Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-11-06

TRIBuTE TO MERIT.

Tho annexed article, which We copy
from the New York Commercial Adver.
tiser Of Thursday, will be read with live.
ly qualification by the friends OF the great
Statesman Of the West:
The silver vase, intended as present
Cor the Hon. HENRY CLAY, was deposited
in the Fair Of the American Institute this
afternoon, the illness Of ono Of the africans
engaged in the work having delayed it
till this time, and even now it is not en-
,irely completed, the inscription, and some
Of the work on the shields, being unhnish-
ed.
The funds for the material and construc.
ton Of this vase were raised by subscrIp-
lion, among the working gold and silver
artifcers, employers and journeymen, to
the exclusion oe those connected with the
trade merely as merchants. The circum-
stances which led to the completion Of the
present were as follows:
At the session of Congress Of 1912, in
which the tariff was under revision, the
gold and silver artIfcers were slsrmed
Tor the prosperity ofiheir trade, when they
learned that The new bill, then maturing
to its passage, had reduced the duty Of IL,
per cent. on gold and silver ware and
jswelry, provided by tAo old tariff, to five
per cent.-a protection which they did
not deem at all sufficient to foster the in.
terests of American workmen in these
branches Of skill and industry.
A delegation was Immediately appoint.
ed and proceeded to Washington. They
hac an interview with Mr.. Fillmore, but
the bill was then at its third reading, and
he was fearful tina, interfering wish details
at tba: late stage would leopard the whole
bill; their application to him was there.
fore unsuccessful.
They had too much at stake, however.
to abandon their purpose, and turned at.
ten,ion to the Senate. An interview was
sough, and obtained with Mr.. Tallmadge.
He recommended them to apply to Mr..
CLAY, who, as chairman OF the commit
tee Of finance had charge Of the tariff
bill. Mr.. Clay, at the time vas on the
floor advocating some Of ito provisions.
The delegation waited till he had con.
cluded, were introduced to him by Mr..
fallnadge, passed over an hour in con-
versation explaining their views, and sue
ceedsd in convincing the clear headed
statesman Of the West that the protection
which they asked was nothing more than
was proper and just. At the proper time
Mr.. Clay proposed an amendment. advo-
Gated II in one Of his most persuasive
speeches, and the result was, the chang.
ing Of the duty on silver ware to 80 and
that no .welry to IS per cent.
The vase stands about three ieet high,
cos: 81 900 and IN its chssle and beauti.
ful workmanship does great credit to the
manufacturer, WILLIAM ADAMS, the for.
mer worthy assistant alderman Of the Filth
Ward. The chasing is reat and elabor.
ate, the white frost work contrasting fin.
ely with the FURNISHED portion. The
handles are light and graceful, beauti.
fully chlselled, and fitted to the body with
a gentle and symmetrical curve. Be.
tween them are twoSshields, ono on each
side. On one it is intended 10 depict in
chasing, = siIversm,th's workship, with
the men buisly employed, and on the
other to sngrave the following inscrip-
ton: