Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-10-24
From the National InteIligeneer.


When, some twelve months or more ago, we
said thar we had such Information as induceo
US 10 believe that the Governor OF VIRGINIA. anu
a party around him, contemplated some such
measure as The taxation OF imports from the
Eastern States by way Of revenge for an in
crease Of The Tariff, we were answered with
per, denial and uuseemly Aouts, by the Rich
mond Enquirer, the organ OF that party
When the Governor Of the same STATE, IN
ambiguous AID circumlocutory phrases, IN his
Messages of last Winter to the Legislature,
iu,imated the existence Of some such scheme,
and almost expressly recommended the mea-
sure, the "organ'' was silent. Not note was
heard, either Of appreciation or dissent. The
ENQUIRER was willing, and yet afraid, 10 praise.
1t would not have been polite, at that moment,
10 hazard an experiment so dangerous as that
Of attempting 10 shake the loyalty oil the Old
Dominion TO the Union.
When the hot heads in Charleston, and the
scarcely les. heated zealois Of Collelon, sug-
pested a similar measure, i, was regarded very
Generally, We believe, as an empty menace,
rlade under excitement, on The cessation Of
which it would be remembered only 10 be re-
GREETED.
Blu, now, TO our great grief, we are ande ceiv'
ed. I, is seriously medtated, by the leading
men in the State Of South Carolina, to attempt
some such measure al the approaching Session
Of the Legislature of that State. A Senator OF
the United Staies-aye, Senator offhe United
faies-drliberately and openly proposes II. a
| Senator from Southern State comes forward
with the odious proposition, in cft CT, to declare
the States Of the Union alien 10 each olher-to
| break asunder the bonds Of the Union, and
bastardize its issue. Spiri, Of WAsHlN eTos! Of
LowNpEs! with what dismay would your pa
trio,ic souls have regarded so startling pro.
posi,ion? How shocked would you have been
10 he ar it. ,oo, from Stale Justly dear 10 both
your hearts for its chiyalry and its generous
devotion, during your days, TO the interests OF
| the whole country!
The proposition Of Judge SMITH, the Senator
! referred to (and are sorry 10 learn, from
private sources, that he is sustained by ether
leading men-and lawyers too) is for the State
Legislature 90 lay such tax upon every such
article or thing whatsoever, which may be OF
the gro,oth, production, or manufacture,
Of any other Of the United States than the State
of South Carolina, as shall destroy the int
rests Of those concerned an their sale. y
It's Difficult, TO say whether The object of the
proposition, or the means proposed TO effec, it.,
are most revolving. The former is wholly In
ronsis,en, with The spirit OF the Constitution,
The latter with its letter. Both are equally
repugnsn, 10 The neral sense, and 10 every thing
like national feeling.
The worst feature abou; the proposition is,
that il looks TO foreign commerce, to the tx.
cusion Of domestic; TO foreign connexions in
preference 10 American; and, eventually, by
The natural course ofevcnis, 10 foreign alliance
against the authority oil The Union.
Jecys. Iney may not ne wIruIn rne rourrrnpta.
ton Of Judge SMITH, or his associates, even as
possible, and much less as certain. They in
tend, we have no doubt, to stop short of the
ultima ratio: they do not intend civil war: but,
when they have raised the tempest, can they
a4ay h9 When they have igniled the train
with their breath, ,uiH their breath e.rtin-
guish the confagration?