Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-12-06
POLITICAL.

POLITICAL.
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF THE u. STATES.
by THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONVENTION.
To the People Of Massachusetts, Virginia. New York
Pennsylvania, North Carolina Maryland, Connecticut,
Vermont New Hampshire Maine New Jersey Co
gia, Delaware, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Tennessee
OHIO Louisiana Indiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama
and Missouri
We the People Of South Carolina, assembled in Com
venon have solemny and deliberately declared i'm our
pNramount sovereign capacity tat the Act OF Congress
approved the 10Th day OF May 1925 and the APPROX
cd The nth July 1892, altering and amending the several
Acts imposing duties on imports, unconstitutional and
therefore absolutely vod and binding force within
e UNITS OF tins Satc aud for the purpose CARRYING
this declaration into full and complete effect we have in
vested the Legislature with ample powers and made it
euuy Oh all The iuncuonarieS and all the citizens the
state, on their allegiance, cooperate in enforcing the
aforesaid declaration.
In resortng TO this important measure TO which we have
been mpeiled by the of all the duties which
Tree people either to the memory of their an
cestor the claims of their posterty we feel that If 10
due to the intimate political relation which exists between
South Carolina and the other States this conederacv
That we should presen; clear and distinct exposition of Tie
principles on which we have acted and OF the causes bv
linen we nave oeeh reluctantly constrained to assume
his attitude OF sOveregnresistance relation to the usr
pailonssoi the Federal Government.
For this purpose it will he necessary to state, briefly
what conceive TO be the relation created by the Fedo
raj Constitution, between the States and the General Co
vernmeni; and also what conceive be the true cha
accr and practical operation of the system of proe citing
duties as 1t affects rights interests and iber
We hold then, that their separation from the Crown
Of Great Britain, the several Colonies became free and in.
dependent States each enjoying the separate and ndepen
dent right of seligovernmen and that authority can
he exercised them within their limits but by their
consen respectively given States 1t is equally true
that the Constitution OF the United States is compact
forhedbetween the several States, acting as sovereign
communities; hat the government created by it is Joint
agency oil the States appointed TO the powers
enumerated and granted 10y that instrument; that all its
acts not Intentionally authorised of themselves essen
aIy null and void, and that the States have the right in
The same sovereign capacity in which they adopted the
feueFal constitution 10 pronounce, in the last resort
authoritative Judgment ON the usurpaions Of the Fc-
derd government, aud 10 adopt such as they
may deem necessary and expedien TO arrest the one
ration oil The unconstitutional acts of that government
within their respective limits Such we deem to bc
the inherent rights of the Sates-n the very nature
OF things, absolutely inseparable from sovereignty-
Nor the duty OF State, an Unconstitutional
and oppressive act of the Federal Government less i'm.
pcrauYe than the right is incontestble Each State by
IdiilynS the Federal Constitution and becoming mem
Der Of The conederacy, contracted obligation TO pro-
'eO ueIehu Wal instrument as well by resisting the
usurpaons of the Federal Government as bv sustain
ing hai government IN the exercise of the powers ac-
WS!y conferred upon H-And the obligation of the oath
winch Is imposed under the constitutions on every fnc-
oh3ry oil the States TO "preserve, protect and defend"
the Federal Constitutions clearly comprcbenls tho d,,
~ OF protecting and defending against the uslrpations
Of The Federal Government, that of protecting and de.
lending 1t against violation in any other form, any
o:lcr quarter.
1t true that in radfyng the Federal Constitution the
states placed large aud important portion of the rights
OF clF czens underline JOINT protection of all The States
WIN view 10 heir more eheciua security; but it is not
less true, that they reserved portion still larger and not
less important under their
ana IN relation TO which their original obligation protect
their citizens from whatever quarter asailed remains I'M
changed and undiminshed.
But clear and undOUbed we regard the rights and
sacred as we regard the duty Of the States terpose
their sovereign power for the purpose Of protecting their
citizens from the uncous tion and opnrsssivo 90 ~
uc Federal Government, yet clearly of the
opinion ha nothing short Of that high moral and political
necessity which results from acts Of usurpaiion subyer
sIvc OF the rights and liberties Of the people should in
ducc member of this conlederacy to resort TO this inter
position such, however, is the melancholy and painful
necessity under hich have declared the acts OF Con-
gfe5s imposing protecting duties, null and void within
the limits OF South Carolina The spirit and the prn-
ctples which animated your ancestors and ours in the
councils and 10 the fields Of their glory, forbid
as 10 submit any longer system OF Iegisldtion now
become the established policy OF the Federal Govern
ment Toy which are reduced TO condition of colonial
vassalaee in alb its aspects oppressive and ntoera
bic than uat rom which common ancestors relieved
thenseNes by the war Of the Revolution. There is no
fEu Wc enters more essentially into Just conce pton
OF liberty, Sham that Of The free unrestricted use of
te productions OF our industry This clearly inyoy es the
night OF carrying TIE productions OF haiudusry wherever
ih'y 90" De most adVdiageo"sy exchanged, whether in
foreign Of domestic markets. South Carolina produces
almost exclusively, agricultural staples which derive
Ue pfWcip value iFom The demand lJr them in foreign
countries Ouder ,csc circumstances her natural mark
els are doroadi dud restrictive duties imposed upon her
intercourse with those markets. diminish the exchanoea
tent Of those duties.
Undcr system Of free trade the aggregate crop of
Carolina could be exchanged for larger quantity of ma
npacurcs, by ateast third, than it can be now ex
changed Dr under ho protecting system. II is no less
evident, that thc value OF tat crop IS diminished by the
protecting system very nearly. II not precisely 10 the ex
tcn that The aggregate quantity OF manufactures which
can be obtained Tor ~ IS dniIed 10 IS, indeed strict
W 'ni ph'osopmcay lruc that The quantity Of consuma
bic commodities which can be obtained Tor the and
rice annually produced Ivy lie industry OF The State the
precise measure Of their aggregate value But Tor the
prevalent ani hi''ud error Of coni0undng the money
price WIN re cvchangeable value Of gricuurs sta
pIn i""se propositions would Dc regarded self evident
D. Ve protecting duties were repealed. hundred bales
oil cotton or one hundred barrels Of rice would purcase
l'r9e quantity Of manufactures one hundred and 6ny
"H now purchase. Tie annual income Of the State s
means OF purchasing and consuming tho ncccssancs add