Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-12-20
PROCLAMATION,
ny ANDREW JACKSON,
pnrSprNr OF THE UNITED STATES.

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES'
WHEREAS u Convention assembled in
the State Of Somtl,-Carolina, have passed
an Ordinance by which they declare" That
the several acts ~ parts of acts oi I he Con
prcss of the u. ). purportng io be laws
ior the imposing sf duties ~ i,nposis on the
importation Of farign cominodiiies, ,a'ii now
having actual operation and effect within
the u. =. and more especially, two acts
for tho snme purposes passed on thc 29th o'
Nav. 1875. aud Oh the lIih OF July, 1887
" are unauthorized by the Constitution OF
the u. :. and violate the true meaning un'
intent thereof, and are nfll and voId, ana no
law" nor binding on the citizens oi mat
Sthtc or its officers aud by the saIh ordl.
nance. il is further dce'arcd To be nn'nwiul
f>r any Of the constituted aut horitics oI ihe
State or of the u. 5. tn enforce the payment
of The duties imposed by th' SAID acts within
the same State and hat 1t is the duty oi the
LEGISLATURE To pass such laws as may be
necessary to give fall effect to the SAID Or
dinahcc;
ASD umrRxAs, by the said Ordinance II
is further of'lnihcd hat in no case or law OF
equity, decided IN The Courts OF said State,
wherein shall be d.3~u n question the va
ldity oi The said Ordinance, or OF the acts OF
the Legislature that may be passed to give
il effect ar of the said laws of the U. 5. no
appeal shall be allowed TO the Supreme
Court of the y. 5. nor shall any copy OF
the record be permitted or allowed Tor that
purpose, and that any person attempting to
take such appeal shall be punished as Tor Il
contempt of Court;
And, finally, tho said Ordinance declares,
that the people of South Carolina will main
tain thu said Ordinance at every hazard
ami that they will consider the passage OF
any act by Congress abolishing or closing
the ports of the said State, or otherwise oo'
struciing the free ingrcss or cgrcss OF vessels
to g. from the said ports, or any other act OF
the Federal Government to cocrcc the statc
shut up her ports, destroy or horrnss 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 VIII
,hcnceforih hold themselves absolved from
all further obligation TO maintain or pre-
serve their political connection with the
people of the other States, and viii forti'
with proceed to organize separate Go
vcrnmcnt. and do all other acts and things
which sovereign and Independent Stales
may fright do;
Avn WHEREAS, the said Ordinance pre-
scribcs to the people Of South Carolina a
course of conduct in direct violation oI Ithe'r
duty as citizens of the u. 5. contrary TO
the laws of their country. subversIve OF us
Constitution, and having for its object inc
destruction ofthc Union that UnioG, Whlch
cocva with our political existence, led our
fathers without any other tics 10 mite them
than thoso of patriotism and a common
cause. through sanguinary struggle. TO
glorious ndependcnce-thats sacred Union,
hitherto inviolate, which, perfected by our
happy Constitution, has brought MS by tho
favor Of Heaven to state of prosperity al
home. and high considerat ion abroad rarely
if ever. eIunlled in the history Of nations.
To preserve this bond of our political exist
cncc from destruction. To maintain Inviolatt
this state of national honor and prosperity
and to Justify the confidence my fellow
citizens have reposcd 10 me. ] ANDREW
Jackson. President Of the United STATES
have thought proper TO issue this my PRO'
CLAMATION, stating my views OF inc
Constitution and laws. applicable to the
measures adopted by the Convention o
South Carolina, and TO The reasons they have
mt forth to sustain them, declaring the
course which duty will require me to pur,
sue and, appealing to the understanding ana
patriotism ofthc people, warn them OF inc
consequences that must inevitably result
from an observance Of the dictates oil the
Convention.
Stric, duty would require orme nothing
moro than the exercise ofthose powers VIII
which ] am now or may hereafter be invest
ed. for preserving the peace of the Union
and for the execution ofthe laws. But INC
imposing aspect which opposition has as
sumed in this case, by clothing itself whi
State authority and the deep int crest whlci
the people of the U. s. must all ice! IN pre-
venting resort to stronger measures, wh'l,
there is a hope that any thing will be yielded
70 reasoning and rcmonstrancc, perhaps de-
mand. and will certainly Justify full expo
sition 10 South Carolina, and the Na'lon
ofthe views entertain of this impor'ah
ouest,on. as we'll as a distinct enumeration
ofthc course which my sense oi duty VII
require me to pursue.
The Ordinance ie founded, not on th,
,ndcicasible right Of resisting acts which
are plainlv unconstitutional and too oppres
siye TO be endured but on the strange
postion that any one State may not only
declare an Act of Congress void, but pro
bibit its execution-that they may do this
consistcntlc with the Constitution-tha'
the true construction Of that instrument
permits q State to retain its place in the
Union, and yet be bound by no other OF lt'
laws than those it may choose to consider
rs constitutional. 1t is true, they add, thai
to justify this abrogation of law, it mus
be palpably contrary to the Constitution
but it is evident. that to give the right o
resisting laws Of that description, coupled
with the uncontrolled right TO decide wha'
laws deserve that character, Is to give th'
power of resisting all laws. For, as by, Tho
theory there is no appeal. the reasons allcg