Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-05-16

esteem OF some. would he the most sanciilaonious
obia'ion we could offer the shrine of this non
But, after all, IS it wise TO push free peopt 10 the
extremity oil inquiring whetaer this thing is just
anu whether It il right that il should bolborae:
Our conicderacy was surely not formed for the
agita'ian oil such heart-burninS and perilous q'es
tons.
Sir, one Of the great masters of humanknow-
ledge. who, with ken little short of the Spirit oil
prophecy, perceived some of the causes ii the
success oi our revolution in the very turn oGthink
ing ofour people or the subject OF taxation, has
told us, that " Liberty inheres in some ssnsibe
ohJects; every nation has formed for itself some
% hvorite point, which, by way oil emincnce, be-
- comes The criterion OF their happiness. II hap
pened that the great contests for freedom, i, this
:" country, were, II the earliest times. chiefly
" upon Inc question OF taxing. 1t is not easy to
maze Il monopoly OF theorems and corollaries.-
g The colonies draw from you, as with their lii e.
" blood, these ideas and principles. Their love o.
" liberty is fixed, and attached, on this specific
point OF taxing" And SO, Sir, it has continued,
down TO the present day, in transit from colo-
MAI dependence to sovereign States. This habit
uai sensibiiity. which belongs TO free people, you
nave aroused, by observing no sort OF moderation
III your objects, until you have fixed the conviction
IN the public mind. that the difference between
" taxation without representation and taxi ion
with representation, in violation OF the spirit if no.
The letter OF the constitution, i, too idle in the
abstract, TO mitigate the evils which, in practice
are common 10 both; and. depend upon it, thai il
'".ieiuHe aHioTe ingenious aHu talented ca5ulSt
uinn even such man as the pensioned author OF
" Taxation no Tyranny" 10 satisfy our people that
you are not doing the same thing, in a differ ent
form, with the superadded buruen or s,t of
,npost, which never arose even in the nag gina lion
OF Granville and of North to stimulate their cor
morant appetite for American revenue; aggrav tcd
as all this is, by the irrcprcss5c sentiment that
you are breaking the faith of that equal conf ,act
by which this Union can alone hope 10 live the
fountain from which its current runs, or bears no
life"
Sir, there may be those who arc wise enough to
dcspise and courageous enough TO brave, the set
Ted discomfort OF people who, at least, believe
themselves 10 be free; and there may live that
man, for aught know, sufficiently base 10 de sire
10 put one State out OF Joint, in this Union by
goading, through insult and injury, her people into
rebellion, for the pious purpose Of sustaining gar
t,c-'iGr dynasty, and its an0iated succession To
the ilrst, let me point TO the solemn lessons wi Itch
| history untolds; TO the last, know not Whit to
say-ior his ustrious infamy would deserve 50 me-
thing more than the cheap gnominy of j gibbet
But trust, Sir, that this cup may pass from US:
; IL ai IN our hrrnness and enlightened patience
not base submission-and in your returning sense
OF Justice, we shall find our remedy and relief
That the spirit OF concord and affection may az ain
be breathed into this Union animating il with the
durability OF eternal life. But, IAN adverse de SIT.
ny should be ours-ifwe are doomed to drnl, the
waters OF bitterness" i'll their utmost woe,-if we
are doomed, under tyranuous legislation, to be
duced, Ill effect, again. to condition of colonial
salage, by your compelling TO purchase, in one
quarter of this Union, all that we may consume,
and OF selling all that procure by the sweat OF
our brow TO the same favored portion, you may re-
~ at least on one thing-that, in juncture so full
OF difficulty, South Carolina will be found on the
side of those principles. standing firmly, on the
very ground which is canonized by that revolution
which has made US what we are, AMI inbued us
with the spirit OF free and sovereign people.
Ear be it from me, Sir, short-sighted and ungise
as am, TO indicate the crisis when she ought 10
act. A more humble office will he mine. Ii will
be sufficient for Inc TO know, that-among the least
worthy but not the least devoted, of her children
where she is there will also be, with hostages of
an offspring that love, and with a heart which,
trust, in all due humility, will not f,Itcr" with
resistance itself becomes virtue"