Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-12-28

evident that tire interpretation ofthc parties IN their
sovereign capacity, can DO called Tor by occasions
only deeply and essentially affecting tho vital prin
cpics of their political system"
Experience demonstrates that the danger rs not
that a state will resort to her sovereign rights too
frequently or light and trivial occasions, but that
she may shrink from asserting them as often as may
be necessary.
IL is maintained by South Carolina that according
10 the true spirit OF the Constitution 1T becomes
Congress in all emergencies like the present. either
the evil by legislation or to solicit of the
States tho call of II Convention; and mat on a fah
urc to obtain by the consent of three fourths OF all
the States an amendment giving the disputed pow
er it must be rog irded never having been intend
cd to DO given. These principles have been dis
tinctly recognized by tho President himself In his
message to congress ut the commencement OF the
present session, and they seem only TO be impract
cable absurdites when asserted by South Carolina,
made applicable to her existing controversy with
the Federal Government,
But 1t seems that South Carolina, receives from
the President credit for her sincerity, when it
is declared through her Chief Magistrate, that
"shc sincerely and anxiously seeks aud desires
the submission OF her grievances to a convention
Of all the States. "rhe only alternative (says the
Presidency which she presents, is the repeal Of all
the acts for raising rcrcnue; leaving the govern
ment without the means of support, or an ac
quicscnce in the dissolution Of our Union" South
Carolina has presented such alternatives. If
the President had read the documents which the
Convention caused to DO forwarded 10 him for the
express purpose of making known her wishes, and
her views, he would have found that South Caro-
lima asks more than that the Tariff should be
reduced to the rcrenuc standard; and has distinctly
pressed her Willingness, that can amount of du-
tics substantially uniform, should be levied upon
protected, we'll unprotected articles, sufficient
to raise The rerenuc necessary TO meet the demands
| of the Government, for Constitutional purposes"
He would have found in the Exposition, put forth
by the Convention itself, distinct appeal to our
sister States for the call of Conventions and the
preston of an entire willingness the part South
Carolina, TO submit the controversy to that tribunal.
/ Even at the very moment when he was indulging
in these unjust and injurious imputations upon the
people OF South Carolina, and their late highly
spectcd Chief Magistrate, u resolution had actual
| y been passed through both branches of our Le-
gisaturc, demanding call of that very Convention,
to which he declares that she had no desire that an
| appeal should be made.
Ii does not become tho dignity of Sovereign
State, to notice in the spirit which might be con-
! sdcred Us belonging to the occasion, the unwar-
rantabo imputations in which the President has
thS9ght proper to indulge, in relation South Ca
roina, the proceedings of her citizens and constitu-
ted authorities He has noticed, only to give it
countcnance. that miserable SANDER which imputes
the noble stand that our people have taken in de-
fence of their rights and liberties to faction in
stigatod by the efforts of few ambitious leaders
who have got up an excitement for their per.
sonal ACKNOWLEDGMENT. The motives and charac.
tiers Of those who have been subjected to these
| founded imputations, arc beyond the reach of the
President OF the United States. The sacrifices
they have made, and difficulties and trials through
which they may have yet TO pass, will leave nc
doubt as TO the disintcrested motives and noble i'm
pulses of patriotism and honor by which they are
actuatcd. Could they have been induced to sopa
rate their personal interests fror, those of the
people of South Carolina and have consented tc
abandon their duty to tho State, one knows bet
ter than the President himself, that they might
have been honored with the highest manifestation,
of public regard, and perhaps instead of being the
objects ofvitupcration, might even now have been
basking in the sunshine of Executive favor. Thi.
topic is alluded to, merely Tor the purpose of guard
ing the people of sister States against the fata
deusion that South Carolina has assumed her pre-
sent position under the influence of temporary cx
element; and to warn them that it has been the
result OF the slow but steady progress of public
opinion for the last ten years: that it is the act o.
tho people themselves, taken in conformity with
the spirit of resolutions repeatedly adopted in then
primary assemblies; 81 the solemn determination o.
the Legislature. publicly announced more than two
years ago. Let them not so far deceive them
selves on this subject, as opresevere in course
which must in tho end inevitably produce disolu
ton OF the Union, under the vain expectation tina
the great body of the people of South Carolina
listening to tho councils Of the President will ac
knowleL e their error or retrace thor steps, anc
still less that they will he driven from the vndca
ton OF their rights by the Intlmaton of the danger
i of domestic discord threats of lawless violence
| The brave men who have thrown themselves int
the breach in defence of the rights and liberties
their country, are not to be driven from their holy
and death itself, have no terrors for him who feel
RI and knows that he is engaged in the performance
of a scored duty. The people of South Carolin
| are we'll aware that however passion and preiu
dice may obtain for season the mastery of thu
public mind, and Justice must sooner or la
ter re-assert their empire: and that whatever may
be the event of this contest postery will do lust
ice to their motives, and to the spotlcss purity anc
devoted patriotism, with which they have entered
into an arduous and most unequal conflict, and tit
unfalterng courage with which, by the blessing o.
| Heaven, they will maintain it.
| The whole argument far as it is designed a
this time to enter into it, is disposed of; and i
is necessary to advert to passages in the Pro
clamatIon which cannot be passed over in silence
The President distinctly ntimates that it is his de
termination to exert the right of putting down the
opposition of South Carolina to the Tariff BIZ fore,
/ ~ Arms He believes himself invested with pow
or to do this under that provision of the Constitu
tion which directs him Ito take care tina. the law.
| be faithfully executed" Now, if by this it was
| only meant to be asserted that under the laws oil
| Congress of force, the President would fee
himself bound to aid the civil tribunals in the man
ner thereiH prescribed, supposing such laws to be
constitutional, no just exception could be taken 10
this assertion of Executive duty But if, as is ma.
nltostly intended the President sets up the claim
! to Judge for himself in what manner the laws are
to be enforced and feels himself at liberty to call
1orth the militia, and even the military and naval
forces o.! the Union, against the State of South
Carolina, her constituted authorities and citizens
then it is clear that he assumes a power not only
not conferred on the Executive by the constitutions
but which belongs to no dcspot upon earth excrci-
sing less unlimited authority than the Autocrat
OF all tho Russias: authority which, if submit
ted to- would at once reduce the free people of these
United 81 ties to state of the most abect and de-
graded slavery. But the President has no power
whatsoever to execute the Laws except in the
mode and manner prescribed by the I,svys Them
selves On looking into these Lave il wil Sc seen