Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-12-02

Immediately put down by Col. Draytofis
Again, Sir, in your letter you deny that
any g determination was ever made that
the members on their return home should
visit their constituents generally, and
make every effort to nculcate among them
such doctrines and principles as would
induce the people to agree to, and adyos
cate separation from the States.'' And
will you deny, Sir, that proposition was
made, that zoe should, on our return home.
communicate By letter, or otherwise, NTH
the principal men Of oar respective DIS
tricts on the subject Of the Tmif--ex.
plain to them ats fatal effects on their trade
and agTicuture-and cts aggression ois
the sovereignty of the State Fm1hsr;
that 1t ,oas proposed, that zoe should, dur
ing the Summer, communicate to each otis
e. By letter, the state Of feelings schich zoe
dlSeorered III oar respcctive districts
and, finally, that the delegation should
meet at Columbia IN October or November,
for the purpose of deDising and maturing
some plan Of action for the State Govern-
ment? Do you not remember, that one
gentleman Mr.. M'Duffie] did say that;
in his opinion, there was no other remedy
for the evil than separation of the State
from the Union-that temporizing meas
ures would prove unavailing-and that he,
himself, was prepared to go all lengths
and, when it was remarked that his con-
stituents might moi approve such meas
ure, did ne not reply, with an exclamation,
that he would not then represent them
that he considered his services in Com
gress as an obligation conferred on them,
and that, whenever they failed to support
his great views on the affairs of the TN
ion, he would abandon them To this did
you not reply that others were as ready to-
make sacrifices as he could be ? Further.
when it was observed that Mr.. M'Dufie's
plan was ill-advised, because the United
States Government would force the State
to submission, (she single-handed, not
having the power to resist,) did you not
ask, where were the means of the Gene.
raj Government to coerce the State ? That
the standing army was no more than a
handful of men-nothing could be feared
from it that, with regard to the militias
no Southern militia, if called out by the
President, would take. arms against our
People, and that the Northern militia
would not be permitted by Virginia and
North Carolina to pass through their terri
tories, for the purpose of subjecting South
Carolina. Finally, after all attempts to-
obtain cooperation of the Southern
delegations had failed-afier one of our
most influential members Mr.. Senator
Smith had peremptorily refused to attend
and unanimity was not found to exist
even among those who were present, was
1t not then that you proposed to abandon
all the foregoing plans, lest any increase
OF excitement in South Carolina might
prove injurious to the election of Gen.
jackson
On the adjournment of the meeting, I
called on Senator Smith, (being in habits
OF intimacy and confidential communica-
ton with him. related what had transpir-
ed, and remarked that the delegation had
been saved by the wisdom and firmness Of
Col. Drayton.
With regard to the views of yourself
and others, could say nothing. Having
never respected either the principles or
course of the Calhoun party, I was not
IN your confidence, and was therefore,
left to mere conjecture as 10 what your
motives were, and what youg uiteriour
projects might be. In this publick devel-
opement, have not volunteered, you have
forced me to it.
am Sir, with due respect,
Your obedient servant.
THO'S R. MITCHELL,
GEORGETOWN, Nov. 8. 1928.