Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-05-21
Congressman Lacy Delivers Ad-
dress Before Grant Club in
Des Noines.
SHOWS EVILS OF TARIFF REVISION
Declares That Every Attempt to
Change Tariff Has Brought Finan.
ciaI Distress-Thinks DinsIey Law
is Best.

Des Moines, May 2O-Using the ca.
reer of Henry Clay to demonstrate the
necessity for protective tariff for the
United States, Congressman John F.
Lacey of the sixth district last evening
delivered an address before the mem.
bers of the Grant club here that for
Its comprehensivenes and convincing
arguments could scarcely have been
equaled. Major Lacey characterized
the Kentucky statesman as the orig.
inal protectionist and coupled his
name with that of Lincoln, Mckinley
and Roosevelt. The address was an
extended one, and the speaker review
ed the career of Henry Clay in consid.
cradle detail, saying in part:
The life of Henry Clay involves the
history of the United States from be-
fore the war of 1872 to the period
Just preceding the Civil War.
In lS4S anti-slavery extension show
ed itself as a growing factor.
In 1850 Mr.. Clay again returned to
the senate, where he was honored by
an attack from Jefferson Davis, the
son-in-law of Taylor.
Again he essayed the role of a COM
promiser. The fear of disunion made
Webster truckle to slavery. Clay as
a STAKEHOLDER could hardly do less.
But he answered South Carolina
with the statement that he would
never fight against the Union, even
under the banner of his state. Said
he: Virginia is not my country,
Kentucky is not my country. l am for
the whole Union"
The Fugitive Slave Law was part
OF the Compromise of 1850, and it's
dubious honors were shared by both
Clay and Webster. But the compro-
mise was only truce-it could be
nothing more. No such wrong as hui
man slavery could be compromised
without compromising the compromis
erS
But this fatal law started the man
hunter through the free states and
aroused the conscience of the nation.
When the slave Shadrach was released
from the officers in Boston by crowd
of negroes, Clay in the senate an
nounced himself as highly shocked
He fondly imagined that the com.
promise had settled things-but some
things cannot be settled. Butahis last
speech in the senate was for compro-
mise and union.
In his pilgrimage through the north
in 1851 he denounced the violation of
the fugitive slave law as treason.
In 1853 both party platforms de.
clared in favor of the fugitive slave
law. There was indeed need for a
new party.
Clay's last public talk was to Kos.
suth and dissuading from the attempt
: to involve America in the Hungarian
imbroglio. 1t failed to please Kos
suth, but it was the word of wisdom
to the United States.
In the whig caucus April 9, 1851, a
number of members seeded from the
meeting, because slavery they claim
ed, needed more protection.
April 8, 1865, fourteen years later
to a day Lee surrendered.
When Clay died in 1852, both parties
had adopted his compromise, but the
people were already getting ready to
overthrow it, and in 1854 the repub
lican party of today was founded on
the ruins Of the old whig organization
The days Of compromise were over
Men began to grid themselves for bat
tie. Charles Sumner had taken the
place of Webster, and Benjamin F
Wade represented the sentiment OF
Onlo III Inc senate. "
Power in Unity.
Mr.. Clay, in his speech on the army
bill, January s, 1918, gave the key
note to his life's work He said:
IF we are united we are too power
full for the mightiest nation in Europe
or all Europe combined If we are
separated and torn asunder we shall
become an easy prey to the weakest
of them. In the latter dreadful emer
gency our country will not be worth
preserving"
All men are influenced by their en-
vironment. Had Clay gone to Illinois
instead of Kentucky, no doubt he
would have stood with Lincoln on the
question of restricting slavery.
1t took the war to carry Lincoln tt
the point of forcible abolition. Clay
- ~ ~ IN MM mHMA