Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-01

Th.,. nrobibi,icns i: must be confessed, are
con,roI ON the S,a,e sovereignty OF South Car
Gina as well as of the other Safes, whish does
mn, arise from her own feelings CT honorao.e
;us,ice." Such an opinion, therefore, IL In GEN
arce of the plaipest provisions OF The eo"''i'u
lion. h,s;ss
There are other proceedings OF public ooaies
which have already been alluded 10, ana 10
which | refer again for the purpose oil ascer,
Timing more Tally, what Is the 'ens'" S"'
brr adj Of ,ha, doctrine, denomIna'ed inc "a.
rolina doctrine, which the Hon msmoer "aS
now stood 40 on this hoor TO maintain
Jn one of them find it resolved. INA, '"e
8 Tariff Of 1928, aud every other arm ceSis"'
cd IN nro,,o,. one branch Of industry, a the
9 expense of others, is contrary to the meaning
|. and intention of The Federal compact, ana as
such, dangerous, paipable and deliberate
6 usurpaion Of power, by determines VI"
iori,y. WELDING the General Government oe'
IS yond The limi,s Of > delegated powers, as
8 calls upon the States which compose Tue SUI
6 rering minority: in their sorefe'B" eaPae'5'
g TO exercise the powers which, as sovereign
9 necessarily dcvoIve upon them wheh '"eif
compact is violated"
Observe, sir, that ibis resolution nous '"e
Tariff Of 1928, and every other arm, cesis"'
ed 10 promote one branch OF inous"! a' '"e
expense Of another, 10 be such dangerous
pal! ahl., and deliberate usarpatIon OF po"er'
as calls upon The S,ates, in theF sovereign ca
paciiy, 10 interfere by their own power: MS
dcnuncia,ion, Mr.. President, you VIII please 10
observe, includes our old IarIf oil 1870 as
we'll as others; because that was es'aoi'nea W
promote the interest Ut ,be manufacturers o,
cotton, to the manifest and admitted injury OF
tina, all the qualifications are here rehearsed
and charged upon he tariff, when are heces'
sary 10 bring the case within the gen'leman's
proposi,ion.- The tariff is a Gsurpsllon; IL is
a dangerous u4urpaIon; II is palpabe usur'
pation; il is a deliberate usurpa'ion. IL Is
such ausurpa'ion, as calls upon TIE States to
exercise their right Of interference, Here is
case, then, within the gentleman's principles,
and all his qualfc ations OF MS principles. II
is case for action. The Constitution is plain-
ly, dangerously, paIpably, and deliberale " vio-
lated; and the States mus, ioerpose their own
authority TO arrest the law. Let US suppose
the State Of South Carolina to express this
same opinion, by the voice Of her Legislature.
That would be very Imposing, but what then!
Is the voice OF one State conclusive! IL s"
happens, that At the very moment when SCUM
Carolina resolves that ,he Tariff laws are un
constitutional, Pennsylvania, anc Kentucky, re-
solve exactly the reverse. They hold those laws
to be both highly proper, and strictly canstitu-
tional. And now, sir, how does The honorable
member propose to deal with this case! How
does he ge out Of This difficulty, upon any
principle Of hisl Hi, construction gets US IN
to it.; how does he propose 10 sc! US ou!
Jn Carolina the ariF is papable, delibe rate
usurpa,ion; Carolina, therefore, may nnihfy IT,,
and refuse to pay the duties. In Pennsylvania,
i, is both c'early constitutional, and highly ex-
pedient, ana there, the dutns are TO be paid.
And yet, we live under a government OF cni-
form laws. and under Constitution, too,
which con,Sins an express provision, a. 1t hap
pens, that all duties shall be equal in all The
States! Docs not this approach absurdi:y?
If there be NO power 10 settle such ques-
tons, independent Of either Of The States, is
not the whole Union rope Of sand? Are we
not thrown ba, k again, precisely, upon the old
Confederation!
Il is too plain TO be argued Four and TWEEN
~ interpreters IF constitutional ls.r, zach with
q power 10 decide for its II, ard none with
aut noriy to bind any body else, and this con.
slitui law te only bond Of their Union?
What is such state Of things, but mere con
| nexion during pleasure, oil TO use The phraseo-
l,gy Of the times, during feeling And that
feeling, TOO no, the feeling Of the people, who
established the constitution, bu, the feeling OF
| the Safe Governments.
In ano her Of the South Carolina Addresses,
having promised that the crisis requires call
the concentrated energy ofpassion." an attitude
Of open resistance TO the laws Of the Union is
advised Open resistance To the laws, then Is
| he constitutional remedy, the conservative
power OF the state, which the South Carolina
doctrines teach for The redress Of polite al evils,
real or imaginary. And its authors further
say, that, appealing with confidence to the
Constitution itself to justify their opinions,
They canno, consent to try their accuracy BY
the courts OF justice. In one sense, indeed sir.
This is assuming an attitude Of open resistance
| in favor OF liberty. Blu, wha, sort OF liberty!
| The liberty OF establishing their own opinions,
in d,dauce OF the opinions of all others; the
liberty Of judging and deciding exclusively for
| themselves, in a maties in which Others have as
much RICH, to judge aud decide as they; the
liberty Of placing their own opinions above the
! Judgment Of all others. above the laws, and
above tire constitution. This is their liberty,
and this is the fair result Of the proposition