The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-12-12

decided advantage over The planting States.
Fer it is domonstraLly evident that, as commu-
mites, the manufaci urng States would bear no
part of the burihens Of Federal Taxation, SO
Tar as the revenue should be derived from pro-
tected articles. The carnestness with which
their representatives seek Ia increase the duties
on these articles, is conclusive proc! that taose
duties are bounties and not burihens to their
constituents. As a, least two thirds of the
federal revenue would be raised from protected
articles, under the proposed modification ot the
Tariff, the manufacturing States would be en-
trely exempted from all participation in that
proportion of the public burthens.
Under these circumstances we cannot permit
ourselves TO believe for a moment, that in
crisis marked bv such portentous aud fearful
omcns, those States can hesitate in acceding 10
this arrangement, when they perceive that it
will be the means, and possibly the only means,
of restoring the broken harmony OF this great
Conederacv.
They most assuredly have the strongest OF
human inducements, aside from all considera-
tons of justice, to adjust this controversy,
without pushing it to extremities. This can
be accomplished only by the proposed modih-
cation of the Tariff, or by the call of II general
Convention of all The States. II South Carolina
should be driven out Of the Union, all the other
Planting States, and some of the Western
States, would follow by an almost absolute mo-
cessity. Can i; 10 believed that Georgia, Mis-
slssippi, Tennessee, and even Kentucky, would
continue to pay Strlbute of fifty per cent upon
their cohsumptio, to the Northern States, for
the privilege ofbeng united to them, when
they could receive all their supplies through the
ports of South Carolina, without paying sim
gle cent for trbue'
The separation of South Carolina would in
evitoLly produce a general dissolution of the
Union; and necessary consequence, the
protecting system, with all its pecuniaTy boun
lies to the Northern States, and Its pecunidry
! burthens upon the Southern States, would be ut
terly overthrown and demolished involving the
ruin OF thousands and hundreds OF thousands in
the manufacturing States.
BY these powerful considerations, connected
with Their own pecuniary interests we beseech
them to puse and contemplate the disastrous
consequeIccs which will certainly result from
an obstinae perseverance on their part, in
maintaining the protecting system. With
them, 1t is question of merely pecunlary in,
/ teTest, connected with no shadow of right, and
! involving m principle of liberty. Win us, II
| is questin involving our most sacred rights
! those yer rights which our common ances'
tors left us common inheritance, pnrchas-
cd by their common tolls and conSecrated by
their blood. 1t is a question Of liberty on the
one hand aid slavery on the other.
If we submit 10 tbs system of unconstitu-
tional oppression. we shall voluntarily sink into
slavery and transmit that ignominious inherit
ance TO our hdren. We will not, we cannot,
we dare not;ubmt 10 this degradation, and our
resolve IS ked and unalterable that protect
ing tariff nall be no longer enforced within
the limits South Carolina We stand upon
! the prIncipes of everlasting justice, and no hu-
man poweishall drive us from our position.
We hav not the slightest apprehension that
the genera government will ...;vtnpt 10 force
! TINS systen upon us by military power. We
have wared our brethren of the consequences
! of such 81 attempt. But if notwithstanding
such corse of madness should be pursued,
we here s,lemnly declare that this system OF
oppression shall never prevail in South Carroll
ma, until ione but slaves are left TO submit to
it. We would infinitely prefer that the terri.
tory of fine State should be the cemetery of
freemen, han the habtation of slaves. Ac.;i-
ated by these principles, and animated by these
sentiments, we will cIing'to the pillars of our
liberties, and it ii must fall, we will perish
amidst the ruins