Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-11-11
DOEfE. E.Sr..gG.
tFroin the Winyaw lntelligenccr, Oct 29.l
DiSUNION CHARGES.
CnAnLrsroN. Oct 24th lsas.

I
ture of "Union," in which the writer has thought
| proper to PROFOUND to the members of Congress
kom South Carolina, the following questions,
which he states, " If answered in the negative,
may have tendency TO change the opinion OF at
least portion OF the people OF ,hi. State rs res
spects the nature If tie 0ppositiO,' TO the Tariff,
inculcated by few OF the Jdc&sOnites Of South
! Carolina
"1st. Was there not meeting Of the delega-
! sion OF this State, held in Washington City in the
house Of one of our Senators, few nights after
the passage of this Tariff law ihe object of which
was, tdS it iCaS scid) TO consult upon measures best
TO be adopted and pursued as u ga'ds this law.
4 ''2nd vt this meeting, was there not one or
more members 0eputed TO wait and consult with
The respective deeg from tbs Southern States
and TO obtain, II possible, their cooperation! DID
this depuation not undertake. the mission, and TO-
tally fail, in the object for which il appointed?
III il did, was il moi then proposed by more
leading members OF the assembly that the whole
of the members assembled should Immediately d
bGndon their seats m Congress, return hohe,
and thereby end all Tuythcy p01ti.tGI 6o1nertcn
tcith the SOucrnmenR
! g Sd Was this proposition not abandoned by
the meeting in consequence of one or more of the
prudent members Directing 10 take upon them
selves the burden OF the great responsibility which
| would have been the consequence at such step
" lastly Was the night con-ultation not end
| eG by majority OF the members finally deterInin-
ing, that although they would await the adjourn
ment of Congress, yet that upon their arrival home
4
and among them make every effort TO incnlcae
| such doctrines and principles as tcouid ilduce
The people Of the States to agree 10, and Gds0-
cate separation Of ne SfGfes?''
| Although it might he considered supeEiluous TO
| notice charges OF such character, brought for
ward without the sanction Of any responsible
name-more especially when the object OF the
writer Is TO impue to men standing 20 highin pub
lie confidence my colleagues, the extravagant
esgn oil eifecting "a dissolution OF the Union, and
l of course 10 establish separate Government
yet the Favorable notice which has been taken OF
this publication in the public prints aud other CIR
lcumstances which seem TO indicate settled pur-
pose TO misrepreseut the true character Oh the late
proceedings in this State in relation 10 the IdTB,
| induces me TO give explicu answer TO - the
substance" Of the accusation involved in the pre-
ceding questions. | consider this task as devolv-
ing peculiarly on me, because viii not affect To
misunderstood the ausion to a. the Senator,
at whose house reasonable meeting is alleged TO
have taken place.
In answer To the accusation preferred by the
writer of Union against the South Carolina del
egation, deny, most unequivOcally thai there
was ever held at my house i'll Washington, or any
| where else, 10 my knowledge, any meeting on tho
subject OF dissolution of the Union, or that any
question ever proposed decided at any
meeting at which was present, or of which /
have any knowledge. fdsBy, positively, that any
proposition ever submitted to he South Car
DINA delegation, q" that the members should i'm,
mediately abandon their seats return home, and
I
| the Government" Md lastly. ! dNy that any
determination ever made g that he mhcrs,
on their return home, should visit their cons'i'u-
ents generally, and make every effort to inCucate
| among them such doctrines and principles would
induce the people TO agree TO, and advocate sep
aration Of the States" that any proposition to
that effect was ever submitted by any member
| OF the delegation.
| Ii is true that during the last session OF Con
gress consuitot tons were held among the members
! OF the South Carona.dele CATION the subject of
the Tariff. Such consultations have, "a believe,
been usual in all cases Affecting III peculiar de-
gree, the Interests OF particular States, and The
! members from this State would, in NV opinion,
! have been wanting in their duty il they had no
! most earnestly aud anxiousy taken INTO consilc-
ration, on tie passage OF the Tariff law, whether
any thing remained TO be done by them ia their
Representative capacity in relation that matter
Such aver was the real and sole oeO: of meet
! ing held atmy house in Washington immediately
after the passage of that lava meeting rendered
/ lndispensibly necessary 10y question which had
been discussed among sOfnc Of the SnuihcrI mem.
bers Out which think did not originate with any
member of our dcicgaiiOn) viz whether a pro.
test against the law 10 be signed by all the mem
bers from the Anti Tariff States, 10 bc entered on
the journals of the two Houses Of Congress and
transmitted 10 the Executives of The several States
might not be an eXPedient neasure.--The sub
Ject OF such protest was fully discussed without
being brought 10 any conclusion, fui ther than that
Tree interchange of opinions IN relation 10 il,
The Anti-Tarih States; the FINAL result OF v hch
was the Abandonment OF tho scheme toy common
consent, az one not on v OF doubtful policy, but
concerning which, there existed too great diff
ference OF opinion TO justify its adoption know
OF no other subject concerning which tlic co op.
Grafton Of the other Southern States was either /.
sought Tor or desred-and even in respect 10 rI,i,
nothing more was attempted than to ascertain The
general sentiment In relation TO IL. So TAR from,
its being truc that the members Of the delegation
agreed to come home and excite The people 10 a
dissolution OF the Union, aver that the ONLY ode.
termination adopted" wac, that If or our return
nome there should be found to exist (as there was
much reason TO sppreherd,' general and violent
texctenent, we should endcayour to aiay IT, aud
prevent, II possible, the adoption Of any measures
calculated to weaken the moral force of The
Southern States, OF that might be made 10 bear
IN any way, on the Presidential cl.ciion Of po,si
| bly, subject the State TO unjust inipuratons I'm
conclusion, declare that the charges 10 question
so lar as they inpute 60 me personally, (or as
4 beheye 10 ny coleagucs.) The design or tie de.
sire 10 effect ga separation Oi Tie States - 10 he
utterly untrue. So far az know my own hear
or have any know ledge OF the opinions of my col
leagues, | declare that the only oil icct We have
had ~ view, IN tie opposition we have found II
our duiy TO make 10 tbe Tariff, has been 10 ,ro
tcci our constituents from the operstion Of Al, a.,
yIS., Injurious ana Gas helicve) unconsiitulion-
/ al SYSTEM system which pushed 10 n. leo,f,.
male extent, must Inevitably lead to the dcstrtr
non oltha' foreign commerce which il was one Of
ut Ieadhg objects 81 the Constellation % pfeeerye
ana protect, and with which the prosperity offbr
southern Siaies-is inScparabIy connected Our
inosi ANXIOUS desire has been not 10 destroy but
10 restore the Constitution, and thus 10 preserve
the union OF the States forever. and tO render
perpetual the liberties u the couptrv--ogiects
q ar.HH