Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-03-29
rwcnty-sccond Congrcss.--se,s. z
in SENATE. Feb I6.

HoUN, on the Reuenue Collection BiH.-TContinued I
But, sir, a third State is of opinion, not only that these
duty OF Congress to pass and 10 maintain such laws; and that,
by emitting 10 pass and maintain them, its constitutional
oONgahons would be grossly disregardcd. She relinuuish-
ed the power OF protection, she might allege, and allege
truly, herself, and gave il up to Congress, on tue faith that
Congress would exercise it. II Congress now refuse to
exercise il, Congress does, as she may insist, break the
condition OF the grant, and thus maniicstly violate the con-
stituiion; AMI for this violation OF the constitution, she may
threaten 10 secede also. Virginia may secede, and hold
the tortresses in the Chesapeake. The Western States
may seccde, and take TO their own use The public lands.
Louisiana may sece,e, if she ciioose, form a foreign ALI.
ance, aud hold the mouth OF the Mississippi. II one State
may secede, ten may 10 so-tsenty may do so-twcnty-
three may do so. Sir, MS these sccessions 20 OH, one after
another, what is TO constitute the United States! Whose
will he the army? Whose the navy? Who will pay the
debts! Who fulfil the public treaiies' Who perform the
constitutional guaranties' Who govern this District aud
the Territories! Who retain the public property
Mr.. President, every man must see that these are nil
questions which eau arise only after a revolution. They
pre-suppose the breaking mp of the Government. While
The constitution lasts, they are rcprcssc'; they spring up
TO annoy and startle us only from its grave.
The Constitution does not provide Tor events which must
be preceded by its own destruction. SECESSION. there
fore, since it must bring these consequences with il, is
EVOLUTIONARY Aud NuLLIFIcArroN is equally
REVOLUTIONARY What is revolution? Why, sir, that
is revolution, which overturns, or controls, or successfully
resists the existing public authority; that which arrests
The exercise OF the supreme powers; That which introduces
a new paramount authority INTO the rule of the State.
NOW, sir, this IS the precise object of nuliication. Ii at
temptS 10 supsrsede the supreme legislative authority. IL
arrests the arm OF the Executive magistrate. Ii inteTrupts
- J"N"' PN"'i' Chu
The name OF an ordinance, il declares null and void, with
IN the State, all the revenue laws OF the United States.
Is not this revolutionary? Sir, so soon as This ordinance
shall be carried into effect, a resolution will have com
menced III ) Carolina. She will have thrown off the an.
thority to which her citizens have heretofore been subject.
one VIII nave declared her own opinions and her own will
10 be above the laws, and above the power of those who
are entrusted with their administration. II she makes good
these declarations, she is revolutionized. As TO her. IL is as
distinctly a change of the supreme power, as the Ameri.
can Revolution OF l776. That revolution did not suhvert
Government in all its forms. tdid not subvert local laws
nulCIp AL Ira tiono Il O.Iy 1l.... IA II =
Ininion OF a Power, claiming 10 be superior, and to have a
right, IN many important respects, TO exercise Legislative
authority. Thinking this authority to have been usurped
or abused, the American colonies, now the United States,
Dade II defiance, and freed themselves from il hy means of
a revolution. But that revolution left them with their
ment. If Caroina now shall ehectually resist the laws of
Congress, IL she shall be her own Judge, take her remedy
into her own hands, obey the laws of the Union when She
pieases, and disobey them when she pleases, she will re-
lieYe herself from a paramount power as distinctly as the
American colonies did the same thing in l776. In Other
words, she will achieve, as to herself, a revolution.
But, sir, while practical notification in South Carolina
would be, as 10 herself, actual aud dis met revoInion lie
necessary tendency must also be 10 spread revolution. and
to break up the constitutions, as to all The o her States. IL
strikes d deadly blow at the vital principle of the whole
Union. To allow S;a'e resistance 10 the laws of Consress
TO be rightfui and proper, TO admit notification in some
States, and yet 10; expect TO see a dismemberment of the
e"lie Go'ernn ent' appears 10 me the wiliestiIiusion, and
me mos ex'rAvagant Jolly. The gentleman see ems not con-
scious OF the direction or Tho rapidly OF his own course
The current OF lis opinions sweeps him along, lie knows
not whittier. 10 begn with nullifcaion, with the avow.
ed in'eui, nevertheless, not TO proceed 10 secession. Js-
meubrr1 ri, and general revolution, is as if one were 10
take the plunge OF Niagara, AMI Guy out that he would
stop hall way down. In he one case, as in the other. ,hc
rash adventurer must go 70 he DO TON OF the dark ai,vss
below, were ii not that hat a. yss has no discov, red bot
tom.
Notification, if successful, arrests the power of the la,y.
absolYes citizens from their duty, subyeris the foundations
bo!h OF protection and obedience, dispenses with oatI,s and
onlSatoils OF allegiance, and elevatcs another authority TO
supreme command. Is moi This revolution! And il raises
TO supreme command Tour aud twenty distinct powers
each protesting TO be under a General Government. and
q each ettln It's laws AT tp GArtca al nae,r -.
this anarchy, as well as revolutions? Sir, the constitution
OF the United States was received as a whole, and for the
whole country. Ii il cannot stand altogether. il cannot
stand in part'; and, il the laws cannot be executed every
where, they cannot long be executed any where. The
gentleman very well knows that all duties and imposls
must be UNIFORM throughout the country. He knows that
we cannot have one rule or one law for South Caroline,
and another for other States. lie must see, thereT fore. and
does see, every man sees, that the only alternative is = rc.
peal Of the laws, throughout the whole Union, or their
execution in Carolina as well as elsewhere. And this re-
peal is demanded because a single State interposes her
veto, and threatens resistance! The result of the gen.
tleman's opinions, or rather the very text of his doc.
trine, is, that no act of Congress can bind all the
States, the ronstilutionahly Of which is not admitted
by all; or, ia other words, that no single State is
bound, against its own dissent, by a law of i'm
posts. This is precisely the evil experienced under the
old confederation, and Tor remedy oil which this consti,n-
tion was adopted. The leading object in establishing this
Government, an object forced on the country by the con
dition OF the times, and the absolute necessity OF the law.
was 10 give to Congress power 10 lay and collect imposts
toifhOtt The consent IF particular States, The rcyoIu.
tionary debt remained unpaid; tie national treasury was
bankrupt; The country was destitute OF credit; Congress is.
sued its acquisitions on tie States. and the States neglect.
ed them; there was no power OF coercion but war; Con-
gross could not lay imposts or other taxes, by its own an.
ihority; the whole General Government, there fore. was
lille more than = name. The articles Of confederation.
as to purposes Of revenue and finance, were nearly a dead
letter. The country sought to escape from this condition.
at once feeble and disgraccful, 10y constituting a Govern
mcnt which should have power OF itself to lay duties
and taxes, and 10 pay the public debt, and provide for
The general welfare; and TO lay these duties and taxes
in III lme States. without asking the consent Of the State
Governments. This was The very power on which The
new constitution was TO depend Tor all its ability TO do
good and, without ii, IL can be no government, now or al
any time. Yet, sir, IL IS precisely against this power. so
absolutely indispensable Ia the very being Of the Govern.
mcnt, that South Carolina directs her ordinance. She a.
tacks the Government in is authority 10 raise revenue.
succeed, every movement Of that system must inevitably
cease. II is Of no avail HAT she declares that she does no,
resist the law as a revenue law, but as y law Tor protect
ing manufactures. Iii is q revenue law i. l. the very Law
by force Of which the revenue Is collected 81 bc arrest.
ed in any State, the revenue ceases in that Stale IL Is, in
a word, the sole reliance OF the Government for the mean
OF maintaining itself and performing its duties.
MIR President, the alleged right Of a State TO decide
constitutional questions for herself, necessarily leads 10
force, because other STATES must have the same right, and
because different States wiltdecidc differently; and, " hen
these questions arise between States, If there be no supe-
rir power, they can be decided onlNby the law Of force.
On entering into the Union, the people Of each State gave
up a part OF their own power 10 make laws Tor themselves,
in consideration that. as 10 common objects, they should
words, the people Of al the States agreed 10 create = com.
mon Government, to be conducted by common councils
Pennsylvania, for example. yielded the right Of laying
imposts in her own ports, in consideration that the new
Government, in which she was to have a share. should
possess the power Of laying imposis in al the States. II