF prohibitorv duties,
; whether adopted on the plea of protection, or for
any other protested object would lead nece>sa-
rily 10 direct taxation. For, if We prohibit the
! importation of foreign goods no duties will be
collected and no revenue received. The only
resource left would be, q resort To q system OF di-
rect taxation for the support OF Governments, To
such measure Col. Polk is opposed. and in
lieu OF it. advocates moderate Tariff, accord
ing 10 the principles Of the Compromise act.
which would raise sufficient revenue 10 dcrav
the expenditures ri the Government, ard al the
same time give incidental protection 10 the
products OF American labor. | confess my sur
prise al my colleagues bitter and unqualified de-
/ nunciatun OF these sentiments The last time
had The pleasure oil hearing my colleague make
a political speech before the people Of our
own State. he was loud il not eloquent, in his
praises OF the Compromise act and eulogstJ its
author as the Great Paciiica,or. who had re-
stored peace 10 his country by the adoption Of
This great good. and wise measure as he then
considered it. Is il possible. that the nature and
character OF this measure have entirely changed.
OF tha, the opinions of my colleague in regard n
lis merits have 81 tar undergone n charge. rs Ia
! induce him 10 pronounce the measure ITSELF wick
I cd and vicious, andthe supporter Oft unworthy the
confidence of his counnymen! Is not my col
i league aware that This blow. although aimed nj
Col Polk passes by him and strikes Mr.. Clay. and
indeed the whole Wing party? Henry Clay was
the author of the Compromise act, wrote il with
his own hand Introduced il into the Senate, and
claimed the merit Of its passage. That one
measure constituted the entire stock of Mr.. Clav's
political capital from 1888, 10 1910. IL was The
pride and boast OF his friends and his party Du-
ring the canvass OF 1910 he was committed 10
its support. "Tippecanoe and Tyler" were
pledged 10 The Compromise act. General Har-
son was selected as the candidate. on The score OF
availability, with the promise on the part OF his
friends that he should be treated with generous
confidence. without making any further dcclara-
lions of principles for The public eye. To this
end hc was required 10 he mum and was placed
under tie guardianship OF a committee through
whom all communications were 10 pass and re-
pass and responses given 10 different parts OF Tie
country, North, South East and West. in accord
ancc with The local interests and popular feelings
of each particular section. This system worked
admirably. until the Gagged candidate getting res
tive in his confinement. broke loose from his
keepers, ard srayed of through the State Of Ohio
making speeches 10 the assembled multitudes in
support of his peculiar sentiments. Upon the
Subjcc, of the Tariff, he was the avowed advo-
cate of the Compromise act
Mr. Schenck ncrrupling Mr. d., said he was
present at the lime. and knew all about ii, and
asked leave to explain.
Mr. Douglass II the gentleman from Ohio
was present will hear his explanation.
Mr. Schenck To what time and place did The
gentleman alludc!
Mr.. Douglass. The gentleman says he was
there, and knows all about it. ] ought then to
inquire of him as 10 the time and place, as he
was an eyewitness.
Mr. Schcncl persisted in his inquiry. To
what time did the gentleman alntc ! Was II TO
Fort Mcigs That was the only time To which
he could allude. Ii was the first time he had LETT
his home and addressed the people. and Mr.. ).
was with him.
Mr. Douglass. | decline informing the gen.
tlcman as to the time and place, for the reason
that the gentleman. as an excuse for inierruptin2
me- had stated 10 the House that he was there;
and, after Obtaining the floor on this assurance.
he insists upon my informing him what time and
place was meant Is il possible that the gentle
man is ready TO swear to one time or another, ri
To any place, rs circumstances may require, or
doccs he know nothing about it,
Mr.. Schenck Does the gentleman mean 10
saw that | am ready 10 swear 10 one time or ano-
Their. and TO any place, as may suit my purposes
Mr.. Douglass. The gentleman said he was
with Gen. Harrison at the time, and then asked
me what time meant. He must put his own
construction upon it, have no further explana-
tons 10 make upon that point. will state, how
ever. that General Harrison did make speeches,
not only at Fort Mcigs. hut at Dayton and Clevc-
land and host OF other places But 10 remove
all doubt as To his opinions upon the Tariff Will
read his GAINESVILLE letter, which was published
and circulated throughout the Union in 1910 UNI
der tie direction OF his committee, as The evil
dcncc OF his then existing sentiments
GAINESVILLE, Nov 3 1886.
"Genilemen | had the honor, this moment 10
receive your communication OF yesterday. re-
oret uiat nv remarks Of Yesterday were misun-
derstood in regard 10 the Tariff system. What
meant 10 convey was, that ] had been warm
advocate for that system upon its first adoption
that still believe in the benefits il had conferred
upon the country. Bat certainly never had. nor
never could have. any idea OF rcvivinS II. What
said was, that would not agree la the repeal
n, il now stands. In other words. am !oi sup
noting the Compromise Act. and never viii agree
Ia lis being altered or repealed.
'.Inrclaion 10 the Internal Improvement system
refer Won. fer nv sentiments, 10 my letter 10 The
Hon Shcr.od Williams.
Il am. in great haste, with great respect. yonr
tellow-citiZcn, w. II. HARhlooN'
'Mes<rS Foster, Taylor, and others.
Here we have the clear and explicit declaration
of General Harrison over his own signature. IL
admits OF no equivocaiion-no coalrovcr>v IL Is
direct To the point. an Mtcf Wor"$, ! an ior sup
port,ag Tic Compromise oci, 0ad nfrcf EH Hgrec
In us bciG@ alterrd or rcpp0led" Gen Harrison
was elected President upon that pledge IN ieio-
1t was the only great measure upon "licA MS po-
sitiun was clearly defined and wei understood by
the American people shall never forget how
anxious his friends were 10 keep Thai question d-
rcctv before the people. rs 4 Wing measure. and
how solemn were their aSScverailons that they
would never depart lom the principles of the Com
promise act | will venture iiic assertion that
there is not a Wing upon this floor VINO diG ho'
endorse and support III" views oil GENERA iiaf-
rison upon this subject in 1850. would Ike 10
see Wing member rise in his place ana coii'ro-
vert the correctness of this assertion. None siich
can be found. and vet they have the efifoniery
now 10 dcnounce Col. Polk a unworthy oil the
1 confidence of the nation for having advocated tne
same measure To which they were all >olelnnly
| nledoea Ru;. sir. if this is good ground of oh
I lect!Un In COf. IDlh; dIllNHSh' ~ '.ff''
I with redoubled force TO Henry Clay. As have
alrcady remarked, Mr.. Clay was The au'horof The
c%%PS v n h ve esp s Idol o e ao The
/ Presidential chair Toconiirm the statement that
Mir. Clav, as we'll as Gen. Harrison and the whole
/ Wing party was committed to the Compromise
ac. will read short extract from his Hanover
snerch. delivered 27th June. and reported in the
4 National In.ellisencer OF July l3 1910, as cor
reccI and revised By himself. Speaking OF the
tariff, Mr. Clay says:
THE question cannot be, ought not TO be, one one,
of principle. but of measure and degree. Iodop'
Nat Of tic Compromise act not because that act
is irrepealable but because it met with the sane,
ton OF the nation. Stability, with moderate and
certain protection, is far more important than in
stability. the necessary consequence Of high pro-
,ection But the protection oflhe Compromise &C,
will be adequate in most if not as to all Interests.
The twenty per cent. which il stpulaes cash
duties home valuations, and the list OF free aFtl-
clcs inserted in the act for the particular advan-
tace of the manufacturer, will insure, trust SUI