The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-12-18
PROCLAMATION,
By ANDREW JACKSON.
President of the United Slater.


WHEREAS Convention assembled in
the State Of South Carolina, have passed
an Ordinance by which they declare" That
the several acts a. parts of acts of the Con-
gress of the U. g. purporting to be laws
for the imposing of duties a. mposts on the
importation offoreign commodities, and now
having actual operation and effect within
The U. s. and more especially" two acts
Tor the same purposes passed OH the 29th OF
May, 1928. and OH the i4th of July, 1882,
are unauthorized by tho Constitution of
the U. 3. and violate the true meaning and
intent thereof, and are null and void and no
law" nor binding on the citizens of that
State or its officers and by the said Ordi-
nance, it is further declared to be unlawful
for any ol'the constituted authorities Of the
State or Of the U. s. to enforce the payment
of the duties imposed by the said acts within
the same State and that it is the duty of the
Legislature TO pass such laws as may be
necessary to give full effect to the said Or
dinance;
AND WHEREAS, by the said Ordinance it
is further ordained that in no case of law or
equity, decided in the Courts of said State,
wherein shall be drawn in question the va
lidity oil the said Ordinance, or of the acts Of
the Legislature that may bo passed to give
II effect, or of the said laws ofthe u. S. no
appeal shall be allowed to the Supreme
Court of the U. ). nor shall any copy Of
the record be permitted or allowed for that
purpose, and that any person attempting to
take such appeal shall be punished as TOR
contempt OF Court;
And finally, the said Ordinance declares,
that the people of South Carolina will main
tain the said Ordinance at every hazard;
and that they will consider the passage of
any act by Congress abolishing or closing
the ports of the said State, or otherwise OBJ
slructiDg the free ingress Of vessels to and
from the said ports, or any other act of the
Federal Government to coerce the State,
shut up her ports, destroy or harrass her
commerce, or to enforce the said acts other
wise than through the civil tribunals of the
country, as Inconsistent with the longer
continuance OF South Carolina in the Union;
and that the people of the said State will
thenceforth hold themselves absoved from
all further obligation to maintain or pre-
serve their political connection with the
people of the other States, and will forth
with proceed to organize n senarnta- Co.
verDGlent, and do al! other acts and things
which sovereign and independent States
may Of right do;
AND WHEREAS, tho said Ordinance pre-.
scribes to the people Of South Carolina n
course of conduct in direct violation oftheir
duty as citizens Of the u. s. contrary to
the laws OF their country, subversive OF it's
Constitution, and having for its object the
obstruction otthe Union-that Union, which
coeval with our political existence, led our
fathers, without any other ties to unite them
than those OF patriotism and common
cause, through sanguinary struggle. TO
glorious ndependcnce-thats sacred Union,
hitherto inviolate, which, perfected by our
happy Constitution, has brought us by the
favor OF Heaven to a state of prosperity at
home. and high consideration abroad rarely,
If ever. equalled in the history of nations. -
To preserve this bond of our political exist
ence from destruction, to maintain inviolate
this state OF national honor and prosperity,
and to justify the confidence my fellow.
citizens have reposed in me. | ANDREW
JACKSON, President Of the United States,
have thought proper to issue this my PRO-
CLAMATION, stating my views OF the
Constitution and laws applicable to the
measures adopted by the Convention Of
South Carolina and 10 the reasons they have
put forth to sustain them, declaring the
course which duty will require me to pur-
sue, and, appealing to the understanding and
patriotism offhe people, warn them of the
consequences that must inevitably result
from an observance Of the dictates ofthe
Convention.
Strict duty would require ofme nothing
more than the exercise ofthose powers with
which | arm now or may hereafter be invest
ed, for preserving the peace Of the Union,
and for the execution oftbe laws. But the
imposing aspect which opposition has as
sumed in this case, by clothing itself with
State authority and tho deep interest which
the people ofthe U. =. must all fee! in pre-.
venting resort to stronger measures, while
there is a hope that any thing will be yielded
to reasoning and remonstrance, perhaps de-
mand, and will certainly justify full expo
sition to South Carolina, and the Nation,
ofthe views entertain Of this important
question, as well as a distinct enunciation
ofthe course which my sense OF duty will
require me to pursue.
The Ordinance 10 founded, not on the
ndefeasible right Of resisting acts which
are plainly unconstitutional and too oppres-
sive TO be endured but on the strange
position that any one State may not only
declare an Act of Congress void, but pro-
bibit its exccution--that they may do this
consistently with the Constitution--that
the true construction Of that instrument
permits State to retain its place in the
Union, and yet be bound by no other Of its
laws than those it may choose to consider
as constitutional. II is true, they add, that
to justify this abrogation Of q law, il must
be po!pably contrary TO the Constitution
but it is evident. that to give the right of
resisting laws Of that description, coupled
with the uncontrolled right to decide what
laws deserve that character, is to give the
power Of resisting all laws. For, as BY the
theory, there is no appeal, the reasons alleg-
ed BY the State, good or bad, must prevail.