it
AWecUy; Familr Newspaper Jwted ti RtlisioMwalitj, pitfes. Science, Ajrlenjtate and Ceiieral Intelliwe. ;
VOl: HINUMBER
Published weekly
7BYT TIirCHRISTV & -CO.H
Emmas. J -;
I aix monlli f, i nreo .
I year. (S propeclo.)
! Jimiilj inacrted'at One Dollar per aqnar
or tbe firat, and Tnty.FW Cent, for each
calinuance. Court Order. will be.charfiisd
twenty-fi P en'- sxlr. ' . '
, frlday. March IT. IS 13.
mTAh i(M 'r um0 aim W his brethren and
W ii Merf aits H 17 IX"
htfim. and they bemoaned him and
-Uri.A kirn oner all the evil that I he Lord had
brought upon him: every man also gave kirn m
pint fvaoney snd every one on r-ting of gold."
Reader, you will find these words in iho
lltb versepf the 43 J chapter of the Book
of Job, and as you were probably hindered
frani going to ehurch last Sabbath, we will
call your attention W thera by a few re.
marks. ' . . . " '
We shall not trouble you with apologies
in our introduction, nor hem and haw and
consume half an hour in complaining of our
weakness and ignorance, and piling, what
we will aay and what we will ot say, nor
yet shall we be so particular as to divide
" our subject" into first, second, third ana
fourth divisions, and then 44 conclude the
whole as we-shall have light and liberty,"
but stlempt to leach you a moral lesson from
this scrap in the history of good old Jyb..-
It commences by informing us that .V then
came there unto him . all his brethren and
all his sisters, and all they that had been of
his acquaintance before," &C Then they
came. When? Was it when "the news of
his great losses and sore 'afflictions first
reached Ihemth'c time that he moat need
ed their assistance and sympathies T No,
verily. It was not until his captivity had
been turned, and the Lord had given him
twice as much as he had teforc" ! In his
poverty and affliction, they were very clear
of going to him and bestowing their pre.
scstV. Porlxpa lliey thought it would not
be "respectable" to bo seen at tin house
and administering to the wants of a poor
man, or forsooth, tbey might have fuared
being called on to pay some of Job's debts
now that ho was " broke up," or thut he
would want to borrow money. How much
is this like the world was, and is, and is
likely to bo! Let "the news but go abroad
that a maa has failedia broken op and
let him appear in a well-worn coat and hat,
with coarse shoes and hardened hands, and
though ho may then be an honester and
every way a belter and worthier man than
ho was before, his brothers and sisters (if
they happen to have more money than
brains) scarce know hirrj.nt all, and those
who " hadbfeBoLhk,acoiiaint3ncebrc
tako particular pains not to meet him in tho
btrw-t or speak to him in co npany, lest they
shoultf lower their dignity by associating
witli noonle who were not considered re
11
spectable. But let tho same man but regain
his fortune, and these are tho first whose
ympathresovcrfiow in his behalf the first
to offer him" their condolence to eat bread
at his hou; to comfort him over the evil
which had befallen him, and to give or lend
him money or jewels ! Yes, it is tho way
cf the world to make presents to those
who need them least to lend to the rich
and comfort a man when his distresses are
fast and prosperity returned. Where is
the use of such attentions then ? you in
quire. Aye, that is what we should like to
know ourselves; but we have studied the
ways of the world for a -quarter of a centu-.
if past, and are 4J ignorant of the where
fore of this matter to-day J9 'w?ro a
first but,, we suppose inasmuch as it is
fashionable, in all refined society, we. must
allow it to pass without further inresttga
tion. If those who practise it cannot plead
justice, consistency or propriety, they can
certainly plead precedent of a very ancient
date Job's brethren and sisters and old
acquaintances, did it, and so may they !
Who indeed among the refined classes can
be expected to pay any attention to a poor
man T Ho may be what an English poet
call the noblest work of God " an honest
mao'" ho may be a Christian, with an
earnest of a heavenly inheritance in his
heart he may bear the moral image of his
Divine Redeemerbe blameless in his conl
duct and conversatioc-.hire great moral
influence, and be of much real worth to
those. around him but what does this avail
him in the estimation of the refined while
he is poor T No more than did the riches
nd preferment of Haman while he saw
' i -..-- '- - : - . .
34
Mordecal the JeW $4t'mg at the king's gate I
and refusing tobow;down when he passed:,.
But on the other ha nd i if he be nch-.though
as stupid as any animal tUt ever wore a pair
of long cars," or' hSs'wiltti "acquired by
means that might darkejlthe brow and put
to shamo even Lucife hlmselfne will
liave friends to "eat bread In his house,"
to condole hfm for losses from which he has
rtake liuemiofTers of services
n oueded, and bcstovl presents td hopb of
something in return, y i;
Job's friends were aalduous in their at
tentions after they founHa lad " twice as
much ns 1crore." . Aid no let us say one
word to those who by" their fellow! worms
aro deemed rich : Listerand mark it well
Tbo attentions which ae shown you arkl
jour sons and daughters arc owing ofleo.
times more to the fuci that you are cohsid.
e'red weahliy than because of yourselves.
Scores of thoso tvho,nov Soitiplimcnt your
judgment, taste or bcarity who flaUer and
"play tho. sycophant around ybuj in reality
think you 9tupid,"vulgnr and'tigly, as pec
haps you are ; and were 'you poof, ' they
would not notice you fn the streets. Job
hnd three' friends who came to him' in his
afTliction, and ' by their bitter tears proved
how keenly they felt for his condition.
And now, reader, rcmember.'whilc in pros,
pcrhy it is almost impdssiblo to tell who U
reaHy and truly rMT fricD1 but uht
advershr ihrows her dark and forbidding
clouds around you, and then watch who
speaks kindly mark who it is that weeps
with you, aud if they have nothing elso to
give, freely bestow their soothing' words
and affectionate tears, and remember them
...they arc friends indeed friends worth
having such as will not soon forsake you.
lib who gives you a tear when ho has no.
thing else, gives you alt he can, aud were it
in his power ho would give you much.
Reader with a most hearty wish that you
jnav never want for a true fiicnd, we con
chide our sermon. So moto tt be.
'.OCT The doctrine that the preseiit pres.
sure in the monetary affairs of ourcoynjry
was primarily caused by tho distribiuion of
thirty-seven millioiis of dollars among the
States respectively, is now preached by a
portion of tho D-imocratio papers of thu
country! Thai is, the present hard times
w ere caused by bo much good money in the
Treasuries of the States 1 Well, what next,
gentlemen !
FEARFrt 1SD FATAL EPIDEMIC.
There is at this time, and has been for
some months rust, a most fearful eplJomic
raging.in some parts of Missouri, called
there " tho black tongue' from the net that
the disease is mostly characterised by
swelling and blackness of the tongue, w hich
usually proves fatal in a few hours. Some
times, however, the infl;imation seats itself
iu the joints, tie ancles, knee, or hips
the side of tho head or face, and sometimes
in one eyo, which swells, turns red, and a
few hours before death, like the tongue
turns black. A gentleman writing from
Point Pleasant, Now Madrid co., under
date of Feb. 4l'i. to the editor of the St.
Louis Repubhcin, says that the epidemic
hud then been n that neighborhood four
weeks and was spreading fearfully. In
eight miles roind him sixty-nine persons
had died in that four weeks, and the disease
increasfng! A large portion of tho victims
in that neighborhood, were persons in the
prime of life! Tho writer adds, that "no
thing can surpass tho gloom and affliction"
with which the country was overspread.
The disease seemed to baffle the skid of the
ablest physicians of that country.r-,
In hearing and reflecting upon uch af.
flictivc occurrences aslheserwe are natu-
ratty ledlo oslt ourselves, why 4sit so
What Is the caused From whenee . does"jt
"4risol And in seeking for an answer we too
often co everv way but the nsrhT one. Thai
0 w
such epidemics are aggravated by local
causes, we hare no sort of doubt but that
they arc usually produced this way we do
not believe, the jeers and scoffs of fools and
infidels to the contrary notwithstanding.
We believe that such are usually moat aw
fu! visitations from the hand of an All" Wise
God, for wise and holy purposes, known
only to himself, and that it becomes men,
every Where, to ponder well such , things,
and solemnly remember that be has com
manded men every where to repent, be
cause he hath appointed a day in the which
he will judge -the world in righteousness."
0 We are authorized to announce T.
i L. Clingman, Esq", as a candidate to re.
nresent this District in the next Comzress.
ASHE VILLE, N. C;
LIFE OF HENRY CLAY.
. (CONCLUDED.
' Another subject deeply agitated- iho pub
lic mind .i this, tinw,' and was acted on at
the samo session by Congress L lhi was
iho recbarter of tho United States Bank.
GenJ Jackson bad brouuhlthe aubiecV to the
view of ihe natlonnj titislature and thus
to the rjRtion itsell, in ins tirst annual mes.
sage in. December, 1829V"subsecjUeily ih
1830; and agilih in 183K- ;-li3USt MeLnne,
the Secretary of tho:TreasuTy;rec'emrniDBd.
ed il. rechartQr .of iho, bank, ttqd atoted
his reasons at large at tlie commencement
of tho ses'sion of 1831-32. Mr.1 Dallus,
then a member of thb Scnalo, brought for-
ward the, bill to recbarter the bank,nd k
was passtrbTT dcetded-fnajdrilies in
both House of tionRress: u was, now.
ever, vetoed by Gen.. lacksoi:, for a variety
of reasons unsigned by him in his memora
ble veto message. On this message Mr.
Clay addressed the Senate, and commented
with freedom, but with dignity ana lorce,
npon the novel doctrines advanced by the
President, and especially upon tnai wnicu
declares every public ofneer who.takes an
oath to support the Constitution, is at liberty
to simnort it as as understands it; and that
the l'reaideot.-m. tbk,respect, ia indeperi
dent of tho Supreme Court, the tribunal
established for the purpose of deciding
uoon. and settlinc constitutional questions :
a doctrine fraught,' as ho declared, with
universal nullification, destructive of all
subordination, authority and fixednci ad
subversive of governmoni." "
In this speech bo looked forward with
the eve of a saeacioua statesman, and s'pokc
the words of apropliet flo said, speaking
of eertaio continizenctes, 44 Depression in
1J10 value of all. property. Bheriff'a sales
and sacrifices bankruptcy roust necessa
rily ensue ; and", with them, relief laws,
paper-money, a prostration of the courts of
iustice. evils from which we liave just
cmerred. must again, with aH their tra'mof
"afflictions, revisit our country, Have not
these evils followed jn tlie train, of those
measures which began the work of destruc
tion by crushing the great balance-wheel of
the currency f Already wo hava-4 4 depres
sion in the valuo of all property." sheriffs
sales, sue ri ficesrtankruptcics, nd 11 f e-
lief laws!
At the same session of Congress Mr,
Clay first brought forward his great mca.
sure of distributing the proceeds of the
sales of the public lands apiongluc btales
which has since found so much favour with
tho people. of the United States, and be
come a cardinal principle of tlie Whig
parly, and ono of vital importance to tho
country. ... Mr. Clay had been placed on the
committee, of manufactures : to tnis com
mitteo the subject of the Public Lands was
referred by the Senate, a majority of whom
were his political opponents, notwithstand
ing there was a standing committee on tho
public lands, appointed under long csta.
Wished rules! 1 for what purpose a subject
so incongruous is the public lands to those
expected to occupy the minds of this com
mittee, was referred to it, it is impossible
to Conjecture, unless it was intended there
by to embarrass. Mr. Clay, and.involve.lum
in difficulty with ono portion ot the coun
try, or another. Tlie reference of this
subject to that committee was tho more ex
traordinary, inasmuch, as there was not a
single member from the new Stales upon
it, and but one, Mr. Clay, from tlie west
ern States. Ia noticing this novel prbce.
duro in his speech, made upon the occasion
of bis bringing forward his bill fo distribute,
for a limited time, the proceeds of the public
domain, he remarks:
41 We had earnestly protested against the
reference, and insisted upon its impropri
ety; butJwe were overruled by the majo
rity, including a majority of Senators from
the new Nates. I will not attempt an ex
pression of tho feelings excited in my mind
on that occasion. '. Whatever may have
been the intentions of honourable Senators,
I could not bo insensible to the embarrass
ment iu whirl) the committee of maoufuc
lures, was placed, and especially myself.
Although any other members of that com
mittee would have rendered himself, with
appropriate researches and proper time,
more competent than I was to understand
the subject of the public lands, it was known
that, from my local position, I alone was
supposed to liavo any particular knowledge
of them. Whatever emanated from that
oommittC3-was-likelyr tUercforeJoieas.
cribed to-mo, If llwi rnmmitteo8hould
propose a measure. of. great liberality to.
ward the new States, the old States might
complain, ft the measure ahauldjecm To
lean towards the old States, the new might
be dissatisfied. And, if it inclined to net
iher class of Slates, but recommended a
plan according to which there would be dis
tributed impartial justice among all the
States, it was far from certain that any
would bo pleased." '
But the subject being thus thrown upon
him by those who sought to involve him in
difficulty, be brought to it all the powers of
his understanding, and, after a thorough
investigation, matured the plan and bill,
which be reported to the Senate. The at
tempt made by a majority of the Senate,
composed of his political enemies, to em
barrass him, now recoiled upon their own
heads. But if the reference, in the first
instance, of this subject to the committee
on manufactures was unprecedented, the
disposition made of Mr Clay's able report
from that committee was still more; so.
This was hardly read ia the Senate be.
fore it was violently denounced, and with-
MARCH 17, 1843.
out Winff considcred by the Senate, wa
referred to committee on fuDiic juanas
tho very committee to whcq Mr..vay
had, in the Gist place, insisted the. subject
ought to be referred, j Alter some days this
conirftit.too made a report and recommend,
ed reduction of tlie prico of tho public
lands iopmed.ately to one Hollar per acre,
and $ventuuliy to fifty cents per acre and
the irrant to the new States of wlecn per
cenW on thu pel proceeds of thfi snksj io-;
atead of ten per tent,, as. proposeu oy uie
committee of rxanufuctures, and nothing to
the old Slates. . . ; : .
At the' lime Mr. Clay brought forward
his proposition to distribute tho proceeds of
the public lands among all the States, after
giving tho new States ten per cent.v various
proposntBDS suy ciuiuis m return iu mv u
had Ven made pf'a very exlraordinary
character, which Mr. Clay took occasion
to notice. Iho first was that of Mr. lien.
tun, t cede, tho 4' refuso. lands" to the
SliitesSn which they lay., 44 Refuse lands,
refue lands," 4 refuse lands", was tus
tune.il The next was that of the Governor
of Illiiois, who asserted the absolute right
of that State to all tho public lands lying
within her limits.-. Alien came the propo
sition ftom thfk Sertrf yirgliMr,
Taiewel! j to'-cedo and surrender, to tlie
States in which they lay all tho lands be.
longing to th United iDiaics, upon cenain
indefinitb coittk-ns. , .
Ho thus exposed the attempts that had
boan made, tnd were making, to rob the
old Stales ortheir interest in tho public
domain, and, he came forward with a mca
sure that muted out justico to all, to the
east, and to the west; to the north and to
the south : lo the o'd btates, and to tho new.
Speaking of the right of tlw wliolo to the
oublic lands, ho said ;
."The rght of tho Union to the public
lands is intontestablu. It ought not to be
considered debtitable.. Jt never was ques
tioned but by a lew1, whoso monstrous here
sy, it was Probably supposed, would escape
animadversion from the enormity . pf trie
absurdity, and ihe utter iinpracticabilily of
tho succcis ot tne claim. 1 no rigiu 01 ine
whole is tealcd by the blood ol the llevolu
tion,foudod ujon solemn deeds of cession
from sow-reign Slates, deliberately execut
ed iiMho facttofJteworkl, or restingupou
national treaties conclued with foreign pow
ers, or ample equivalents contribuled liom
the treasury of me people ot the United
States." ...
Fortunately for the country, from .that
time he has Aiken a deep and lively iuterest
in this great and important subject. The
Secretary of tho Treasury," even had, in
his annu;!, report to Congress, recommend
ed tlie ctiing of the lands fo too States in
whoso links they lay; and wo have seen
that oih-s advocated tho same measure
Mr. Clay looked upon this as an unjust djs
pop-il ef ;homr being a fraud upon, tho old
States. Mor was this all 1 the proposition
thus to depose of tho public domain, could
Dot but La considered as public bids for the
political uipport of the west and souli-wesU
Undeubudly he might have come into the
niarl&t too, and purchased popularity of
ouo norUin ot the country bysurrendorinz
up to it tho public landd, and of another
poj-tjju by. the advocacy of a protective
TuriT a measure with which ha was, and
evef has boen, peculiarly idealifitd. But
Mr. Clay never yet inquired what measure
was popular, but wlwt was rigid ojpclaring
on ix memorable occasion, when toldvthata
certain; course might injure his popukriiy
iliii he. would rather be rwht than Ihe
Presdentof the United States, high as thai,
statin) was. II'! viewed r and still views,
the tublhi lands as an inheritance of incsli-
mabb vdue, os an ..almost exhaustlcss
treawrc. nnd one that ouijlu not to be
squandered or given away.
Its proposition to distribjtu tho proceeds
of tie pjblic lands was no sooner reported
to tie i-nate, and made known to tire
country than it became triumphant, Tlie
bill pasted ihe Senate nt that session, but
was noi acted on in thcHouse: it wus
cainini favour with tho country, howevor
and so great was its popularity, that it
passed it tho next session hy very large
majorats, in bjth branches of Congress.
It was then sent to tlie President, General
Jackson, for his signature; but. insteatf of
signing it, or reluming it with his reasons
for wiihholdiog. his signature, w pocketed
it! liud it been returned, there caunut be
a doubt but it would have become a law, by.
the vote' of two-thirds of both Houses; and
of tliihe waiTutlyaware,
It was a measure suggested by, one who
shared no part fn theTresidenlV counsels
or affcctionsxrfjpLjlthough he had himsttlf,
in his annual message, rccommehtfed a
similar measure, he did not hesitate to
change bis ground - -hi order to thwart the
vicwiof its author. rersonai hostility in.
duced him to resort to tho novel mode of
killing Iho bill by smothering it in his pock.
ell Before another session of Congress
commenced, the command went forth the
measure was dcnounced--tha faithful were
required to surrender their own opinions,
and sustain their chief, and lol it was done!
From that day forth to the present, those
w bo claim to belong to the democruiie sheep-
fold have been required to eschew the dis
tribution of the proceeds of the pdolic lands
among the people of the States, its rightful
owner;, as a "jeaerai measure, is 11
possible for a nation to have the benefit of
benien measures, when those which are
calculated to promote Ihe general good are
defeated through mere personal pique or
prejudice towards thd individual with whom
they originate, and because their adoption
would so leaf to the chaplct that adorns
nu onw 1 w wise peupn.wiH um. iHu..c
wAoricinated c measure, but whether the
measure itself -js likely to prove beneficial
or otherwise And that nation has parted
with bet own dignity and self-respect , which
Llhf adopts or rejftctseoufso of.policy
simply because it originated winronc inan,
or. was opposed by another. . ; .. '
It was undoubtedly the fact that for many
years; as Mr. Cloy asserted, various pre.
tensions had-bcen put forth concerning tho
Eublic. lands, ono of which was, that they
elonged of right to tho States, in wliosc
limits they wero situated ;-another,thatthey
should be ceded to these States by the U.
States; another, that their price should be
graduated down to almost nothing; and all
bud in view either their actual or virtual
surrender by tho general government Mr.
Clay saw that if not secured to the old States,
-L .- . H! j : .. ..,..M
mcir vnieresi in 1110 puunu uutiiaiu uuw
sooo be gone forever, and the plan of dis.
tnbution which he brought torwara was
designed, but only to settle our policy in re-
card to this immense national interest, but
to settlo it upon the Immutable principles ol
justice even-handed justice to oil,
Uut no sooner was there a prospect 01
his plan being adopted, than the very men
who bad clamoured for 44 tlie lion's share"
of the public domain, who had sanctioned
scheme after scheme for wanting and sqan
dcring the lands, and had protested against
their being considered as a source of reve
nue by. tho government, turned around and
became equally clamorous against die pro-
ceeds of the sale beini; taken from the
treasury, and distributed equally and im
partially to the peoploof all ;'e States!
Such U tho consistency of mero dema
gogucs! In his speech 00 the distribution
of tlie proceeds of the public lands, deliver
ed in the Senate, on the 28th January,
1841, Mr. Clay thus notices tho con tragic
tory and inconsistent courso of his oppo
nents:
44 All at onco theso gentlemen seem 'o
bo deeply interested in the revenue denvt
bio from the public lands. Listen to then
now, and you would suppose that heretofore
they had always been, and hereafter would
continue to be, decidedly and warmly in
favour of carefully husbanding tlie public
domain, and obtaining from it tho greatest
practicable amount ot fnvenue7tor the ex
clusive Uio of the jeneral government
You would imagine that none of them had
a . 1 t.
ever e)ousU or sanctioncu any scneme
for wasting or sq.indering the public lands;
that they regard them us a sacred and mvi
olablo fund, to bo preserved for tho benefit
of posterity, as well as Uhs generation.
44 It is my intention now to unmask these
gentlemen, aud io show their real s stem
lor the odnuniitratiou of the public lands
wnbraces no object of revenue, cither in
the general government or thu States that
their purpose is otherwise to dispose of them;
that tlie fever forrevenue is an intermittent,
which appears only when a bill to distribute
the proceeds equally among all tho States is
pending; and thai; as soon as thnt bill is got
rid of r gentlemen relapsr intoiheir old pro-
jects of throwing away the public lands,
nnd denouncing all objects of revenue from
the public lands as unwise, illiberal, and
unjust towards the new Slates. ' I will make
all this good by tho most incontroveitible
testimony. . " - ' .
44 1 proceed to the documentary proof.
In .his 'annual message of December 4,
1832, President Jaokson says: -
44 4 As the lands may now be considered
as relieved, from thil pledge, (that is, the
expenses of the 'Revolutionary war,) the
gbji-cl for . Which they were ceded having
Is. . . 1; l .1 i . f I .t.i . ' - . i-
00c n occqinpiisui, H is m xiie uiscrcuon 01
Congress q dispose-of, iheni in sucliWny
as best to conduce to tbo quiet, harrnony,
and general interests of the American peo
ple Aic-xlt scent to me to be our true
policy that the public lands shall crate, as
soon as practicable, to be a source of revc-
BKtf.'" . . ' - . .J,,
From tbo rcporf of Mr. King, chairman
of the committee on public lands, to whom
his (Mr.Clny) report was referred iu
1832, Mr. Clay read the following ;
44 This committee turn with confidence
from the La nd Offices to the Qustom I louses ,
and say, here arc the true sources of Fedc
ralrevenue ! Give lands to the cultivator !
and tell him to keep his money, and lay it
out in their cultivation :
44 Now, Mr. President,1' couliiiued Mr
Clay, 14 bear in mind that this report, made
by the Senator from Alabama,, imbodics
the sentiments of his party; tlie measure
for distributiJii whiiu came from the com
mitteo on manufactures, exhibited om as
tern for tho adTrrfrifstration of the nublic
larkfs,- and that it was referred lo the com.
mittee on public lands, to esabifrthat com
mtttce to make an argumentative report
against it, and to present their system a
counter-antagonist system.
44 Daring the whole progress of the bill
through tho jSeoate, tho party dominant
then and now acted in conformity with the
doctrines contained in the report of tlx ir
organ, (Mr. King.) Nevertheless the bill
passed both houses of Congress by decisive
majorities.
44 Hear bow President Jackson lays down
th law in 1833: .
4 On the whole, I adhere to the "opinion
expressed by me in my annual message of
1832, that it is our true policy that the
public bods shall cease, as soon as practi
cable, 10 be a source of revenue, except
for the payment of those general charges
which grow out of the acquisition of the
lands, their survey, and sile. I do not
doubt that it is the real interest of each and
WHOLE NUMBER 138.
all the States in the Union, and particularly
of the ne'v States, that tho price of these
lands shall bo reduced and graduated; and
that after they have been offered for a cer.
lain number of ..years, ihe refuse, remaining
unsold, shall be abandoned to the Stales, and
the machinery of our land-system entirely
4 It was-'4uT0io pthgtJaywe beard the
Senator from Arkansas (Mr. Sevier) ex,
press soma of . theso .sentiments. What
were wo told by that SenoioM we win
havo tho public land. -iWe, must hava
ihein, and wc wilt TAKE them in a few
years. : r
Mr. Sevier said, 44 So we winV'l
44 Hear him! Hear him! He repeats
it Utters it in the ears of tho revenue
pleading Senator, (Mr. Wright,) on my
left. Aud yet he will .vote against distrlbu.
tion." ' V '( : '
It will be seen by tho foregoing extracts
from Mr. Clay's speech, and the documents
referred to by him, that it liaTTwen for
mauy yenrs tho avowed purpose of those
who oppose distribution, and now insist on
the lands being considored aa a source of
revenue, to cedo or otherwise dispose of
them to the States in which they lie and
that they have as strenuously maintainea
that they ought not to be looked to for reve
nue. Such glaring contradictions aod in.
consistency need no comment 1 they speak
1 1 I r 1. ...!
, Tue reiterated attacks upon the protective
system by the advocates of the doctrine of
1'ree-trudc,, together with the fact of tho"
cxtinuitdiment of the public debt and an
overflowing treasury, had, in 1833, grwitly
operated upon public opinion, and brought
about a conviction that protective duties
were not so necessary as they had been
considered, and were, perhaps, as the south
declared them tq oe, oppressiv to them,
and unjust in their operation. South Caro
lina had also undertaken to nullify trw tttQJ
nue laws of tho United Slates, and threat
ened open resistance) and .rebellion, should
the general government attempt to enforce'
them. Discontent bad been sown among
tho people of tho south, who had been made
to believe that they wero oppressed, and
that their .wishes and interests bad been
disregarded by tho national governmont.
Theso discontents had been fomented, and
tlieboj.es of Uie southern people encouraged
by the course of the Federal Admiwstra.
tion, which, at tho very moment that it
threatened and recommended the use of the'
power of the whole Union, proclaimed
aloud tho injustice of the system which it
was about to t-nforco. In the language of
Mr. Cluy, 44 these discontents were not
limited to th se who maintained the extra
vagant theory of nullification ; they were
not confined to ono State ; but were coex.
cveo to tho northern Stales." A majority
of the party then dominant, since defeated,
was then, us now, opposed td the lariJ
policy. Under all thefo circumstances Mr.
Clay deemed that pulicy in imminent dn:
gcr; 14 it w," said he, 44 in tho hind of tiio
Philistines, who would strangle it;" and
Ikj fltsw to its succour. The celobiatcd
Gompronii?ie bill was introduaed, and after
much debate, innllv p issed.,
Mr. Clay, wkh whom thia great niosstire
of conciliation originated, and to whoso
moderation, firmness, patriotism, and abili
ties, its success was due, was, on this occa
sion, bnilud by n very large portion of tho
country, norih, south, and west, as 44 tho
great pacificator and saviour of the couo
try." IJy somo, however, he wus charged
with abandoning his own system. In reply
he saiJ, '' It was fur from the object of
thoso who support this bill, to abaidon or
surrender the policy of protecting tAroeri.
can industry." . 44 Thclcondition
of the country has impressed cvory public
man with the necessity of some modified.
as it di'pends upon high duties.
Sir, I desire to be perfectly understood as
t$Ahc motives which havo prompted mo to
offer this measure. I repeat, that they are
first, to preserve tho manufacturing Intc.
rest, nnd. secondly to quiet the country.
I believe the A met ienh system to bo in the
greatest danger ; aod I believe it can be
placed on a better and sofor foundation at
this scssiun; tlmn at tho next."
" Mr. President, it is not destruction but,
preservation of the system at which we aim.
If dangers now assail it, we have pot cre
ated ibtni." I havc sustained it upon tho
clearest convictions of its expediency.
liiey aro unaltered.
Tin compnmisci bill being .accepted by
the souih ns " a concession ftvia the strong.
er lo the we aker parly," it proved, as its
jaiil hnraigui ;djL-fjioujajrs.ng1iLlj!?jPg
measure, and secured to the country, and
especially to thoso engaged in manufactur
ing, a stability of policy for a number of
years, far more important to them than
hoary duties wiih uncertainty and fluctua
tion. Mr. Clny has been, and ir, to the
present day, murb censured for disposing
of the larilf question as he did in the com
promise bill : but if ever thcro was a mea.
sure that originated in tho most anxious
s . . . ?. . .. . . J It -!
desire toao tnoi wihcd, unwr usm iif
stances, was best for the country, and if a
public man ever acted upon pure and disin
terested motives, this was the measure and
this the mao : and no unprejudiced perwn
who knows those circumstances, and the
imminent danger there lhi was of losing
the protective system entirely, as well as of
plunging the country into a civil war, can,
it seems to mc, for a single moment, doubt
the wisdom of that measure.
Manyquesiioot the highest imporUnc