Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-12-29

strances aud solemn protests. In such quar-.
rel our duty to cur country, ourselves, and our
posterty, is too plain to be mistaken. We will
stand upon the soil of Carolina and maintain the
sovereign authority Of the State, or be buried
beneath its ruins. As unhappy Poland fell before
the Autocrat, so may Carolina be crushed by
the power Of her enemies, but Poland was not
surrounded by free and independent States, in.
terested, like herself, in preventing the establish.
ment Of the very tyranny which they are called
upon to impose upon sister State. II in spite
Of our common kindred, and common interest,
the glorious recollection Of the past and the
proud hopes of the future, South Carolina should
be coldiy abandoned to her fate. and reduced
/ to subsection, by an anholv combination among
her sister States-which is believed to be utterly
impossible--and the doctrines promulgated by
the President are TO become the foundations Of
new system cemented by the blood of our citi
zens, 1t matters not what may BE- our lot. Tn.
der such Government, as there could he 40 H.
berty, SD there could be 40 security either for
our persons or our property.
! Bat there u Que consolation, of which 10 the
providence of God no people can be deprived
without their own consent.-The proud con
sciousness Of having done their duty. IL our
country must be ensiaved. let her not BE- di,ho-
nored by her own sons! Let them not ..forgs
the chains themselres, by ,ohich their liberties are
90 be n.dnaried"
! The President has intimated in his Procama.
ton that standing Army" is about to be rails
Ell to carry secession into effect. South Carroll
ma desires that her true position should be clear
" understood both at home and abroad. Her OBJ.
ject IS not Sd isunion"-she has raised 40 stand
ing Army" and it driven 10 repel invasion or re-
SYST aggression. she will do so by the strong arms
/ "a H..
ma has snennlv proclaimed her purpose;
that purpose is the U;ndicafion Of her rights
She has professed sincere attachment to the
Union; and to the utmost of her power she
will endravor to preserve it, "but believes that
for this end, it is her duty to watch over and op'
ppse any iniraction of those principles which con-
s,itute the oniY basis OF that union, because
faithful observance of them can alone secure its
existence; that she venerates the CONSTITUTION
and will protect and defend il "aganst every az
gres,inn, foreign or domestic" but above all,
that she estimates as beyond all price her LIBEn-
~. which she is unalterably determined never
to surrender while she has the power to maintain
|
The President denies in the most positive
terms the right of State under any circumstan.
ces to secrde from the Union, and puts this de-
NAL on the ground .'ihat from the time The
States parted with so many powers rs To consti'
tule jointly with the other States a SINGLE Ma
rIoN, they cannot from that period possess any
r,ght to secpde." What then remains OF those
! rights Of the States" for which the President
processes 50 '.hsh reverence" In what do
they CONSIST? And bv what tenure are they
hcds The uncontrolled will of the federal GO
v.rnnent Like any other petty corporation.
the 5 ates may exert such powers and such only
as may be permitted by their superiors. when
they step beyond these limits, even federal OF
fcer will set at nousht their DEGREES, repeat their
schema ordinancps,-pr0claim their citizens 10 be
TRaIroRs, & reduce them to subsection by mi-
tarv force; aud il driven to desperation. they
should seek refuge in sec eSSon. they are 10 be
told that they have bound themselves 10 those
who have perpetrdted 0r permitted there enor-
mi,ies, in the iron bonds Of a ''rERpErUaL UNI.
ON"
If these principles could b. established, then
7 indeed would the days Of our liberty be number
ed, and the republic will have foand A MASTER
! IL South Caroiina mad not already taken her
stand ag.inSt the u,urpaton at the Federal UnV-
ernment, here would have been an occasion, when
she mus, have felt herself inpclled nv every I'm
pulse of patriotism. and every sentiment oi uu'f'
10 stand forth, in open defiance OF the arOirary
DEGREES of the Executive, wnen sovereign o'a,e
. l. denounced. her authority uc'"e"' '"e avs
ance Of her c,izens denied, and she IS threatened
w,rh military power To reduce her TO obedience
10 the will of one of the functionaries ct the f..
deral Government, by whom she IS COMMANDED
20 tear from her achIves" her most solem" de-
crs.s surely the time has come when 1t must be
seen whether the people of the several States
have indeed lost the spirit of the revolution, and
whether thew are to become the willing 'nstru'
/ moot, Of IN unh, allowed despotisIn. In such a
sacred cause S,urh Carolina will teel that she IS
st,ikiny not for'her own, but the liberties OF the
Unioo and the RIGHTS of NAN. and she confident
iy trusts. that the issue If hi. contest wilt be an
example to freemsn, and lesson to rulers through
out the world.
Fellow citizens: In the name and behalf OF
SoAth Carolina, | do "nce more sole'nn'y warn
you against all attempts to seduce YOU fro" your
primary allegiance To the Safe: charge you
10 be faithful to your duty as citizens nf south
iC,r,Iiua. and earnestly exhart YOU 10 disregard
,hnse ..vain menaces'' of military force. which,
If the President in violation Of all his conshtu'