Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-12-04

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impartial Judgment of postcrity whatever may he
the Issue OF THIS unhappy controversy. We conf
IDENTIFY appeal to our Confederate States, aud the
whole world to decide whether tho annals of hu.
man legislation furnish parallel instance of in.
justice and oppression perpetrated under tho forms
OF free government. However it may no dis.
guiscd by the completely of the process hy which
il is effected, il is nothing less than the u,,.t ro,,s
outrage Of taking three millions of dol.,rs an.
nually, tron, the value Of the produei OF South
( Carolina, ana transferring it To tho peopo of
other and distant communities. No human Go
vcrnmont, can rightfuly exercise such Il pow
cr. Ii violates tho eternal principles of natural
Justice. and converts the Government into moro
instrument of legislative pundor OF all tho Co
vornmsuts on the face Of the EARTH the Federal Go
vernmen has the least shadow of a constitutional
right To exercise such power. 1t was created
principally, and almost exclusively, for tho purpose
! OF protecting, improving, and extending that very
commerce, which, :or the last ten years, all its
powers have bcon most unnaturaliy and ;inrip hto
ously perverted Ia Cripple and destroy. The pow.
er to regulate commerce with foreign nations
was granted obviously for tho preservation of that
commerce. The most important of all the duties
which tho Federal Government owes to 5. Carroll.
ma, under The compact OF Union liz the protect ion
and detcuco of hor foreign commerce, AGAINST all
INC enemies Ivy whom 1t may DO assailed. And in
what manner has this duty been discharged? All
mo powers O" the earth, by their commercial re.
strctons and all the pirates Of the ocean by thor
lawlcss violence, could not have done so much T.,
destroy our commerce., as has been done hy that
very Government, 10 which it's guardians ship has
neon committed by tho Federal Constitution. The
commerce of South Carolina consists in exch.n.
gng the staple productions of her soil for tho ,aa
nutacturos oil Europe. 1t is a lawful commerce.
Ii violates the rights of class of pcop!s in any
portion of the confederacy. 1t is this very com.
ncrce, therefore, which tho constitution has en-
Joined IT upon Congress to encourage, protect, and
deead by such regulations may DO nece ssary to
accomplish that object. But instead of that pro.
tecion which is the only tic of our allegiance,
individual citizons TO the Federal Government, we
have seen gigantic system of restrictions gradu-
ally reared up, and at length brought Il fat nj ma
| turty, of which it is the avowad object and must
| be the inevitable result, 10 sweep commerce
from the great highway of nations, and cover our
lant with poverty and ruin.
Even tho States most deeply interested in tho
maintenance of tho protecting system will admit,
ina 1t s tho interest of South Carolina to carry on,
a cemmerco "f exchanges with foreign countries,
tree from restrictions, prohhitory burthens or in
/ cunbrances of any kind. We feel, and we know
tina, the vital interests of the State arc in volved in
such commerce. 1t would be downright insul,
to our understandings, To tell us that interests
are not Injured, deeply injured, by those prohhto.
~ duties, intended and calculated TO prevent us
from obtaining the cheap manufactures of foreign
countries for our staples. and compel us to receive
! tor them the dear manufactures of domestic
Establishments or pay tho penalty of the pro oct
rg dutie. for daring to exercise one of the most IA
cred OF our natural rights. Whist right, thon, hu.
man Or divine, have the manufacturing Satcs-for
We regard the Federal Government n nero in
strnment III their hands, to prohibit South Carroll
IA, directly indirectly from going to her nat,i
al markets, and exchanging the rich productions
of her soil, without restriction incumbranco for
such iorogin articles will most conduce to the
wea'.h and prosperity of her citizens? L, will not
surely be pretended (for truth and dccency equally
torOid the allegation, that ia exchanging our pro
ductIons for the cheaper manufactures of Europe,
we violate any right Of the domestic manufactu-
rcrs, however gratifying it might be to them if we
WOuld IN ini ario ,b-
er prices.
Upon what principle, then, can the State Of
South Carolina be called upon to submit TO u sys-
tenn, which excludes her from her natural marks .
and the manifold benefits of that cnrching COR.
incrce which kind and beneficcnt Providence h 9
provided to connect her with the family of tom
ny the bonds Of mutual interest? Bui ono an
swer can be given TO this question. 1t is in vain
that we attempt tn disguise the fact morlifying as
II must be- that the principle by which South CT ro-
lima is thus excluded, is in stric; propreiy Of Ian
guage, and To all rational ntents and PURPOSES a
principle Of colonial dependence and vassallge in
all respects identical with that which restrained our
foFciaihcrs from trading with any manufacturing
nation CT Europe, other than GrUat Britain. South
Carolina now bears the relation to the manu-
featuring States ofthis Confedsracy, that the Au.
glo American colonies bore to the mother coun-
try, with the single exception that burhens arc
ihcon'ParaOIy more oppressive than those of our
ancestors. Our time, pride ami the occasion
equally forbid to out the degrading analo-
! gy. We leave that to the historian who shall re-
cord the judgment which impartial posterity
Will pronounce upon the cyentful transactions of
this day.
Ii is In vain that we attempt to console ourselves
ny the empty and unreal mockery of our repre-sn.
tation in Congress. AS 10 all those great and vital
! interests of the state, which affected by the
protecting system, it would be better that she had
no representation in that body. 1t serves other
purpose but to conceal the chains which fetter
] Liberties under the vain and empty forms of a re.
preventative Government. In the enactment OF
the protecting system, the majority of Congress, is
| IN strict proprlety of speech irresponsible dcs
potlsn A very brief analysis will rend.r this clcaJ
/ to every understanding. What, then we ask is
involved in the idea of political responsibilitv in
the imposition OF public burthens2 1t clearly i'm
! pics that th"5o WHO impose tho buFthcns should
be responsible to those who bear thom. Every re.
preventative IN Congress should be responsible not
only TO his own immediate constituents, but throug h
| them and their common participation in tho bur
thens imposed to the constituents Of eyory other
representative. If i'll the enactment of protect.
ing tariff, the majority in Congress imposed upon
their own constituents the same burthcns which
/ they impose upon the people of South Carolina
That majority would act under all the restraints oil
political responsibility, and we should have the
best security which human wisdom has vet devised
against oppressive legislation.
But the fact ls precisely the reverse of this
The majority IN Congress, in imposing protecting
duties, which uttrely destructive of The interests
OF South Carollna, not only impose no burthcns
but actually confer snrcbing bounies upon thoi,
constituents prOporiioned to The burt hens hev i'm
poso upon us. Under these circumstances tho
principle Of representative responsibtv tx peryori.
cd into principle of absolute despo,i,m II ia
this very tie, binding the majority of Conf ross tn
execute the will of their constituents which ma IN.
them our exorable npprcssors. They dare not OMEN
lhcir hearts TO the sentiments of human Justice or
TO The feelings OF human sympathy. They are ty.
rants by tho very necessity Of their position how
ever elevated may be their principles in their indi-