American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-07-02
LETTER FROM THE HON, HENRY CLAY.

The following letter from the Hon. Henry
Clay, addressed to mercantile house of high
standing in New York city, under circum-
stances which the letter itself sufficiently ex-
plains, will be read with thrill of pleasure by
the hundreds of thousands ofhis devoted friends
throughout the country. 1t relates to the
great principle of Protection to American In
dustry, and utters words of wisdom at a crisis
when they should not, and will.n pass UNI
needed In the comments upon the character
and aims of the new commercial policy of Eng
land, will be found suggestions we'll worthy of
attention; and the whole letter is one of mark
ed interest and importance.
ASHLAND, June 5th, lS46.
Gentlemen:-l postponed answering your
favor until the arrival of the articles to which
it refers, which you have been kind enough 10
present to me. They reached here yesterday
in safety, and request your acceptance of my
thanks for them. The pleasure which we
shall derive from using them, will be much in
creased by the fact, that both the raw material
and the fabric are American. Their excel
lence attests the perfection which this impor-
tant branch of woollen manufactures has at
tanned in the United States, and it is the more
gratifying because of the great difficulties,
with which they have constantly had to con-
tend.
On both sides of the Atlantic, the policy of
affordng protection to domestic manufactures
appears to be under consideration in the ma
tional legislatures. The British Minister has
brought forward a measure embracing the
doctrines of free trade, not however without
exceptions of several, and some very important
articles. The manufactures of Great Britain
have reached very high degree of perfection,
by means of her great capital, her improved
skill and machinery, her cheap labor, and UNI
der system of protection, long, perseVerngly
and vigorously enforced. She moreover pos
sesses immense advantages for the sale and
distribution of her numerous manufactures, in
her vast colonial possessions, from which those
of foreign powers areleither entirely excluded,
or admitted on terms very unequal with her
own.
am not therefore surprised that under these
favorable circumstances, Great Britain should be
herself DESTROYS to adopt, and to prevail on 9TH
er nations to adopt, the principles of Free Trade.
shall be surprised ifany of the great nations
Of the continent should follow an example, the
practical effects of which, will be SO beneficial
TO her and so injurious to them.
The proprety of affording protection to do
nestle manufactures, its degree, and its dura-
ton, depend upon the national condition and
the actual progress which they have made
Each nation of right, ought to Judge for it
self. believe that history records no instance
of any great and prosperous nation, VIII ch did
not draw its essential supplies of food and raj
ment from within its own limits. If all nations
were just commencing their career, or if their
manufactures had all made equal progress, it
might perhaps be wise to throw open the mar
kets ofthe world to the freest s. most unrestrict-
ed competition. But it is manifest, that while
the manufactures ofsome have acquired all the
maturity and perfection of which they are sus-
ceptble, and those of others are yet in their in
fancy struggling hard for existence, a free COM
petition between them must redoundto the adj
vantage of the experienced and skillful, and TO
the Injury of those who are just beginning to
neutralize and establish the arts.
No earthly qualification TO the heart of a
Statesman can be greater than that Of having
contributed to the adoption of great system
of National Policy, and of afterwards witness
ing its complete success in It's practical opera
ton. The qualification can be enjoyed by
those who were instrumental in establishing
the policy of protecting our Domestic Manu-
features. Every promise which they made has
been fulfilled. Every prediction which they
hazarded as to the quality and quantity of the
Domestic supply, as to the reduction of prices,
as to the abundance of the public revenue, has
been fully realized. And it is no less remark
able that every counter prediction without ex-
ception, of the opponents of The policy, has, in
the sequel, been entirely falsified.
Without tracing particularly the operation
of our earlier Tariffs, adjusted to both the OBJ
jects of Revenue and Protection, and coming
down to the last, it seems to me that if there
ever were beneficial effect from any public
measure fully demonstrated, it is, that the Tar
iff of lS42, beyond all controversy, relieved
both the Government and the people of the
United States, from state of pecuniary en-
barrassment bordering on bankruptcy.
Entertaining these views and opinions,
should deeply regret any abandonment of the
policy of protection, or any material alteration
of the Tariff Of 1912, which has worked SO
well. If its operation had been even doubtful,
would it not be wiser to await further devel-
opponents from experience, before we plunge
into new and UNEMPLOYED theory? Scarcely
any misfortune is so great to the business and
pursuits of people as that of perpetual
change.
am sensible that have extended this let
ter to an unreasonable length. Ihope you will
excuse and attribute it to the beautiful fruits OIL
favorite and cherished policy which you have
kindly sent to, Your friend an obdt serv't,
II. CLAY
BURNING OF WHALE SHIP. The New
Bedford Mercury of Monday morning contains
the following account of the destruction of o
whale ship and cargo at Mattaposett, on Satur'
day night:
"The whale ship Joseph Meigs was destroy
ed by fire while lying at anchor at Mattapoisett
on Saturday night, together with about 1000
barrels ofoil. The fire was discovered at about