Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-12-05
MESSAGE OF GOVERNOR HAMILTON,
To the Legislature Of South Carolina, eonrensd
on the 26th uLtimo.

Ts the Legislature of SOuh Carolina, cohce"ea
on the 26th uhimo.
Ev,,ow.C Citizens: The die has been at last
cast. and South Carolina has at length Appealed
IN her ulterior sovereignty as member OF TINS
and planted herself upon her re.
served rights. The righuul exercise of this pow
Or ia mot question which We will any longer ar
oue-it Is sufficient that she has wled II, and
that the act is done; nor is its strict compatibility
with our constitutional obligations to all laws pas
sed by the General Government within the au-
thorized grants of power. to be drawn IN ques-
ton when this interposltion Is exerted 10 case
in which the compact has been Pa'Pao'y, aeipe'
rately. and dang. rousIy violated. That it brings
up conjunction of deep and momentous inter
ests, is neither to be concealed nor denied
The crisis first presents class OF duties "h'cn
is referrible to yourselves. You have been COM
manded by the People. in their highest sovereign
ty. To take care that, within the limits 0f tn,
State, their Will be obeyed. They have armed
YOU with the requisite authority, and on the WIS.
dom, firmness, and forecast with which you dis
charge these duties. vii, depend the tranquility,
peace, liberty, and happiness Of our beloved State.
Obedience to necessary laws, flowing from lesi-
innate source Public Right, is the best security
to social order aud civil reedom. 10 leave this
obedience to the voluntary suggestions OF Pubhc
dutv, or private conscience, or to feeble or de-
fective enactmehts, in the end. leads to extreme
riyor, or it brings all Just authority INTO ders'"n
and contempt. The measure OF Legislation
which you have to employ at this crisis, is the
Drecise amour. of such enactments as may be
necessary to render 1t utterly Impossible to COL
Iect within our limits the duties Imposed BY pro.
tective Tariffs thus nuIfed That you viii re.
sort TO such civil and penal provisions as VIII ac.
complsh this purpose without unnecessary ris0r
ON the one hand, or weak or mistaken leniency
ON the other, | feel so well assured. that shall
refrain from entering into detail OF suggestions
On a subject on which you are 50 much better ad.
vised than myself That you should arm every
citizen with civil process. by which hesmay
claim, if he chooses. rest tuition OF his goods'
seized under the existing impost, on his giving
security TO abide the issue OF suit at law; anu
at the same time define what shall constitute trca.
son against the State, and, by bill of pains and
penalties, compel obedience, and punish dlsobe-
iience to your own laws, are points too obvious
to require any discussion. In one word,
you must survey the whole ground. You
must Iook to, and provide for, all possible
contingencies. In your own limits, your own
Courts Of judcature must not only be Supreme,
but you must look to the ultimate result Of any
conflict Of jurisdiction and power between them
and the Courts of the United States
There is one contingency, in particular, tor
which YOU ought to provide. and that is, in case
the Collectors Of the Customs in any OF the Ports
OF the State, under the instruction OF the Gene
raj Government should refuse cicarancy TO vrs-
sells outward bound, that no injury should accrue
to our trade, or to those who Uay be carrying on
| friendly commercial intercourse with US, the Co.
vernon should. under such circumstances, be au-
thorised to grant instantly certificates OF clear
ance. under the seal Of the State.
An enlightened forecast will not, however.
permit You TO stop here. Remember that ours
l. emphaticaiiy country paving all habitusl re-
terence to the law. As little must be left 70
t.. discretion Of the Execute a. possible
+ sy conjuncture must be anticipated BY your
own enaCtments.
From these Legislative provisions, let me now
pass to the consideration OF the consequences,
trust, Of a remote and improbable occurrence.
| We claim that our remedy is essentially OF
pacific character. When we SET up this claim,
all we mean to say is, that of right il ought to
fbe, and as far as we are concerned il shall be
TO the peaceful redress afforded BY our Courts,
in the restitution which they decree, and to the
ultimate arbtrament Of our sister States, in ge-
neral Convention assembled on the disputed pow.
ers. we look with confidence to an adjustment
of this painful controversy. But the final issue
may be adverse to this hope.
Threats Of coercion, We know, were once, in
relation to the probable measures Of this State,
officially promuIsed, and public rumor, to which
it is not safe for those in charge Of the public au
thorties to be absolutely deaf. has not diminish
ed the conviction that these dispositions may pro-
baby be yet entertained. Nor ought we, in a
struggle like this, to rely entirely on the conf
dence that power will not be used because right
may be violated.
We must be prepared for this alternative. |
would, therefore, recommend that our Militia
System, and its laws, undergo thorough revi-
sion. That the Executive be authorized to &C
cepi, for the defence Of Charleston and its DEEPEN
denotes. the services Of two thousand volunteers,
either BY Companies or Files, as they may voun-
teer. and that they BE- formed into four Battalons
of Infantry, with one Flank Company Of Rifle
men attached to each Battalion; one Squadron
Of Cavalry, and two BattaIions: one Of Field,
and the other of Heavy Artillery; that these
Corps be organized IN Lesionary Brigade. and
that the Executive, from the precincts in uhich