Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-07-10
A VOICE. FROM ASHLAND.

The following beautiful letter from HEN
RY CLAY. was addressed to a mercantile
house of high standing in w-Iork, in
of another of those tcsti-
monials of admiration, gratitude, and aflcc
tomato respect which so many have hon
ored themselves by bestowing upon this Pat
riot and Statesman "without fear and with
out reproach." 1t will be read with uni
vcrsal interest and appreciation in Vermont,
because every body in Vermont is friendly
to the Protective Tariff, to whose beneficial
effect upon the great interest Of the Country
it bears so emphatic testimony.
This calm and considerable letter, comes
not from the turmoil of active political life,
but from the quiet and reposc ofhonored and
honorable retirement, and from one whose
motives cannot be impcached, and whose
profound acquaintance with the true policy
of the American People gives to his opin-
ions the imprcssivcness, and almost the au-
thority, of law,--lt cannot fail to exert II
good influence 1--WE may hope) even on those
who, in the heat of parizan stritc,arc prone
to forget the duties Of patriotism. This
may be vain hope, but with what emo
tons will the people of Pennsylvania, on
reading this letter, regard those political
leaders, who in ls44, detraudcd them OF
their votes by proclaiming that ''James h.
Polk was better Tariff man than Henry
Clay" and that 1.-The Tariff of 1912 would
be safer in Mr.. Folks hands, than it would
in Mr.. Clay's." These declarations were
unblushingly made by james Buchanan, as
will be seen by an extract from speech
made in the House of Representatives last
Saturday, by Hon. JAMES POLLOCK of Pa.
which will be found below. And this man
is rewarded for trcachery like this, treach-
cry to his fricnds and constituents as well
as to Truth and Justice, with the highest of.
flee within the gift of the Executive
ASHLAND June 9TH. 1916
| GENTLEMEN Il postponed answering your favor I'M
ill the arrival of the articles to which 1t refers, which
/ have been KIND enough 10 present 10 me. nct
reached here yesterday in safety, and request YOU
acceptance of my thanks for them The pleasure which
shall derive from using then, will be much ncreas
ed by the fact, that both the material and the fab
rio are American. Their excellence attests the per
| lection which this important branch OF woollen manu-
features has attained in the United States, and is thu
gratifying because OF the great difficulties witt
which they have constantly had to contend
On both sides of the Atlantic, the policy of afordn.
protection domestic manufactures appears TO be
der consideration in the national legislatures. TIN
British Minister has brought forward a measure EN-
braclng the doctrines OF tree trade not however with
out exceptions OF several, and very important
tices The manufactures OF Great Britain have reach
ed a very high degree OF perfection, by means OF he
great capital, her improved skill and machinery he
cheap labor, and under a system of protection long
perseveringly and vigorously enforced She moreove
possesses immense advantages for the sale and dstr
button of her numerous manufactures, IN her vast col
onia possessions, from which those OF foreign power
are either entirely excluded, admitted yer
unequaed with her own.
am not therefore surprised, that under these favor
able circumstances, Great Britain should herself be de
srous to adopt and to prevail on other nations 10 adop
the principles OF Free Trade,
The propriety of atiordng protection To domesti
manufacturers its degree and its duration, depend upo
the national condition and the actual progress of whic
thew have made, Each nation, OF right, ought to ludg
for itself believe that history records no instance
any great and prosperous nation which dld not draN
us essential supplies of food and ralment from With
lis own limits II all nations lust commcnCln
their career If their manufactures had all made equd
progress might perhaps be- wise 10 throw open IN
markets OF the world TO the treesi and most unrc
strictcd competition, But it is manifest that while tn
manufactures of some have acquired all the maturt
and perfection of which they susceptible, and thos
OF Others are vet III their infancy, struggling hard 10
existence a free competition between them must n
dound TO the advantage OF the experienced and skiu
and to the injury ut those who are Just beginning {
, nauralizc and establish the arts.
y No earthly qualification 10 the heart OF Statesna
can be greater than that oi having contributed TO iii
adoption OF n great system of National Policy, and
afterwards witnessing liz complete in its pra,
teal operation That qualification can be cniovcd /
those who were instrumental in establishing the poll,
! of protecting domestic manufactures Every prom
Use which they made has been fulfilled Every predi
ton which they hazarded the quality and quani
of the domestic supply, as To the reduction OF price
, to the effect OF competition athomc and to the
bundancc OF the public revenue has been fully realize
And il is no less remarkable that counter predicto
without exception, OF the opponents OF the policy Ina
in the sequel been entirely ialsfcd
Without tracing particularly the operation of q
earlier Tariffs adjusted to both the objects of Rrvcn
and Protection, and coming down to the last il seer
To that ii there ever Were a beneficial effect fro
: any public measures fully demonstrated It is that /
Tariff of lsi2, beyond all controversy relieved bo
Il the Government and the people of the United Stat
. from state OF pccunlary embarrassment bordering
; bankruptcy.
- Entertaining these views and opinions | shou
deeply regret any abandonment OF nm, policy OF protc
ton 81 any material alteration OF the Ianti Of loI