Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-11-18
rOLITICAL.
MR. IIAMfI.TON'S SPEECH AT THE WAL
PETERBOROUGH DINNER.
The fnlin,yiny fnast havinr hccn givon /:

The foliosving toast having b"cn given: SEA-.
james Romiiion, jr. orr distinguished end
patriotic Gicsf-1he FEARLESS asscrtor OF his c"un
''ry's rights against the tyranny of manuEctur-
ing tarf-respcct, honor. ami gratitude, DC Ia
need .r--- I.
Mr.. sUAMIrrow rose and said, tl,at Inc was too
sensibly affected by the Kindness OF the sentiment
they had inst uttered, 10 express with any sort oil
his own feelings, his gratitude fpe this rs We'll rs
all the other tokens Of their Kindness and conf
denee with which he had been honored Over
powered by the sense of your favors, Ia THANK YOU
gentlemen, from the bottom OF NV heart. ~ the
fmoet expressive acknowledgement can make for
Enfeebied by n distressing ina'ady. whirh as
sailed me on my journey from the mountains, and
( which would have deprived me even of the pre-
sent cheering occasion OF offering 10 yor the fri
ibite OF my sincere and devoted gratitude, il this
sspo. of oiir meeting had not been in the direct
Sroute OF nay own home, feel that, if were 70
consult merely the condition Of my hea.ili, and the
sadrnonitions Of cold and selfish prudence. rght
here To stop; but this il impossible AZ Sour Repre-
sentative YOU have right 10 expect my fill aud
unreserved opiucns in relation 20 the present cri
sis-a crisis which has no where excited more
patriotic sympathy Nhan among Yourselves
therefore approach 10 give yon my humble hut
honest testimony. i, have summed public
question, and shall not slun this. Whatever
may be its responsibilities. they shall be- carlessy
iepcoiintered.
Constitution was subscribed bv the delegates rcn
South Carolina, and from tina, day to tis, the CON
duct OF her People has not only hcrn marked Ivy a
devoted fidelity TO that instruments, hut by al
most sttpersti'ious attachment 10 that lni0n
which 1t was its purpose 10 form and perpetuate
Yes. our delegates thought they had assentcd 10
scheme OF Government, calculated 10 form n
more perfect Union, TO establish Justice 10 ensnre
edomcstic tranquility, Ia provide for the common
defence and general welfare, and 10 secure the
blessings Of liberty TO rsclves and TO orr postori-
tvs; and this belief has hitherto been common TO
our whole People, until hy the wanton violations
anil
on 80 far from being perfect is in danger
iustice'' not " es,aliishe,' but its principles
ontraged-tiomesric discussions substituted for
" domestic tranquility "-sec;ional Interests pro-
NOTED at the expense of the common defence
and general welfare''-an, tie very blessings of
liberty to ourselves and poserity' put in aw
ful peril by the mmeasured strides OF tat Cavern
nent which has already passed the very barriers OF
The Constitution 10 which il its existence and
which now lies at the mercy of majority. who
seem 10 acknowledge other ior lis inter
probation than their own selfish and misguided in
lseress.
Gentlemen, that man must have been very
nattentive observer OF the history OF all Govern
uents, and very little have considered. the milo
sophy OF our own. VINO could not have predicted
ant .nnotnow ioresee. that no General Govern
nent, formed OF separate AMI confederate sovc-
reignties, can sustain the shock OF the abuses oil in
ternai leg. station among its memherstsat 10 s,ci,
legislation there would always be incen, partial
ny and Injustice on The hand, and distrust aud
;Jeasnusy on the otiler-tliat money raised by une.
qnai ia yaon n one section, would be expended in.
unequal proportions in anolher aud the ofrlent
such Government quits the exclusive guardian
snip ot'' the common defence and general wei,
iare, 10 provide for the domestic interests of It's
lInenibers, that moment ito foundation would be
Slapped and liz existence endangered. And yyilv
besause a coniederacy TINS egenerating ioSrs its
fundamental and distinctive character, anu he
comes Consolidated Government
khe events which surround w, in langlla &c roo
TINS crisis. For, when IN confeteracy of States
protesting to retain separate soveregnes, lis COIN
men head, IN spite OF all limitations determines
that the labor OF member of the league shall
pay tribute 10 nourish and reward the tabor Of
another; or TO slate the exact case when il j. de-
ched that the agriculture and trade of s;ou!h Car
DINA shall be taxed TWO millions and half to fos-
ter the manufactures o, New England this is cor
soiatioD in its most potent form; and the seperate
existence OF State as sovcep tnemher Of
confederacy oflimited powers, ia DESTROYED and
swallowed up in one great and undivided empire
The tendency Of our Government 10 this evil
from the delegation even OF very limited powers
oi informal legislation, was foretoid by many of
those gifted statesmen who were engaged in .hc
work OF training it, whose then condemned pre-
dictons are about 10 have fearful confirmation
Let any man cad the admoriiions ofGraysoIr
Henry. and Mason, in the convention of Virgin
Ia, although these were then considered as the
CassaDdriaD ehusions Of melancholy and fore
hodng spirit OF distrus and look al the steady and
in its accumulation of power; in its assumption
OF domestic legislation, within the jurisdiction
oil The States; in iis attempted regulation and abso-
lutte control tile industry OF the people of Ger
tain portions OF the Union for the benefit OF ne
industry of the people of other p1yis Of IT, and he
viii see the contamination OF those ills those pat
riots so feeIingly foretoid. And, gentle men how
can il be otherwise In a confederate Govern !
ment, when internal legislation is pushed into The /
sphere OF domestic interests and duties rcpresen-
fatiyo responsibility is, In fact, destroyed. for,
That sort Of responsibility have you over mem
uesc Legislation which Gongrcsss has islnlspd91.
votes that your imports, which forms the only
medium of exchange for the purchase of vo,Ir
xports, shall be taxed one hundred and twenty
per cent.---ior wiia, For any Of the legitimate
purposes for which ;hs Government was formed?
10 build Notifications tor the protection Of your
coast from the incnrsiDns OF an enemy 10 con-
stTuct those beautiful enbleins OF our prosSess
which have lIornc our infant flag in triumph and
glory through every sea To redeem tc ma
iional Faith by p1yiBg the national debt, cou'raci-
ed for the prosecutions Of that iusl and honorable
war, in which the South had mol single interest
a, STAKE, but into which She nevertheless flung the
/ tributes oi her generous and devoted ci,iyalry
No, not for oftbese purposes; but 10 pay base
. tribute TO craving InonopoIy--:o make an indus
: try profitable in which we have not The slightest
interest, nj the cost Of sacrificing own, aud al
once 10 be tagcd, rot for "tpe common defence
anil general welfare hut Tor pufp6ses the most
sodiousy seciJunnl and the most deleeably unjust
when the objects 81 legislation thus look 10
.roasolaiirD, IL would be Infinitely better that the
iab>iroct forms ~ orr Government we're ,hus no
EticIled. II would 5r Ear more beneficial for cx
iaiuyle, II must hase consoda'ion that 2l3
jinen,sers were elected by general ticket through
Eout the states. by which some sort Of reepOnsil-
I gilhy might be secured. than To- have 10