New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-11
HENRY CLAY ON PROTECTION

The Erening Post, which for the first twenty
| five years of its existence assailed Henry Clay
from the standpoint of Federalism, and fol-
the next twenty-five from that of Sham De-
mocracy, but never failed to oppose and dis
parage him from the day of his debut in Con-
gress till the breath had left his body, now
seeks to misapply his great name and just in
fluence to the furtherance of ends which he all
his life steadily and effectively resisted. The
Post, alike while it was an organ of ancient
Federalism and since it became an oracle of
modern Democracy, was q champion of Free
Trade, as Mr. Clay stcadfastly was Of Protec-
ton hence, in good part, its bitter, unsparing
hostility. Yet it now sees fit to say TO the
Republicans in Congress who were formerly
Wings, that
1--WE cannot point these gentlemen to more instruc.
tive example than that OF Henry Clay TO that
could more willingly recommend them to follow Mr..
Clay made some great mistakes IN regard 10 this question
OF Protection, but he examined and reflected for himself
and IN the Compromise act OF 1884 he made ample atone
ment for all his mistakes All that We ask OF the mem
bers of the Congress is that they viii repair their
Mr. Clay was never for prohibitory duties. To never
declared himself In favor OF policy which would destroy
the On the contrary in his speech tho tariff
Of 1920 he said frankly Il too friend Of free rade
but II must be free trade OF perfect reciprocity Again.
friendly as am to domestic manufacturers would not
give them unreasonable encouragement by protective
measures OF the Government had at ore period stun
uated manufactures too high In his speech the
tariff OF 1924 he declared that tho solo object OF tho
tariff is to tax the produce OF foreign industry He
maintained the policy OF excludngt In the same
not diminish the public revenue lie held that goods
would still be imported and the revenue considerably
increased AS TO Great Britain, he held that her
restrictive system wisely adopted for the establish
men and perfection Of the arts, and that having ac
complished us purpose the system might well be laid
short Mr. Clay always kept an eye on the revenue
revenue and insisted on policy which, as he thought
would improve our modes Of manufacture and diminish
great Stress particularly In his great speech on the
American System delivered in 1892 What would he
To the enormous increase OF prices and the distress of the
working class, under our present protective systemij
In his great FreeTrade measure commonly called the
Compromise Tariff His reflections had led him 10 tho
conclusion that the duties on imports must be essentially
reduced. lie was then in the Senate. Mr. VerpiancR
In the House OF Representatives, with two
ton OF the duties imports, which would have passed
both Houses. if no other plan had been offered, when
Thoroughbred freetrade man. like the writer OF this
tcle drew up the scheme OF the famous Compromise
tariff by which the duties imports be gradual
y reduced until the year 1872, when they all to
Of the commodities Imported 1t was measure sweeping
away every vestge Of protection and duties solely
pleased with st. he adopted II at he proposed he
exerted all his eoquence to carry through Congress 1t
became the law Of tho land Pass this bill.' he said
hanq lize the country and am willing to 20 home
10 Ashland and renounce public service forever In
another speech the same measure, no said that In
tailh revenue Is the first object protection the second
maxim which the protectonsts now in Congress have
not Inherited from him.
" In March 1912, Mr. Clay Withdrew from public life.
closing Ills long career leader Of tho Wing party In
Congress In February Of that year. he expressed his
satisfaction WIN The operation Of the great frcerade
measure which he had adopted and for which he had OBJ
tanned majority In Congress. is great mistake.
ne remarked to say that any portion Of the embarass-
ments or the country has resulted from it, In another
speech OIL the lst Of March, he declared himself willing
TO ABIDE ny tho essential principles of the compromise
thf ana argued earnestly In favor Of system OF fixed
az rdoe. duties although lac thought that If necessary
the rate OF twenty per cent might be exceeded
We commend the example OF Henry Clay TO tho mi-
taton OF Members OF Congress who cherish his memory
ana VINO calm to DO his disciples We have right TO
ask them TO examine the subject he examined IL,
think Tor themselves as he did aud like him frankly TO
qury" 800 ....
Comments by The Tribune.
This we believe, is tho third or fourth time
that Tie Post las venturcd to claim Henry
Clay as a Latter day convert to its Economic