Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-09-04
GENERAL WILLIAMS, LETTER.
SOCIETY HILL, July got

| SOCIETY HILL. July goth, 1928.
ToJ NJ Rib5in. ). Otterson, r. H. Spencer. B. NJ
Pearson, and J. J. Pratt, Esguires.
| GENTLEMEN-The letter which you were
pleased to address to me on the ll,n inst. did
not reach me until last night. In fulhllment Of
the objects OF your appointment, you have thus
adore ssed me: "we respectfully ask to be in.
formed by you, Of the state OF public fesling
and public opinion in your section Of the State,
in relation 20 The passage Of the tariff; and whe
| Their the people Seem determined tn oppose the
operation Of he law, and if so, tChat mode Of op
position will, in your opinion, best comport
with Their views and feelings We further beg
of you, 10 communicate to US your opinions
and vie vs., as 10 The policy which, under exist
ing circumstances, may be most etfectual and
speedy IN producing the discontinue and de-
feat Of what is termed the projecting policy
Give US your advice in this matter of delicate
and difficult import 1t is much 10 be desired
that you would communicate with us, in suffi-
| Gent time for us 10 avail ourselves OF the adj
vantage of your Information, opinions, views,
and advice, prior to the ad journed meeting
which is 10 rake place, as before stated, on the
6rs, Monday in August next"
Thus called upon, feel that I ought not TO
he silent, however unlmportant my opinions
may be on the interesting subject OF your ad.
dress AS you seem DESTROYS 10 know them,
embrace the earliest opportunity of giving
them, confident that, whether agreeable TO your
own or not, they WILDE treated with irankness,
and to which am quickened by the belief, that
although it may be sometimes unavailing, to
| throw oil on iempestuouS ocean TO calm It's
troubled surface, it never has been nor can be
hurliul. answer, the state of"public feeling"
in this part of The state is extremely angry and
indignant; and the "pubic opinion" is, that the
system which has excited that anger and in
dgnation, is founded in injustice, being IN It's
very nature, extortion from the many, for The
benefit Of the few only; and II is moreover Who'll.
ly and grossly in violation Of the Constitution
Of the United States. | have not doubt that
this is the opinion Of ninety nine hundred,hs oil
The cilIzens Of this Congressional district. II
is not easy 10 Say what proportion, II any OF
them, "are determined 10 oppose the oprratio
Of the law" fear we have some young and
gallant spirits who, impatient OF wrongs, are
willing 10 risk their hives, fnot their necks, in
military career, Of only for the fun Of it" but
| Of The discre sober minded, or aged, have
me, not one, who will countenance any other
Opposition" than such as will hereafter dcs>
cribe. We have had, since the adjournment
Of Congress, no public meetings on this sub
iect and doubt if there will be any; at least Ia
this i,Dms dia,e neighborhood. Almost all the
influential part OF the community are for mode
rating the excitement, as much as possible.
| AS 10 my own opinions and views, (alow me
to declare | state them solely because you seem
to desire them} they are in perfect uHion with
those of my fellow citizens, on the character oil
the laws complained Of | believe them 10 be
unwise, unjust, unconstitutional. But at the
.anss- time Sasnst hide from axsslt that. there
subject that ought not 10 be disregardcd. They
were adopted after long deiideralion, with all
the forms and sanctions oflegislatve proceed
ings by decided majority. That the ajori
ty ought TO rule, is principle Oh which all our
institutions are bo,tomed. 1t is ust as much
the duty of The minority to obey, as it is that
the majority shall govern, according to the spe>
ei6c powers granted in the constitution. Whe
Their the powers delegated to Congress, have
been exercised properly, are questions to bc
decided by reason, not by mere force. dill
ference Of opinion will arise on almost every
subject: few, indeed, if any Of them, ought to
be made questions for dissolving the Union;
and after all, 70 what can appeal with so
much propriety, as 10 the sense OF the ma jori-
ty. Let US suppose the worst, that the tariff
laws are unconstitutional and that they will be
persisted in by the majority who have passed
them; are we not still bound 10 exercise our
best reason, in deciding whether it is such
case that Acknowledgement OF the Union alone !
can remedy: and if so, whether it shall be re-
sorted 10. Let US not deceive ourselves: this |
in fact is the end, and the only one, 10 which
resistance by the Legislature leads. Is it ex.,
pedi.nt 10 follow il I think not. Is there a
discreet citizen Of Union district, can one BIZ |
found in the state, who will prefer 10 take his
musket and shoot down twenty three Kentuck
ians and Yankees Uhe destruction of life must
be in this proportion, or it will be against us)
rather than make his own coarse woollen cloth2
for it would seem that the increased duties ON
hemp, iron, naolasses and sugar, excite tut
small share Of our anger, our o,Dn repre-
senfatives having voted for them. This
may br coarse way Of stating the case, but
strip it naked and j, is fair one. But very
important inquiry remains TO be selled, before
we urge the Legislature TO resisranc Ought
we not to be clearly satisfied that the Legisla-
ture itself can remedy the evil' / believe the
case does not warrant such an appeal, and what