Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1846-07-25
From the Now York Courier and Enquirer.
LETTER FROM MIR, CLAY,

The following letter from HENRY CLAY, ad.
dressed 10 mercantile house Of high standing
in this city, under circumstances which the letter
itself sufficiently explains, will be read with a
thrill of pleasure by the hundreds OF thousands
of his devoted friends throughout the country. 1t
relates TO the great principle Of Protection to
American Industry, and utters words Of wisdom
at crisis when they should not, and will not
pass unheeded. In the comments upon the char.
acter and aims Of the new commercial policy OF
England, will be found suggestions well worthy
Of attention; and the whole letter is one OF
marked interest and importance.
Our readers, we are sure, will share the de.
| light with which we listen again to the wise and
patriotic counsels OF the great Statesman Of the
! West. His letter is the more valuable, because
| it comes from the quiet and repose OF his retire.
men, and not from the field OF active public
service 1t is every way worthy OF attention,
and cannot be without an influence upon the
current Of public affairs.
ASHLAND, June 9Th, 1916.
GENrLEMEN:-l postponed answering your "a
vor until the arrival OF the articles to which il
REFERS which you have been kind enough to pre-.
sent 10 me. They reached here yesterday in
safety, and | request your acceptance of my
thanks for them. The pleasure which we shall
derive in using them, will be much increased by
the fact, that both the raw material and the fabric
are American. Their excellence attests the per
lection to which this important branch of wooden
manufactures has attained in the United States,
and it is the more gratifying because Of the great
difficulties with which they have had constantly
TO contend.
On both sides of the Atlantic, the policy OF
aAordng protection 10 domestic manufactures ap
pears TO be under consideration in the national
IIanis1o,uroo The RritiSb Miniefer hos hrouoLt
forward 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 q
very high degree Of perfection, by means OF her
great capital, her improved skill and machinery
her cheap labor, and under system OF protection
long, perseverngly, and vigorously enforced. She
moreover possesses immense advantages for the
sale and distribution Of her numerous manufac
lures, in her vast colonial possessions. from
which those Of foreign powers are either entirely
excluded, or are admitted on terms very unequal
with her own
| am not therefore surprised that under these
favorable circumstances, Great Britain should
herself be DESTROYS to adopt, and 10 prevail on
other nations to adopt the principles OF Free
Trade; | shall be if any OF the great nations of
the continent should follow an example, the prac-
Teal effects Of which would be so beneficial 10
her and SO injurious to them.
The propriety Of aaorling protection TO do.
nestle manufactures, its degree, and its duration
depend upon the national condition and the actual
progress which they have made. Each nation
Of right, ought to judge for ITSELF believe that
history records no instance OF any great and
prosperous nation, which did not draw its essen.
Ia supplies O. food and rameu from within its
mil al
ing their career, or if their manufactures had all
made equal progress, it might perhaps be wise
10 throw open the markets Of the world 10 The
ireest and most unrestricted competition. But il is
manifest that while the manufactures OF some
; have acquired all the maturity and perfection OF
which they are susceptible, and those OF others
are yet in their Infancy, struggling hard for exist
ence, free compelion between them must re.
dound to the advantage Of The experienced and
skil(ul, and 10 the injury Of those who are Just
beginning 10 naturaIze and establish the arts.
No earthly qualification 10 the heart OF states
man can be greater than that OF having contrbu-
ted TO the adoption OF great system OF National
Policy and Of afterwards witnessing its complete
success in It's practical operation. The gratifca.
ton can be enjoyed by those who were instrumen.
tai in establishing the policy Of protecting our
domestic manufactures. Every promise which
they made has been fulfilled. Every prediction
which they have hazarded as 10 the quality and
quantity Of The domestic supply, as 10 the reduc
ton OF prices, as 10 the effect OF competition at
home, and as to the abundance of the public
revenue, has been fully realized And it is no
less remarkable that every counter prediction,
without exception, OF The opponents of the policy,
has in the sequel, been entirely falsifed.
Without tracing particularly the operation Of
our earlier tariffs, adjusted to both the objects
OF revenue and protection, and coming down 10
the last, it seems to me that if there ever were
beneficial effect from any public measure fully
demonstrated, it is, that the tariff Of 1912, be-
You'd all controversy, relieved both the Govern
ment and the people Of the United States from
state OF Pecuniary embarrassment 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 WE'LL
II its operation had been even doubtful, would it
not be wiser to await further developments from
experience, Scarcely any misfortune is so great
to the business and pursuits of a people as that
OF perpetual change.
am sensible that have extended this letter to
a most unreasonable length | hope you will
excuse and attribute it TO the beautiful fruits of
a iayorite and cherished policy which you have
kindly sent to
Your friend and obdt. serv't
(Signcd II. CLAY.